Pacific Winds 20260729
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
A Historic Shift Is Underway in Asia
NYTimes 20260727
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/27/opinion/asia-military-security-china-allies.html
A six-point plan to make the US-Japan alliance battle-ready
Nikkei 20260728
https://asia.nikkei.com/opinion/a-six-point-plan-to-make-the-us-japan-alliance-battle-ready
Did they or didn’t they? China and Japan at odds over diplomats’ ‘talks’
Japan Times 20260728
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/07/28/japan/politics/japan-china-talks-takaichi-taiwan/
Japan's FM plays drama queen - China and Russia aren't buying it
GT 20260728
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202607/1366918.shtml
Takaichi slammed for ‘playing word game’ in remarks on ‘communicating’ with China, and evading source of tension
GT 20260728
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202607/1366961.shtml
The Limits of China’s Growing Influence at the United Nations
The Diplomat 20260728
https://thediplomat.com/2026/07/the-limits-of-chinas-growing-influence-at-the-united-nations/
Trump tips the balance towards China in trade war
ABC (AU) 20260728
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-28/trump-tips-the-balance-towards-china-in-trade-war/106963830
The Philippines, sovereignty and the Pax Silica Industrial Hub – how US’ Helberg sees it
SCMP 20260728
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3362161/philippines-sovereignty-and-pax-silica-industrial-hub-how-helberg-sees-it
US Looks to Boost Anti-China Spending Worldwide by Hundreds of Millions, Documents Say
AP 20260728
https://apnews.com/article/trump-countering-china-funding-e8ed66bd2d8a2a06dd750b6157979a1e
US set to dump hundreds of millions into 'anti-China' attempts? It won't make any difference
GT 20260728
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202607/1367025.shtml
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
Australian MQ-28 Ghost Bat Fighter Drones Could Be Commanded By U.S. Pilots
TWZ 20260727
https://www.twz.com/air/australian-mq-28-ghost-bat-fighter-drones-could-be-commanded-by-u-s-pilots
USCGC Vincent Danz Arrives in Homeport of Guam
USCG FM/SG 20260726
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/9834820/uscgc-vincent-danz-arrives-homeport-guam
Taiwan Awards 20 MOFA Scholarships to Palauan Students as Applications Surge
Island Times 20260728
https://islandtimes.org/taiwan-awards-20-mofa-scholarships-to-palauan-students-as-applications-surge/
Island Waves
Australia remains the dominant Pacific aid partner
Lowy 20260728
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/2026-pacific-aid-map-report/australia-remains-the-dominant-pacific-aid-partner
Australia and multilateral banks now dominate Pacific lending as China’s role shifts
Lowy 20260728
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/2026-pacific-aid-map-report/australia-and-multilateral-banks-now-dominate-pacific-lending-as-china-s-role-shifts
Chinese state firms dominate Pacific infrastructure contracts
Lowy 20260728
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/2026-pacific-aid-map-report/chinese-state-firms-dominate-pacific-infrastructure-contracts
Australia now dominant lender and infrastructure investor
ABC (AU) 20260728
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-28/new-lowy-pacific-aid-map-australia-lending-investor/106967764
South-South Cooperation: Pacific Island lawmakers explore China's development experience in Yunnan
CGTN 20260728
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-07-28/VHJhbnNjcmlwdDkxNzEy/index.html
Diplomatic spat sees CPC halt spot LNG purchases from Papua New Guinea
CNA (TW) 20260728
https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202607280011
U.S. ambassador addresses seabed mining concerns
Samoa Observer 20260728
https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/121182
U.S. Team to Assess Bina Development Project Next Month in Malaita Province
SIBC 20260727
https://www.sibconline.com.sb/u-s-team-to-assess-bina-development-project-next-month-in-malaita-province/
