Pacific Winds 20260211
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
Takaichi landslide puts Japan at crossroads: Trump ally or ‘G6’ anchor?
Nikkei 20260210
https://asia.nikkei.com/politics/japan-election/takaichi-landslide-puts-japan-at-crossroads-trump-ally-or-g6-anchor
Japan’s Historic Election: Insights from Hudson Experts
Hudson 20260210
https://www.hudson.org/global-economy/japans-historic-election-insights-hudson-experts-weistein-chou-murano-pryztup-sracic
How Takaichi’s landslide win will shape Japan’s China and ASEAN ties
Think China 20260209
https://www.thinkchina.sg/politics/how-takaichis-landslide-win-will-shape-japans-china-and-asean-ties
Landslide election victory lets Takaichi confront China on her terms
Japan Times 20260210
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/10/japan/politics/china-japan-relations-election/
Japan PM’s big election win could mean more beef with Beijing
Reuters 20260209
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/japan-pms-big-election-win-could-mean-more-beef-with-beijing-2026-02-09/
Claiming to seek dialogue while engaging in confrontation is not dialogue anyone would accept: FM spokesperson on Takaichi’s China-related claim
GT 20260210
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202602/1355134.shtml
Japan is retracing evil path of militarism: Defense Spokesperson
China Military 20260210
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/2025xb/H_251454/L_251456/16442298.html
Takaichi Landslide Shows Limits of Chinese Economic Coercion
CSIS 20260209
https://www.csis.org/analysis/takaichi-landslide-shows-limits-chinese-economic-coercion
Why Australia is picking up tab for Philippine military upgrades
SCMP 202600209
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342824/why-australia-picking-tab-philippine-military-upgrades
Philippines sees signs of cooperation from China despite sea disputes
Reuters 20260210
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/philippines-sees-signs-cooperation-china-despite-sea-disputes-2026-02-10/
What Does It Means to be ‘Pro-China’ in the Philippines?
The Diplomat 20260209
https://manage.thediplomat.com/2026/02/what-does-it-means-to-be-pro-china-in-the-philippines/
China and South Korea hold rare defense talks, eye return of joint rescue drills
S&S 20260209
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2026-02-09/china-south-korea-defense-talks-20676058.html
Spy agency, military intelligence unit raided over alleged drone flights to N. Korea
Yonhap 20260210
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260210005551315
Unification ministry calls Seoul’s 2016 suspension of inter-Korean factory zone ‘self-injurious’
Kyodo 20260210
https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/70314
U.S. to send pan-gov’t delegation to S. Korea as early as late Feb. over joint fact sheet
Yonhap 20260210
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260210012000315
Just a bully: Trump is toying with South Korea for no good reason
Nikkei 20260210
https://asia.nikkei.com/opinion/just-a-bully-trump-is-toying-with-south-korea-for-no-good-reason
Trump’s ‘vacillating’ China policy causing allies’ crisis of confidence: security report
SCMP 20260210
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343087/trumps-vacillating-china-policy-leads-allies-crisis-confidence-security-report
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
What Guam can tell us about Greenland
GDP 20260210
https://www.postguam.com/forum/featured_columnists/what-guam-can-tell-us-about-greenland/article_ae9732b7-7e62-4046-b4e1-663002bba707.html
The quiet island becoming America’s largest weapons hub as Cold War tensions return
Secom ES 20260209
https://secom.es/us-plans-cold-war-quiet-island-americas-largest-weapons-hub/
Think tank calls for keeping Guam-bound Marines on Okinawa to counter China
S&S 20260209
https://www.stripes.com/branches/marine_corps/2026-02-09/okinawa-guam-marines-relocation-20676544.html
Island Waves
‘A free limo is hard to turn away’: how car diplomacy turbo charges politics in the Pacific
Guardian 20260210
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/10/car-diplomacy-turbo-charges-politics-pacific
Taiwan + xCS
An army of lawyers is advancing. Taiwan is the target
ASPI 20260210
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/an-army-of-lawyers-is-advancing-taiwan-is-the-target/
China to support ‘reunification forces’ in Taiwan, go after ‘separatists’
Reuters 20260210
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/senior-chinese-official-calls-resolutely-cracking-down-taiwan-independence-2026-02-10/
Senior CPC official stresses advancing peaceful relations across Taiwan Strait
Xinhua 20260210
https://english.news.cn/20260210/8b4606bf974f47e586b8b88bc403cfac/c.html
China carried out dangerous maneuvers against Taiwan jet fighters in December drills
Taiwan News 20260210
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6299660
Taiwan tracks 8 Chinese naval ships, 4 military aircraft
Taiwan News 20260210
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6299610
Will new High Seas Treaty open a fresh front line in South China Sea disputes?
SCMP 20260210
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342892/will-new-high-seas-treaty-open-fresh-front-line-south-china-sea-disputes
China, Philippines agree to continue communication through diplomatic channels, says Chinese FM as Manila signals recalibrating ties
GT 20260210
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202602/1355159.shtml
Transparency initiative in WPS will continue, not an ‘irritant’ to diplomacy – AFP
Manila Bulletin 20260210
https://mb.com.ph/2026/02/10/transparency-initiative-in-wps-will-continue-not-an-irritant-to-diplomacy-afp
Capabilities
Navy leader wants to move faster, leaner instead of turning to carriers in crisis
Navy Times (AP) 20260209
https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/02/10/navy-leader-wants-to-move-faster-leaner-instead-of-turning-to-carriers-in-crisis/
Chinese Carrier-based Fighter Seen Equipped with New Supersonic Anti-ship Missile
USNI 20260210
https://news.usni.org/2026/02/10/chinese-carrier-based-fighter-seen-equipped-with-new-supersonic-anti-ship-missile
China “Just Not There Yet” On H-20 Stealth Bomber: Global Strike Command’s Top General
TWZ 20260210
https://www.twz.com/air/china-just-not-there-yet-on-h-20-stealth-bomber-global-strike-commands-top-general
Strategic Attack: Maintaining the Air Force’s Capacity to Deny Enemy Sanctuaries
Mitchell 20260209
https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/app/uploads/2026/02/Strategic_Attack_Denying_Sanctuary_Policy_Paper_64.pdf
US containerized drone swarms no silver bullet vs China
Asia Times 20260210
https://asiatimes.com/2026/02/us-containerized-drone-swarms-no-silver-bullet-vs-china/
Newly Unbound, Trump Weighs More Nuclear Arms and Underground Tests
NYTimes 20260210
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/us/politics/trump-nuclear-arms-underground-tests.html
Exercises
Overseas Training Cruise 2026
JMSDF 20260210
https://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/en/release/202602/20260210en.pdf