Pacific Winds 20250416

A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region

Alliances

Winston Peters emphasises growing importance of NZ's Pacific ties with the United States
RNZ 20250415
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/558215/winston-peters-emphasises-growing-importance-of-nz-s-pacific-ties-with-the-united-states

Japan broaches ‘one-theater’ concept to U.S. for Indo-Pacific
Asahi 20250415
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15710761

Enter AJUS? Australia, Japan, US must boost trilateral intel, industrial cooperation: Experts
Breaking Defense 20250415
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/04/enter-ajus-australia-japan-us-must-boost-trilateral-intel-industrial-cooperation-experts/

AUKUS exemption to US defence trade controls doesn't cover nuclear subs, officials say
Reuters 20250415
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/aukus-exemption-us-defence-trade-controls-doesnt-cover-nuclear-subs-officials-2025-04-15/

Why Beijing Is Standing Up to Trump
FP 20250414
https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/04/14/china-trump-trade-war-xi/

Trump says China’s talks with Vietnam are probably intended to ‘screw’ US
SCMP 20250415
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3306509/trump-says-chinas-talks-vietnam-are-probably-intended-screw-us

Why Xi's charm offensive through South-East Asia is annoying Trump
ABC (AU) 20250415
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-15/xi-diplomacy-tour-through-asia-riles-trump/105177484

Australia Casts Doubt On Russia Basing Bombers At Indonesian Air Base
TWZ 20250415
https://www.twz.com/air/australia-casts-doubt-on-russia-basing-bombers-at-indonesian-air-base

China Orders Boeing Jet Delivery Halt as Trade War Expands
Bloomberg 20250415
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-15/china-tells-airlines-stop-taking-boeing-jets-as-trump-tariffs-expand-trade-war

US steps up probes into pharmaceutical, chip imports, setting stage for tariffs
Reuters 20250414
https://www.reuters.com/markets/us-initiates-section-232-investigations-into-pharmaceutical-semiconductor-2025-04-14/

Analyzing the Escalating U.S.-China Trade Conflict and Rare Earth Export Restrictions
CSIS 20250415
https://www.csis.org/analysis/analyzing-escalating-us-china-trade-conflict-and-rare-earth-export-restrictions

Micronesia-Marianas (2^nd Island Chain+)

The signal Guam sends to US regional allies
GDP 20250415
https://www.postguam.com/forum/featured_columnists/the-signal-guam-sends-to-us-regional-allies/article_e2938f32-ecfc-43dc-b3b1-d71d8ff3c1c4.html

USS Minnesota Returns Home to Naval Base Guam
USN PacFlt 20250415
https://www.cpf.navy.mil/Newsroom/News/Article/4155449/uss-minnesota-returns-home-to-naval-base-guam/

Island Waves

High-level NZ delegation arrives tomorrow for talks with new Gov’t
Daily Post 20250415
https://www.dailypost.vu/news/high-level-nz-delegation-arrives-tomorrow-for-talks-with-new-gov-t/article_d15c1947-d1ad-57fe-84ac-519802cc25f4.html

PNGDF and US Military Complete Medical SUT Training
PNG Haus Bung 20250415
https://pnghausbung.com/pngdf-us-millitary-complete-medical-sut-training/

Expert helps bridge maintenance skills
Samoa Observer 20250415
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/113961

Ambassador Yang Commends Steady PNG-China Relations
Post Courier (PNG) 20250415
https://www.postcourier.com.pg/ambassador-yang-commends-steady-png-china-relations/

China: US is the sole beneficiary of US-Pacific shiprider deal
Solomon Star 20250415
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/china-us-is-the-sole-beneficiary-of-us-pacific-shiprider-deal/

CCECC welcomed in Bellona
Solomon Star 20250415
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/ccecc-welcomed-in-bellona/

PRC embassy supports Renbel province
Solomon Star 20250415
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/prc-embassy-supports-renbel-province/

