Pacific Winds 20251023
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
Will There Be Brakes on Japan’s National Security Policy Under Takaichi?
The Diplomat 20251021
https://thediplomat.com/2025/10/will-there-be-brakes-on-japans-national-security-policy-under-takaichi/
Sanae Takaichi and the future of Japan’s security policy
Think China 20251021
https://www.thinkchina.sg/politics/sanae-takaichi-and-future-japans-security-policy
Trump Doesn’t Think Much About Us. That’s a Good Thing
AIIA 20251022
https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/trump-doesnt-think-much-about-us-thats-a-good-thing/
AUKUS architect says concerns remain over deal’s future despite Donald Trump backing
ABC (AU) 20251022
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-22/concern-remain-over-aukus-following-trump-talk/105918678
How ‘paramount leader’ Donald Trump could prove to be a guard rail in US-China ties
SCMP 20251022
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329223/how-paramount-leader-donald-trump-could-prove-be-guard-rail-us-china-ties
Chinese FM responds to Trump’s claim of trade deal with China at APEC
GT 20251022
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1346253.shtml
US, China trade officials to meet in Malaysia amid escalating rare earths dispute
SCMP 20251022
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3329981/us-china-trade-officials-meet-malaysia-amid-escalating-rare-earths-dispute
The U.S. Struggles to Break Out From China’s Grip on Rare Earths
NYTimes 20251022
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/22/us/politics/china-trump-rare-earths.html
The China Model’s Fatal Flaw
FP 20251022
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/china-models-fatal-flaw-lizzi-lee
U.S.-China Tensions Cast Long Shadow Over ASEAN Summit
CFR 20251022
https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/us-china-tensions-cast-long-shadow-over-asean-summit
Senior Seoul official reports ‘partial progress’ in trade negotiations with U.S.
Yonhap 20251023
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20251023000352315
North Korea Hardens Posture as Allies Recalibrate Before APEC
CNAS 20251021
https://www.cnas.org/publications/video/n-korea-hardens-posture-as-allies-recalibrate-before-apec
Trump pushing allies to buy US gas is a case of bad economics
Asia Times 20251022
https://asiatimes.com/2025/10/trump-pushing-allies-to-buy-us-gas-is-a-case-of-bad-economics/
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
Nauru, Australia sign $388 million deal for refugees long-term resettlement arrangement
PINA 20251022
https://pina.com.fj/2025/10/22/nauru-australia-sign-388-million-deal-for-refugees-long-term-resettlement-arrangement/
Governor on talks with new under secretary: good meeting, but no commitments made
KUAM 20251022
https://www.kuam.com/story/53182825/governor-on-talks-with-new-under-secretary-good-meeting-but-no-commitments-made
Taiwan + SCS
Taiwan Is Not for Sale
FP 20251022
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/taiwan/taiwan-not-sale
Taiwan plans deeper military ties with US to bolster security
Reuters 20251022
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-plans-deeper-military-ties-with-us-bolster-security-2025-10-22/
1992 Consensus serves as anchor for cross-Straits peace, stability: Taiwan Affairs Office on false claims by Taiwan’s mainland affairs council that local mainstream public opinion opposes it
GT 20251022
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1346237.shtml
DPP authorities’ false narratives of so-called ‘mainland threat,’ ‘democracy vs. authoritarianism’ completely distort the truth: mainland official
GT 20251022
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1346234.shtml
U.S. planning new rules to expedite defense tech transfers: Business group
CNA (TW) 20251022
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202510220012
Chinese mainland official slams US defense start-up founder’s claim of China ‘going to move on Taiwan’ in 2027
GT 20251022
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1346235.shtml
Taiwan tracks 2 Chinese military aircraft, 5 ships
Taiwan News 20251022
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6225317
China accuses Australia of twisted ‘propaganda’ over Paracel Islands airspace
ABC (AU) 20251022
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-22/china-accuses-australia-of-propaganda-airspace-intrusion/105920712
Australian statement attempts to cover up military aircraft’s illegal intrusion into China’s territorial airspace: MOD
GT 20251022
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1346224.shtml
Philippine Forces Practice Defending Strategic Island Near South China Sea
USNI 20251022
https://news.usni.org/2025/10/22/philippine-forces-practice-defending-strategic-island-near-south-china-sea
China deploys new floating barrier at Scarborough Shoal, satellite image shows
SCMP 20251022
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329955/china-deploys-new-floating-barrier-scarborough-shoal-satellite-image-shows
Chinese coast guard ends record 335-day stay near Japan’s Senkaku Islands
S&S 20251022
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2025-10-22/china-coast-guard-senkaku-japan-19503582.html
Capabilities
N. Korea fires multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward East Sea: JCS
Yonhap 20251022
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250519001751315
N. Korea fires ballistic missile toward Sea of Japan: S. Korea
Kyodo 20251022
https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/63257
The key to winning a Pacific war: cheap cruise missiles
ASPI 20251022
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-key-to-winning-a-pacific-war-cheap-cruise-missiles/
China’s GJ-X stealth drone raises stakes for US in Pacific
Asia Times 20251022
https://asiatimes.com/2025/10/chinas-gj-x-stealth-drone-raises-stakes-for-us-in-pacific/
Stuck in the Cul-de-Sac
CNAS 20241021
https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/files.cnas.org/documents/Report_Defense-Budget_DEFENSE_Oct-2025_FInal.pdf
New Japan PM Takaichi Mulls Early Review of Nation’s Defense Spending
Yomiuri 20251022
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/defense-security/20251022-287994/
New Japan PM to move up defense spending goal by 2 years in policy speech
Kyodo 20251022
https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/63311
Lockheed To Test Golden Dome Space-Based Missile Interceptor In Orbit By 2028
TWZ 20251021
https://www.twz.com/air/lockheed-to-test-golden-dome-space-based-missile-interceptor-in-orbit-by-2028
Exercises
U.S. Sailors, Marines Join Partners for Biennial Exercise in Philippine Sea
USNI 20251022
https://news.usni.org/2025/10/22/u-s-sailors-marines-join-partners-for-biennial-exercise-in-philippine-sea