Pacific Winds 20250730

A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region

Jul 29, 2025

Alliances

Take an independent tack on China, Wang Yi urges South Korea’s new foreign policy chief
SCMP 20250729
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3319928/take-independent-tack-china-wang-yi-urges-south-koreas-new-foreign-policy-chief

FM Cho says his Japan visit preceding U.S. trip can help 'upgrade' 3-way cooperation
Yonhap 20250729
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250729006600315

Japan–South Korea relations under Lee’s pragmatic leadership
EAF 20250729
https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/07/29/japan-south-korea-relations-under-lees-pragmatic-leadership/

North Korea says U.S. must recognize it as nuclear state to resume talks
Kyodo 20250729
https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/58181

N. Korea says ties between N.K.-U.S. leaders 'not bad' but rejects denuclearization talks
Yonhap 20250729
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250729000551315

Unification minister says to propose adjusting joint military drills with U.S. to President Lee
Yonhap 20250729
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250728009051315

Australia and the United Kingdom put the AUKUS spin cycle on High
Lowy 20250729
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/australia-united-kingdom-put-aukus-spin-cycle-high

Australia, UK Sign Landmark Defense Deal
The Diplomat 20250728
https://thediplomat.com/2025/07/australia-uk-sign-landmark-defense-deal/

Stabilizing relations with China requires sincerity, not limit-testing from Japan
GT 20250729
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202507/1339588.shtml

Philippines urged to stop colluding with external forces to hype up tensions on maritime issues, FM spokesperson responds to Manila’s recent defense cooperation with US, Japan
GT 20250729
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202507/1339552.shtml

Is This the Start of a U.S.-China Friendship?
FP 20250729
https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/07/29/us-china-trade-war-talks-trump-xi-summit-partnership-cooperation/

When everything is geopolitics, nothing is
Lowy 20250730
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/when-everything-geopolitics-nothing

Malicious law enforcement drives the US further away from being a ‘responsible actor’
GT 20250729
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202507/1339598.shtml

US and China aim to extend tariff truce, but Trump has final say
Nikkei 20250730
https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Trade-war/Trump-tariffs/US-and-China-aim-to-extend-tariff-truce-but-Trump-has-final-say

US, China Agree to Continue Talks on Tariff Truce Extension
Bloomberg 20250729
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-29/us-china-agree-to-continue-talks-on-a-tariff-truce-extension

China, US trade talks in-depth, candid, constructive: China intl trade representative
GT 20250729
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202507/1339604.shtml

Lutnick calls on S. Korean officials to bring 'best, final' trade offer: report
Yonhap 20250730
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250730000200315

Lutnick says S. Korean officials flew to Scotland to meet him for tariff talks
Yonhap 20250729
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250729001100315

Micronesia-Marianas (2^nd Island Chain+)

The U.S. military is investing in this Pacific island. So is China.
WaPo 20250729
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/07/29/palau-pacific-island-us-military-china/

US Department of State met Palau leaders in Washington, DC
Island Times 20250729
https://islandtimes.org/us-department-of-state-met-palau-leaders-in-washington-dc/

Pacific Center for Island Security: Military "punts responsibility" on housing, shelters, endangered species
KUAM 20250729
https://www.kuam.com/story/52958053/pacific-center-for-island-security-military-punts-responsibility-on-housing-shelters-endangered-species

Missile defense progress prompts call for funding, draws criticism
PDN 20250729
https://www.guampdn.com/news/missile-defense-progress-prompts-call-for-funding-draws-criticism/article_f3495abb-de46-447a-b688-1a653c0844ce.html

Governor reviewing final Environmental Impact Statement for 360 degree missile defense system
KUAM 20250728
https://www.kuam.com/story/52955061/governor-reviewing-final-environmental-impact-statement-for-360-degree-missile-defense-system

Rehearing denied, decision on suit against Air Force effective
GDP 20250729
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/rehearing-denied-decision-on-suit-against-air-force-effective/article_8bffab9e-3df5-421d-a41b-233460a5971b.html

Guam Air National Guard will welcome new unit
Isla Public Media
https://www.islapublic.org/news/2025-07-29/guam-air-national-guard-will-welcome-new-unit

