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New York Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Pentagon Abruptly Pulls Out of Annual Aspen Conference
Every summer for years, Republican and Democratic administrations have dispatched senior civilian Pentagon officials and military commanders to participate in the Aspen Security Forum, a national security and foreign policy conference in Colorado. This year appeared to be no exception, with John Phelan, the Navy secretary, and Adm. Samuel Paparo, the head of the military's Indo-Pacific Command, among the speakers scheduled to address the gathering that begins on Tuesday. But on Monday morning, the Pentagon abruptly canceled its participation in the four-day event, saying the forum's values did not align with the Pentagon's. 'Senior representatives of the Department of Defense will no longer be participating in an event that promotes the evil of globalism, disdain for our great country and hatred for the president of the United States,' Kingsley Wilson, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said in a statement. Sean Parnell, the chief Pentagon spokesman, said in a separate statement: 'The department will remain strong in its focus to increase the lethality of our war fighters, revitalize the warrior ethos and project peace through strength on the world stage. It is clear the A.S.F. is not in alignment with these goals.' It was unclear what precipitated the Pentagon's decision to withdrawal its speakers, all of whom had been approved to participate. Mrs. Wilson declined to comment on the timing of the decision. 'It is unfortunate that the Pentagon has chosen not to participate, but our invitations remain open,' the security forum said in a statement. 'For more than a decade, the Aspen Security Forum has welcomed senior officials — Republican and Democrat, civilian and military — as well as senior foreign officials and experts, who bring experience and diverse perspectives on matters of national security.'
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First Post
04-07-2025
- Business
- First Post
America @249: From chips to jets, how US-China rivalry is reshaping the world
President Donald Trump's second presidency has brought the rivalry with China to the surface, so much so that their tensions are practically reshaping the world. Since January, Washington and Beijing have been engaged in backdoor politics, trying to get ahead in key sectors like technology and defence read more The US has entered its 249th year as an independent nation today. With over two centuries gone by, China remains America's greatest threat despite its economic and geopolitical prowess. President Donald Trump's second presidency has brought the rivalry with China to the surface, so much so that their tensions are practically reshaping the world. Since January, Washington and Beijing have been engaged in backdoor politics, trying to get ahead in key sectors like technology and defence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As the world's two largest economies compete for strategic dominance, their tensions are spilling into key regions, from the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait to Africa, Latin America, and cyberspace. The two countries are trying to get ahead in several races at once. Let's take a look at some of them: The tech race In January this year, China unveiled its flagship artificial intelligence model, DeepSeek, unnerving observers and stakeholders across the world. Dubbed as the 'biggest dark horse', DeepSeek sent shockwaves through Wall Street and Silicon Valley by creating AI models at a fraction of the cost incurred by OpenAI and Meta Platforms. Its grand reveal made some experts jump to the conclusion that Beijing is going to 'win' the AI war against the US. Part of the reason why DeepSeek sent jitters down US-based AI-makers' spines was its free-of-cost business model, which made its R1 version free for users, a key differentiator from OpenAI's o1 models, which cost $200 monthly for unlimited access. Three key events in May 2025 signalled that the US–China rivalry over artificial intelligence has escalated into a more intense phase. The first was a Senate hearing titled 'Winning the AI Race,' where American lawmakers voiced growing alarm that the United States' technological edge over China was rapidly diminishing. Then followed a ban on sales of critical software tools used to design semiconductors to Beijing, a move that was seen as nipping the bud of the problem of China getting ahead in the race. The chip software restriction marked a sharp, though brief, escalation in the ongoing US campaign to tighten controls on China's access to semiconductor technologies. These measures were intended to block Beijing from using American innovations to advance its military and artificial intelligence capabilities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, the ban was lifted yesterday (July 3). The defence race China's defence spending on fighter jets has increased manifold in recent years. Admiral Samuel Paparo, the head of US Indo-Pacific Command, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, warned that China is 'outproducing' America in furthering its defence systems. 