Pacific Winds 20260517
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping end unipolar age in Beijing
ABC (AU) 20260516
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05-16/us-donald-trump-china-xi-jinping-end-unipolar-age-beijing/106687004
Trump Calls Xi a ‘Friend.’ But He Left China Without Any Breakthroughs.
NYTimes 20260516
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/world/europe/trump-xi-china-summit.html
What the Trump-Xi Summit Won’t Solve
FA 20260516
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/what-trump-xi-summit-wont-solve
Trump in Beijing: Why even limited success is remarkable
Think China 20260515
https://www.thinkchina.sg/politics/trump-beijing-why-even-limited-success-remarkable
Briefing by Foreign Minister Wang Yi on China-U.S. summit and common understandings
Xinhua 20260516
https://english.news.cn/20260516/d4287f7cdf4842db90dee55f811093bb/c.html
U.S.-China Summit: ‘G2’ Alone Cannot Achieve Global Stability
Yomiuri 20260516
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/editorial/yomiuri-editorial/20260516-327929/
Beijing profits from US drift in Southeast Asia
EAF 20260516
https://eastasiaforum.org/2026/05/16/beijing-profits-from-us-drift-in-southeast-asia/
Trump’s adherence to U.S. policy on Taiwan reassures Asian partners
Kyodo 20260516
https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/76113
Putin to visit China from Tues. for talks with Xi after Trump
Kyodo 20260516
https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/76140
China Will Host Putin, Days After Trump’s Visit
NYTimes 20260516
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/world/europe/putin-china-visit-trump.html
Island Waves
China critic Matthew Wale elected Solomon Islands prime minister
Guardian (AU) 20260516
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/15/matthew-wale-elected-solomon-islands-prime-minister
‘Seismic shift’ toward Aussie orbit likely under Solomon Islands’ new prime minister
RFA 20260515
https://www.rfa.org/english/pacific/2026/05/15/solomon-islands-matthew-wale-prime-minister-election/
Taiwan + xCS
Taiwan casts long shadow over Trump’s summit with Xi
SCMP 20260516
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3353779/taiwan-casts-long-shadow-over-trumps-summit-xi
Trump warns Taiwan against declaring independence, hours after summit with China’s Xi
BBC 20260516
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8p61v7l68o
Hearing this remark from Trump, Taiwan regional authorities must wake up
GT 20260516
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202605/1361121.shtml
Trump Turns Taiwan Arms Sales Into Bargaining Chip With China
NYTimes 29260516
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/world/asia/trump-taiwan-arms-bargaining-chip-china.html
Trump Withholds Taiwan Arms Sales, Calls It Bargaining Chip
Chosun 20260516
https://www.chosun.com/english/world-en/2026/05/16/BVNKERHCIRFILKSJFX6JOWM56U/
How will Beijing judge Trump’s take on Taiwan? Look for 1 critical factor
SCMP 20260516
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353831/how-will-beijing-judge-trumps-take-taiwan-look-1-critical-factor
Why This Was the Riskiest Move of Trump’s China Trip
NYTimes 20260516
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/world/asia/trump-taiwan-arms-bargaining-chip-china.html
Trump’s dangerous Taiwan gamble
Brookings 20260516
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/trumps-dangerous-taiwan-gamble/
Trump refuses to let Xi haggle over arms sales
Taipei Times 20260517
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2026/05/17/2003857476
Trump reportedly warns Taiwan island not to expect a 'blank check' from US military, 'not looking to have somebody go independent'; Chinese expert says separatist forces are left behind by broader trend
GT 20260516
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202605/1361109.shtml
Taiwan presses case for US arms after Trump says not decided on new sales
Reuters 20260516
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-says-us-arms-sales-are-cornerstone-regional-peace-2026-05-16/
Taiwan Presidential Office notes US policy unchanged after Trump-Xi meetings
Taiwan News 20260516
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6363902
Taiwan tracks 9 Chinese ships
Taiwan News 20260516
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6363811
Can AI-assisted unmanned vessels be Beijing’s answer to South China Sea patrols?
SCMP 20260516
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3353721/can-ai-assisted-unmanned-vessels-be-beijings-answer-south-china-sea-patrols
China expands gray-zone pressure in disputed waters
Taiwan News 20260516
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6363853
See How China Is Gaining Power in Contested Waters
WSJ 20260515
https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/see-how-china-is-gaining-power-in-contested-waters-7ef47e75?mod=hp_lead_pos7
Capabilities
The New Era of Air and Missile Defense
WOTR 20260514
https://warontherocks.com/cogs-of-war/the-new-era-of-air-and-missile-defense/
Japan defense paper to hint alarm over Chinese military activity in Pacific
Mainichi 20260516
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260516/p2g/00m/0na/011000c
Rearming Japan: ambition, constraints, and limits
Asia Times 20260516
https://asiatimes.com/2026/05/rearming-japan-ambition-constraints-and-limits/
Power
Spheres by Default
FA 20260516
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/china/spheres-default