Pacific Winds 20260227

A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region

Alliances

N. Korea’s Kim says willing to get along with U.S. if Washington drops hostile policy
Yonhap 20260226
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260226001353315

Rubio signals U.S. openness to dialogue with N. Korea
Yonhap 20260226
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260226006700315

White House says Trump remains open to dialogue with Kim ‘without any preconditions’
Yonhap 20260227
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260227000200315

Trump-Xi summit preparations falter as planning gaps unsettle Beijing
SCMP 20260226
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344769/trump-xi-summit-preparations-falter-planning-gaps-unsettle-beijing

USTR’s claim of no plan to raise tariffs on China above current levels, tariff-related rhetoric and excessive capacity remarks ‘hegemonic’
GT 20260226
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202602/1355800.shtml

China’s Export Ban: Japan-Bashing is Backfiring
Yomiuri 20260226
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/editorial/yomiuri-editorial/20260226-313625/

China says export control measures targeting certain Japanese entities are justified
Xinhua 20260226
https://english.news.cn/20260226/2f106ffa0eba47948de1ac38ddd294fd/c.html

Micronesia-Marianas (2^nd Island Chain+)

China’s Carriers Increasingly Venture Beyond the First Island Chain
CSIS 20260226
https://www.csis.org/analysis/chinas-carriers-increasingly-venture-beyond-first-island-chain

Defense of Guam plan seen as shield for entire Marianas
Marianas Press 20260226
https://marianaspress.com/news/article/defense-of-guam-plan-seen-as-shield-for-entire-marianas

Resilience under fire: how US’s WWII airfield upgrades back Taiwan
ASPI 20260226
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/resilience-under-fire-how-uss-wwii-airfield-upgrades-back-taiwan/

Island Waves

Pacific geopolitics: Leaders meet in Honolulu as US pushes ‘America First’ commercial agenda
RNZ 20260226
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/588002/pacific-geopolitics-leaders-meet-in-honolulu-as-us-pushes-america-first-commercial-agenda

Solomon Islands PM Manele calls for Pacific-led solutions to advance investment and security partnerships
PINA 20260226
https://pina.com.fj/2026/02/26/solomon-islands-pm-manele-calls-for-pacific-led-solutions-to-advance-investment-and-security-partnerships/

Manele: Investment in Pacific must be people-centred
Fiji Times 20260226
https://www.fijitimes.com.fj/manele-investment-in-pacific-must-be-people-centred/

Prosperity talks at Hawaii summit
Fiji Times 20260226
https://www.fijitimes.com.fj/prosperity-talks-at-hawaii-summit/

Total recall: US summons envoys to the Pacific
Islands Business 20260226
https://islandsbusiness.com/latest-magazine-articles/total-recall-us-summons-envoys-to-the-pacific/

Vanuatu tables energy, airport priorities at Hawaii Summit
Daily Post (VU) 20260226
https://www.dailypost.vu/news/vanuatu-tables-energy-airport-priorities-at-hawaii-summit/article_ea0e63b6-7df5-5617-8f45-8ae8b6d27682.html

French Navy supports Pacific fisheries surveillance initiatives
Islands Business 20260226
https://islandsbusiness.com/news-break/french-navy-supports-pacific-fisheries-surveillance-initiatives/

MCC highlights Vanuatu Roads Project as model for Pacific development
Daily Post (VU) 20260226
https://www.dailypost.vu/news/mcc-highlights-vanuatu-roads-project-as-model-for-pacific-development/article_e9742bf3-d3cc-5b92-b947-e475ed168f88.html

New Zealand’s Navy, Army and Air Force combine for successful South-West Pacific operation
NZDF 20260226
https://www.nzdf.mil.nz/media-centre/news/new-zealands-navy-army-and-air-force-combine-for-successful-south-west-pacific-operation/

Chinese Medical Team leader introduces modern ‘keyhole’ surgery
Daily Post (VU) 20260226
https://www.dailypost.vu/news/chinese-medical-team-leader-introduces-modern-keyhole-surgery/article_b071ace7-c0eb-56fc-badd-1c15e81f30f0.html

