Pacific Winds 20251009
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
Nominee to Lead Pentagon’s Indo-Pacific Shop Calls on Allies to Up Defense Spending
Air & Space 20251007
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/john-loh-pentagon-indo-pacific/
Skeptical senators grill White House pick to lead Indo-Pacific policy
Defense One 20251007
https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/10/skeptical-senators-grill-white-house-pick-lead-indo-pacific-policy/408674/
US Congress urged to preserve stability in Indo-Pacific and curb China’s Taiwan game plan
SCMP 20251008
https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3328169/congress-urged-preserve-stability-indo-pacific-and-curb-chinas-taiwan-game-plan
China Wants America out of Pacific, Former Pentagon Official Warns
Newsweek 20251008
https://www.newsweek.com/china-wants-america-out-of-pacific-former-pentagon-official-warns-10844353
AUKUS Anxiety
FA 20251008
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/australia/aukus-anxiety
America first, again? Australia’s role in the future of multilateralism
AIIA 20251008
https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/america-first-again-australias-role-in-the-future-of-multilateralism/
Australia’s role in a Korean contingency: between alliance commitments and strategic autonomy
ASPI 20251008
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australias-role-in-a-korean-contingency-between-alliance-commitments-and-strategic-autonomy/
Head of U.S. Delegation: China Wants More Productive Conversation, Following Meeting in Beijing
Yomiuri 20251008
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/world/asia-pacific/20251008-285326/
Japan, US arranging Oct. 28 summit between new LDP head Takaichi, Trump
Mainichi 20251007
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20251007/p2g/00m/0in/020000c
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
Palau Congress holds firm on stance against accepting asylum seekers
PIT 20251008
https://www.pacificislandtimes.com/post/palau-congress-holds-firm-on-stance-against-accepting-asylum-seekers
Island Waves
PM MARAPE AIMS TO BUILD PNGDF CAPACITY
PNG Haus Bung 20251008
https://pnghausbung.com/pm-marape-aims-to-build-pngdf-capacity/
Australia’s SBD60M delivers road upgrades in Honiara
Solomon Star 20251008
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/australias-sbd60m-delivers-road-upgrades-in-honiara/
Fiji’s constructive engagement maximises partners, minimises risk
ASPI 20251008
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/fijis-constructive-engagment-maximises-partners-minimises-risk/
Chinese Navy hospital ship completes medical service to Fiji, heads for Tonga
Xinhua 20251008
https://english.news.cn/20251008/c4c84ce10bf94f8095ce557ea9249d10/c.html
Chinese hospital ship delivers tangible benefits to Fijian community: defense minister
Xinhua 20251007
https://english.news.cn/20251007/d3cf89d89dd54476b7dd65e75d351467/c.html
PNG should ratify the Pukpuk Treaty and move beyond a self-limiting mantra of “friends to all”
Lowy 20251008
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/png-should-ratify-pukpuk-treaty-move-beyond-self-limiting-mantra-friends-all
Taiwan + SCS
Pentagon nominee urges Taiwan to accelerate military reforms
Taiwan News 20251008
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6215711
10 pct of GDP defense spending demand from US disregards livelihoods of Taiwan residents
GT 20251008
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1345168.shtml
Taiwan defense minister confirms budget goal is 5% of GDP
Taiwan News 20251008
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6216036
Taiwan needs bipartisan defence consensus
EAF 20251008
https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/10/08/taiwan-needs-bipartisan-defence-consensus/
Mainland slams Taiwan leader’s separatist narrative
Xinhua 20251008
https://english.news.cn/20251008/d158223a90f24ab897688539a8bbff04/c.html
Unification will prevail, and “Taiwan independence’ will perish, says mainland spokesperson on Lai Ching-te’s fallacy made in US broadcast interview
GT 20251008
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1345141.shtml
How China Threatens to Force Taiwan Into a Total Blackout
WSJ 20251007
https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/chinese-blockade-taiwan-d5b241c7
Taiwan should focus on PLA precision strikes, carrier operations: Scholars
CNA (TW) 20251008
https://focustaiwan.tw/cross-strait/202510080025
Signals in the Swarm: The Data Behind China’s Maritime Gray Zone Campaign Near Taiwan
CSIS 20251008
https://www.csis.org/analysis/signals-swarm-data-behind-chinas-maritime-gray-zone-campaign-near-taiwan
How Will a Takaichi Administration Approach Japan’s Taiwan Policy?
The Diplomat 20251008
https://thediplomat.com/2025/10/how-will-a-takaichi-administration-approach-japans-taiwan-policy/
Taiwan tracks 26 Chinese military aircraft, 7 naval ships
Taiwan News 20251008
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6215732
U.S. and Philippine Forces Drill Near South China Sea Flashpoint
USNI 20251008
https://news.usni.org/2025/10/08/u-s-and-philippine-forces-drill-near-south-china-sea-flashpoint
First application of Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement
JP MoD 20251007
https://www.mod.go.jp/en/article/2025/10/ef2b6890705aa76c4aa9109aabf8b938b0b2c98d.html
International community exposes China’s intent at Scarborough Shoal
IPDF 20251008
https://ipdefenseforum.com/2025/10/international-community-exposes-chinas-intent-at-scarborough-shoal/
Uncovering why Huangyan Dao belongs to China through global cartographic records and China’s surveying, mapping, and naming of island
GT 20251008
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1345156.shtml
Capabilities
Top Pentagon nominee says Japan has ‘long underemphasized’ defense spending
Japan Times 20251008
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/08/japan/japan-us-defense-spending-pentagon/
Hegseth directs new task force to come up with ‘barracks investment plan’
Task {ur[ose 20251007
https://taskandpurpose.com/military-life/hegseth-barracks-task-force/
India supplying Philippines the missiles it needs to fend off China
Asia Times 20251008
https://asiatimes.com/2025/10/india-supplying-philippines-the-missiles-it-needs-to-fend-off-china/
Navy cannibalizing materiel for spare parts, watchdog says
Defense News 20251008
https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-navy/2025/10/08/navy-cannibalizing-materiel-for-spare-parts-watchdog-says/
China’s chipmakers bought $38 billion in U.S. and allied tools, a sign policy is failing, lawmakers find
Reuters 20251007
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-chipmakers-bought-38-billion-us-allied-tools-sign-policy-is-failing-2025-10-07/
The once and future US National Technology and Industrial Base: An American perspective
USSC 20251008
https://www.ussc.edu.au/the-once-and-future-us-national-technology-and-industrial-base-an-american-perspective
US lawmakers push expanded chip export curbs on China
SCMP 20251008
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3328168/us-lawmakers-push-expanded-chip-export-curbs-china
Power
Shifting Power: The Next Phase of U.S. Foreign Assistance
CSIS 20251007
https://www.csis.org/analysis/shifting-power-next-phase-us-foreign-assistance
The U.S. Foreign Aid Complex: Missionaries of Nihilism
Heritage 20251007
https://www.heritage.org/global-politics/report/the-us-foreign-aid-complex-missionaries-nihilism
Examining Thresholds in an East-West War
SWJ 20251008
https://smallwarsjournal.com/2025/10/07/examining-thresholds-in-an-east-west-war/
Exercises
Okinawa-based F-15 squadrons responsible for nearly 60 percent of country’s scrambles
Breaking Defense 20251008
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/10/okinawa-based-f-15-squadrons-responsible-for-nearly-60-percent-of-countrys-scrambles/