Pacific Winds 20250607

A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region

Alliances

With friends like these…
Lowy 20250606
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/friends-these

America’s Allies Must Save Themselves
FA 20250606
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/americas-allies-must-save-themselves

As US resists China, some leaders resist making a choice
ASPI 20250606
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/as-us-resists-china-some-leaders-resist-making-a-choice/

Why is it ‘particularly important’ to steer clear of disturbances and disruptions in China-US relations?
GT 20250606
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202506/1335605.shtml

David Shear: China’s buildup poses threat to U.S. alliances in the Indo-Pacific
Asahi 20250606
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15826253

Xi’s Message to Trump: Rein In the Hawks Trying to Derail the Truce
NYTimes 20250606
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/06/world/asia/xi-trump-tariffs-truce.html

Behind the call: China’s rare earth strategy comes into focus
Think China 20250606
https://www.thinkchina.sg/politics/behind-call-chinas-rare-earth-strategy-comes-focus

China’s rare earth weapon changes contours of trade war battlefield
Reuters 20250606
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-rare-earth-weapon-changes-contours-trade-war-battlefield-2025-06-06/

Xi calls Trump’s bluff and wins, time and time again
Asia Times 20250606
https://asiatimes.com/2025/06/xi-calls-trumps-bluff-and-wins-time-and-time-again/

Hopes for a Xi-Trump summit are naively misplaced
Asia Times 20250606
https://asiatimes.com/2025/06/hopes-for-a-xi-trump-summit-are-naively-misplaced/

Trump China tariff policy ill-suited to supply chain problems, US panel told
SCMP 20250606
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3313258/trump-china-tariff-policy-ill-suited-supply-chain-problems-us-panel-told

China remains high priority for Australian companies, survey finds
GT 20250606
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202506/1335577.shtml

America Takes a Leaf Out of China’s International Relations Playbook
RSIS 20250605
https://rsis.edu.sg/rsis-publication/rsis/america-takes-a-leaf-out-of-chinas-international-relations-playbook/

Korean leader Lee likely on a collision course with Trump
Asia Times 20250606
https://asiatimes.com/2025/06/korean-leader-lee-likely-on-a-collision-course-with-trump/

Lee, Trump begin to forge rapport ahead of tough alliance tasks
Yonhap 20250607
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250606007451315

South Korea's Lee should not slow efforts to improve Japan ties
Nikkei 20250606
https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/The-Nikkei-View/South-Korea-s-Lee-should-not-slow-efforts-to-improve-Japan-ties

How South Korea’s New President Can Steady His Country’s Wavering Foreign Policy
Carnegie 20250606
https://carnegieendowment.org/emissary/2025/06/lee-south-korea-president-foreign-policy

Vietnam’s careful US–China balancing act
EAF 20250606
https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/06/06/vietnams-careful-us-china-balancing-act/

Glass Stresses Need for U.S.-Japan Alliance to Invest, Innovate; Commends Japan for Taking Leading Role in Region
Yomiuri 20250606
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/world/us-canada/20250606-260301/

How Japan—and Other U.S. Allies—Can Work Around America
FA 20250606
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/japan/how-japan-and-other-us-allies-can-work-around-america

Calls for Strategic Autonomy Grow in Japan
The Diplomat 20250606
https://thediplomat.com/2025/06/calls-for-strategic-autonomy-grow-in-japan/

Japan diet OK'd defense pact with PH —envoy
GMA 20250607
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/948557/japan-diet-oks-defense-pact-with-ph-envoy/story/

Japan calls for tariff rethink in talks with U.S. commerce chief
Kyodo 20250606
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/06/7bfd12d12cfb-update2-japan-calls-for-tariff-rethink-in-talks-with-us-commerce-chief.html

At Shangri-La, one question dominated: Where is China?
Breaking Defense 20250606
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/06/at-shangri-la-one-question-dominated-where-is-china/

Micronesia-Marianas (2^nd Island Chain+)

US military seeks to boost Tinian training capabilities, proposes to build two live-fire ranges
PIT 20250606
https://www.pacificislandtimes.com/post/military-eyes-more-exercises-on-tinian

Army top brass respond to GAO's Guam missile defense system concerns
GDP 20250606
https://www.postguam.com/news/army-top-brass-respond-to-gaos-guam-missile-defense-system-concerns/article_00f4ec6d-2d86-407b-9ac5-c027a340bf66.html

USTRANSCOM Commander visits Andersen
USAF AAFB 20250605
https://www.andersen.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4207898/ustranscom-commander-visits-andersen/

