Pacific Winds 20251028

A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region

Oct 27, 2025

Alliances

US, China talks sketch out rare earths, tariff pause for Trump and Xi to consider
Reuters 20251026
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/ustr-greer-says-trade-talks-with-china-moving-toward-agreement-leaders-review-2025-10-26/

Trump’s China Deal May Avert a Crisis of His Own Making
NYTimes 20251027
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/us/politics/trump-china-trade-deal-talks.html

Mutual suspense: The Xi–Trump bargain that no one fully trusts
Think China 20251027
https://www.thinkchina.sg/politics/mutual-suspense-xi-trump-bargain-no-one-fully-trusts

China and the US should ‘meet each other halfway’ to solve disputes: Wang Yi
SCMP 20251027
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3330515/china-and-us-should-meet-each-other-halfway-solve-disputes-wang-yi

Chinese FM holds phone talks with US secretary of state, hopes China, US to create conditions for development of bilateral relations
GT 20251027
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1346678.shtml

What is behind the RAND’s turnaround on China-US ties?
GT 20251027
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1346673.shtml

Trump arrives in Japan, promising a ‘great friendship’
SCMP 20251027
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3330475/trump-arrives-japan-promising-great-friendship

Japan’s ‘Iron Lady’ Sanae Takaichi pushes deeper defence ties with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese amid China threat
Sky News (AU) 20251027
https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/japans-iron-lady-sanae-takaichi-pushes-deeper-defence-ties-with-prime-minister-anthony-albanese-amid-china-threat/news-story/64b8ee29f0120ed2c11401dfb4e25e4d

Despite anxiety about Trump, Asia’s maritime democracies are increasingly aligned on security
USSC 20241027
https://www.ussc.edu.au/despite-anxiety-about-trump-asia-s-maritime-democracies-are-increasingly-aligned-on-security

China, Australia keen on stable ties despite tensions, rivalry
Reuters 20251027
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-keen-stable-australia-ties-despite-tensions-rivalry-2025-10-27/

Chinese Premier calls for building more stable strategic partnership in meeting with Australia PM
GT 20251027
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1346657.shtml

Trapped Between U.S. and China, South Korea Feels Trade War’s Pressure
NYTimes 20251027
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/business/south-korea-trump-tariffs.html

South Korea’s bridge diplomacy faces its APEC test
EAF 20251027
https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/10/27/south-koreas-bridge-diplomacy-faces-its-apec-test/

China, South Korea Wary of New Japan PM Sanae Takaichi’s Conservative Stance
Yomiuri 20251027
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/world/asia-pacific/20251027-288947/

ASEAN’s centrality will not hold
ASPI 20251027
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/aseans-centrality-will-not-hold/

Micronesia-Marianas (2^nd Island Chain+)

DOD, Air Force oppose lifting stay on activist group’s lawsuit
GDP 20251027
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/dod-air-force-oppose-lifting-stay-on-activist-group-s-lawsuit/article_aa61720f-f738-4d10-9d1f-648bfc13c348.html

Women break maritime barriers
MIJ 20251027
https://marshallislandsjournal.com/women-break-maritime-barriers/

Island Waves

Taiwan + xCS

Ahead of Trump-Xi meeting, China says bombers flew near Taiwan
Reuters 20251027
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/ahead-trump-xi-meeting-china-says-bombers-flew-near-taiwan-2025-10-27/

MND denounces report of China bomber drills
Taipei Times 20251028
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2025/10/28/2003846224

Britain and China must work together to defend post-war order
The Telegraph (UK) 20251027
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/10/26/post-war-order-depends-on-accepting-chinas-claim-to-taiwan/

Taiwan tracks 8 Chinese ships, 4 military aircraft
Taiwan News 20251027
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6228586

2 U.S. Navy Aircraft Go Down in South China Sea
NYTimes 20251027
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/world/asia/navy-aircraft-crash-south-china-sea.html

US Navy helicopter, fighter jet crash in South China Sea in separate incidents
Reuters 20251027
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-willing-give-assistance-us-after-aircraft-crash-south-china-sea-2025-10-27/

US Pacific Fleet confirms 2 US military aircraft crashed from aircraft carrier Nimitz in South China Sea in separate incidents
GT 20251027
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1346617.shtml

Beijing accuses US of undermining South China Sea peace after plane and helicopter crashes
SCMP 20251027
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3330434/us-navy-helicopter-and-warplane-crash-south-china-sea-same-day

America Is Losing the Gray Zone War for the South China Sea
The Dispatch 20251027
https://thedispatch.com/article/south-china-sea-gray-zone-war-united-states/

AFP escorts out Chinese fishing boats, seizes bottles of ‘cyanide’ near Ayungin Shoal
GMA 20251027
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/963834/afp-escorts-out-chinese-fishing-boats-seizes-bottles-of-cyanide-near-ayungin-shoal/story/

Chinese FM spokesperson hits back at Philippine president’s S.China Sea claims; expert says Manila-Tokyo cooperation to heighten tensions in region
GT 20251027
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1346666.shtml

Korea-China Standoffs in the PMZ
CSIS 20251027
https://beyondparallel.csis.org/korea-china-standoffs-in-the-pmz/

Capabilities

Trump greeted with hypersonic missile threat at Seoul APEC
Asia Times 20251027
https://asiatimes.com/2025/10/trump-greeted-with-hypersonic-missile-threat-at-seoul-apec/

U.S. official says no evidence N.K. has mastered hypersonics, notes progress in its ICBM reentry tech
Yonhap 20251028
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20251027001000315

A combat aircraft that doesn’t need vulnerable Western Pacific air bases
ASPI 20251027
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/a-combat-aircraft-that-doesnt-need-vulnerable-western-pacific-air-bases/

Philippine Army Stands Up Missile Battalion for Territorial Defense Operations
USNI 20251027
https://news.usni.org/2025/10/27/philippine-army-stands-up-missile-battalion-for-territorial-defense-operations

Fincantieri launches its first ‘DEEP’ underwater drone system
Naval News 20251027
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/10/fincantieri-launches-its-first-deep-underwater-drone-system/

Takaichi set to remove Japan’s defense export bans
Asia Times 20251027
https://asiatimes.com/2025/10/takaichi-set-to-remove-japans-defense-export-bans/

Exercises

USN Fleet and Marine Tracker: Oct. 27, 2025
USNI 20251027
https://news.usni.org/2025/10/27/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-oct-27-2025

PCIS - Pacific Winds

Discussion about this post

Ready for more?