Latest news with #IISSShangri-LaDialogue
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Tokyo snubs Washington: Japan pulls plug on 2+2 security talks with US; defence budget demand sparks row
Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba (left) and US President Donald Trump (PTI) Japan has cancelled a high-level meeting with its closest ally United States, after the Trump administration abruptly demanded Tokyo to spend more on defence, reported The Financial Times on Friday. US secretary of state Marco Rubio and defence secretary Pete Hegseth were expected to meet their Japanese counterparts, defence minister general Nakatani and foreign minister Takeshi Iwaya in Washington on July 1, for an annual 2+2 security talks. However, Tokyo called off the meeting after the US asked Japan to raise its defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP, up from an earlier request of 3 per cent, according to three sources familiar with the discussions, including two officials based in Tokyo, cited by the newspaper. A senior Japanese official stated that the decision to cancel the July 1 meeting was also influenced by the upcoming upper house elections on July 20, where the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is anticipated to lose seats. Reuters quoted a US government official confirming, Japan had 'postponed' the meeting and the decision was made weeks earlier, though no reason was provided. Meanwhile, a non-government source familiar with the matter confirmed hearing about Japan's withdrawal from the talks but was also unaware of the motive behind the move. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo The Financial Times said, the new, increased demand came in recent weeks by Elbridge Colby, the third-most senior official in the Pentagon, who also recently stirred tensions with another major US ally in the Indo-Pacific by initiating a review of AUKUS, the nuclear-powered submarine deal with Australia. The tensions of security come as Japan and other US allies have been engaged with the United States in a tough trade talk over US President Donald Trump 's worldwide tariff onslaught. While speaking at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue defence forum in Singapore last month, Hegseth urged Asia-Pacific allies to follow the 'newfound example' set by Europeans in boosting defence spending, pointing to regional threats from China and North Korea. 'The US is now playing hardball with allies in the Asia-Pacific,' one defence official was quoted. In March, Elbridge Colby's call for Japan to boost its defense spending, at his Senate confirmation hearing for under secretary of defense for policy, prompted a sharp response from Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who asserted that Japan's defense budget would be determined by Tokyo alone, not by outside pressure.
The Star
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
France aims to buy four Global Eye military aircraft, Sweden says
FILE PHOTO: Sweden's Minister of Defence Pal Jonson speaks at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, June 1, 2025. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File photo
DW
11-06-2025
- Politics
- DW
EU, Southeast Asia aim to boost security for undersea cables – DW – 06/09/2025
Both telecommunications and international trade rely on cables connecting continents across the ocean floor. In a changing world, Asian and European powers are looking for ways to protect these vital links from sabotage. The world's undersea cable network spans roughly 1.4 million kilometers (870,000 miles) and carries over 95% of intercontinental internet traffic, yet it remains vulnerable to accidental damage, such as ship anchors, and deliberate disruption. Recent incidents in the Baltic Sea and Red Sea have underscored the cables' fragility. Policymakers are now staging international initiatives to safeguard the system. "We need to work together to defend the entire network," Singaporean Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing said at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier security forum, earlier this month. "There's no point trying to defend the integrity and security of a submarine cable by looking at a point. We need both ends to be secure," he added. NATO nations patrol Baltic Sea as cables fail In February 2024, multiple cables in the Red Sea were severed when anchors from a cargo vessel sunk by Houthi militants dragged along the seabed. The damage caused a sharp reduction in internet capacity between Europe and Asia, disrupting everything from financial transactions to video conferencing. Meanwhile, Europe has struggled with a series of similar faults in the Baltic Sea, with many Western officials hinting those cables were intentionally damaged by ships linked to Russia. Experts have warned, however, that there has been no proof of deliberate damage. Estonia steps up patrols after undersea cable attack To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Since January, some NATO members have expanded the deployment of frigates, maritime patrol aircraft and naval drones to conduct regular cable-surveillance missions across vital waterways. Beijing using cable projects as leverage in naval disputes In Southeast Asia, subsea infrastructure also faces similar geopolitical friction. In February, Taiwanese officials detained a Chinese-crewed ship after an undersea communications cable was damaged near the self-ruled island, which China sees as a breakaway province. China has also increasingly pressured cable consortia laying new links from Japan through the South China Sea to seek Beijing's "permission," effectively doubling down on its claims in internationally disputed waters. Telecommunication cables are also a linchpin of