Pacific Winds 20250410

A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region

Apr 09, 2025

Alliances

For U.S. and China, a Risky Game of Chicken With No Off-Ramp in Sight
NYTimes 20250409
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/world/asia/china-us-tariff-trade.html

Trump and Xi Are in a Tariff Trap
FP 20250409
https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/04/09/trump-tariff-china-us-xi-trade-war-geopolitics/

US-China trade war is on: Could it turn violent, and when?
Responsible Statecraft 20250409
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/china-tariffs/

S. Korea-U.S. relationship remains 'strong': State Dept.
Yonhap 20250409
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250409000451315

Reeling From Trump’s Tariffs, South Korea Tries Striking a Delicate Balance
NYTimes 20250409
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/world/asia/south-korea-trump-tariffs-automakers.html

N.K. leader's sister slams S. Korea-U.S.-Japan pledge to denuclearize North as 'most hostile act'
Yonhap 20250409
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250409001000315

What SE Asia does and doesn’t want from Trump
Asia Times 20250409
https://asiatimes.com/2025/04/what-se-asia-does-and-doesnt-want-from-trump/

Rethinking East Asian Peace, Over-deterrence, and Minilateralism
AIAA 20250409
https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/rethinking-east-asian-peace-over-deterrence-and-minilateralism/

Japan’s annual foreign policy report stresses importance of US ties, eyes ‘mutually beneficial relation’ with China
GT 20250409
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202504/1331700.shtml

Will Trump’s tariffs force Global South to show ‘true colours’ on US and China?
SCMP 20250409
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3305871/will-trumps-tariffs-force-global-south-show-true-colours-us-and-china

China and Mexico cited by US for financial networks enabling fentanyl trafficking
SCMP 20250409
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3305901/china-and-mexico-cited-us-financial-networks-enabling-fentanyl-trafficking

In a Storm of Tariffs, Many Companies See China as the Safest Harbor
NYTimes 20250409
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/09/business/trump-tariffs-china-factories.html

S. Korea to prioritize lowering tariffs rates in U.S. negotiations: official
Yonhap 20250409
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250409005400315

Shipbuilding cooperation key bargaining chip in tariff negotiations with U.S.: industry minister
Yonhap 20250409
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250409006700320

Japan asks U.S. to drop reciprocal tariffs, calls them regrettable
Kyodo 20250409
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/04/392590f1b734-update1-japan-asks-us-to-drop-reciprocal-tariffs-calls-them-regrettable.html

Addressing differences to accelerate China-Japan-S.Korea FTA negotiations
GT 20250409
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202504/1331784.shtml

China takes four measures against the US, showing strong resolve against coercion, pressure
GT 20250409
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202504/1331781.shtml

China May Have a Revenge List for Tariff Wars
FP 20250409
https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/04/09/china-xinhua-trade-retaliation-tariffs/

Why Diplomatic Relations Will Only Go So Far Against Trump’s Tariffs
Hudson 20250408
https://www.hudson.org/trade/why-diplomatic-relations-will-only-go-so-far-against-trumps-tariffs-john-lee

Micronesia-Marianas (2^nd Island Chain+)

WWII bomber base enlisted for US power projection against China in the Pacific
SCMP 20250409
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3305771/wwii-bomber-base-enlisted-us-power-projection-against-china-pacific

The Strategic Importance of Pete Hegseth’s Guam Visit
TNI 20250408
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/the-strategic-importance-of-pete-hegseths-guam-visit

Thousands drive key military initiative construction in Guam
KPRG 20250408
https://www.islapublic.org/news/2025-04-08/thousands-drive-key-military-initiative-construction-in-guam

Homecoming: Emory S. Land returns to Guam
US PacFlt 20250409
https://www.cpf.navy.mil/Newsroom/News/Article/4150410/homecoming-emory-s-land-returns-to-guam/

Island Waves

Taiwan + SCS

China in the Taiwan Strait: February 2025
CFR 202500409
https://www.cfr.org/article/china-taiwan-strait-february-2025

Japan foreign policy report calls for peace in Taiwan Strait
Taiwan News 20250409
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6080837

Taiwan tracks 25 Chinese military aircraft, 7 ships
Taiwan News 20250409
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6080386

40 Chinese vessels monitored in West PH Sea in March – PH Navy
Inquirer (PH) 202500408
https://www.inquirer.net/435623/40-chinese-vessels-monitored-in-west-ph-sea-in-march-ph-navy/

