INDO-PACIFIC
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China Answers US–Japan–Philippines Drills with South China Sea Patrol
A five-day allied exercise has been followed by a Chinese naval and air patrol, linking coastguard confrontations to military signalling and increasing the need for both credible deterrence and reliable crisis control.
Temasek’s Defence Shift Brings Sovereign Capital into European Rearmament
Singapore’s state investor is identifying European defence as an investment opportunity, illustrating how rising military budgets are changing the boundaries of institutional capital. Temasek has placed defence among the sectors in which it sees selective opportunities in Europe, marking a…
Europe and the Philippines Build a Strategic Partnership for an Uncertain Indo-Pacific
The European Union’s decision to deepen security and defence cooperation with the Philippines marks more than another diplomatic milestone. It reflects a broader strategic recalibration as Europe expands its engagement in the Indo-Pacific, recognising that regional stability and European prosperity…
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,…