Pacific Winds 20260115
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
Surveying the Experts: The State of U.S.-China Relations Entering 2026
China Power 20260113
https://chinapower.csis.org/survey-experts-us-china-relations-2026/
Trump says he thinks China can open its markets to US goods
Reuters 20260114
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-he-thinks-china-can-open-its-markets-us-goods-2026-01-14/
Japan-South Korea Summit: Why Middle Power Cooperation Matters More Than Ever in an Imperializing World
The Diplomat 20260114
https://thediplomat.com/2026/01/japan-south-korea-summit-why-middle-power-cooperation-matters-more-than-ever-in-an-imperializing-world/
Lee returns home from Japan trip focused on deepening ties
Yonhap 20250114
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260114010251315
Rich in symbolism, Takaichi-Lee talks highlight strong Japan-South Korea ties
Japan Times 20260114
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/14/japan/politics/japan-south-korea-takaichi-lee-focus/
China-Japan row signals new era of ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy
Asia Times 20260114
https://asiatimes.com/2026/01/china-japan-row-signals-new-era-of-wolf-warrior-diplomacy/
China’s Rare Earth Campaign Against Japan
CSIS 20260113
https://www.csis.org/analysis/chinas-rare-earth-campaign-against-japan
Japan Defense Minister Koizumi, in Hawaii, Cites ‘Power of Japan-U.S. Reconciliation’ After World War II
Yomiuri 20260114
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/defense-security/20260114-304054/
Japan Minister of Defense visits Hawaii, speaks at Honolulu Defense Forum
US IndoPaCom 20260113
https://www.pacom.mil/media/news/news-article-view/article/4377687/japan-minister-of-defense-visits-hawaii-speaks-at-honolulu-defense-forum/
US–Indonesia Relations: Navigating Power in a Shifting World Order
RSIS 20260112
https://rsis.edu.sg/rsis-publication/idss/ip26006-us-indonesia-relations-navigating-power-in-a-shifting-world-order/
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
USCGC Hickory arrives in Guam, restoring full buoy tender capacity in Oceania
USCG FM/SG 20260114
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/556179/uscgc-hickory-arrives-guam-restoring-full-buoy-tender-capacity-oceania
Courtesy Call on President of Palau
JP MoD 20260113
https://www.mod.go.jp/en/article/2026/01/a7b6fca71fea4646354d24585b3c8c04a2b4a3a9.html
Tug-of-war over limited housing units on Guam worries senator
PIT 20260114
https://www.pacificislandtimes.com/post/tug-of-war-over-limited-housing-units-on-guam-worries-senator
Island Waves
China gives US$200K to SPREP
Samoa Observer 20260114
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/117846
Two speedboats for RSIPF
Solomon Star 20260114
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/two-speedboats-for-rsipf/
Tkatchenko Reaffirmed Diplomatic Ties with China
Post Courier (PNG) 20260114
https://www.postcourier.com.pg/tkatchenko-reaffirmed-diplomatic-ties-with-china/
Taiwan + SCS
How to Ensure that $11 Billion in Potential Arms Sales Would Actually Help Taiwan
WOTR 20260113
https://warontherocks.com/2026/01/how-to-ensure-that-11-billion-in-potential-arms-sales-would-actually-help-taiwan/
PLA Sorties Around Taiwan: Fewer Aircraft, Higher Threat
The Diplomat 20260113
https://thediplomat.com/2026/01/pla-sorties-around-taiwan-fewer-aircraft-higher-threat/
China’s J-20 upgrades to anchor networked air war over Taiwan
Asia Times 20260114
https://asiatimes.com/2026/01/chinas-j-20-upgrades-to-anchor-networked-air-war-over-taiwan/
Beijing would try to sway Japan on Taiwan: expert
Taipei Times 20260115
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2026/01/15/2003850637
Xi’s Taiwan scorecard: why 2026 is not the year
ASPI 20260114
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/xis-taiwan-scorecard-why-2026-is-not-the-year/
The crazier “Taiwan independence” moves, the tighter anti-secession noose: Mainland spokesperson
Xinhua 20260114
https://english.news.cn/20260114/1ca9a3863f8f4d5e8b9d96f64a34e677/c.html
