Pacific Winds 20250313
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
Donald Trump rejects Australia's bid for exemption from steel and aluminium tariffs
ABC (AU) 20250312
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-12/trump-rejects-australia-s-bid-for-tariff-exemptions/105039966
Tariffs could be turning point in Albanese's 'no comment' strategy on Trump
ABC (AU) 20250312
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-12/tariffs-turning-point-albanese-response-trump/105043594
Steel yourselves, Trump’s worldwide tariffs threaten Australia more
Lowy 20250312
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/steel-yourselves-trump-s-worldwide-tariffs-threaten-australia-more
Trump’s tariffs: The smarter option for Australia to retaliate
Lowy 20250312
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/trump-s-tariffs-smarter-option-australia-retaliate
UKUS: Two pillars, three fallacies
Lowy 20250313
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/aukus-two-pillars-three-fallacies
U.S. Raps Japan over Rice Tariff
Yomuri 20250312
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/business/economy/20250312-243014/
The U.S. says Japan has a 700% tariff on American rice. Is that the case?
Japan Times 20250312
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/12/japan/japan-rice-tariffs/
Trump's metal tariffs broaden trade war globally, affect S. Korea
Yonhap 20250313
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250313000200315
The Incoherent Case for Tariffs
FA 20250311
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/incoherent-case-tariffs
What Beijing wants from a US-China trade war
Brookings 20250312
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-beijing-wants-from-a-us-china-trade-war/
Federation is deterrence: The US defence industrial and technology integration agenda in the Indo-Pacific
USSC 20250312
https://www.ussc.edu.au/federation-is-deterrence-the-us-defence-industrial-and-technology-integration-agenda-in-the-indo-pacific
Rethinking Singapore’s defence innovation in a multipolar world
Straits Times 20250312
https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/rethinking-singapores-defence-innovation-in-a-multipolar-world
Asian Allies on Edge: Japan and South Korea Brace for Uncertainty in Trump’s Second Term
The Diplomat 20250312
https://thediplomat.com/2025/03/asian-allies-on-edge-japan-and-south-korea-brace-for-uncertainty-in-trumps-second-term/
Unwise and unwelcome sabre rattling
Farmer’s Weekly (NZ) 20250312
https://www.farmersweekly.co.nz/opinion/unwise-and-unwelcome-sabre-rattling/
The business of ‘taking money to defame China’ should go bankrupt
ASPI 20250313
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202503/1330016.shtml
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
Governor warns federal cuts put Guam's national security role on the line
PIT 20250313
https://www.pacificislandtimes.com/post/governor-says-federal-cuts-put-guam-s-role-in-national-security-on-the-line
Experts: China will fill Pacific void if US economic well dries up
PDN 20250312
https://www.guampdn.com/news/experts-china-will-fill-pacific-void-if-us-economic-well-dries-up/article_4a7b75d6-fe26-11ef-8650-073c5fd41193.html
Island Waves
Papua New Guinea: Shhhhh …don’t use the word “Alliance”
Lowy 20250312
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/papua-new-guinea-shhhhh-don-t-use-word-alliance
Defense treaty to further deepen enduring Australia-PNG ties
IPDF 20250311
https://ipdefenseforum.com/2025/03/defense-treaty-to-further-deepen-enduring-australia-png-ties/
Bougainville Leaders Forum recommends September 2027 for independence
RNZ 20250312
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/544577/bougainville-leaders-forum-recommends-september-2027-for-independence
State of the Media: Pacific Region 2025
ABC (AU) 20250312
https://live-production.wcms.abc-cdn.net.au/8ff404d761376e43f4fe441287062307
Australia Launches 46m Investment for Gender Equality
Solomon Times 20250312
https://www.solomontimes.com/news/australia-launches-46m-investment-for-gender-equality/13164
Taiwan + SCS
The Case for a Taiwan-US Semiconductor Agreement
The Diplomat 20250312
https://thediplomat.com/2025/03/the-case-for-a-taiwan-us-semiconductor-agreement/
Taiwan’s No. 2 diplomat seeks higher-level ‘unofficial’ Japan meetings as ties grow
Japan Times 20250312
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/12/japan/politics/taiwan-deputy-foreign-minister-francois-wu/
Taiwan Affairs Office slams US for claiming to ‘support Taiwan’ while taking actions that harm the island
GT 20250312
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202503/1329966.shtml
Mainland stresses legitimacy of military drills in Taiwan Strait
Xinhua 20250312
https://english.news.cn/20250312/129e6c54dfdf4da6a3579973dfc3b785/c.html
Taiwan tracks 11 Chinese military aircraft, 8 ships
Taiwan News 20250312
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6057387
Beijing treads water in the South China Sea
EAF 20250312
https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/03/12/beijing-treads-water-in-the-south-china-sea/
Capabilities
Navy Intends to Ramp Up Shipbuilding Through Collaborative Efforts
US DoD 20250311
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4116178/navy-intends-to-ramp-up-shipbuilding-through-collaborative-efforts/
Pay ‘Number One Issue’ in Growing U.S. Shipbuilding Workforce, Panel Tells HASC
USNI 20250311
https://news.usni.org/2025/03/11/pay-number-one-issue-in-growing-u-s-shipbuilding-workforce-panel-tells-hasc
The State of U.S. Shipbuilding Hearing Testimony
USNI 20250312
https://news.usni.org/2025/03/12/the-state-of-u-s-shipbuilding-hearing-testimony
US suppression won’t stifle devt of China’s shipbuilding sector
GT 20250313
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202503/1330014.shtml
Accelerating Australia’s Defense Capabilities and Enhancing Industrial Cooperation with the United States
CSIS 20250312
https://www.csis.org/analysis/accelerating-australias-defense-capabilities-and-enhancing-industrial-cooperation-united
Marine Corps will receive first anti-ship missile battery in Okinawa
Military Times 20250312
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2025/03/12/marine-corps-will-receive-first-anti-ship-missile-battery-in-okinawa/
China launches 18 satellites from Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site
Xinhua 20250312
https://english.news.cn/20250312/7e42663a4a4b4d40a51f8e64b41228a8/c.html
China’s expanding footprint in geostationary orbit raises security concerns
Space News 20250312
https://spacenews.com/chinas-expanding-footprint-in-geostationary-orbit-raises-security-concerns/
America’s next Sputnik moment is already here
Space News 20250312
https://spacenews.com/americas-next-sputnik-moment-is-already-here/
Awaiting Space Force certification, ULA says future missions could aim to baffle Chinese watcher sats
Breaking Defense 20250312
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/03/awaiting-space-force-certification-ula-says-future-missions-could-aim-to-baffle-chinese-watcher-sats/
DIU to start field testing quantum sensors in tough conditions
Breaking Defense 20250312
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/03/diu-to-start-field-testing-quantum-sensors-in-tough-conditions/
Military Readiness:Implementing GAO's Recommendations Can Help DOD Address Persistent Challenges Across Air, Sea, Ground, and Space Domains
GAO 20250312
https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-25-108104.pdf
Exercises
S. Korea-U.S. joint drills target growing N. Korean WMD threats
Yonhap 20250312
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250312007700315
Chinese Warships Circle Australia and Leave It Feeling ‘Near-Naked’
NYTimes 20250312
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/world/australia/china-warships-australia-aukus.html