Alliances

As Blinken Heads to China, a Wall of Suspicion Awaits Him
NYTimes 20230616
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/16/world/asia/blinken-china-us-xi.html

Blinken Says His China Trip Aims to Lower Risk of Conflict
Bloomberg 20230616
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-16/blinken-says-his-china-trip-aims-to-lower-risk-of-conflict

Kissinger Sees War Over Taiwan Likely Unless US, China Back Down
Bloomberg 20230615
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-15/kissinger-sees-war-over-taiwan-likely-unless-us-china-back-down

What a three-part diplomatic push reveals about U.S. strategy on Asia
WaPo 20230615
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/06/15/blinken-china-trip-japan-india-asia-diplomacy/

Quad cannot prevent China’s rise
China Daily 20230616
https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202306/16/WS648b9859a31033ad3f7bc87b.html

GSI aims to safeguard security in Asia-Pacific
China Military 20230616
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/OPINIONS_209196/Opinions_209197/16231627.html

Middle powers matter in new Indo-Pacific calculus
Asia Times 20230616
https://asiatimes.com/2023/06/middle-powers-matter-in-new-indo-pacific-calculus/

U.S. and its partners have strategic momentum in the Indo-Pacific
Nikkei 20230616
https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/U.S.-and-its-partners-have-strategic-momentum-in-the-Indo-Pacific

US should stop undermining China’s interests under guise of ‘competition’: Chinese FM
GT 20230616
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202306/1292716.shtml

‘Anxiety’ over new US trade policy focused on American workers, cutting China reliance: Katherine Tai
SCMP 20230616
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3224257/anxiety-over-new-us-trade-policy-focused-american-workers-cutting-china-reliance-katherine-tai

The Pacific Is Becoming a Testing Ground for Green Geopolitics
FP 20230616
https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/06/15/pacific-testing-ground-green-geopolitics-china-papua-new-guinea/?tpcc=recirc_latest062921

How ‘Friend-Shoring’ Could Make America More Like China
Bloomberg 20230615
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-15/podcast-how-friend-shoring-could-make-america-more-like-china

Australia must stick to its guns on ending the trade war with China
ASPI 20230616
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australia-must-stick-to-its-guns-on-ending-the-trade-war-with-china/

Micronesia-Marianas (2nd Island Chain+)

U.S. Coast Guard patrol enhances partnerships, interoperability in the Pacific
USCG 20230615
https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3430396/us-coast-guard-patrol-enhances-partnerships-interoperability-in-the-pacific-ahe/

Rongrong’s classy new gym
MIJ 20230615
https://marshallislandsjournal.com/rongrongs-classy-new-gym/

Island Waves

‘Nuclear not allowed’: PNG’s Marape backtracks on comments about Fukushima wastewater discharge
Radio NZ 20230616
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/492109/nuclear-not-allowed-png-s-marape-backtracks-on-comments-about-fukushima-wastewater-discharge

Duavata partner commits $13 million in budget support
FBCN 20230616
https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fijis-duavata-partner-commits-13-million-in-budget-support/

Samoa govt raises alarm over unapproved overseas business ventures
Radio NZ 20230616
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/492118/samoa-govt-raises-alarm-over-unapproved-overseas-business-ventures

PRT complete two weeks intensive training in Honiara
Solomon Star 20230616
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/prt-complete-two-weeks-intensive-training-in-honiara/

NO GEOPOLITICS: PM
Solomon Star 20230616
https://www.solomonstarnews.com/no-geopolitics-pm/

Taiwan + SCS

Taiwan crisis could erupt before 2027, U.S. lawmaker warns
Nikkei 20230616
https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Interview/Taiwan-crisis-could-erupt-before-2027-U.S.-lawmaker-warns

Taiwan can suggest how to govern it after unifying with mainland China, PLA strategist says
SCMP 20230616
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3224334/taiwan-can-suggest-how-govern-it-after-unifying-mainland-china-pla-strategist-says

Taiwan tracks 5 Chinese military aircraft, 7 naval ships around nation
Taiwan News 20230616
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4920545

Capabilities

U.S. forces move ahead to contain China; hurdles still high for SDF
Asahi 20230616
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14923476

Japan hopes to shore up Philippines’ defence amid Taiwan conflict fears
Straits Times 20230616
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japan-hopes-to-shore-up-philippines-defence-amid-taiwan-conflict-fears

U.S. nuclear-powered submarine arrives in S. Korea after N. Korea launch
Yonhap 20230616
https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230616001851325

An Era of ‘Submarine Diplomacy’?
The Diplomat 20230616
https://thediplomat.com/2023/06/an-era-of-submarine-diplomacy/

Chinese spies breached hundreds of public, private networks, security firm says
SCMP 20230616
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3224252/chinese-spies-breached-hundreds-public-private-networks-security-firm-says

Japanese parliament enacts bill to increase defense spending
Japan Times 20230616
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/06/16/national/crime-legal/parliament-defense-bill-pass/

China’s Real Military Budget Is Far Bigger Than It Looks
AEI 20230616
https://www.aei.org/op-eds/chinas-real-military-budget-is-far-bigger-than-it-looks/

In Deterring China, Dialogue Is No Substitute for Budgets, Hard Power
Heritage 20230616
https://www.heritage.org/defense/commentary/deterring-china-dialogue-no-substitute-budgets-hard-power

Debris from ASAT tests creating ‘bad neighborhood’ in low Earth orbit: Analyst
Breaking Defense 20230616
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/06/debris-from-asat-tests-creating-bad-neighborhood-in-low-earth-orbit-analyst/

House committee may conduct greater oversight of Navy ship maintenance
Defense News 20230616
https://www.defensenews.com/congress/budget/2023/06/16/house-committee-may-conduct-greater-oversight-of-navy-ship-maintenance/

Exercises

U.S., Japan Forces conduct bilateral aviation exercise
USFJ 20230616
https://www.usfj.mil/Media/Press-Releases/Article-View/Article/3430596/us-japan-forces-conduct-bilateral-aviation-exercise/

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