Deployment to employment: The 2025 DLE showcases operational capabilities
USAF 20250729
https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4258064/deployment-to-employment-the-2025-dle-showcases-operational-capabilities/

$36.8M Award to Repair “Palau Dorm” troop housing at AAFB Guam
US DoD 20250728
https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4257577//

Island Waves

Taiwan + SCS

Taiwan's Lai set to push back U.S. stopover as U.S.-China trade talks continue, sources say
Reuters 20250728
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwans-lai-set-push-back-us-stopover-us-china-trade-talks-continue-sources-say-2025-07-28/

China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between US and Taiwan island: FM responds to Trump administration’s reported block of Lai’s stopover
GT 20250729
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202507/1339550.shtml

What the Failed Recall in Taiwan Means for U.S.-Taiwan and Cross-Strait Relations
CFR 20250728
https://www.cfr.org/blog/what-failed-recall-taiwan-means-us-taiwan-and-cross-strait-relations

CRS Report to Congress on Taiwan Defense, Military Issues
USNI 20250729
https://news.usni.org/2025/07/29/report-to-congress-on-taiwan-defense-military-issues-2

Japan Diet delegation in Taiwan for high-level talks
Taiwan News 20250729
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6166340

6 Chinese naval ships, 3 military aircraft detected around Taiwan
Taiwan News 20250729
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6166217

Capabilities

U.S. Navy Sets Sights on Fleet-Wide Family of Unmanned Ships
Naval News 20250729
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/07/u-s-navy-sets-sights-on-fleet-wide-family-of-unmanned-ships/

SK offer of shipbuilding package risks further dependence on US
GT 20250729
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202507/1339589.shtml

China’s J-20 stealth aircraft flew through the Tsushima Strait. Did anybody else notice?
SCMP 20250729
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3320013/chinas-j-20-stealth-aircraft-flew-through-tsushima-strait-did-anybody-else-notice

China’s AI leap elevating stealth fighter ambitions
Asia Times 20250729
https://asiatimes.com/2025/07/chinas-ai-leap-elevating-stealth-fighter-ambitions/

Intelligence reveals scale of China's base-building in the South China Sea
ABC (AU) 20250730
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-30/tracking-militarisation-in-the-south-china-sea/105473948

China’s H-20 Stealth Bomber Might Carry Twice as Many Bombs as the B-2
National Interest 20250729
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/chinas-h-20-stealth-bomber-b-2-bw

Japan to deploy long-range anti-ship missiles in Kumamoto
Asahi 20250729
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15933963

Japan eyes locations for deploying longer-range standoff missiles
Japan Times 20250729
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/29/japan/politics/japan-long-range-missiles/

US Awards Lockheed Martin $2 Billion for THAAD Interceptors
Defense Post 20250729
https://thedefensepost.com/2025/07/29/us-lockheed-thaad-interceptors/

US, allies drill pop-up missile positions to keep Chinese ships at bay
Defense News 20250729
https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2025/07/29/us-allies-drill-pop-up-missile-positions-to-keep-chinese-ships-at-bay/

‘Killer satellites’ beware: Japan unveils first space defense guidelines
Japan Times 20250729
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/29/japan/politics/japan-space-defense-guidelines/

Japan’s first space defense guidelines hyping Chinese, Russian ‘killer satellites’ distort facts, find excuse for Tokyo’s space weaponization: expert
GT 20250729
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202507/1339535.shtml

Eastern Stars Rising: The Rise of China’s Commercial Space Industry
WOTR 20250729
https://warontherocks.com/2025/07/eastern-stars-rising-the-rise-of-chinas-commercial-space-industry/

How SASC, HASC want to spend reconciliation on Golden Dome, munitions
Breaking Defense 20250729
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/07/how-sasc-hasc-want-to-spend-reconciliation-on-golden-dome-munitions/

Power

Beijing bolsters its position in the Indo-Pacific with little US pushback
Brookings 20250729
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/beijing-bolsters-its-position-in-the-indo-pacific-with-little-us-pushback/

PCIS - Pacific Winds

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