Tag: ASIAPACIFIC

Pacific leaders remove Taiwan from communique after China complaint

By Kirsty Needham SYDNEY (Reuters) – The Pacific Islands Forum has removed references to Taiwan from a communique issued on Friday after the region’s annual leaders meeting, after complaints by China’s envoy. The bloc of 18 nations includes three members with diplomatic ties to Taiwan, and 15 members who recognise China, a major infrastructure lender to Pacific Islands countries where Beijing is seeking to increase its security presence. A communique released on Friday on the […]

Philippines says China ‘mischaracterised’ South China Sea resupply mission deal

  MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines’ foreign ministry accused China on Sunday of ‘mischaracterising’ an arrangement between them that allowed the unimpeded resupply of Filipino troops stationed on a beached naval vessel in the South China Sea. After repeated clashes in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, the two countries reached a “provisional arrangement” earlier this month on resupply missions to soldiers stationed at the Sierra Madre, a naval vessel Manila deliberately grounded in 1999 to […]

Wary of China escalation, U.S. revamps military command in Japan

Summary U.S., Japan hold high-level security talks in Tokyo U.S. to establish new joint command HQ in Japan Allies say China ‘greatest challenge’ facing region Countries pledge ‘unshakable partnership’ with S.Korea By Simon Lewis and Tim Kelly TOKYO (Reuters) -The United States said on Sunday it would revamp its military command in Japan to deepen coordination with its ally’s forces, as the two countries labelled China the “greatest strategic challenge” facing the region. The announcement […]

Australia signs $1.4 billion deal to upgrade navy submarines

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia said on Saturday it had signed a A$2.2 billion ($1.4 billion) four-year contract with state-owned submarine builder ASC to upgrade the navy’s Collins class submarines. The “sustainment contract” is part of a government pledge to keep the diesel-electric powered Collins-class fleet “a potent strike and deterrence capability”, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said in a statement. The contract will be “directly ensuring job security for more than 1,100 highly skilled workers”, […]

Heat records topple across sweltering Asia

BANGKOK, Sept 1, 2023 (AFP) – Temperature records are being toppled across Asia, from India’s summer to Australia’s winter, authorities said Friday, in fresh evidence of the impact of climate change. The sweltering temperatures match longstanding warnings from climate scientists and come as countries from Greece to Canada battle record heat and deadly wildfires. In India, the world’s most populous country, officials said this August was the hottest and driest since national records began more […]