'China's unprecedented aggression and military modernisation poses a serious threat to the homeland, our allies, and our partners (in the Indo-Pacific). China is outproducing the United States in air, missile, maritime, and space capability and accelerating these,' he said in April. China is making significant investments in advanced combat aircraft. It already operates more than 200 J-20 fifth-generation stealth fighters and, last year, unveiled its second stealth jet of the same class—the J-35. In addition, Beijing is developing two sixth-generation fighters, the J-36 and J-50, both of which are currently in the flight testing phase. The economic race China overtook the United States in GDP measured by purchasing power parity (PPP), which adjusts for local cost of living, in the mid-2010s, with most estimates pinpointing the crossover around 2014–2016. By 2016, China's PPP‑adjusted GDP reached approximately $21 trillion, surpassing the US, while its share of global economic output increased from under 5 per cent in 1980 to nearly 18 per cent in 2016. This dramatic rise reflects decades of rapid industrialisation, export-led growth, and urbanisation following China's reform era beginning in 1978. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Today, China's economic and geopolitical influence continues to expand on several fronts. With an estimated PPP‑GDP of nearly $39.4 trillion in 2023, about 20 per cent of the world's total compared to the US's 14.8 per cent, China's economic weight allows it to exert significant influence over global trade, investment, and development patterns. The trade race Like the rest of the world, China, too, faced the wrath of Trump tariffs. In fact, it met with the most harsh trade measures by Washington. Although signs of reset have started to show now, the ripples of the US-China trade war were felt across the globe. The US trade deficit widened more than expected in May, with both imports and exports declining. Trade data published Thursday showed the world's biggest economy logged an overall trade gap of $71.5 billion in the month after Trump imposed a 10 per cent duty on most trading partners before pausing steeper rates for dozens of these economies. US imports were down 0.1 per cent to $350.5 billion, as incoming shipments of goods ticked down. Imports of consumer goods dropped by $4.0 billion, with those of certain apparel and toys both sliding, although imports of autos and parts climbed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US exports, meanwhile, dropped by 4.0 per cent to $279.0 billion, with declines largely seen in industrial supplies and materials, the report showed. With inputs from agencies
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Honolulu to hold 74th Mayor's Memorial Day Ceremony
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The City and County of Honolulu, in collaboration with the national Department of Veterans Affairs, are holding the 74th Mayor's Memorial Day Ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Pūowaina on May 26. The event is open and free for the public and will begin right at 8:30 a.m. The city said the event will feature ceremonial presentations and tributes, such as comments from Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Admiral Samuel Paparo, as well as color guard, military flyovers and much more. 59-year-old Honolulu man drowns off Kailua Beach The Royal Hawaiian Band and Sounds of Aloha will also be in attendance, joined by the 96th Lei Court who will be performing hula. 'On this Memorial Day, we stand united in gratitude, honoring the brave men and women who gave everything for the freedoms we hold most dear,' Blangiardi said. 'Their sacrifices echo through time, reminding us of the immense price of liberty and the strength of their resolve. As we pause to remember, let us renew our pledge to uphold the values they fought to defend, cherishing the peace they secured. May their legacy live on in our actions, and may we always strive to build a world worthy of their courage and devotion.' The ceremony will be broadcast on ʻŌlelo Channel 49 and will re-air on the same channel throughout the next at the cemetery will be extremely limited, but Abraham Lincoln Elementary and Robert Louis Stevenson Middle Schools will provide parking for the public beginning at 7 a.m. A courtesy shuttle between the schools and the ceremony will be available. Parking for the ceremony is also available at the Civic Center Parking Structure, with TheBus running between the structure and the ceremony throughout the morning. Bus fairs will apply. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news The city also said that sun protection and drinking water are recommended to bring for all visitors, given the limited covered seating available. They also ask that the guests do not bring their own chairs unless medically required, as well as refraining from bringing pets that are not service animals. Recent graduates and their families are also encouraged to donate their fresh flower or ti-leaf lei to lei-sewing locations or drop-off sites such as city fire stations and at the Department of Parks and Recreation. There are also several locations throughout the island where members of the public can sew lei. For more information about lei making or the Memorial Day celebrations, visit the mayor's Memorial Day website. 'We are looking to gather 38,000 lei; so, we can adorn every single gravesite here at punchbowl with a lei as well as a flag,' said Ted Hayden of the Department of Parks and Recreation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
