Freedom of Navigation (FON)
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
German naval ships to transit Taiwan Strait to uphold Free and Open Indo-Pacific
Reuters Two German Navy ships are set to transit the international waters of the Taiwan Strait in September 2024, becoming the first German military vessels to do so in 22 years, according to reports. The routine operation will demonstrate Berlin’s commitment to open navigation, the head of the naval task force said. “Safe and secure sea lanes, especially from Southeast…
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Conflicts - Tensions
U.S.-led coalition preserves maritime security in Red Sea
FORUM Staff Houthi rebels in Yemen have indiscriminately attacked more than 70 vessels in the Red Sea since October 2023, disrupting an estimated $1 trillion in commerce on shipping lanes crucial to Asia, Europe and the Middle East. A United States-led coalition tasked with preserving maritime security in the region has repeatedly intercepted the missiles and drones targeting vessels. The…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Australia’s Indian Ocean islands considered for U.S. military enhancements
Reuters Remote Australian islands near an Indian Ocean chokepoint are among the possible locations for United States military construction to deter the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The Cocos Islands are listed along with Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Timor-Leste for potential construction projects under the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, designed to enhance U.S. force posture and infrastructure to counter…
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Northeast Asia
Allies, partners enhance all-domain readiness with military exercises across Indo-Pacific
FORUM Staff More than 30 allied and partner militaries deployed personnel, aircraft, ships, submarines, uncrewed vehicles and other assets across the Indo-Pacific in mid-2024. The multinational, near-simultaneous exercises Pitch Black, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) and Valiant Shield stretched from Oceania and the Western Pacific to Northeast Asia. Tens of thousands of troops joined the all-domain training to build interoperability…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Philippines boosting defense spending amid PRC clashes in South China Sea
Reuters The Philippines is allocating $4.38 billion for defense spending in 2025, officials announced, up 6.4% from the 2024 budget as the country modernizes and boosts its external defenses. The proposed increase in defense spending comes amid growing tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea, most of which the People’s Republic of China (PRC) claims as its territory despite…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Japan’s annual defense white paper highlights intensified threats, emphasizes deterrence
FORUM Staff The world faces “a new era of crisis” with potential implications for the Indo-Pacific, Japan’s Defense Ministry warned in its annual white paper that echoes previous reports while amplifying the need for deterrence. The July 2024 report assesses Japan’s security environment from April 2023 to March 2024. It identifies North Korea, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and…
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Conflicts - Tensions
U.S. invites responsible partners to largest ever RIMPAC; excludes China
FORUM Staff Twenty-nine partner nations joined the 2024 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercise near Hawaii — the most ever. Thirty-eight surface ships, three submarines, 14 land forces and about 170 aircraft from responsible nations are participating in the biennial event, themed “Partners: Integrated and Prepared.” The United States again did not invite the People’s Republic of China (PRC)…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Examining Beijing’s aggressive campaign to press illegitimate maritime claims
FORUM Staff A knife- and axe-wielding attack on Philippine personnel who were resupplying a military outpost marked Beijing’s most aggressive recent power play in the South China Sea. The June 17, 2024, assault in which Chinese personnel injured the resupply crew, slashed its inflatable boats and stole weapons followed a string of increasingly violent confrontations in the region. Chinese coast…
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Conflicts - Tensions
Philippines seeks to temper Beijing’s South China Sea aggression
FORUM Staff Allies and Partners across the Indo-Pacific condemned the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) dangerous and escalating aggression in the South China Sea in June, and the Philippines sought to diffuse tensions with a dash of diplomacy. “We still believe [in] the primacy of dialogue, and diplomacy should prevail even in the face of these serious incidents,” Philippines Foreign…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
RIMPAC: A legacy of maritime military cooperation
FORUM Staff Enhancing tactical capabilities and teamwork is the long-standing goal of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercise. The world’s largest international maritime training event is hosted by the United States Navy’s Pacific Fleet in and around the Hawaiian Islands. RIMPAC’s 29th iteration, from late June into early August 2024, features 29 nations, 38 surface ships, three submarines,…
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