Disposing of unexploded ordnance in Solomon Islands
AU DoD 20260728
https://www.defence.gov.au/news-events/news/2026-07-28/disposing-unexploded-ordnance-solomon-islands
Exercise Wants Interoperability Between US-PNG Partnership
Post Courier (PNG) 20260728
https://www.postcourier.com.pg/exercise-wants-interoperability-between-us-png-partnership/
US Army, PNGDF Team Up in Exercise
National 20260728
https://www.thenational.com.pg/us-army-pngdf-team-up-in-exercise/
Taiwan + SCS
Taiwan drills to test relocating arms production under Chinese attack
Reuters 20260728
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-drills-test-relocating-arms-production-under-chinese-attack-2026-07-28/
Taiwan to simulate realistic battlefield conditions in Han Kuang 42 exercise
Taiwan News 20260728
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6409459
Taiwan, partners must prepare for blockade: expert
Taipei Times 20260728
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2026/07/29/2003861568
Taiwan’s pivot away from China offers a lesson for democracies
Nikkei 20260728
https://asia.nikkei.com/opinion/taiwan-s-pivot-away-from-china-offers-a-lesson-for-democracies
Taiwan tracks 7 Chinese naval ships, 1 military helicopter
Taiwan News 20260728
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6409335
Philippine president slams China in veiled rebuke in his state of the nation speech
AP 20260728
https://apnews.com/article/philippine-president-ferdinand-marcos-jr-state-of-nation-speech-8556820a6c0b75656b1da62ed971c9c3
Chinese expert slams Marcos’ speech defending illegal ‘SCS arbitration’ as political grandstanding covering for unilateral provocations
GT 20260728
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202607/1367023.shtml
U.S. to Fund Philippine Coast Guard Base Expansion Near South China Sea
USNI 20260728
https://news.usni.org/2026/07/28/u-s-to-fund-philippine-coast-guard-base-expansion-near-south-china-sea
Capabilities
Renewed Iran War Would Test Diminished Interceptor Inventories
CSIS 20260727
https://www.csis.org/analysis/renewed-iran-war-would-test-diminished-interceptor-inventories
PACAF looks to reduce exercise participation to preserve ‘readiness’: Commander
Breaking Defense 20260728
https://breakingdefense.com/2026/07/pacaf-looks-to-reduce-exercise-participation-to-preserve-readiness-commander/
RIMPAC 2026 and the Future of Multinational Maritime Operations in the Indo-Pacific
The Diplomat 20260728
https://thediplomat.com/2026/07/rimpac-2026-and-the-future-of-multinational-maritime-operations-in-the-indo-pacific/
What does deeper tech integration during US-led RIMPAC mean for China?
SCMP 20260728
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3362134/what-does-deeper-tech-integration-during-us-led-rimpac-mean-china
Air Force eyes ‘maybe’ pulling B-52s from retirement
Breaking Defense 20260728
https://breakingdefense.com/2026/07/air-force-eyes-maybe-pulling-b-52s-from-retirement/
The First Waves of Amphibious Assault Will Be Unmanned
WOTR 20260728
https://warontherocks.com/the-first-waves-of-amphibious-assault-will-be-unmanned/
A Guide To China’s Growing Long-Range Nuclear Missile Arsenal
TWZ 20260728
https://www.twz.com/nuclear/a-guide-to-chinas-growing-long-range-nuclear-missile-arsenal
United States-PRC nuclear conflict
USSC 20260728
https://www.ussc.edu.au/indo-pacific-nuclear-proliferation-pathways-united-states-prc-nuclear-conflict
PRC nuclear modernisation
USSC 20260728
https://www.ussc.edu.au/indo-pacific-nuclear-proliferation-pathways-prc-nuclear-modernisation
Japanese nuclear weapons acquisition
USSC 20260728
https://www.ussc.edu.au/indo-pacific-nuclear-proliferation-pathways-japanese-nuclear-weapons-acquisition
South Korean nuclear weapons acquisition
USSC 20260728
https://www.ussc.edu.au/indo-pacific-nuclear-proliferation-pathways-south-korean-nuclear-weapons-acquisition
Pathways to proliferation: The Indo-Pacific's nuclear decade
USSC 20260728
https://www.ussc.edu.au/pathways-to-proliferation-the-indo-pacifics-nuclear-decade
Japan’s Defense Industry Charts an Uncertain Global Path
CSIS 29260728
https://www.csis.org/analysis/japans-defense-industry-charts-uncertain-global-path