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Daily Express
25-04-2025
- General
- Daily Express
Anzac Day ceremonies in Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan
Published on: Saturday, April 26, 2025 Published on: Sat, Apr 26, 2025 Text Size: Danielle (centre) laying the wreath at the KK Memorial. Kota Kinabalu: Anzac Day ceremonies took place here and in Sandakan, Thursday. In the State Capital, it was held at the World War I Memorial Monument, Jalan Tugu. The ceremony began with a salute and the marching in of the monument guards by members of the Australian military, followed by the playing of the national anthems 'Negaraku', 'Sabah Tanah Airku', and 'Advance Australia Fair'. This was followed by the sounding of the Last Post as a tribute to the fallen heroes. The wreath-laying ceremony was initiated by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Abidin Madingkir, representing Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, and attended by Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia, Danielle Heinecke. In SANDAKAN, Hajiji said many Prisoners of War suffered in the district and also Ranau, as well as civilians, under cruel and heartbreaking circumstances. He said the POW experience was especially heartbreaking. His speech was delivered by Sandakan Member of Parliament Vivian Wong Shir Yee. Present were Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia, Danielle Heinecke, Chief of Australian Navy, Lieutenant General, Simon Stuart, Tanjong Papat Assemblyman Datuk Frankie Poon Ming Fung, Elopura Assemblyman Calvin Chong, Karamunting Assemblyman Datuk George Hiew Vun Zin, Deputy Sandakan Police Chief Supt Ramasamy Kuppan, Sabah Tourism Board CEO Julinus Jeffrey Jimit, Sandakan Municipal Council President Walter Kenson, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS), Dr Arthur Chung, representing Chief Conservator of Sabah Datuk Frederick Kugan. This year commemorates the 80th year of the end of World War II in 1945. The Japanese invaded Borneo on Dec 16, 1941 by landing a force at Miri in Sarawak. On Jan 3, 1942, Japanese forces entered Sabah via Labuan and 16 days later, they arrived at Sandakan. The people of Sabah endured three and a half years of Japanese occupation. The first group of Prisoners of War arrived at Sandakan in July 1942, and more came in April 1943. 'We heard or read about how the local people were shocked by the cruel treatment the men suffered. We remember with pride that some local people took risks to offer help to the men by smuggling food, medicines, and messages into the prison camp,' he said. Only six prisoners of war survived the ordeal. They showed tremendous courage risking their lives to escape from the death marches and from Ranau in desperate attempts to stay alive. Others who escaped, died in the jungles or in shelters the local people provided them. Many more starved and many sick men died or were murdered at Sandakan, on the death marches and at Ranau. 'Each man who survived owed his life to the brave local people who sheltered and cared for them until they could be rescued,' he said. The survivors provided a record of the atrocities committed against the Prisoners of War and many had the courage to testify against their tormenters in war crimes trials after the war. Many of the Prisoners of War who suffered here now rest in peace in the soil of Sabah and within the Labuan War Cemetery. 'Here, at the Sandakan Memorial Park, we remember the suffering, courage and endurance of all the Australian and British prisoners of war,' said. 'This memorial is a partnership between our peoples to ensure they are never forgotten,' he added. On Anzac Day, we honour the service and sacrifice of the men who were prisoners of war here. The humanity shown to them by the local people was a ray of light in their unimaginably terrible time. The legacy of those who lived and died during that terrible time is the lasting bond between our peoples. 'Together, we will ensure they are not forgotten.' He added. Meanwhile, Danielle said, it is also an honor for them to be in Sandakan for the Anzac Day where in Australia, it also marks as their national holiday and few students also come here as well as the POW family members and friends. 'Off course we also will encourage our peoples to came here and visits Sandakan,' she said. She also thank Sandakan Municipal Council, Sabah Forestry and Sabah Tourism Board and related agencies which involved at the commemoration every year in Sandakan. While one of local Sabah, late Lagan Arnesto son, Alban Joseph Lagan, who also came at the event said, it is also great honor to here, where his father also one of Sabahan who help the POW and he died in Khucing, Sarawak during the war time. Sharing his experience, he said, during the war, he only 7, and always saw the POW marching in front of their house in Sandakan and will never forgotten the history. Meanwhile, Frankie said, he had the honour of attending the Anzac Day 2025 Dawn Service held at the Sandakan Memorial Park – a solemn ceremony that pays tribute to the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II, especially the POW. He added, Anzac Day serves as a powerful reminder of the price of peace and the depth of human resilience. 