Pacific Winds 20250523

A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region

Alliances

The Tariff War Revealed the Depth of China-US Trade Dependence
The Diplomat 20250522
https://thediplomat.com/2025/05/the-tariff-war-revealed-the-depth-of-china-us-trade-dependence/

China’s Soft Power Play in North Korea
The Diplomat 20250522
https://thediplomat.com/2025/05/chinas-soft-power-play-in-north-korea/

Japan’s Response to Trump’s Tariffs
The Diplomat 20250521
https://thediplomat.com/2025/05/japans-response-to-trumps-tariffs/

Irrational U.S. Measures Hurt Itself, Are Not Sustainable; Prolonged Tariffs Will Raises Prices
Yomiuri 20250522
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/business/economy/20250522-255761/

Micronesia-Marianas (2^nd Island Chain+)

Missile Defense:DOD Faces Support Challenges for Defense of Guam
GAO 20250522
https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-25-108187.pdf

Guam may be model for President Trump's new golden dome missile defense system
GDP 20250522
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/guam-may-be-model-for-president-trumps-new-golden-dome-missile-defense-system/article_6353e25e-c867-481d-bc75-a32ec90a5922.html

Cooley assumes command of Andersen 36th Wing, Cunningham says mission 'never been more consequential'
PDN 20250522
https://www.guampdn.com/news/cooley-assumes-command-of-andersen-36th-wing-cunningham-says-mission-never-been-more-consequential/article_0592dbb3-594e-469e-8de6-e7b06f465044.html

Taiwan launches zero-emission ship for Palau
Taiwan News 20250522
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6117241

Island Waves

'Every man and his dog is coming': Samoan PM warns of growing geopolitical interest in Pacific
RNZ 20250522
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/561781/every-man-and-his-dog-is-coming-samoan-pm-warns-of-growing-geopolitical-interest-in-pacific

Samoan PM: Mutual respect & trust make for a successful partnership
CGTN 20250522
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-05-22/Samoan-PM-Mutual-respect-trust-make-for-a-successful-partnership-1DA47bLmQbC/p.html

Australia's Foreign Minister Wong in Vanuatu for high-level talks
Daily Post (VU) 20250522
https://www.dailypost.vu/news/australias-foreign-minister-wong-in-vanuatu-for-high-level-talks/article_a93189d4-d9b7-5001-9e72-4817d0ab2671.html

Australia Funding Vaccines After Polio Find in PNG
National (PNG) 20240522
https://www.thenational.com.pg/australia-funding-vaccines-after-polio-find-in-png/

Foreign Affairs Ministers celebrate defence cooperation
Matangi Tonga 20250522
https://matangitonga.to/2025/05/22/foreign-affairs-ministers-celebrate-defence-cooperation

PM reaffirms support for SI-Aust partnership
Solomon Star 20250522
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/pm-reaffirms-support-for-si-aust-partnership/

Europe’s faltering statecraft in the Pacific
EAF 20250522
https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/05/22/europes-faltering-statecraft-in-the-pacific/

4th China medical team conducts free health check
Solomon Star 20250522
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/4th-china-medical-team-conducts-free-health-check/

Taiwan + xCS

Illegal entry from mainland China raises alarms about Taiwan’s maritime security
SCMP 20250522
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3311274/illegal-entry-mainland-china-raises-alarms-about-taiwans-maritime-security

Defense ministry closely monitoring China's live-fire drills
CNA (TW) 20250522
https://focustaiwan.tw/cross-strait/202505220006

In Trump Era, Taiwan Defense Chief Says U.S. Still Is a Check on China
NYTimes 20250522
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/22/world/asia/trump-china-taiwan-security.html

Regional and Global Responses to a Taiwan Contingency
CNAS 20250521
https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/files.cnas.org/documents/taiwan-contingency-final.pdf

Is defending Taiwan a vital U.S. interest? Experts offer differing views
PBS 20250520
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/is-defending-taiwan-a-vital-u-s-interest-experts-offer-differing-views

Why did Taiwan’s William Lai tone down his rhetoric on mainland China?
SCMP 20250422
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3311424/why-did-taiwans-william-lai-tone-down-his-rhetoric-mainland-china

Taiwan tracks 23 Chinese military aircraft, 9 ships
Taiwan News 20250522
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6116955

China and Philippines trade blame over latest South China Sea clash
ABC (AU) 20250523
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-23/china-philippines-trade-blame-over-south-china-sea-clash/105326136

China takes control measures against Philippine vessels in South China Sea
Reuters 20250522
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-takes-control-measures-against-philippine-vessels-south-china-sea-2025-05-22/

CCG takes control measures against Philippine vessels intruding into waters near Zhubi Jiao, Tiexian Jiao: spokesperson
GT 20250522
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202505/1334654.shtml