Politics and Power in the Pacific
CSIS 20260226
https://www.csis.org/podcasts/southeast-asia-radio/pacific-airwaves-politics-and-power-pacific

Taiwan + SCS

Hellscape for Taiwan
CNAS 20260226
https://www.cnas.org/publications/reports/hellscape-for-taiwan

Taiwan should create drone swarm ‘asymmetric hellscape’ to blunt Chinese invasion: Report
Breaking Defense 20260226
https://breakingdefense.com/2026/02/taiwan-should-create-drone-swarm-asymmetric-hellscape-to-blunt-chinese-invasion-report/

How China is masking drone flights in potential Taiwan rehearsal
Reuters 20260226
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/how-china-is-masking-drone-flights-potential-taiwan-rehearsal-2026-02-26/

Get It Strait: Europe and the United States Should Seize the Opportunity Provided by Taiwan’s Push to Strengthen Engagement
GMF 20260225
https://www.gmfus.org/news/get-it-strait-europe-and-united-states-should-seize-opportunity-provided-taiwans-push

Philippines, Japan, U.S. hold joint drill in waters near Taiwan
Kyodo 22060226
https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/71277

Taiwan tracks 30 Chinese military aircraft, 6 naval ships
Taiwan News 20260226
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6309415

US reaffirms `ironclad’ alliance with PH amid West PH sea tensions
Inquirer (PH) 20260226
https://www.inquirer.net/468924/us-reaffirms-ironclad-alliance-with-ph-amid-west-ph-sea-tensions/

Capabilities

Balancing act: Top general tries to avoid conflict with Trump while preparing for possible war with Iran
CNN 20260225
https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/25/politics/caine-iran-hegseth-trump

USAF ‘woefully behind’ on modernizing mobility aircraft, airlift commander says
Defense One 20260225
https://www.defenseone.com/defense-systems/2026/02/usaf-woefully-behind-modernizing-mobility-aircraft-airlift-commander-says/411703/

Darwin is central to defence. It should be treated as such
ASPI 20260226
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/darwin-is-central-to-defence-it-should-be-treated-as-such/

Hard conversations on Australia’s defence
Lowy 20260227
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/hard-conversations-australia-s-defence

China Is Preparing for War, and Australia Must Act to Defend Its Sovereignty
Hudson 20260226
https://www.hudson.org/national-security-defense/china-preparing-war-australia-must-act-defend-its-sovereignty-john-lee

Number Of Nuclear Warheads New Sentinel ICBMs Will Carry Now An Open Question
Breaking Defense 20250225
https://www.twz.com/nuclear/number-of-nuclear-warheads-new-sentinel-icbms-will-carry-now-an-open-question

With funding flush, Space Force hopes to speed satellites to track aircraft, missiles
Breaking Defense 20260226
https://breakingdefense.com/2026/02/with-funding-flush-space-force-hopes-to-speed-satellites-to-track-aircraft-missiles/

China’s Growing Armada Of Spy Satellites Is Pushing Space Force To Go On The Offensive
TWZ 20260226
https://www.twz.com/space/chinas-growing-armada-of-spy-satellites-is-pushing-space-force-to-go-on-the-offensive

Space Force pauses national security launches on Vulcan
Breaking Defense 20250225
https://breakingdefense.com/2026/02/space-force-pauses-national-security-launches-on-vulcan/

Is China really testing nuclear weapons?
Responsible Statecraft 20260226
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/trump-china-nuclear-weapons-test/

Chinese influence operation targets Japan elections, Trump, other countries, US foundation says
Reuters 20260226
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinese-influence-operation-targets-japan-elections-trump-other-countries-us-2026-02-26/

Power

America the Predatory Hegemon
FA 20260226
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/podcasts/america-predatory-hegemon

Events

The Australia-US Alliance: A National Conversation
AIIA 4 March 2026 5:30 - 7:00 PM AEST
https://aiiatas.glueup.com/event/4-march-the-australia-us-alliance-a-national-conversation-170014/