global trade Image: "This is just another way that China is trying to assert its sovereignty over the South China Sea," Zachary Abuza, professor at the National War College in Washington, told DW. China is also reportedly developing "advanced cable-cutting devices capable of targeting armored cables at unprecedented depths," according to a commentary published by Tokyo-based magazine Nikkei Asia this week. Southeast Asian nations are also worried about the cables being threatened by natural disasters and possibly costing them access to new and expanded renewable energy projects, such as offshore wind farms. According to Nikkei Asia, investment in the submarine power cable sector is projected to reach $1.95 billion (€1.70) by 2030. Hanoi 'cautious not to anger China' Vietnam, a nation of 90 million people served by just five undersea cables, lost up to 75% of its data capacity in February 2023 when all five suffered partial or total damage. In June last year, three of the five submarine internet cables failed again. Europe's undersea cables under attack? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The cause for those disruptions is still unclear, at least officially. Alexander Vuving, a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, told DW that Hanoi is "cautious not to anger China and tends to dismiss the suspicion that the cables were intentionally damaged." "They argue that the cables are located in one of the world's busiest shipping routes, hence the chance that fishing vessels unintentionally damage them is high," Vuving added. "However, this argument leaves unanswered the question of why the rate of incidents rose sharply in recent years." EU as a way out of US-China clinch Vietnam wants to add up to four new cables in the coming years to significantly boost connectivity speeds and the power supply, as the country looks to progress into higher-end, tech manufacturing. Hanoi has encouraged Vietnamese telecom companies to spearhead this move. However, laying cables across the ocean floor is costly, and Vietnamese firms are looking for outside investment, mainly from China and the US. "Many in Vietnam see this as a no-win situation as they do not want to be dependent on either China or the US and certainly do not want to get entangled in the US-China competition," said Vuving. "European companies can help Vietnam escape this catch-22 situation. The same can be said regarding other countries in Southeast Asia." Brussels working on 'cable diplomacy' France's Alcatel Submarine Networks is often regarded as the global leader in subsea cable installation, and several European firms operate sizable fleets of cable repair ships. In February, the EU published its Cable Security Action plan, which called on Brussels to "develop and deploy an advanced cable diplomacy." "When it comes to addressing incidents," the plan reads, "the [EU] should enhance the exchange of information with, for instance, Indo Pacific partners who are facing similar incidents in relation to critical submarine infrastructures." Undersea cable damage leads to internet blackouts in Africa To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Soon thereafter, Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission's executive vice president in charge of tech sovereignty and security, announced that almost €1 billion would be redirected in the EU's budget to boost surveillance of undersea cables and establish a fleet of emergency repair vessels. Does US want Europeans in Asia? Whether Europe is actually capable of supporting Asia is another matter. "While Europeans could help build more undersea cable architecture for Southeast Asia, China already dominates the undersea cable network in the region," Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, told DW. "It would take a massive and very costly effort by Europe to come anywhere near supplanting China's cable network, and I don't think Europe can afford that," he added. German frigate completes passage through South China Sea To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Moreover, there could be pushback from the US, which appears to increasingly believe that Europeans should disengage from the Indo-Pacific region. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue summit, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth argued that European states should limit their engagement and investments in regions like Southeast Asia to focus entirely on safeguarding Europe. Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, pushed back a day later, arguing that "it's an illusion that these security theaters of Indo-Pacific and Europe are not interlinked." She called for Europe and Asia to collaborate against covert "shadow fleets" and review maritime security laws to protect submarine cable networks. Edited by: Darko Janjevic
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Time of India
EU, Southeast Asia look for ways to protect undersea cables