Australia donates P34M worth of drones to PCG
GMA 202500408
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/942003/australia-donates-p34m-worth-of-drones-to-pcg/story/

Capabilities

China's Military Buildup Threatens Indo-Pacific Region Security
US DoD 20250409
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4150802/chinas-military-buildup-threatens-indo-pacific-region-security/

U.S. Commanders Worry Yemen Campaign Will Drain Arms Needed to Deter China
NYTimes 20250408
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/us/politics/china-weapons-yemen-bombing.html

Patriot PAC-3 Missile Puts Crosshairs On Replacing Navy’s Long-Serving SM-2
TWZ 20250409
https://www.twz.com/sea/patriot-pac-3-missile-puts-crosshairs-on-replacing-navys-long-serving-sm-2

SECNAV Phelan to Navy, Shipbuilders: ‘Change is Coming’
USNI 20250409
https://news.usni.org/2025/04/09/secnav-phelan-to-navy-shipbuilders-change-is-coming

Shipbuilding, Industrial Base Concerns Come to the Fore for SECNAV, Congress
SeaPower 20250409
https://seapowermagazine.org/sea-air-space-shipbuilding-industrial-base-comes-to-the-fore-for-secnav-congress/

Confronted with ‘eye-opening’ costs, SecNav vows to root out waste
Defense One 20250409
https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/04/confronted-eye-opening-costs-secnav-vows-root-out-waste/404428/

Supply Chain, Workforce, Advanced Manufacturing Will Help Navy Get Ships Faster
US DoD 20250409
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4150403/supply-chain-workforce-advanced-manufacturing-will-help-navy-get-ships-faster/

Carrier’s Delivery Date Likely to Be Missed, US Navy Says
Bloomberg 20250409
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-08/us-carrier-s-july-delivery-date-likely-to-be-missed-navy-says?srnd=homepage-americas&sref=IYQ5mP1s

Navy at ‘tipping point’ with Constellation-class frigate: Lawmakers
Breaking Defense 20250409
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/04/navy-at-tipping-point-with-constellation-class-frigate-lawmakers/

MQ-25 tanker drone flight this year will require ‘ton of work,’ warns NAVAIR head
Breaking Defense 20250409
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/04/mq-25-tanker-drone-flight-this-year-will-require-ton-of-work-warns-navair-head/

Navy Eyes ‘Interchangeable’ CCAs with Air Force, Lessons from MQ-25
Air & Space 20250408
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/navy-eyes-interchangeable-cca-air-force/

What’s the future outlook for anti-submarine warfare in the Pacific?
Breaking Defense 20250409
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/04/whats-the-future-outlook-for-anti-submarine-warfare-in-the-pacific/

S. Korea, U.S. inked new joint wartime contingency plan last year amid advancing N.K. threats: USFK commander
Yonhap 202500410
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250410000351315

Japan, NATO agree to ramp up defense industry cooperation
Kyodo 20250409
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/04/f2c451408e5b-update1-japan-nato-agree-to-ramp-up-defense-industry-cooperation.html

Australia’s submarine deal under scrutiny as global alliances shift
SMH 20250409
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/australia-s-submarine-deal-under-scrutiny-as-global-alliances-shift-20250409-p5lqcq.html

New Space Force ‘Orbital Watch’ initiative to share threat info with commercial operators
Breaking Defense 20250408
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/04/new-space-force-orbital-watch-initiative-to-share-threat-info-with-commercial-operators/

The Future of Military Power Is Space Power
CSIS 20250409
https://www.csis.org/analysis/future-military-power-space-power

Defense experts warn procurement bottlenecks risk U.S. space edge
Space News 20250409
https://spacenews.com/defense-experts-warn-procurement-bottlenecks-risk-u-s-space-edge/

Seabed sensors and mapping: what China’s survey ship could be up to
ASPI 20250409
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/seabed-sensors-and-mapping-what-chinas-survey-ship-could-be-up-to/

Navy secretary says Trump told him to ‘fix the damn rust’ on warships
Task & Purpose 20250409
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/navy-trump-fix-rust-ships/

Spies from China, elsewhere are wooing current and former feds, agencies warn
Defense One 20250409
https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2025/04/china-trying-recruit-current-and-former-feds-intelligence-document-warns/404420/

Exercises

US military seeks to boost joint operations training in Pacific as China’s strength grows
SCMP 20250409
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3305880/us-military-seeks-boost-joint-operations-training-pacific-chinas-strength-grows

PCIS - Pacific Winds

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