Pacific Winds 20260325
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
Japan to drop ‘most important’ tag for China ties
Reuters 20260324
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/japan-drop-most-important-tag-china-ties-2026-03-24/
Japan reportedly plans to downgrade description of China ties; move shows right-wing shift, risks eroding dialogue-based order in Asia: Chinese expert
GT 20260325
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202603/1357495.shtml
Why Beijing is blaming Japanese PM as Tokyo moves to downgrade China ties status
SCMP 20260324
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347740/tokyo-moves-downgrade-status-china-ties-beijing-moves-blame-japanese-pm
Japan again denies U.S. official’s claim Takaichi pledged to send MSDF to Mideast
Japan Times 20260324
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/03/24/japan/us-waltz-iran-japan-msdf/
US faces critical shortage of China expertise within a decade, report warns
SCMP 20260324
https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3347644/us-faces-critical-shortage-china-expertise-within-decade-report-warns
N. Korea’s Kim formally calls S. Korea ‘most hostile’ nation
Yonhap 20260324
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260324000851315
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
China is mapping the ocean floor as it prepares for submarine warfare with the U.S.
Reuters 20260324
https://www.reuters.com/investigations/china-is-mapping-ocean-floor-it-prepares-submarine-warfare-with-us-2026-03-24/
China’s growing influence in the Pacific is 5,000 meters deep
CNN 20260324
https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2026/03/world/china-deep-sea-mining-military-vis-intl/
China’s deep-sea mining fleet may also track US submarines
Monga Bay 20260324
https://news.mongabay.com/custom-story/2026/03/chinas-deep-sea-mining-fleet-may-also-track-us-submarines/
China Maps the Deep to Rewrite the Rules of Undersea War
Modern Diplomacy 20260324
https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2026/03/24/china-maps-the-deep-to-rewrite-the-rules-of-undersea-war/
Australia should firm up ties with Kiribati before China does
ASPI 20260324
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australia-should-firm-up-ties-with-kiribati-before-china-does/
Strengthening our partnership with the Federated States of Micronesia
AU DFAT 20260324
https://ministers.dfat.gov.au/minister/pat-conroy/media-release/strengthening-our-partnership-federated-states-micronesia
Chinese tourist pleads guilty to taking photos on Andersen Air Force Base
PDN 20260324
https://www.guampdn.com/news/chinese-tourist-pleads-guilty-to-taking-photos-on-andersen-air-force-base/article_b1a97b52-3918-49c8-af5d-e60093f25614.html
Island Waves
Tonga PM welcomes US deal to explore deep-sea minerals amid environmental concerns
Guardian 20260324
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/24/tonga-us-deal-deep-sea-minerals-environmental-concern
Philippines deepens Pacific engagement with opening of embassy in Fiji
Manila Bulletin 20260323
https://mb.com.ph/2026/03/23/philippines-deepens-pacific-engagement-with-opening-of-embassy-in-fiji
Second international undersea cable lands in Vava’u
Matangi Tonga 20260324
https://matangitonga.to/2026/03/24/second-international-undersea-cable-lands-vavau
Australia Gives K6 Million to Fight Polio in PNG
National 20260324
https://www.thenational.com.pg/australia-gives-k6-million-to-fight-polio-in-png/
US Looks to Help PNG Get Off Grey List
National 20260324
https://www.thenational.com.pg/us-looks-to-help-png-get-off-grey-list/
Taiwan + xCS
How Trump’s War on Iran Will Affect China’s Taiwan Calculations
Hudson 20260324
https://www.hudson.org/national-security-defense/how-trumps-war-iran-will-affect-chinas-taiwan-calculations-john-lee
Glimpse into China’s Decision-Making Process Over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Taiwan Remark
Yomiuri 20260324
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/politics-government/20260324-318099/
Taiwan warns of rising Chinese infiltration threats
Taiwan News 20260324
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6326622
Taiwan tracks 10 Chinese ships, 3 military aircraft
Taiwan News 20260324
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6326599
Divergence and Tacit Understanding in the China–Philippines Provisional Arrangement at Second Thomas Shoal
AMTI 20260323
https://amti.csis.org/divergence-and-tacit-understanding-in-the-china-philippines-provisional-arrangement-at-second-thomas-shoal/
Why military base on contested Paracels will be of ‘limited’ value to Beijing
SCMP 22060324
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347748/why-military-base-contested-paracels-will-be-limited-value-beijing
PH Navy: 49 Chinese vessels spotted in WPS last week
GMA 20260324
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/981150/ph-navy-49-chinese-vessels-spotted-in-wps-last-week/story/
Chinese corvette recently trained its weapons on Philippine frigate, officials confirm
Defense News 20260324
https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2026/03/24/chinese-corvette-recently-trained-its-weapons-on-philippine-frigate-officials-confirm/
S. Korea urges Japan to correct territorial claims over Dokdo in new high school textbooks
Yonhap 20260324
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260324010051315
Capabilities
N. Korean leader Kim Jong Un vows to maintain status as nuclear state
Kyodo 20260324
https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/72845
How Kim Jong-un Is Using the Iran War to Justify His Nuclear Arsenal
NYTimes 20260324
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/23/world/asia/north-korea-kim-iran-nuclear.html
North Korea Enshrines Nuclear Weapons as a Necessity for Future Generations
The Diplomat 20260323
https://thediplomat.com/2026/03/north-korea-enshrines-nuclear-weapons-as-a-necessity-for-future-generations/
Conventional ICBMs could end Australia’s geographic sanctuary
Lowy 20260324
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/conventional-icbms-could-end-australia-s-geographic-sanctuary
Retired Patriot Battalion Commander On The Challenges Of Defeating Iran’s Barrages
TWZ 20260324
https://www.twz.com/news-features/retired-patriot-battalion-commander-on-the-challenges-of-defeating-irans-barrages
China slams Japan’s ‘kill network’ as long-range missile deployment looms
SCMP 20260324
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347707/china-slams-japans-kill-network-long-range-missile-deployment-looms
Hellfire Missile Launcher Tucked Inside A Container Rolled Out By Lockheed
TWZ 20260324
https://www.twz.com/air/hellfire-missile-launcher-tucked-inside-a-container-rolled-out-by-lockheed
CRS Report to Congress on the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System
USNI 20260324
https://news.usni.org/2026/03/24/report-to-congress-on-the-terminal-high-altitude-area-defense-system
Kratos scores $447M Space Force award for missile tracking ground system
Breaking Defense 20260324
https://breakingdefense.com/2026/03/kratos-scores-447m-space-force-award-for-missile-tracking-ground-system/
Space Development Agency slows satellite launches to focus on on-orbit performance
Space News 20260324
https://spacenews.com/space-development-agency-slows-satellite-launches-to-focus-on-on-orbit-performance/
Space Force officer shares intelligence on threats to space systems
Space News 20260324
https://spacenews.com/space-force-officer-shares-intelligence-on-threats-to-space-systems/
US legislative failures are giving China a strategic edge, Anduril exec says
Defense News 20260324
https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2026/03/24/us-legislative-failures-are-giving-china-a-strategic-edge-anduril-exec-says/
Exercises
New Type 055 destroyers for PLA East China Fleet tested in first live-fire drill
SCMP 20260324
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347726/new-type-055-destroyers-pla-east-china-fleet-tested-first-live-fire-drill