Pacific Winds 20250227
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
The building blocks for security partnership in the Indo-Pacific
Lowy 20250226
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/building-blocks-security-partnership-indo-pacific
To counter China, US must maintain soft power and alliances, Congress hears
SCMP 20250226
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3300126/counter-china-us-must-maintain-soft-power-and-alliances-congress-hears
Tokyo-Manila defense co-op carries major strategic misjudgments
GT 20250226
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202502/1329125.shtml
Some US allies contribute, some loaf. Here’s a numerical assessment
ASPI 20250226
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/some-us-allies-contribute-some-loaf-heres-a-numerical-assessment/
Philippines hopeful but openly hedging on Trump
Asia Times 20250226
https://asiatimes.com/2025/02/philippines-hopeful-but-openly-hedging-on-trump/
Trump’s Next Deal Should Be With Kim Jong Un
FP 20250226
https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/02/26/trump-kim-north-korea-nuclear-diplomacy-deal/
How far will Trump’s personal brand of diplomacy take him with China’s Xi Jinping?
SCMP 20250226
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3300246/how-far-will-trumps-personal-brand-diplomacy-take-him-chinas-xi-jinping
China Hawks Stop Squawking
China Wire 20250225
https://www.thewirechina.com/2025/02/25/china-hawks-stop-squawking-trump/
As Trump Abandons Allies, How Will China Respond?
FP 20250225
https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/02/25/china-trump-strategy-europe-russia-ukraine-alliances/
Donald Trump might accept certain ‘significant’ Chinese investment in the US: congressman
SCMP 20250226
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3300127/donald-trump-might-accept-certain-significant-chinese-investment-us-congressman
Indo-Pacific crucial to Trump, top Asia hand Kritenbrink says
Nikkei 20250226
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Trump-administration/Indo-Pacific-crucial-to-Trump-top-Asia-hand-Kritenbrink-says
Deputy Pentagon chief nominee calls for efforts to stem growth of N. Korea's nuclear, missile arsenals
Yonhap 20250226
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250226000252315
New Zealand's foreign minister raises concerns over China's Tasman Sea drills on Beijing visit
Reuters 20250226
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/new-zealands-foreign-minister-raises-concerns-over-chinas-tasman-sea-drills-2025-02-26/
Chinese VP meets with New Zealand deputy PM
GT 20250226
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202502/1329117.shtml
Chinese navy live-fire drills saga marks failure in China-NZ relationship - Peters
RNZ 20250227
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/543112/chinese-navy-live-fire-drills-saga-marks-failure-in-china-nz-relationship-peters
Trump Aims at Chinese Shipping, Risking Another Shock for Businesses
NYTimes 20250226
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/26/business/trump-china-shipping.html
Trump’s New Crackdown on China Is Just Beginning
NYTimes 20250226
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/26/us/politics/trump-china-crackdown.html
Island Waves
Cook Islands PM accuses NZ media, experts of thinking ‘we are too dumb’
RNZ 20250226
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/543055/cook-islands-pm-accuses-nz-media-experts-of-thinking-we-are-too-dumb
China ties behind Kiribati-NZ impasse, opposition leader says
PINA 20250226
https://pina.com.fj/2025/02/26/china-ties-behind-kiribati-nz-impasse-opposition-leader-says/
PNG and Indonesia Deepen Energy Ties
Post Courier (PNG) 20250226
https://www.postcourier.com.pg/png-and-indonesia-deepen-energy-ties/
MOI-Aust hold landmark discussion
Solomon Star 20250226
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/moi-aust-hold-landmark-discussion/
Japan pledge to help Vanuatu recover
Daily Post (VU) 20250226
https://www.dailypost.vu/news/japan-pledge-to-help-vanuatu-recover/article_3da543b8-d67c-57bc-9bc4-801cef85f8a7.html
U.S retreat leaves Australia to weigh Pacific aid gaps
PINA 20250226
https://pina.com.fj/2025/02/26/u-s-retreat-leaves-australia-to-weigh-pacific-aid-gaps/
Stress and fear roil a tiny, rapidly militarizing Japanese island near Taiwan
AP 20250226
https://apnews.com/article/japan-china-taiwan-us-military-border-island-948aeb5eeeac08b6db9f88eccc7bb55d
Taiwan + SCS
Four Chinese coast guard ships enter Kinmen waters
Taipei Times 20250226
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2025/02/26/2003832554
Taiwan decries China's sudden establishment of 'shooting zone'
CNA (TW) 20250226
https://focustaiwan.tw/cross-strait/202502260013
Taiwan sends its military after China launches 'live-fire' drill near island
ABC (AU) 20250226
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-27/taiwan-dispatches-military-after-china-live-fire-drills/104987344
Will 2027 invite conflict for Taiwan and China?
