Pacific Winds 20260801
A daily collection of news affecting the Asia-Pacific region
Alliances
Trump nominee vows to sharpen US media challenge to China
SCMP 20260731
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3362452/trump-nominee-vows-sharpen-us-media-challenge-china
How global AI boom is intensifying US-China undersea stand-off
SCMP 20260731
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3362288/how-global-ai-boom-intensifying-us-china-undersea-stand
North Korea state media says US Forces’ Japan expansion raises risk of Korean peninsula clash
Reuters 20260731
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/north-korea-state-media-says-us-forces-japan-expansion-raises-risk-korean-2026-07-31/
A bit of hedging: like others, Australia looks more to its region for security
ASPI 20260731
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/a-bit-of-hedging-like-others-australia-looks-more-to-its-region-for-security/
NATO’s Indo-Pacific era is over
Nikkei 20260731
https://asia.nikkei.com/opinion/nato-s-indo-pacific-era-is-over
The Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience: Activities and challenges, two years on
USSC 20260731
https://www.ussc.edu.au/the-partnership-for-indo-pacific-industrial-resilience-activities-and-challenges-two-years-on
Questions arise over possible communication gap between allies after U.S. drone incident
Yonhap 20260731
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260731004052315
Chinese FM urges Japan to act prudently, warns against remilitarization after Tokyo launched new intelligence bureau
GT 20260731
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202607/1367255.shtml
Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)
Guam infrastructure leaders seek federal help as military buildup raises stakes
GDP 20260731
https://www.postguam.com/news/local/guam-infrastructure-leaders-seek-federal-help-as-military-buildup-raises-stakes/article_a34aea18-6761-402d-af4b-8160293eb03c.html
USS Minnesota returns to Guam, completes first deployment as Navy’s first forward-deployed Virginia-class submarine
US PacFlt 20260730
https://www.cpf.navy.mil/Newsroom/News/Article/4560463/uss-minnesota-returns-to-guam-completes-first-deployment-as-navys-first-forward/
Fast-attack submarine completes first deployment since shifting its homeport to Guam
S&S 20260731
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/2026-07-31/uss-minnesota-submarine-navy-guam-22418347.html
Island Waves
Trump’s Pacific Islands Blind Spot
FP 20260731
https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/31/pacific-islands-trump-geopolitics-china-oceania/?tpcc=recirc_latest062921
China’s South Pacific Missile Test: Strategic Signaling and Regional Consequences
Heritage 20260731
https://www.heritage.org/china/report/chinas-south-pacific-missile-test-strategic-signaling-and-regional-consequences
Australia may be forced to loosen attendance requirements at UN climate event in Pacific, foreign officials say
ABC (AU) 20260731
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-31/australia-risks-diplomatic-embarrassment-over-precop-leader-call/106979498
PNG and Australia Officiate Alliance UNder Pukpuk Treaty
Post Courier (PNG 20260731
https://www.postcourier.com.pg/png-and-australia-officiate-alliance-under-pukpuk-treaty/
Australia and Tuvalu’s Falepili Union was only half the answer
Lowy 20260731
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/australia-and-tuvalu-s-falepili-union-was-only-half-the-answer
𝟏𝟔𝟏 𝐌𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐈𝐆 & 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐘
Solomon Star 20260731
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/%f0%9d%9f%8f%f0%9d%9f%94%f0%9d%9f%8f-%f0%9d%90%8c%f0%9d%90%8e%f0%9d%90%81%f0%9d%90%88%f0%9d%90%8b%f0%9d%90%84-%f0%9d%90%93%f0%9d%90%8e%f0%9d%90%96%f0%9d%90%84%f0%9d%90%91%f0%9d%90%92-%f0%9d%90%87/
Taiwan + SCS
China coast guard patrols waters east of Taiwan, angering Taipei
Reuters 20260731
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-coast-guard-patrols-east-taiwan-angering-taipei-2026-07-31/
Taiwan tracks 2 Chinese coast guard ships east of Taitung
Taiwan News 20260731
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6412347
China Coast Guard patrols waters east of Taiwan Island
Xinhua 20260731
https://english.news.cn/20260731/3d32c23b8d464188bcbf101069405088/c.html
Resistance is (Not) Futile: Winning the War for the Narrative Against China about Taiwan
SWJ 2p260731
https://smallwarsjournal.com/2026/07/31/winning-the-war-for-the-narrative-against-china-about-taiwan/
Those who pursue 'Taiwan independence' will find themselves in the crosshairs
GT 20260731
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202607/1367271.shtml
Taiwan tracks 27 Chinese military aircraft, 11 ships
Taiwan News 20260731
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/6412144
China firmly rejects Philippines’ delimitation of so-called “baselines of the territorial sea” of China’s territory of Huangyan Dao
Xinhua 20260731
https://english.news.cn/20260731/d5c6d633268b4ff2bd569613d1245096/c.html
China pushes harder in South China Sea – as attention drifts away
ASPI 20260731
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/china-pushes-harder-in-south-china-sea-as-attention-drifts-away/
Capabilities
China signals buildout of nuclear missile silos for ‘strategic trump cards’
SCMP 20260731
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3362573/china-signals-buildout-nuclear-missile-silos-strategic-trump-cards
Chinese Navy Showcases Hypersonic Anti-ship Capability Aboard Destroyers
USNI 20260731
https://news.usni.org/2026/07/31/chinese-navy-showcases-hypersonic-anti-ship-capability-aboard-destroyers
What China’s hypersonic anti-ship missile fired from a smaller destroyer signals
SCMP 20260731
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3362473/what-chinas-hypersonic-anti-ship-missile-fired-smaller-destroyer-signals
More Than a Destroyer: What Choe Hyon Reveals About North Korea’s Maritime Strategy
CSIS 20260730
https://www.38north.org/2026/07/more-than-a-destroyer-what-choe-hyon-reveals-about-north-koreas-maritime-strategy/
What China’s Missile Test Says About the Pacific Order
GSF 20260731
https://geopoliticalfutures.com/what-chinas-missile-test-says-about-the-pacific-order/
Six Reasons Why the United States Is Low on Munitions
CSIS 22060731
https://www.csis.org/analysis/six-reasons-why-united-states-low-munitions
Why Japanese stealth fighters over Australia signal a strategic pivot against China
SCMP 20260731
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3362533/why-japanese-stealth-fighters-over-australia-signal-strategic-pivot-against-china
Official documentary reveals PLA’s armed reconnaissance drones conduct live-fire strikes on moving vessel off southeast China
GT 20260731
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202607/1367264.shtml
Chinese military researchers tap US AI models to train defence systems
Reuters 20260731
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinese-military-researchers-tap-us-ai-models-train-defence-systems-2026-07-31/