Category: Indo-Pacific

Indonesia’s Uncertainties Pique Beijing’s Hopes

Commentary Nothing in the global balance seems certain as 2022 evolves. Certainly not in the Indo-Pacific, where China hovers between the hope of strategic growth abroad and the reality of economic contraction at home. Indonesia, in particular, is impacted significantly by China’s fortunes, whatever the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) does in the Indo-Pacific, or domestically….


200 Lawmakers Support Taiwan’s Inclusion in US Indo–Pacific Economic Framework

Two hundred members of the U.S. House of Representatives have shown their support for Taiwan’s inclusion in the Indo–Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) that the Biden administration plans to launch early this year. In a letter (pdf) sent to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, the bipartisan group of lawmakers said there are a “compelling” number…


Battleground: US, China Compete for the Pacific Islands—With Cleo Paskal

While America is busy elsewhere, China is trying to win over the island nations in the Pacific. From the Solomon Islands to Fiji, these key strategic locations matter. Landing strips, ports, and possible missile sites are what China seeks. Can American diplomacy wrestle with China on economic, political, and diplomatic fronts to win influence? Join…


US and Chinese Fighter Jets Had Close Encounter Over East China Sea: US General

Advanced fighter jets from the United States and China came face to face recently, according to the commander of the United States’ air presence in the Indo-Pacific. “We recently had, I wouldn’t call it an engagement, but we got relatively close to the J-20s with our F-35s in the East China Sea, and were relatively…


Japanese Troops, US Marines Hold Joint Exercises

Troops from the United States and Japan are working together as part of a joint drill. The weeks-long exercise is happening in the Indo-Pacific. How big is Washington’s fleet of nuclear submarines? And how does it compare to China and its neighbors? We look at the details to find out. The Indo-Pacific region tops the…


War in Indo-Pacific Could Reach US Mainland: Army Secretary

The next war that the United States fights could see hostilities erupt in the American homeland, according to the Army’s top two leaders. “The homeland really isn’t a sanctuary anymore,” said Army Secretary Christine Wormuth during a March 15 interview with the Hudson Institute, a Washington-based think tank. “If we were to get in a…


Ukraine War Will Change Indo-Pacific and the World: Experts

The Russian war on Ukraine will affect global strategy and alter the political and security landscape in the Indo-Pacific for decades to come, according to defense and security experts. “Putin’s war on Ukraine is like the 9/11 terrorist attacks,” said Yasuhiro Matsuda, a professor of international politics at the University of Tokyo, during a recent…


New Australian Submarine Base ‘Significant’ for Indo-Pacific: Defence Expert

Australia’s earmarked $10 billion nuclear-powered submarine base will have ramifications across the Indo-Pacific region and demonstrates the “magnitude” of AUKUS in action, according to a defence expert. On March 7, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the government was investigating the development of a new east coast-based hub to house nuclear-powered submarines Australia is due to…


New Australian Nuclear Sub Base ‘Significant’ for Indo-Pacific: Defence Expert

Australia’s earmarked $10 billion nuclear-powered submarine base will have ramifications across the Indo-Pacific region and demonstrates the “magnitude” of AUKUS in action, according to a defence expert. On March 7, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the government was investigating the development of a new east coast-based hub to house nuclear-powered submarines Australia is due to…


US Will Not Shift Focus Away From Indo-Pacific Despite Ukraine Crisis: Top White House Official

The United States will not take its eye off the Indo-Pacific despite the Ukraine crisis, engaging in two theaters simultaneously as it had done during World World II and the Cold War, said the White House’s Indo-Pacific policy coordinator. “It’s difficult. It’s expensive. But it is also essential, and I believe that we’re entering a…