Brookings 20250225
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/will-2027-invite-conflict-for-taiwan-and-china/
China seriously concerned about reports of US unfreezing military assistance to Taiwan region: FM
GT 20250226
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202502/1329113.shtml
Trump wastes no time playing "Taiwan card"
China Military 20250226
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/OPINIONS_209196/Opinions_209197/16371447.html
Taiwan tracks 16 Chinese ships, 11 military aircraft
Taiwan News 20250226
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6045938
Capabilities
Intelligence chief says Chinese warship deployment designed to be 'provocative'
ABC (AU) 20250226
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-26/chinese-warship-deployment-designed-to-be-provocative/104982224
Meet the Type 055 destroyers steering China’s blue-water ambitions as far as Australia
SCMP 20250226
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3300160/meet-type-055-destroyers-steering-chinas-blue-water-ambitions-far-australia
China’s 6th-Generation Fighter: Potential Game Changer for Air Superiority in Asia?
The Diplomat 20250224
https://thediplomat.com/2025/02/chinas-6th-generation-fighter-potential-game-changer-for-air-superiority-in-asia/
Chinese scientists build world’s first jet fuel-powered engine for Mach 16 flight
SCMP 20250226
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3299576/chinese-scientists-build-worlds-first-jet-fuel-powered-engine-mach-16-flight
Axing Next Generation Fighter Would Leave Air Force Worse Off: Force Design Boss
TWZ 20250226
https://www.twz.com/air/axing-next-generation-fighter-would-leave-air-force-worse-off-force-design-boss
A $45B ‘Recovery Plan’ for the Department of the Air Force
Air & Space 20250225
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/new-report-trump-recovery-plan-air-force/
Air Force and Space Force Vectors for the Incoming Trump Defense Team
Mitchell 20250226
https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/app/uploads/2025/02/Air_and_Space_Vectors_Policy_Paper_59-FINAL.pdf
Too soon? GAO questions tech readiness of satellite laser links
Breaking Defense 20250226
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/02/too-soon-gao-questions-tech-readiness-of-satellite-laser-links/
Laser Communications:Space Development Agency Should Create Links Between Development Phases
GAO 20250226
https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-25-106838.pdf
Pentagon’s No. 2 Civilian Nominee Talks NGAD, Hypersonics, and More
Air & Space 20250225
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/pentagons-no-2-civilian-nominee-ngad/
Army will field its long-range hypersonic weapon by end of fiscal year
Defense News 20250226
https://www.defensenews.com/land/2025/02/26/army-will-field-its-long-range-hypersonic-weapon-by-end-of-fiscal-year/
To “protect-and-project” – A call for Australian land power in the Indo-Pacific
Lowy 20250227
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/protect-project-call-australian-land-power-indo-pacific
House narrowly passes budget resolution containing $100B for defense
S&S 20250226
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2025-02-25/house-budget-resolution%C2%A0military-spending-trump-16955380.html
‘Let’s be frank’: Hegseth’s budget shakeup will be ‘painful’ but there’s ‘hope,’ Air Force official says
Breaking Defense 20250226
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/02/lets-be-frank-hegseths-budget-shakeup-will-be-painful-but-theres-hope-air-force-official-says/
Power
The Renegade Order
FA 20250225
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/renegade-order-trump-hal-brands
Trump’s Impact on Asia’s Contested Order
The Diplomat 20250225
https://t.co/1C9AVcdeB7
U.S. Soft Power Is Spiraling in Asia, With China Filling the Void
CFR 20250226
https://www.cfr.org/blog/us-soft-power-spiraling-asia-china-filling-void
Enlightened Self-Interest and U.S. Foreign Assistance: Throwing Away our Toolbox does not Make us Safer
CSIS 20250226
https://www.csis.org/analysis/enlightened-self-interest-and-us-foreign-assistance-throwing-away-our-toolbox-does-not
Strategic Opportunities and Risks in the East Asia and Pacific Region
AEI 20250225
https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Cooper-HFAC-EAP-Testimony-2.25.pdf
Thinking Through Protracted War with China
RAND 20250226
https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RRA1400/RRA1475-1/RAND_RRA1475-1.pdf
Events
US-China-Taiwan Relations: What to expect in the Trump II era?
IFRI 11 March 2025 3:30-5:00 PM (CEST)
https://www.ifri.org/en/us-china-taiwan-relations-what-expect-trump-ii-era
Enhancing Defense Industrial Cooperation Between Australia and the United States
CSIS 5 March 2025 5-6PM EST
https://www.csis.org/events/csis-report-launch-enhancing-defense-industrial-cooperation-between-australia-and-united