Euan Graham
@graham_euan · Oceania
Euan Graham is followed by The State of Israel for research and subject expertise coverage connected to Australia in the Oceania chapter.
This was a serious incident that still prompts unanswered questions about the step-up in PLA tactics (eg, are PLAAF fast jets now forward deployed from the Spratlys?). Philippines needs F-16 or Grippen to even things up asap. But also, where are the Americans on this?
Teodoro is a class act. Takes formidable presence of mind and courage to react to a cheap stunt like this, maintain composure then throw it back on the 🇨🇳 delegation.
Curious that Pezzullo still envisages such a bleak scenario for Australia of fighting a war alone, considering that this has never happened. Yes, it might need to hold off a local adversary for some time. But I highly doubt it would ever have to fight completely alone.
Unfortunately but not surprisingly ROK under Lee Jae Myung has not shown interest in pursuing a VFA with the Philippines. But Korea can still do a lot to assist the Philippines beyond defence exports by improving strategic infrastructure in the country.
“Our personal contacts reflect the strategic nature of bilateral relations between Russia and Indonesia,” Putin told Prabowo. “Come to Indonesia, work with us, produce with us. Let us build industries together. Let us create value together,” Prabowo said. Ugh.
This article makes some good points, but neglects to mention that the Trump administration waived US previous restrictions and now supports South Korea’s right to enrich uranium and reprocess spent fuel, enabling its nuclear-powered submarine plans.
Then China is also ‘allowing’ and enabling Russian aggression against Ukraine short of nuclear weapons. Stubb is simply projecting the myth of China as the more responsible kind of revisionist, which Wang Yi has sold him.
Interested to track Jakarta’s concept of operations for fhe Garibaldi/Gajah Mada, now 🇮🇩-bound. Obvious questions around sustainability, but a helo/UAV small flat top makes sense for a disaster prone archipelagic country. Beyond that, we shall see… https://t.co/GZXA3ygLwk
Interesting development - the very idea of a defence hub would have been anathema for most of Japan’s postwar history.
Good that Singapore resists Beijing’s efforts to bulldoze SE Asia into marginalising Tokyo. It also signifies Singapore’s recognition that Japan’s military is important to preserving the regional balance.
Japan’s defence minister tele-bombs the Australia-Indonesia 2+2 in Melbourne….
“Australia deployed HMAS Supply (A-195), along with MH-60R helicopter and P-8A aircraft.” Good to see an 🇦🇺 oiler back in the region, as part of a more complex set of exercises than the low-key MMCA acronym suggests.
Cable-laying ships are strategic assets, in remarkably short supply. In a crisis, sovereign tasking matters. Plus they will be diplomatically important as a potential lifeline for Japan’s regional partners.
“The government budget proposal also includes more than 10 billion won for the nuclear-powered submarine program dubbed the "Jang Bogo N” project and more than 140 billion won for the transfer of wartime operational control.”