American Military News
10-05-2025
- Politics
- American Military News
US eyes Aleutian Military Revival as Russia, China expand operations near Alaska
This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission. In October 2024, the US Coast Guard spotted two Chinese maritime enforcement vessels operating alongside a pair of Russian border patrol boats as they transited the Bering Sea, just kilometers from Alaskan waters. It was the third consecutive year that a joint Russian-Chinese military convoy sailed through the strategic waterway. A year earlier, the two nations staged joint naval exercises in the region with 11 ships — a clear signal of their growing military cooperation near US territory. The October transit, which China said continued through the Bering Strait into the Arctic Ocean, came less than three months after the first joint flight of Chinese and Russian strategic bombers over the Bering Sea. The uptick in Russian and Chinese activity near Alaska — home to America's largest fleet of advanced fighter jets and a cornerstone of its missile defense architecture –is fueling calls to reestablish Cold War-era military infrastructure on the Aleutian Islands. Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 10 that he supports reopening the shuttered naval facility on Adak Island and upgrading Eareckson Air Station on Shemya, the westernmost outpost of the chain. Facilities on Adak and Shemya would give the United States 'time and distance on any force capability that is looking to penetrate' American waters or airspace, Paparo said. Reactivating Adak would allow the United States to increase maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft (MPRA) coverage in the region by a factor of 10, he told lawmakers. A Gateway To The Arctic The Aleutian chain, made up of 14 large volcanic islands and 55 smaller ones, stretches more than 1,600 kilometers from the Alaskan mainland toward Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. The islands sit astride the great circle routes, the shortest paths between Asia and North America, and serve as a gateway to both the Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea. Kamchatka — 800 kilometers west of Shemya — is home to Russia's Pacific submarine fleet and squadrons of long-range fighters. Paparo described Russia's Pacific Fleet as a 'growth enterprise' that now operates 'frequently' along the great circle routes. General Gregory Guillot, commander of the US Northern Command, testified in February before a Senate committee that reviving Adak could provide important 'maritime and air access.' The Pentagon is currently evaluating future uses for Adak, which features a deep-water port with three piers, two 7,000-foot (2,100-meter) runways, multiple hangars, de-icing platforms, and one of the largest bulk fuel storage facilities in the United States. During the Cold War, Adak served as the primary anti-submarine warfare base in the Pacific, with P-3 Orions regularly patrolling the surrounding waters. The island also stored B57 nuclear depth bombs designed to detonate underwater and destroy enemy submarines. At its peak, the island was home to 6,000 military personnel and their families. The base was officially closed in 1997. Today, fewer than 200 people live on the island. Alaska Airlines operates a single commercial route to Adak using Boeing 737s. Eareckson Air Station on Shemya hosts a 10,000-foot (3,000-meter) runway and hangars. Shemya is also home to the Cobra Dane radar system — an advanced sensor used to track ballistic missile launches and satellites. The air station also serves as an emergency diversion airport for civilian flights crossing the North Pacific. 'A Real Challenge' US forces in September carried out an exercise on Shemya in response to the joint Russia-China bomber flight. 'Every time a state vessel or aircraft enters the area, it's collecting information,' said Troy Bouffard, an Arctic security expert at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. 'The only way to respond is to intercept and push them out.' 'This is a real challenge,' he added. 