Chinese ship used water cannon, sideswiped PH vessel in Sandy Cay — BFAR
GMA 20240522
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/947001/chinese-ship-water-cannoned-sideswiped-ph-vessel-in-sandy-cay-bfar/story/

What US recent gambits in South China Sea show about its regional, intl standing
GT 20250522
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202505/1334672.shtml

US envoy calls latest China assault vs. PH vessel unlawful, reckless
GMA 20250522
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/947034/us-envoy-calls-latest-china-assault-vs-ph-vessel-unlawful-reckless/story/

Chinese army reveals helicopter encounters with foreign navy over East China Sea
SCMP 20250522
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3311285/chinese-army-reveals-helicopter-encounters-foreign-navy-over-east-china-sea

Vietnam’s Illegal Fishing Activities in Continued to Pose a Threat to Regional Maritime Security in 2023–2024
SCSPI 20250522
http://www.scspi.org/en/dtfx/vietnam%E2%80%99s-illegal-fishing-activities-continued-pose-threat-regional-maritime-security-2023%E2%80%932024

Capabilities

U.S. Considers Withdrawing Thousands of Troops From South Korea
WSJ 20250522
https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/u-s-considers-withdrawing-thousands-of-troops-from-south-korea-725a6514?st=AJD88D

A Shining City on the Sea: Rebuilding America’s Maritime Industry
AAJ Summer 2025
https://americanaffairsjournal.org/2025/05/a-shining-city-on-the-sea-rebuilding-americas-maritime-industry/

Realising Darwin’s potential as a marine industry hub
ASPI 20250522
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/realising-darwins-potential-as-a-marine-industry-hub/

BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06) commissioned with Philippine Navy
Naval News 20250521
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/05/brp-miguel-malvar-ffg-06-commissioned-with-philippine-navy/

This New Beach Landing Vessel Is Being Bought By The Marines
TWZ 20250522
https://www.twz.com/sea/this-new-beach-landing-vessel-is-being-bought-by-the-marines

Muddy wheels, foggy lenses: 25th ID tests new vehicles, drones during Philippines exercises
Defense One 20250522
https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2025/05/muddy-wheels-foggy-lenses-25th-id-tests-new-vehicles-drones-during-philippines-exercises/405533/

N. Korea says 'serious accident' occurred during ceremony to launch new destroyer
Yonhap 20250522
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250522002951315

North Korea's Kim slams officials over destroyer launch accident
Kyodo 20250520
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/05/dc6321014cad-n-koreas-kim-slams-officials-over-destroyer-launch-accident.html

Aftermath Of Disastrous North Korean Frigate Launch Seen In Satellite Image
TWZ 20250522
https://www.twz.com/air/aftermath-of-disastrous-north-korean-frigate-launch-seen-in-satellite-image

N. Korea fires multiple cruise missiles after failed warship launch
Yonhap 20250522
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250522005652315

China's CH-YH1000 cargo drone completes maiden flight
GT 20250522
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202505/1334641.shtml

Ishiba doubles down on weapons cooperation, says no country can go it alone
Japan Times 20250522
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/05/22/japan/politics/japan-ishiba-dsei-weapons-development/

Japan plugs home-grown fighters, frigates in export push
Nikkei 20250523
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Defense/Japan-plugs-home-grown-fighters-frigates-in-export-push

Dispersed, Disguised, and Degradable
RAND 20250522
https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RRA3100/RRA3141-2/RAND_RRA3141-2.pdf

The Value of an Asian Tinder Box
WOTR 20250521
https://warontherocks.com/2025/05/the-value-of-an-asian-tinder-box/

Did China just take the lead in race for space-based AI computing dominance?
SCMP 20250522
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3311236/did-china-just-take-lead-race-space-based-ai-computing-dominance

Space Force eyes commercial tech to fill low Earth orbit sensing gaps
Defense News 20250522
https://www.defensenews.com/space/2025/05/22/space-force-eyes-commercial-tech-to-fill-low-earth-orbit-sensing-gaps/

Chinese scientists prove US Air Force’s Mach 16 engine concept ‘feasible’
SCMP 20250522
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3311356/chinese-scientists-prove-us-air-forces-mach-16-engine-concept-feasible

Tariffs or not, China’s infiltration of US systems needs new attention
Defense News 20240522
https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/2025/05/22/tariffs-or-not-chinas-infiltration-of-us-systems-needs-new-attention/

House narrowly passes reconciliation bill with $150B for defense
Breaking Defense 20250522
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/05/house-narrowly-passes-reconciliation-bill-with-150b-for-defense/

Power

The End of Extended Deterrence in Asia?
FA 20250522
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/end-extended-deterrence-asia
‘
Deterrence’—an agreeable word that obscures strategic debate
ASPI 20250522
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/deterrence-an-agreeable-word-that-obscures-strategic-debate/