AI- Generated Image The world's undersea cable network spans roughly 1.4 million kilometres (870,000 miles) and carries over 95% of intercontinental internet traffic, yet it remains vulnerable to accidental damage, such as ship anchors, and deliberate disruption. Recent incidents in the Baltic Sea and Red Sea have underscored the cables' fragility. Policymakers are now staging international initiatives to safeguard the system. "We need to work together to defend the entire network," Singaporean defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier security forum, earlier this month. "There's no point trying to defend the integrity and security of a submarine cable by looking at a point. We need both ends to be secure," he added. Nato nations patrol Baltic Sea as cables fail In February 2024, multiple cables in the Red Sea were severed when anchors from a cargo vessel sunk by Houthi militants dragged along the seabed. The damage caused a sharp reduction in internet capacity between Europe and Asia, disrupting everything from financial transactions to video conferencing. Meanwhile, Europe has struggled with a series of similar faults in the Baltic Sea, with many Western officials hinting those cables were intentionally damaged by ships linked to Russia. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Experts have warned, however, that there has been no proof of deliberate damage. Since January, some Nato members have expanded the deployment of frigates, maritime patrol aircraft and naval drones to conduct regular cable-surveillance missions across vital waterways. Beijing using cable projects as leverage in naval disputes In Southeast Asia, subsea infrastructure also faces similar geopolitical friction. In February, Taiwanese officials detained a Chinese-crewed ship after an undersea communications cable was damaged near the self-ruled island, which China sees as a breakaway province. China has also increasingly pressured cable consortia laying new links from Japan through the South China Sea to seek Beijing's "permission," effectively doubling down on its claims in internationally disputed waters. "This is just another way that China is trying to assert its sovereignty over the South China Sea," Zachary Abuza, professor at the National War College in Washington, told DW. China is also reportedly developing "advanced cable-cutting devices capable of targeting armored cables at unprecedented depths," according to a commentary published by Tokyo-based magazine Nikkei Asia this week. Southeast Asian nations are also worried about the cables being threatened by natural disasters and possibly costing them access to new and expanded renewable energy projects, such as offshore wind farms. According to Nikkei Asia, investment in the submarine power cable sector is projected to reach $1.95 billion (€1.70) by 2030. Hanoi 'cautious not to anger China' Vietnam, a nation of 90 million people served by just five undersea cables, lost up to 75% of its data capacity in February 2023 when all five suffered partial or total damage. In June last year, three of the five submarine internet cables failed again. The cause for those disruptions is still unclear, at least officially. Alexander Vuving, a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies in Honolulu, told DW that Hanoi is "cautious not to anger China and tends to dismiss the suspicion that the cables were intentionally damaged." "They argue that the cables are located in one of the world's busiest shipping routes, hence the chance that fishing vessels unintentionally damage them is high," Vuving added. "However, this argument leaves unanswered the question of why the rate of incidents rose sharply in recent years." EU as a way out of US-China clinch Vietnam wants to add up to four new cables in the coming years to significantly boost connectivity speeds and the power supply, as the country looks to progress into higher-end, tech manufacturing. Hanoi has encouraged Vietnamese telecom companies to spearhead this move. However, laying cables across the ocean floor is costly, and Vietnamese firms are looking for outside investment, mainly from China and the US. "Many in Vietnam see this as a no-win situation as they do not want to be dependent on either China or the US and certainly do not want to get entangled in the US-China competition," said Vuving. "European companies can help Vietnam escape this catch-22 situation. The same can be said regarding other countries in Southeast Asia." Brussels working on 'cable diplomacy' France's Alcatel Submarine Networks is often regarded as the global leader in subsea cable installation, and several European firms operate sizable fleets of cable repair ships. In February, the EU published its Cable Security Action plan, which called on Brussels to "develop and deploy an advanced cable diplomacy." "When it comes to addressing incidents," the plan reads, "the [EU] should enhance the exchange of information with, for instance, Indo Pacific partners who are facing similar incidents in relation to critical submarine infrastructures." Soon thereafter, Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission's executive vice president in charge of tech sovereignty and security, announced that almost €1 billion would be redirected in the EU's budget to boost surveillance of undersea cables and establish a fleet of emergency repair vessels. Does US want Europeans in Asia? Whether Europe is actually capable of supporting Asia is another matter. "While Europeans could help build more undersea cable architecture for Southeast Asia, China already dominates the undersea cable network in the region," Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, told DW. "It would take a massive and very costly effort by Europe to come anywhere near supplanting China's cable network, and I don't think Europe can afford that," he added. Moreover, there could be pushback from the US, which appears to increasingly believe that Europeans should disengage from the Indo-Pacific region. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue summit, US defence Secretary Pete Hegseth argued that European states should limit their engagement and investments in regions like Southeast Asia to focus entirely on safeguarding Europe. Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, pushed back a day later, arguing that "it's an illusion that these security theatres of Indo-Pacific and Europe are not interlinked." She called for Europe and Asia to collaborate against covert "shadow fleets" and review maritime security laws to protect submarine cable networks.
