Pacific Winds 20260616
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
The False Promise of U.S.-China Stability
FA 20260615
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/us-chinese-relations/false-promise-us-china-stability
N.K. nuclear issue increasingly intertwined with global topics amid weakening ‘Vienna spirit’: S. Korean envoy
Yonhap 20260615
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260613003700315
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
China’s plan to swarm US carriers from 3,000km away
Asia Times 20260615
https://asiatimes.com/2026/06/chinas-plan-to-swarm-us-carriers-from-3000km-away/
Taiwan + SCS
US military personnel reportedly deployed at intel bureau in Taiwan island; move encroaches upon China’s sovereignty, seriously violates intl law: expert
GT 20260615
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202606/1363640.shtml
The Taiwan Lobby moves to put a full court press on Trump
Responsible Statecraft 20260615
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/taiwan-trump/
Taiwan tracks 5 Chinese naval ships around country
Taiwan News 20260615
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6382894
PH Navy issues radio challenges vs Chinese warship inside EEZ
GMA 20260615
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/991512/philippine-navy-radio-challenge-chinese-west-philippine-sea/story/
Capabilities
Chinese bombers put Japan’s defense strategy in jeopardy, report finds
Japan Times 20260615
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/06/15/japan/japan-china-bombers-defense/
Strengthening the Front Line: Transforming the Japan Self-Defense Force for Twenty-First-Century Deterrence
Hudson 20260615
https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media.hudson.org/Strengthening+the+Front+Line+-+Transforming+the+Japan+Self-Defense+Force+for+Twenty-First-Century+Deterrence+-+Clark+Byrd+Murano+Walton+Dennin+(1).pdf
Extended Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific in an Era of Great-Power Competition
NBR 20260615
https://www.nbr.org/publication/extended-deterrence-in-the-indo-pacific-in-an-era-of-great-power-competition/
An Indo-Pacific Nuclear Alliance Closes the Deterrence Gap Faster than Conventional
GSR 20260615
https://globalsecurityreview.com/an-indo-pacific-nuclear-alliance-closes-the-deterrence-gap-faster-than-conventional/
China’s ability to hit Australia with missiles ‘real and growing’, Lowy Institute says
ABC (AU) 20260615
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-15/lowy-analysis-china-ability-hit-australia-missiles/106797712
Chinese FM slams Australian think tank’s claim over China's military’s threat to Australia, says ‘strong country must be hegemonic’ logic is a strategic misjudgment of China
GT 20260615
https://www.hudson.org/events/how-transform-japan-self-defense-force-twenty-first-century-deterrence
South Korea Could Build Nuclear Submarines, But It Shouldn’t
WOTR 20260615
https://warontherocks.com/south-korea-could-build-nuclear-submarines-but-it-shouldnt/
How Japan Could Co-Produce the Navy’s Future Fleet
WOTR 20260615
https://warontherocks.com/cogs-of-war/how-japan-could-co-produce-the-navys-future-fleet/
Chinese rocket launches 8 satellites into orbit
Xinhua 20260615
https://english.news.cn/20260615/15ae2dfac14843c8966acb2791090155/c.html
Exercises
USN Fleet and Marine Tracker: June 15, 2026
USNI 20260615
https://news.usni.org/2026/06/15/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-june-15-2026