'And places like Adak provide outstanding positions to base the assets needed to meet it.' Adak, which will be part of Indo-Pacific Command's Northern Edge exercise in August, could host P-8A Poseidon aircraft — America's most advanced maritime patrol aircraft and the successor to the P-3. Based on the Boeing 737 airframe, the P-8 is designed to detect and destroy both surface ships and submarines. The P-8 plays a central role in US and allied anti-submarine warfare. The US resumed P-8 flights from its airbase at Keflavik, Iceland, in 2018 amid renewed Russian activity near the GIUK Gap, a key maritime chokepoint into the Atlantic. Allies including Canada, Germany, and Norway have announced plans to purchase the aircraft to replace their P-3s. Norway reversed plans to close an Arctic air station after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and will now use it for maritime drone flights that complement the P-8s. Shortest Missile Flight Path To The US Russia's Pacific Fleet is expected to grow to 45 modernized warships by the early 2030s, including 19 submarines. Some of its newest vessels are armed with Zircon hypersonic missiles, which can reach speeds over Mach 5 and strike targets hundreds of kilometers away. Meanwhile, China is expanding the world's largest navy by hull count. The Congressional Research Service estimates its fleet could grow from 370 to 435 ships by 2030. Intelligence reports suggest Russia is helping China reduce the acoustic signatures of its submarines — critical to making them harder for US forces to track. Experts warn that, if Chinese nuclear-armed submarines reach the Arctic, it would significantly enhance Beijing's second-strike capability against the United States. The shortest missile flight path to the continental US is over the Arctic. Russia's air presence in the Bering and Arctic regions is also growing. A senior Alaskan commander told reporters in 2021 that US intercepts of Russian aircraft near or inside the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone had reached a post-Soviet high. The spike coincides with Moscow's rapid expansion and renovation of dozens of Arctic military installations, including airfields and radar sites. In the event of a reopening, the United States is not expected to station many military personnel on the islands, which are renowned for their high winds, dense fog, persistent overcast skies, and freezing temperatures. A 1937 Naval War College assessment described them as having 'some of the worst weather in the world.' Imperial Japan captured two of the islands in June 1942, marking only the second time in US history that its territory had been seized by a foreign adversary. Though US forces recaptured the islands, the 14-month Aleutian Campaign cost 225 American aircraft, most lost to the region's extreme weather.
Epoch Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Canada Can Lead the Way in Boosting Support for Taiwan as a Vital Partner and Friend
Commentary In Canada, when we speak of threats posed by foreign adversaries, the term FIMI—Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference—usually comes up, with most reference points drawn from the 2019 and 2021 elections. For Taiwan, however, the threats from China are across the board and can appear in virtual and real spaces every day. In a nutshell, they are far more multi-faceted and all-encompassing. When it comes to the Chinese threat to Taiwan, most Canadians will probably associate it with China's sabre-rattling and military exercises in the Taiwan Strait. Indeed, the number of increasing naval and air force intrusions into areas near Taiwan has greatly increased in the past few years. Meanwhile we have seen a steady rise of air sorties crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, aiming to change the status quo and to pose greater threats. These military exercises are launched with such frequency and growing intensity that, according to Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, they are no longer seen as mere exercises but 'rehearsals' for a forced unification. Fortunately, there is growing international pushback against China's military and diplomatic pressures on Taiwan—including from Canada. To begin with, Canada's One-China policy only takes note of China's position on Taiwan but does not recognize it. Over the years, Canada's support has also taken tangible form. The peaceful transits through the Taiwan Strait—such as the HMCS Ottawa's most recent passage on Feb. 16 this year—are powerful signals of deterrence. Last month, when China staged large-scale military drills around Taiwan, Global Affairs Canada took to social media to express deep concern. A few days later, the G7 foreign ministers issued a joint statement calling China's provocative actions a direct risk to global security and prosperity. For all these developments, Taiwan is truly grateful. We know that Canada has many pressing global commitments—especially the ongoing support for Ukraine—and so we do not take its support for us for granted. It is deeply meaningful that Canada continues to voice support for Taiwan in multilateral settings. Related Stories 4/8/2025 4/7/2025 But to ensure all these deterrence efforts are not in vain, we must now look beyond the traditional threats. A new era of confrontation is here—one that leans heavily on grey-zone tactics and hybrid