INDO-PACIFIC
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Taiwan’s mobile missile strategy sharpens focus on asymmetric defence
Taiwan’s latest live-fire exercises on its western coastline offered more than a display of military hardware. They represented the clearest articulation yet of Taipei’s evolving defence doctrine: mobility, survivability and the ability to inflict significant damage on a superior adversary.…
China and Taiwan’s Maritime Stand-off Signals a Dangerous New Phase
China and Taiwan’s latest confrontation over coast guard patrols east of the island underlines an increasingly volatile reality in the western Pacific: the battle for influence is no longer confined to fighter jets crossing median lines or naval exercises in…
Xi’s North Korea Visit Tests China’s Control Over a Nuclear Ally Moving Closer to Russia
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival in Pyongyang for talks with Kim Jong Un marks more than a symbolic revival of China-North Korea ties. It is also a test of Beijing’s ability to manage a nuclear-armed neighbour that has gained new…
China Opens New Maritime Pressure Point East of Taiwan
China has opened a new point of maritime pressure east of Taiwan after launching what Beijing described as a special maritime law-enforcement operation in response to planned boundary talks between Japan and the Philippines. The operation, announced through Chinese state…
Taipei and Beijing Test Boundaries Again at Pratas as South China Sea Tensions Deepen
A fresh confrontation between Taiwanese and Chinese coast guard vessels near the Pratas Islands has underscored how the South China Sea is becoming an increasingly important theatre in the broader contest between Taipei and Beijing. What might once have been dismissed…
South Korea Charts Nuclear Submarine Course in Strategic Shift
South Korea has taken its clearest step yet towards joining the small group of nations operating nuclear-powered submarines, unveiling a formal roadmap that transforms a decades-long ambition into a central pillar of national defence policy. The announcement marks a significant…
Taiwan Strait pressure tests US resolve as China expands military activity around island
China’s sustained military operations around Taiwan are increasing pressure on Taipei, raising questions over US deterrence and exposing the strategic importance of the island’s semiconductor industry. China’s military activity around Taiwan has entered a more sustained and politically sensitive phase,…
Tokyo Clearly Understands the Taiwan Threat Better Than Donald Trump Does
For decades, Japan’s post-war military posture was defined by restraint, caution and constitutional ambiguity. Yet in the increasingly dangerous waters of the western Pacific, a new realism is taking hold in Tokyo — and not a moment too soon. This…
Shoulder to Shoulder: Allied Forces Sharpen the Edge of Deterrence in Balikatan 2026
In the humid littorals of the western Pacific, where shifting tides carry both commerce and contest, a quiet but unmistakable message has been delivered. Exercise Balikatan 2026—already the most expansive iteration of the long-running US-Philippine military partnership—has demonstrated not merely…
China Targets European Defence Firms With Dual-Use Export Controls
Beijing has placed seven European defence-linked entities on an export control list over alleged Taiwan-related arms sales or cooperation, restricting access to Chinese-origin dual-use goods, technologies and services. China has imposed export controls on seven European entities over alleged involvement…