Pacific Winds 20250417

A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region

Alliances

U.S. Plans to Use Tariff Negotiations to Isolate China
WSJ 20250416
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/u-s-plans-to-use-tariff-negotiations-to-isolate-china-177d1528

Experts cast doubt on US' reported tariff leverage to isolate China, warning the move 'may backfire'
GT 20250416
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202504/1332222.shtml

The Indo-Pacific Region in the Agenda of Germany’s Coalition Government
The Diplomat 20250415
https://thediplomat.com/2025/04/the-indo-pacific-region-in-the-agenda-of-germanys-coalition-government/

Russia 'working quietly' on Indonesia military ties before air base storm
ABC (AU) 20250416
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-16/russia-working-quietly-on-indonesia-military-ties/105181178

President Trump is redefining America’s international role, and Australia has influence
ASPI 20250416
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/president-trump-is-redefining-americas-international-role-and-australia-has-influence/

Voters split on which leader better to manage Trump, as trust in US falls to record lows
ABC (AU) 20250416
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04-16/australians-trust-in-the-united-states-falls-to-two-decade-low/105182968

Japan's trust in Trump's America is wearing thin
Nikkei 20250416
https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Japan-s-trust-in-Trump-s-America-is-wearing-thin

Trump calls the U.S.-Japan alliance ‘one-sided.’ Tokyo says otherwise.
Japan Times 20250416
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/16/japan/politics/japan-us-alliance/

Japan's pacifist illusion in a Trumpian world
EAF 20250416
https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/04/16/japans-pacifist-illusion-in-a-trumpian-world/

Trump’s US-Japan security treaty complaints linked to trade demands: analysts
SCMP 20250416
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3306716/trumps-us-japan-security-treaty-complaints-linked-trade-demands

Japan hoping to win concessions from U.S. in opening tariff talks
Kyodo 20250416
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/04/ffec9ce845a8-japan-hoping-to-win-concessions-from-us-in-opening-tariff-talks.html

Tariff talks should be kept separate from defense burden-sharing: U.S. lawmaker
Yonhap 20250416
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250416009300315

Philippines warns US$5.6 billion US fighter jet deal at risk from Trump’s tariffs
SCMP 20250416
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3306741/philippines-warns-us56-billion-us-fighter-jet-deal-risk-trumps-tariffs

Are US and China really in a Thucydides Trap?
Asia Times 20250416
https://asiatimes.com/2025/04/are-us-and-china-really-in-a-thucydides-trap/

Five Signs That the US and China Will Go to War
Bloomberg 20250416
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-04-16/are-the-us-and-china-headed-to-war-watch-for-these-5-signs

‘Ball is in China’s court’: Trump presses Beijing to make tariff offer
SCMP 20250416
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3306706/ball-chinas-court-trump-presses-beijing-make-tariff-offer

China to ignore U.S. tariff game: commerce ministry
Xinhua 20250416
https://english.news.cn/20250416/cd054a0e2e7f4885910205cf7d2ba6f4/c.html

Senior Pentagon official calls Trump's policy 'not recipe for isolation' but 'common sense' approach
Yonhap 20250416
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250416001000315

US-China trade war stuck in a Prisoner’s Dilemma
Asia Times 20250416
https://asiatimes.com/2025/04/us-china-trade-war-stuck-in-a-prisoners-dilemma/

How the US and China sleepwalked into a trade war
Think China 20250415
https://www.thinkchina.sg/politics/how-us-and-china-sleepwalked-trade-war

Trump orders tariff probe on all US critical mineral imports
Reuters 20250415
https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/trump-signs-order-launching-probe-into-reliance-imported-critical-minerals-2025-04-15/

Micronesia-Marianas (2^nd Island Chain+)

Geopolitics in Oceania: Pacific Islands' Security in an Era of Great Power Competition
Ocean Currents 20250416
https://rss.com/podcasts/oceaniacurrents/1988737/

Island Waves

NZ, Fiji reaffirm 'indispensable partnership', aim for $2b trade goal
RNZ 20250416
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/558326/nz-fiji-reaffirm-indispensable-partnership-aim-for-2b-trade-goal

'America First does not mean America alone': Officials assure Pacific of US commitment
PMN (NZ) 20250416
https://pmn.co.nz/read/politics-/america-first-is-not-america-alone-officials-assure-pacific-of-us-commitment