Taiwan + SCS

Is Taiwan still a strategic bargaining chip under Trump 2.0?
Think China 20250414
https://www.thinkchina.sg/politics/japanese-academic-taiwan-still-strategic-bargaining-chip-under-trump-2-0

Taiwan's defense minister says peace in Indo-Pacific U.S. 'core interest'
CNA (TW) 20250415
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202504150027

Retired 4-star US general reportedly advised Taiwan's Han Kuang drills
Taiwan News 20250415
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6085526

Taiwan tracks 10 Chinese military aircraft, 7 naval ships
Taiwan News 20250415
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6085154

Philippine vessel stages provocative actions near Huangyan Dao
Xinhua 20250415
https://english.news.cn/20250415/1e9b2fbfe0ac46fa9ade0636666d7151/c.html

China vessel 'dangerously blocked' Philippine patrol ship near Scarborough Shoal — PCG
Phil Star 20250415
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/04/15/2436231/china-vessel-dangerously-blocked-philippine-patrol-ship-near-scarborough-shoal-pcg

Capabilities

Paparo: Airlift and Tanker Fleets ‘Below What We Need’ in Pacific
Air & Space 20250414
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/paparo-pacific-airlift-tanker-fleets-needs/

Understanding doubts over US extended nuclear deterrence in Asia
Lowy 20250415
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/understanding-doubts-over-us-extended-nuclear-deterrence-asia

Bullet Curtain: China’s answer to US drone swarms in a Taiwan war
Asia Times 20250415
https://asiatimes.com/2025/04/bullet-curtain-chinas-answer-to-us-drone-swarms-in-a-taiwan-war/

Trump signs shipbuilding order as Navy leaders call for 381-ship fleet
Defense News 20250414
https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-military/2025/04/14/trump-signs-shipbuilding-order-as-navy-leaders-call-for-381-ship-fleet/

US allies must band together in weapons development
ASPI 20250415
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/us-allies-must-band-together-in-weapons-development/

Japan's defense budget nears 2% of GDP as Trump pressure looms
Nikkei 20250416
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Defense/Japan-s-defense-budget-nears-2-of-GDP-as-Trump-pressure-looms

Pentagon Looks to Ground Radars to ‘Fill Gaps’ in Space Domain Awareness
Air & Space 20240415
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/pentagon-ground-based-radars-space-domain-awareness/

12th Marine Littoral Regiment Designed to Operate in Contested Maritime Zones
SeaPower 20250415
https://seapowermagazine.org/12th-marine-littoral-regiment-designed-to-operate-in-contested-maritime-zones/

USMC’s Tomahawk Cruise Missile Launching Drone Truck Eyed By Army
TWZ 20250415
https://www.twz.com/land/usmcs-tomahawk-cruise-missile-launching-drone-truck-eyed-by-army

China accuses US of launching 'advanced' cyberattacks, names alleged NSA agents
Reuters 20250415
https://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/chinas-harbin-says-us-launched-advanced-cyber-attacks-winter-games-2025-04-15/

DIU selects 8 ‘eligible’ companies for nuclear microreactors that could power US bases
Breaking Defense 20250414
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/04/diu-selects-8-eligible-companies-for-nuclear-microreactors-that-could-power-us-bases/

Exercises

Indo-Pacific Deployment 2025
JMSDF 20250415
https://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/en/release/202504/20250415en.pdf

S. Korea, U.S. hold joint air exercise involving B-1B bomber
Yonhap 20250415
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250415005552315

US Airmen deploy in support of first rotational Bomber Task Force mission to Japan
USAF PacAF 20250415
https://www.pacaf.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4155350/us-airmen-deploy-in-support-of-first-rotational-bomber-task-force-mission-to-ja/

Chinese Fleet Sails Into Contested Waters as US Aircraft Carrier Approaches
Newsweek 20250415
https://www.newsweek.com/china-news-navy-western-pacific-us-aircraft-carrier-nimitz-2059920

Russian Pacific Fleet Conducts Combat Drill in Gulf of Sea of Japan
Yomiuri 20250415
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/defense-security/20250415-249098/