Pacific Winds 20260703
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
China’s pressure campaign tests Trump’s commitment to Japan
SCMP 20260702
https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3359082/chinas-pressure-campaign-tests-trumps-commitment-japan
China Expands Export Bans against Japan: Don’t Neglect to Counter Economic Coercion
Yomiuri 20260702
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/editorial/yomiuri-editorial/20260702-336208/
Seoul needs sobriety amid Tokyo’s defense expansion
GT 20260702
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202607/1364993.shtml
Trump’s China thaw will hit a Washington wall
Think China 20260702
https://www.thinkchina.sg/politics/trumps-china-thaw-will-hit-washington-wall
China slams Japan’s so-called “free and open Indo-Pacific” vision
Xinhua 20260702
https://english.news.cn/20260702/696d9284918842639cebd34251a668c3/c.html
Japan’s push for so-called ‘free and open Indo-Pacific’ sows division, rivalry: FM spokesperson
GT 20260702
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202607/1365018.shtml
On China, Donald Trump Is Making Barack Obama’s Mistake
AEI 20260702
https://www.aei.org/op-eds/on-china-donald-trump-is-making-barack-obamas-mistake/
Where Do Japan and Vietnam Stand?
The Diplomat 20260702
https://thediplomat.com/2026/07/where-do-japan-and-vietnam-stand/
What Philippine president’s visit reveals about Canada’s Indo-Pacific ambitions
SCMP 20260702
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3359132/what-philippine-presidents-visit-reveals-about-canadas-indo-pacific-ambitions
America’s third century will be shared with China
Economist 20260701
https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2026/07/01/americas-third-century-will-be-shared-with-china
Shinzo Abe, US-Japan Relations, and the Making of the Indo-Pacific
Hudson 20260702
https://www.hudson.org/foreign-policy/shinzo-abe-us-japan-relations-making-indo-pacific-miles-yu
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
Guam to receive new missile defense systems as Task Force Talon relinquishes command
PDN 20260702
https://www.guampdn.com/news/guam-to-receive-new-missile-defense-systems-as-task-force-talon-relinquishes-command/article_a8f589f7-3a4a-4b2b-9e3c-2677ddc3ac7b.html
Marines Deploy Iron Dome Air Defense Systems to the Western Pacific
USNI 20260702
https://news.usni.org/2026/07/02/marines-deploy-iron-dome-air-defense-systems-to-the-western-pacific
F-15EX And Ghost Bat Team Up Over Pacific During Valiant Shield
TWZ 20260702
https://www.twz.com/air/f-15ex-and-ghost-bat-team-up-over-pacific-during-valiant-shield
Island Waves
The Nakamal Agreement: Symbolism Without Substance
AIIA 20260702
https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/the-nakamal-agreement-symbolism-without-substance/
New Solomon Islands PM breaks with China, cozies up to the West
Responsible Statecraft 20260702
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/solomon-islands-china-australia/
Darwin has the bases, Cairns has the people
Lowy 20260702
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/darwin-has-the-bases-cairns-has-the-people
Five NZ police will act as advisers, no role in investigations
Samoa Observer 20260702
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/120762
US marks independence, deepens Fiji ties
FBCN 20260702
https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/us-marks-independence-deepens-fiji-ties/
Taiwan + xCS
Taiwan needs a ‘hornet’s nest’ of drones to deter conflict, US diplomat says
Reuters 20260702
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-needs-hornets-nest-drones-deter-conflict-us-diplomat-says-2026-07-02/
A Taiwan Crisis Is Coming—and Xi May Not Wait
AEI 202607002
https://www.aei.org/op-eds/a-taiwan-crisis-is-coming-and-xi-may-not-wait/
Europe leans in on Taiwan. But to what end?
Lowy 20260702
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/europe-leans-in-on-taiwan-but-to-what-end
DPP authorities called ‘traitors to the Chinese nation’ by mainland spokesperson for hype over certain countries’ ‘concern’ over coast guard patrols
GT 20260702
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202607/1364954.shtml
Taiwan tracks 11 Chinese ships, 5 military aircraft
Taiwan News 20260702
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6393806
Occupational Risk? Chinese Presence Surges at Scarborough Shoal
CSIS 20260702
https://amti.csis.org/occupational-risk-chinese-presence-surges-at-scarborough-shoal/
China Coast Guard Demands Japan Survey Ship Halt Operations in EEZ for 2nd Consecutive Day
Yomiuri 20260702
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/defense-security/20260702-336246/
Capabilities
Supremacy, Superiority, Dominance: The Iran War and Our Obsolete Air-Control Lexicon
MWI 20260630
https://mwi.westpoint.edu/supremacy-superiority-dominance-the-iran-war-and-our-obsolete-air-control-lexicon/
U.S. Military Base Expansion and Force Posture Enhancement in the Philippines
SCSPI 20260702
https://www.scspi.org/sites/default/files/reports/u.s._military_base_expansion_and_force_posture_enhancement_in_the_philippines.pdf
China’s military AI logistics: peacetime gains, wartime vulnerabilities
ASPI 20260702
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/chinas-military-ai-logistics-peacetime-gains-wartime-vulnerabilities/
Why it matters that China’s advanced fighters can use all its carriers
SCMP 20260702
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3359192/why-it-matters-chinas-advanced-fighters-can-use-all-its-carriers
Measuring preparedness, resilience and redundancy in a time of strategic pressure
ASPI 20260702
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/measuring-preparedness-resilience-and-redundancy-in-a-time-of-strategic-pressure/
Primed for pressure: A Preparedness, Resilience and Redundancy Scorecard
ASPI 20260702
https://aspi.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/29173612/Primed-for-pressure.pdf
China Just Launched Its First Nuclear Submarine From a Shipyard That Builds Aircraft Carriers: Three Yards Now Outbuild America’s Two
1945 20260702
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2026/07/china-just-launched-its-first-nuclear-submarine-from-a-shipyard-that-builds-aircraft-carriers-three-yards-now-outbuild-americas-two/
Chinese carrier aviation taking off
IISS 20260702
https://www.iiss.org/online-analysis/charting-china/2026/07/chinese-carrier-aviation-taking-off/
Could China’s containerised aircraft launcher reshape rules of modern warfare?
SCMP 20260702
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3359193/could-chinas-containerised-aircraft-launcher-reshape-rules-modern-warfare
Pentagon continues to ‘struggle’ with key weapons development timelines: GAO
Breaking Defense 20260702
https://breakingdefense.com/2026/07/pentagon-continues-to-struggle-with-key-weapons-development-timelines-gao/
The Blind Spots in Chinese Military Studies
WOTR 20260702
https://warontherocks.com/the-blind-spots-in-chinese-military-studies/
China launches new marine satellite
GT 20260702
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202607/1364943.shtml