'Resolving the Taiwan question is China's own matter': State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson responds to US leader's Taiwan-related remarks during interview with the New York Times
GT 20260114
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202601/1353171.shtml
To safeguard cross-Straits peace, stability, 'Taiwan independence' must be unequivocally opposed,' says Taiwan Affairs Office over Singapore SM Lee's remarks
GT 20260114
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202601/1353181.shtml
Taiwan’s Moonshot: why ‘T-Dome’ needs systems engineering, not just a shopping list
Space News 20260114
https://spacenews.com/taiwans-moonshot-why-t-dome-needs-systems-engineering-not-just-a-shopping-list/
Taiwan tracks 20 Chinese military aircraft, 9 naval ships
Taiwan News 20260114
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6282386
‘Strategic patience’ key for Beijing in South China Sea and other disputes
SCMP 20260114
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339734/strategic-patience-key-beijing-south-china-sea-and-other-disputes
China-Philippines relations should not be hijacked by selfish interests of a few forces in Manila
GT 20260114
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202601/1353217.shtml
Capabilities
New US Navy Missile to Support Hypersonic Strike, Air Defense Roles
Naval News 20260114
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2026/01/new-us-navy-missile-to-support-hypersonic-strike-air-defense-roles/
Report to Congress on the Navy’s Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Program
USNI 20260114
https://news.usni.org/2026/01/14/report-to-congress-on-the-navys-aegis-ballistic-missile-defense-program
China Reveals New J-20 Fifth-gen Fighter Variant Can Strike Maritime Targets
USNI 20260114
https://news.usni.org/2026/01/14/china-reveals-new-j-20-fifth-gen-fighter-variant-can-strike-maritime-targets
Three ‘meta trends’ are reshaping warfare, INDOPACOM commander says
Defense One 20260113
https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2026/01/three-meta-trends-are-reshaping-warfare-indopacom-commander-says/410666/
Navy must take risks, act like the US is at war, says Phelan
Military Times 20260114
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-navy/2026/01/14/navy-must-take-risks-act-like-the-us-is-at-war-says-phelan/
SECNAV: Shipbuilders Need to Hire 250,000 Workers Over the Next Decade for ‘Golden Fleet’
USNI 20260113
https://news.usni.org/2026/01/13/secnav-shipbuilders-need-to-hire-250000-workers-over-the-next-decade-for-golden-fleet
Navy Has A Plan To Attack Embarrassing Rust Caked On Its Warships
TWZ 20260113
https://www.twz.com/sea/navy-has-a-plan-to-attack-embarrassing-rust-caked-on-its-warships
Trump Class Battleships Could Get Megawatt Lasers: Navy’s Top Officer
TWZ 20260114
https://www.twz.com/news-features/trump-class-battleships-could-get-megawatt-lasers-navys-top-officer
Navy chief calls for defense spending to hit ‘new normal’ of 4% GDP
Breaking defense 20260114
https://breakingdefense.com/2026/01/navy-chief-calls-for-defense-spending-to-hit-new-normal-of-4-gdp/
Can the 15th Five-Year Plan Fix the People’s Liberation Army’s Procurement Bottlenecks?
WOTR 20260114
https://warontherocks.com/2026/01/can-the-15th-five-year-plan-fix-the-peoples-liberation-armys-procurement-bottlenecks/
China’s first launches of 2026 send Yaogan spacecraft into unusual orbit, loft Guowang satellites
Space News 20260214
https://spacenews.com/chinas-first-launches-of-2026-send-yaogan-spacecraft-into-unusual-orbit-loft-guowang-satellites/
Chinese risk study finds space solar power stations could accidentally zap satellites
SCMP 20260114
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339829/chinese-risk-study-finds-space-solar-power-stations-could-accidentally-zap-satellites
Power
The Grand Strategy Behind Trump’s Foreign Policy
FP 20260114
https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/14/trump-western-hemisphere-national-security-strategy-geopolitics-china-russia-venezuela-greenland-spheres-of-influence/