Modern International Inc., Barrigada, Guam was awarded a $15,184,023 firm-fixed-price contract for airfield construction.
US DoD 20250605
https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4207482//

Island Waves

Visa refusal sparks fresh concerns Solomon Islands may block Taipei from Pacific forum
ABC (AU) 20250606
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-06/taiwanese-officials-blocked-from-solomon-islands/105385966

China demonstrates coast guard capability to Pacific nations, step towards high seas patrols
Reuters 20250606
https://www.reuters.com/en/china-demonstrates-coast-guard-capability-pacific-nations-step-towards-high-seas-2025-06-06/

PM Marape to Open Critical Bougainville Consultations in New Zealand
Post Courier (PNG) 20250606
https://www.postcourier.com.pg/pm-marape-to-open-critical-bougainville-consultations-in-new-zealand/

PNG aims to finalise defence treaty with Australia by September
ABC (AU) 20250605
https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/pacificbeat/png-aims-to-finalise-defence-treaty-with-australia-by-september/105378738

Fiji, France forge new security ties
FBCN 20250606
https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fiji-france-forge-new-security-ties/

Taiwan + SCS

Ukraine’s drone attack offers fearful lesson for a Chinese invasion force
ASPI 20250606
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/ukraines-drone-attack-offers-fearful-lesson-for-a-chinese-invasion-force/

Trump-Xi call on US-China trade tensions heightens Taiwanese fears of being marginalised
SCMP 20250606
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3313422/trump-xi-call-us-china-trade-tensions-heightens-taiwanese-fears-being-marginalised

Taiwan’s Government Cracks Down on Links to China
The Diplomat 20250604
https://thediplomat.com/2025/06/taiwans-government-cracks-down-on-links-to-china/

Taiwan says China distorted nation’s sovereign status after US meeting
Taiwan News 20250606
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6128702

Taiwan tracks 38 Chinese military aircraft, 8 ships
Taiwan News 20250606
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6128392

AFP holds patrol ops, communication check in Kota Island
PNA 20250606
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1251652

AFP holds maritime patrol ops in Likas Island, asserts sovereignty
Phil Star 20250606
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/06/06/2448652/afp-holds-maritime-patrol-ops-likas-island-asserts-sovereignty

China Coast Guard conducts patrol off Diaoyu waters
China Military 20250606
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/CHINA_209163/TopStories_209189/16390064.html

Teodoro shows gross ignorance of Mischief Reef issue
Manila Times 20250606
https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/06/06/opinion/columns/teodoro-shows-gross-ignorance-of-mischief-reef-issue/2128434

Capabilities

US must harden Indo-Pacific bases against drone attacks, think tank says
S&S 20250606
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2025-06-06/air-force-bases-drone-attacks-18028402.html

How budget talks will shape Marines’ amphibious fleet plans
Defense One 20250605
https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/06/how-will-budget-talks-will-shape-marines-amphibious-fleet-plans/405866/

China’s ‘Breakneck Speed’ Military Modernization Is a Threat to America
AEI 20250604
https://www.aei.org/op-eds/chinas-breakneck-speed-military-modernization-is-a-threat-to-america/

Runways, fuel, ports and rail: the case for an ADF repair organisation
ASPI 20250606
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/runways-fuel-ports-and-rail-the-case-for-an-adf-repair-organisation/

Giants and the Myth of America’s New Defense Consolidation
WOTR 20250605
https://warontherocks.com/2025/06/giants-and-the-myth-of-americas-new-defense-consolidation/

How South Korea can deter North Korea’s nuclear gambit with precision air and naval power
Breaking Defense 20250606
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/06/how-south-korea-can-deter-north-koreas-nuclear-gambit-with-precision-air-and-naval-power/

Is Japan’s military revival a step forward or a step too far?
Think China 20250606
https://www.thinkchina.sg/politics/japans-military-revival-step-forward-or-step-too-far

World first: how Chinese plane radar tracks moving targets without breaking radio silence
SCMP 20250606
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3313291/world-first-how-chinese-plane-radar-tracks-moving-targets-without-breaking-radio-silence

New university under mysterious PLA force to offer training in AI, unmanned operations
SCMP 20250606
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3313389/new-university-under-mysterious-pla-force-offer-training-ai-unmanned-operations

Exercises

U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, Armed Forces of the Philippines conduct Maritime Cooperative Activity
US IndoPaCom 20250605
https://www.cpf.navy.mil/Newsroom/News/Article/4207928/us-navy-us-marine-corps-armed-forces-of-the-philippines-conduct-maritime-cooper/