Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific?’s Post

OUT NOW | Matthew Kroenig explores NATO’s effectiveness and strategic posture in a special episode of “So What’s the Strategy?” Featuring insights from Benedetta Berti, PhD, head of policy planning at NATO, the episode examines the Alliance’s response to the evolving security environment, including Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and the rise of China’s assertiveness. #StrongerWithAllies #1NATO75Years Watch the full episode here: ➡️ https://bit.ly/3xRP4i4

Is China Prepared to Invade Taiwan? On today’s Expert Series podcast Michael O'Hanlon, Raymond Kuo, J. Michael Cole, and Scott Simon discuss China's recent military exercises near Taiwan and their implications for Taiwan's security, the logistical challenges China would need to address for a successful amphibious invasion or blockade of Taiwan and its geopolitical implications, as well as Taiwan's defensive measures. "It's just really hard in the modern era to carry out amphibious assault when the enemy knows you're coming, and the enemy has prepared defensive positions. Taiwan is notoriously hard to assault because it has mountainous cliffs along the sea coast and muddy tidal flats that are hard to traverse. So that part of the mission [can] be handled collectively and I don't think the Chinese [will] risk that. However, I'm much less optimistic about stopping the Chinese blockade of Taiwan." https://lnkd.in/gx8sxVBH

https://lnkd.in/dxKQbHPB Getting China’s Defense Spending Right: A Conversation with M. Taylor Fravel, George J. Gilboy, a... Center for Strategic & International Studies 10 Oct 2024 ChinaPower In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Dr. Taylor Fravel, Dr. George Gilboy, and Dr. Eric Heginbotham join us to discuss their recent article (https://lnkd.in/dUpH4TDM...) assessing China's defense budget. They challenge widely cited figures that estimate China's defense spending at $700 billion and provide an apples-to-apples analysis based on purchasing power parity. They assess China's defense spending is around $470 billion, about one-third of the U.S. defense budget, and detail what categories they included and excluded. The conversation explores the analytical shortcomings of current estimates, emphasizing the need for appropriate exchange rates and like-for-like item comparisons between China's and the U.S.'s defense budgets. They also discuss China's military priorities and modernization efforts and key factors that may determine the future trajectory of Chinese defense spending.  

Narratives in U.S. Media highlight Trump's calls for #Taiwan to pay for U.S. defense expenses. See how accelerating #narratives in our live brief (expires in 9 days) impact Taiwanese #chipmanufacturing with consequences for U.S. #supplychains. #NARINT https://lnkd.in/gRM3TceB

I am pleased to see the ongoing efforts of our Ambassador to Japan in promoting greater US-Japan defense industrial cooperation. This initiative resonates with my past experience working in the Mutual Defense Assistance Office at US Embassy Tokyo. While significant progress was made then, there is immense untapped potential for collaboration between our two nations in this sphere. Industrial cooperation adds a valuable dimension to our bilateral security ties, benefitting both sides. https://lnkd.in/eHnXDyid The Ambassador's recent op-ed in the Wall Street Journal delves into this crucial topic. For those with access, I recommend reading it to gain deeper insights into the matter: #USJapanRelations #DefenseCooperation #BilateralSecurity #GlobalPartnerships

Speaks to the quality of North Korean weapons systems

Japan, South Korea and U.S. unveil new initiatives to cement defense ties GABRIEL DOMINGUEZ STAFF WRITER Jun 2, 2024 The defense chiefs of Japan, the United States and South Korea used a meeting at Asia’s top regional security conference to announce a series of new initiatives that will help formalize their burgeoning trilateral defense cooperation. At a gathering on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean defense chief Shin Won-sik agreed to develop a framework to institutionalize trilateral cooperation within the year. The push comes as fears grow over possible lapses in U.S. commitment to the region should former U.S. President Donald Trump be re-elected in November. There are also concerns that political changes in Seoul and Tokyo could scuttle the hard-fought cooperative agreements already reached.

$567m? I think Taiwan paid that for 4 F-16s that the US hasn't bothered to deliver for 10-years. I think back-ordered was the technical term. But maybe that's the whole point. We are not trying to build weapons of live destruction and encourage war and conflicts. We are just trying to fund American manufacturing growth...and to make sure we don't lose this last bite of critical manufacturing leadership. https://lnkd.in/gmZtmyyt

THE BIG NEWS: The Pentagon, while facing down industrial powers China and Russia, is touting efforts to more tightly integrate the U.S. and allied defense industries. Senator Dan Sullivan is saying he wants to make that a high-level job in DOD writes Joe Gould in POLITICO. The Defense MoU Attachés Group (DMAG) has written letters to HASC and SASC this year advocating to elevate the role within DoD in order for the US to leverage international armaments cooperation with it's allies and partners. In this morning newsletter our Chair Sander Oude Hengel shares that "it is crucial that the DOD is able to create a senior political executive with the mandate to adequately elevate international armaments cooperation to its own benefit. The position would allow the U.S. to leverage its strategic advantage with allies in Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. Closer integration of defense and technology efforts is more than the sum of its parts and essential for addressing shared global challenges." Einar Gustafson #strengththroughcooperation #RDPMoUs #productionisdetterence #supplychainresilience