Pacific Winds 20250226
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
Peters to seek answers from China over warships, Cook Islands deal
RNZ 20250226
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/542983/peters-to-seek-answers-from-china-over-warships-cook-islands-deal
New Zealand's deputy PM starts China visit amid 'live-fire drills' hypes, global geopolitical shift
GT 20250225
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202502/1329072.shtml
New Zealand need not fear China’s growing ties with Pacific nations
SCMP 20250225
https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3299560/new-zealand-need-not-fear-chinas-growing-ties-pacific-nations
China and South Korea need each other more than ever
Asia Times 20250225
https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/China-and-South-Korea-need-each-other-more-than-ever
France demeaning itself playing US' game
China Daily 20250225
https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202502/25/WS67bd0367a310c240449d6fce.html
Trump, Xi, and the false hope of a grand bargain
Brookings 20250225
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/trump-xi-and-the-false-hope-of-a-grand-bargain/
Trump Team Seeks to Toughen Biden’s Chip Controls Over China
Bloomberg 20250225
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-25/trump-administration-seeks-more-restrictions-on-china-tech-weighs-nvidia-curbs
US curbs on China’s chip industry impede development of global semiconductor industry, will ultimately backfire: FM
GT 20250225
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202502/1329040.shtml
Patience, small steps needed to thaw China-US relations
GT 20250225
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202502/1329050.shtml
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
Whipps, Marcos Strengthen Palau-Philippines Ties on Climate, Fisheries, and Labor
Island Times 20250225
https://islandtimes.org/whipps-marcos-strengthen-palau-philippines-ties-on-climate-fisheries-and-labor/
Restoring Tinian's Legacy
USAF AAFB 20250224
https://www.andersen.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4076238/restoring-tinians-legacy/
Tankers band together
AU DoD 20250225
https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/news/2025-02-25/tankers-band-together
Island Waves
Defence pact to build PNG links without the brain drain
Canberra Times 20250225
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8899073/defence-pact-to-build-png-links-without-the-brain-drain/
China meets Pacific aid needs
Waatea 20250225
https://waateanews.com/2025/02/25/shane-jones-china-meets-pacific-aid-needs/
Falake Hydro construction nears commencement
Solomon Star 20250225
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/falake-hydro-construction-nears-commencement/
PM Manele thanks Japan
Solomon Star 20250225
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/pm-manele-thanks-japan/
Essential solar lighting for Sobiro clinic
Solomon Star 20250225
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/essential-solar-lighting-for-sobiro-clinic/
Gold exports to China sparks political debate
FBCN 20250225
https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/gold-exports-to-china-sparks-political-debate/
Pro-France and anti-independence movements clash
Fiji Times 20250225
https://www.fijitimes.com.fj/pro-france-and-anti-independence-movements-clash-clashes-mar-valls-visit/
Taiwan + xCS
Foreign ministry says US commitment to Taiwan has not changed
Taiwan News 20250225
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6045137
Taiwan Is Testing An Air Launched Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile
TWZ 20250224
https://www.twz.com/air/taiwan-is-testing-an-air-launched-supersonic-anti-ship-missile
Taiwan detains China-linked cargo ship after undersea cable disconnected
Reuters 20250225
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-detains-china-linked-cargo-ship-after-undersea-cable-disconnected-2025-02-25/
Taiwan detains China-linked cargo ship after undersea cable disconnected
ABC (AU) 20250225
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-25/taiwan-detains-china-linked-ship-after-undersea-cable-incident/104981932
Taiwan tracks 15 Chinese ships, 12 military aircraft
Taiwan News 20250225
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6045111
China holds live-fire exercises in Gulf of Tonkin after Vietnam marks its territorial claims
AP 20250224
https://apnews.com/article/vietnam-china-gulf-of-tonkin-drills-1e45f69d9c1cb2d819aa6230c41f07d2
Military exercise underway in Yellow Sea
China Military 20250225
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/CHINA_209163/TopStories_209189/16371269.html
Capabilities
Ex-U.S. general not convinced S. Korea will be more secure with nuclear arms
Yonhap 20250225
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250225000200315
China’s ships near Australia. Challenges in the South China Sea. Get used to it
ASPI 20250225
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/chinas-ships-near-australia-and-its-challenges-in-the-south-china-sea-get-used-to-it/
China ‘lapping up’ Albanese’s silence amid Tasman Sea debacle
Sky 20250226
https://www.skynews.com.au/opinion/china-lapping-up-albaneses-silence-amid-tasman-sea-debacle/video/523a01713d21039731c51854e9e9d552
Official Chinese report details PLA warships’ drills in Pacific Ocean amid Aussie, NZ hypes
GT 20250225
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202502/1329031.shtml
China puts Philippines on hypersonic nuke alert
Asia Times 20250225
https://asiatimes.com/2025/02/china-puts-philippines-on-hypersonic-nuke-alert/
A Tale of Two Typhoons: Properly Diagnosing Chinese Cyber Threats
WOTR 20250225
https://warontherocks.com/2025/02/a-tale-of-two-typhoons-properly-diagnosing-chinese-cyber-threats/
Nominee for Pentagon No. 2: ‘Plug’ shortages, kill legacy programs to ‘defeat’ China
Breaking Defense 20250225
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/02/nominee-for-pentagon-no-2-plug-shortages-kill-legacy-programs-to-defeat-china/
Power
Trump’s vision of a new US-China-Russia world order
Asia Tomes 20250225
https://asiatimes.com/2025/02/trumps-vision-of-a-new-us-china-russia-world-order/
The World Trump Wants
FA 20250225
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/world-trump-wants-michael-kimmage
Exercises
People’s Liberation Army–Navy vessels operating near Australia
AU DoD 20250225
https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/news/2025-02-25/update-peoples-liberation-army-navy-vessels-operating-near-australia
Chinese warships re-enter Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone and head closer to Tasmania
ABC (20250225
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-25/chinese-warships-re-enter-australias-exclusive-economic-zone/104981612
China’s PLA offers details on live-fire Pacific drills led by Type 055 destroyer Zunyi
SCMP 20250225
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3300073/chinas-pla-offers-details-live-fire-pacific-drills-led-type-055-destroyer-zunyi