Australia supports national judiciary with ICT equipment
Solomon Star 20250416
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/australia-supports-national-judiciary-with-ict-equipment/

China labels US tariffs as ‘Economic Bullying’
FBCN 20250416
https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/china-labels-us-tariffs-as-economic-bullying/

Taiwan + SCS

Taiwan’s Chip Companies Are Caught in the U.S.-China Tariff War
NYTimes 20250416
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/business/china-taiwan-tariffs-chips.html

Taiwan’s Whole-of-Society Defence Resilience Model and Beijing’s Grey Zone Aggression
AIIA 20250415
https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/taiwans-whole-of-society-defence-resilience-model-and-beijings-grey-zone-aggression/

Lai ‘courting US for independence’ will ultimately harm Taiwan
GT 20250416
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202504/1332243.shtml

US hype of 'hellscape' exposes malicious intent of anti-China forces to destroy Taiwan island for own political gain: spokesperson
GT 20250416
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202504/1332212.shtml

Taiwan’s Biggest Problem in Steeling Itself for War with China is Cultural
WOTR 20250416
https://warontherocks.com/2025/04/taiwans-biggest-problem-in-steeling-itself-for-war-with-china-is-cultural/

Taiwan: the sponge that soaks up Chinese power
ASPI 20250416
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/taiwan-the-sponge-that-soaks-up-chinese-power/

Taiwan Affairs Office’s reporting column receives over 3,000 tip-offs on ‘Taiwan independence’ accomplices: spokesperson
GT 20250416
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202504/1332210.shtml

US senator leads delegation to Taiwan for security talks
Taiwan News 20250416
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6086756

Three US senators visit Taiwan amid tariff talks
Taipei Times 20250417
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2025/04/17/2003835338

Tough Trade Negotiations Ahead for Taiwan
Hudson 20250416
https://www.hudson.org/global-economy/tough-trade-negotiations-ahead-taiwan-riley-walters

Taiwanese leader William Lai’s popularity drops amid drive to unseat opposition lawmakers
SCMP 20250416
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3306803/taiwanese-leader-william-lais-popularity-drops-amid-drive-unseat-opposition-lawmakers

Taiwan tracks 17 Chinese military aircraft, 9 ships
Taiwan News 20250416
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6086424

China, Philippines exchange accusations after tense Scarborough Shoal encounter
SCMP 20250416
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3306712/china-philippines-exchange-accusations-after-tense-scarborough-shoal-encounter

US and Philippine joint combat drills show Trump is not scaling back on South China Sea region
AP 20250416
https://apnews.com/article/us-philippines-balikatan-exercises-china-taiwan-00633688f72b4777edb6a080a0a00e4f

Capabilities

China’s “spy ship” that wasn’t off the coast of Australia
Lowy 20250417
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/china-s-spy-ship-wasn-t-coast-australia

Australia should talk to Washington about buying B-2 stealth bombers
Breaking Defense 20250416
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/04/australia-should-talk-to-washington-about-buying-b-2-stealth-bombers/

China’s new tech boosts sub detection capabilities near Alaskan waters
SCMP 20250416
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3306777/arctic-advantage-chinas-new-tech-boosts-sub-detection-capabilities-near-alaskan-waters

An Unmanned Hellscape Needs a 21st Century Hephaestus
CIMSEC 20250415
https://cimsec.org/hellscape-needs-a-21st-century-hephaestus/

Strengthening Australia’s space cooperation with South Korea
ASPI 20250416
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/strengthening-australias-space-cooperation-with-south-korea/

A question of motivation for China’s PLA
Asia Times 20250416
https://asiatimes.com/2025/04/a-question-of-motivation-for-chinas-pla/

US approves possible sale of training helicopters to PH
PNA 20250416
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1248223

Power

Trump puts nuclear weapons on the agenda. The world should listen
Lowy 20250426
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/trump-puts-nuclear-weapons-agenda-world-should-listen

The Age of American Unilateralism
FA 20250416
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/age-american-unilateralism

Exercises

B-1s Deploy to Misawa for First Ever Bomber Task Force Based in Japan
Air & Space 20250416
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/b-1s-japan-first-ever-bomber-task-force/