warfare. These are attacks that fall below the threshold of armed conflicts but cause lasting damage to democratic institutions and public trust. I group them into three categories, the so-called 'Three Warfares": lawfare, cognitive warfare, and media warfare. These non-military tactics are an important part of a broader strategy to undermine Taiwan's sovereignty, influence public opinions, and create conditions leading to eventual unification with China. In essence, they aim to exert pressure on Taiwan through a variety of means, targeting both domestic and international audiences. Lawfare, or legal warfare, refers to Beijing's effort to build a legal facade for a potential invasion of Taiwan. China knows that in the modern era, military action requires legal justification. Through tools like the National Security Law and the Anti-Secession Law, China is trying to frame any future invasion of Taiwan as an 'internal matter' exempt from the U.N. Charter's prohibition on the use of force. The single foundation of China's lawfare against Taiwan lies in the distortion of the U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758, which The U.S. Department of State has offered four crucial points These points are gaining traction globally, and as China's lawfare campaign is increasingly exposed, its attempt to legitimize aggression against Taiwan is becoming harder to sustain. Cognitive warfare and media warfare are closely intertwined. One uses the human mind as the battlefield and the other media, including social media. With disinformation, rumours, and fake news, they aim to distort public perception, erode confidence in Taiwan's government, and divide our society. These are not seasonal campaigns—they happen every day. Everyone is a target. In Canada, such tactics are more commonly seen around election cycles, and it is often the Chinese diaspora community that bears the brunt, but with the rise of AI-generated content, China's influence operations can increasingly target the broader Canadian public, and with higher frequency. So, if there's any immediate lesson Taiwan can offer to Canada, it is to stay vigilant. Also, it is important to be aware of the challenges Taiwan faces on the front lines of authoritarian expansionism—militarily, diplomatically, legally, and psychologically. Now, if you wonder China's possible timeline for an invasion, I think war remains their last resort. Despite that the chance of China invading Taiwan has risen dramatically in recent years, China knows an invasion is too risky and it may unleash domestic instability and social unrest. So China still claims that they hope to achieve unification through 'peaceful means.' This is why its campaign of the 'Three Warfares' against Taiwan continues to loom large and remains our grave concern. Geopolitically speaking, Taiwan is situated in a strategically crucial part of the first island chain, and it plays an indispensable role in the global supply chain. We produce 60 percent of the world's semiconductors and 90 percent of its advanced chips. In other words, Taiwan matters to the global economy and security. An invasion of Taiwan would almost certainly provoke U.S. intervention. China understands this and likely seeks to take Taiwan without firing a shot. That's why these non-military threats are so serious. But let me be clear: this is not a reason for complacency. In fact, China's ambitions do not stop at Taiwan. Allowing Taiwan to follow the footsteps of Hong Kong would have serious repercussions for many other countries. Some may think that Taiwan's fate is not Canada's fight, or that there may still be time to worry about it later. But Taiwan is the canary in the coal mine. At a time when authoritarianism is on the rise globally, and even democracies are seeing illiberal trends, the need to build resilience for Taiwan has never been more pressing. So, can the world come together now for Taiwan—before something terrible happens? My answer is: absolutely yes. Canada can help show the way. Standing with Taiwan is more than about the values we share—it's a step that aligns closely with Canada's national interests. The Indo-Pacific Strategy that was unveiled in November 2022 clearly states that. Canada affirms that deepening exchanges with Taiwan across various domains will ensure its greater security and prosperity. Because of this, we can foresee a continuation of all the ongoing efforts. The HMCS Ottawa that sailed through the Taiwan Strait in February marks the sixth such peaceful transit already, since the release of that monumental policy. In closing, my hope is that Canada will go on to be more proactive in helping Taiwan—by trading more with Taiwan, engaging more with Taiwan, learning from Taiwan, and supporting Taiwan as a vital partner and friend. In doing so, Canada will send a powerful message to the world and to China: that Taiwan is not alone, and that democracy is worth standing up for. Ambassador Harry Ho-jen Tseng, Ph.D., is the Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada. Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
