Pacific Winds 20260728
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
China Now Outranks the United States in Global Favorability. What Happened?
CFR 20260727
https://www.cfr.org/articles/china-now-outranks-the-united-states-in-global-favorability-what-happened
Rule Japanica: America and Japan Are Building the Alliance China Fears
Hudson 20260727
https://www.hudson.org/security-alliances/rule-japanica-america-japan-are-building-alliance-china-fears-nick-snyder
Trump’s unpredictability and China’s bullying force a reaction in Asia
FDD 20260727
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/07/27/trumps-unpredictability-and-chinas-bullying-force-a-reaction-in-asia/
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
Planned deployment of offensive missiles to Guam raises concerns
PIT 20260727
https://www.pacificislandtimes.com/post/planned-deployment-of-offensive-missiles-to-guam-raises-concerns
Island Waves
Wang Yi Meets PNG Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko
Post Courier (PNG) 20260727
https://www.postcourier.com.pg/wang-yi-meets-png-foreign-affairs-minister-justin-tkatchenko/
WALE HAILS U.S., JAPAN TRIPS AS PARTNERS DEEPEN TIES
Tavuli 20260727
https://www.tavulinews.com.sb/matthew-wale-us-visit-solomon-islands-ties/
AUSTRALIA BACKS ISABEL SEAWEED FARM
Tavuli 20260727
https://www.tavulinews.com.sb/australia-backs-isabel-seaweed-farm/
US Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane arrives in Honiara for maritime agreement signing and Operation Blue Pacific
Tavuli 20260727
https://www.tavulinews.com.sb/u-s-coast-guard-cutter-arrives-in-solomon-islands/
Signing the U.S shiprider agreement is selling our sovereignty: Sogavare
Tavuli 20260727
https://www.tavulinews.com.sb/opposition-sogavare-us-shiprider-agreement-sovereignty/
US Pours Additional $6M into UXO Clearance
In-Depth Solomons 20260727
https://indepthsolomons.com.sb/us-pours-additional-6m-into-uxo-clearance/
Taiwan + xCS
Philippine defense chief says neutrality in Taiwan Strait conflict not an option
Taiwan News 20260727
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6408688
Concerns over Chinese sea operations raised with Beijing, Taiwan says
CNA (TW) 22060727
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202607270023
Taiwan tracks 11 Chinese ships, 3 military aircraft
Taiwan News 20260727
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6408566
The South China Sea consensus no ASEAN chair can move
Asia Times 20260727
https://asiatimes.com/2026/07/the-south-china-sea-consensus-no-asean-chair-can-move/
Philippines Holds Joint Exercises With US, Japan in South China Sea Amid Tensions With China
The Diplomat 20260727
https://thediplomat.com/2026/07/philippines-holds-joint-exercises-with-us-japan-in-south-china-sea-amid-tensions-with-china/
Beijing fires new salvo at Tokyo with documentary on disputed Diaoyu Islands
SCMP 20260727
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361990/beijing-fires-new-salvo-tokyo-documentary-disputed-diaoyu-islands
New cutter squadron unlikely to shift Western Pacific power balance, experts say
S&S 20260727
https://www.stripes.com/branches/coast_guard/2026-07-27/coast-guard-cutters-bahrain-western-pacific-22376995.html
George Washington CSG in the South China Sea After Philippine-Chinese Clashes
USNI 20260727
https://news.usni.org/2026/07/27/george-washington-csg-in-the-south-china-sea-after-philippine-chinese-clashes
Come Hague or High Seas: China’s Environmental Legacy in the South China Sea
CSIS 20260727
https://www.csis.org/analysis/come-hague-or-high-seas-chinas-environmental-legacy-south-china-sea
Capabilities
Australia will soon host a US SSN force. We need to discuss war planning
ASPI 20260725
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australia-will-soon-host-a-us-ssn-force-we-need-to-discuss-war-planning/
AUKUS spending should be fully accountable at Osborne. It is at Henderson
ASPI 20260727
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/aukus-spending-should-be-fully-accountable-at-osborne-it-is-at-henderson/
Japan and the U.S. should cooperate on missile defense, says Tom Karako.
Nikkei 20260727
https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOCD080FY0Y6A700C2000000/
The US Navy Is Officially Stretched Beyond Its Limits
AEI 20260727
https://www.aei.org/commentary/the-us-navy-is-officially-stretched-beyond-its-limits/
Laser air defenses will be operational before decade’s end, Lockheed exec says
Breaking Defense 20260727
https://breakingdefense.com/2026/07/laser-air-defenses-will-be-operational-before-decades-end-lockheed-exec-says/
Aerostar High-Altitude Balloons Being Turned Into Drone Motherships
TWZ 20260727
https://www.twz.com/news-features/aerostar-high-altitude-balloons-being-turned-into-drone-motherships
These 6 Indo-Pacific Air Force Bases Would Decide The Opening Hours Of A Major War
Simple Flying 20260727
https://simpleflying.com/6-indo-pacific-air-force-bases-decide-opening-hours-major-war/
Reindustrialization and Great Power Competition: Deterrence by Capacity
CSIS 20260727
https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2026-07/260727_Jensen_Reindustrialization_Competition.pdf
How Trump’s Iran ‘own goal’ is hitting long-term US strategy to contain Chinese influence
SCMP 20260727
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361869/how-trumps-iran-own-goal-hitting-long-term-us-strategy-contain-chinese-influence
USSPACECOM releases Space Warfighting Environment 2040 as framework to ensure future of Joint Force’s all-domain advantage
US SpaceCom 20260727
http://www.spacecom.mil/Portals/57/FINAL%20USSC%20Space%20Warfighting%20Environment%202040.pdf
Power
Negotiating an Age of Conquest: Converting American Power Into Durable Political Outcomes
Carnegie 20260725
https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2026/07/negotiating-an-age-of-conquest-converting-american-power-into-durable-political-outcomes
Exercises
USN Fleet and Marine Tracker: July 27, 2026
USNI 20260727
https://news.usni.org/2026/07/27/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-july-27-2026
Air Force’s Massive REFORPAC Exercise Will Add More Allies, Joint Forces in 2027
Air & Space 20260727
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-reforpac-exercise-allies-joint-force-2027/