DW
09-06-2025
- Politics
- DW
EU, Southeast Asia look for ways to protect undersea cables – DW – 06/09/2025
Both telecommunications and international trade largely rely on cables connecting continents across the ocean floor. In a changing world, Asian and European powers are looking for ways to protect them from sabotage. The world's undersea cable network spans roughly 1.4 million kilometers (870,000 miles) and carries over 95% of intercontinental internet traffic, yet it remains vulnerable to accidental damage, such as ship anchors, and deliberate disruption. Recent incidents in the Baltic and Red Seas have underscored the cables' fragility as policymakers staged international initiatives to safeguard the system. "We need to work together to defend the entire network," Singaporean Minister of Defense Chan Chun Sing said at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier security forum, earlier this month. "There's no point trying to defend the integrity and security of a submarine cable by looking at a point. We need both ends to be secure," he added. NATO nations patrol Baltic Sea as cables fail In February 2024, multiple cables in the Red Sea were severed when anchors from a cargo vessel sunk by Houthi militants dragged along the seabed. The damage caused a sharp reduction in internet capacity between Europe and Asia, disrupting everything from financial transactions to video conferencing. Meanwhile, Europe has struggled with a series of similar faults in the Baltic Sea, with many Western officials hinting those cables were intentionally damaged by Russia-linked ships. Experts warn, however, that there is no proof of deliberate damage. Estonia steps up patrols after undersea cable attack To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Since January, some NATO members have expanded deployments of frigates, maritime patrol aircraft and naval drones to conduct regular cable-surveillance missions across vital waterways. Beijing using cable projects as leverage in naval disputes In Southeast Asia, subsea infrastructure also faces similar geopolitical friction. In February, Taiwanese officials detained a Chinese-crewed ship after an undersea communications cable was damaged near the self-ruled island, which China sees as a breakaway province. China has also increasingly pressured cable consortia laying new links from Japan through the South China Sea to seek Beijing's "permission," effectively doubling down on its claims in internationally disputed waters. Telecommunication cables are also a linchpin of global trade Image: "This is just another way that China is trying to assert its sovereignty over the South China Sea," Zachary Abuza, professor at the National War College in Washington, told DW. China is also reportedly developing "advanced cable-cutting devices capable of targeting armored cables at unprecedented depths," according to a commentary published by Tokyo-based magazine Nikkei Asia this week. Southeast Asian nations are also worried about the cables being threatened by natural disasters, and possibly costing them access to new and expanded renewable energy projects, such as offshore wind farms. According to Nikkei Asia, investment in the submarine power cable sector is projected to reach $1.95 billion (€1.70) by 2030. Hanoi 'cautious not to anger China' Vietnam, a nation of 90 million people served by just five undersea cables, lost up to 75% of its data capacity in February 2023 when all five suffered partial or total damage. In June last year, three of the five submarine internet cables failed again. Europe's undersea cables under attack? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The cause for those disruptions is still unclear, at least officially. Alexander Vuving, a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, told DW that Hanoi is "cautious not to anger China and tend to dismiss the suspicion that the cables were intentionally damaged." "They argue that the cables are located in one of the world's busiest shipping routes, hence the chance that fishing vessels unintentionally damage them is high," Vuving added. "However, this argument leaves unanswered the question of why the rate of incidents rose sharply in recent years." EU as a way out of US-China clinch Vietnam wants to add up to four new cables in the coming years to significantly boost connectivity speeds and the power supply as the country looks to progress into higher-end, tech manufacturing. Hanoi has encouraged Vietnamese telecom companies to spearhead this move. However, laying cables across the ocean floor is costly, and Vietnamese firms are looking for outside investment, mainly from China and the US. "Many in Vietnam see this as a no-win situation as they do not want to be dependent on either China or the US and certainly do not want to get entangled in the US-China competition," Vuving told DW. "European companies can help Vietnam escape this Catch-22 situation. The same can be said regarding other countries in Southeast Asia." Brussels working on 'cable diplomacy' France's Alcatel Submarine Networks is often regarded as the global leader in subsea cable installation, and several European firms operate sizeable fleets of cable repair ships. In February, the EU published its Action Plan on Cable Security, which called on Brussels to "develop and deploy an advanced cable diplomacy." "When it comes to addressing incidents," the plan reads, "the [EU] should enhance the exchange of information with, for instance, Indo Pacific partners who are facing similar incidents in relation to critical submarine infrastructures." Undersea cable damage leads to internet blackouts in Africa To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Soon thereafter, Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission's executive vice president in charge of security, announced that almost €1 billion is being redirected in the EU's budget to boost surveillance of undersea cables and establish a fleet of emergency repair vessels. Does US want Europeans in Asia? Whether Europe is actually capable of supporting Asia is another matter. "While Europeans could help build more undersea cable architecture for Southeast Asia, China already dominates the undersea cable network in the region," Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, told DW. "It would take a massive and very costly effort by Europe to come anywhere near supplanting China's cable network, and I don't think Europe can afford that," he added. German frigate completes passage through South China Sea To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Moreover, there could be pushback from the US, which appears to increasingly believe that Europeans should disengage from the Indo-Pacific region. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue summit earlier this month, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth argued that European states should limit their engagement and investments in regions like Southeast Asia to focus entirely on safeguarding Europe. Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, pushed back a day later, arguing that "it's an illusion that these security theaters of Indo-Pacific and Europe are not interlinked." She called for Europe and Asia to collaborate against covert "shadow fleets" and review maritime security laws to protect submarine cable networks. Edited by: Darko Janjevic