'We are reminded of the suffering endured by thousands of Allied soldiers, particularly the Australian and British POWs, during their internment in Sandakan.' He said. Their bravery and endurance continue to inspire future generations to uphold the values of courage, unity, and humanity. 'Sabah and Sandakan in particular, hold a special place in this shared history, and we remain committed to preserving that legacy through respect, education, and continued bilateral engagement.' He stressed. At the same program, after the dawn service, Vivian and Danielle officiate the Sandakan Memorial Park Interpretive Pavillion which re-dedicated April, 25 in rememberance of all those who suffered and died here, on the death marches, and at Ranau, also with ongoing gratitude to the local people who risked their lives to assist them. The original Sandakan Interpretive Pavilion was built in 1999, predominantly of hardwood timber. Due to the harsh tropical climate in Sandakan, the original pavilion was demolished in 2023 as it had reached the end of its usable life. The photo below shows the front of the original pavilion. The original dedication plaques were retained and are to the left of this panel. The original Sandakan Interpretive Pavilion was built in 1999, predominantly of hardwood timber. Due to the harsh tropical climate in Sandakan, the original pavilion was demolished in 2023 as it had reached the end of its usable life. While the original dedication plaques were retained and are to the left of this panel. The Sandakan Interpretive Pavilion was constructed in 2024 from termite and weather-resistant materials. In an effort to preserve the heritage of the original pavilion, some features of the original pavilion were incorporated into the refurbished pavilion, including the timber cladding used on this wall, the wooden seats (inside and outside the pavilion), the decorative gates to the left of the main entrance, and the stained-glass window. Vivian thank the Australian government for giving the fund to renovate the pavilion which will give a memory to all especially the POW friends and family who came here. Earlier, Anzac Day welcoming dinner held at Ballroom Livingston Hotel, here officiate by Vivian, representing Hajiji. Also present, Danielle and other guest from the POW friends and family who came to commemorate Anzac Day 2025. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Asahi Shimbun
24-04-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Unveiling high-tech destroyer, Japan seeks Australian buyer
The bridge of the destroyer Kumano is unveiled to the media on April 23 in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. (Mizuki Sato) As a key selling point, the Maritime Self-Defense Force's new destroyer Kumano can do more with less, at a time when naval personnel are being stretched to the limits. The MSDF touted this capability as it unveiled the Kumano to the news media at its Yokosuka Naval Base on April 23. Japan is hoping that its state-of-the-art Mogami-class frigate vessel, known as an FFM (Future Multi-mission Frigate), will find a place in the Royal Australian Navy fleet. A look aboard shows a host of high-tech features that could be attractive to an Australian Navy looking to modernize its fleet. 21ST CENTURY ON THE SEAS The interior of the Kumano differs substantially from conventional destroyers and is designed to minimize the number of crew members needed for operations. Stations such as the fire control room, telegraph room and pilot room, which were previously located separately on the ship, are now integrated in the combat information center (CIC), and all information can be viewed on a 360-degree screen. Crew members wear wristwatch-like biometric sensors to keep track of personnel positions. Equipped with a navigation system with GPS functionality, the new destroyer eliminates the need for an assistant navigator to manually draw nautical charts. Conventional destroyers require seven personnel on the bridge, but Kumano can be manned by four. JAPAN BATTLING GERMANY FOR CONTRACT Against the backdrop of the Kumano's unveiling is the Australian government announcement in February 2024 of a plan to introduce 11 new naval vessels to modernize the Royal Australian Navy. In November, the Japanese government officially announced its plan to participate in the joint development of the Australian Navy's new vessels. The Japanese government has proposed a more capable version of the MSDF's Mogami-class destroyer, by adding the performance capabilities required by Australia. Australia plans to replace its aging frigates with 11 new vessels, which are expected to cost a total of A$11.1 billion (about 1 trillion yen, or $7 billion). Three of the 11 vessels will be manufactured in the joint development countries first, and the rest will be built in Australia. Australia has named two finalists for the project, Germany and Japan. Australia will name the joint developer by the end of this fiscal year and deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2029. If the Japanese proposal is selected, it will be 'Japan's first large-scale equipment transfer project,' according to a senior Defense Ministry official. For this reason, Japan has been making a major sales push. U.S. HELP SOUGHT IN SALES PITCH According to several ministry officials, the Japanese government has sought the cooperation of the United States in pushing for Japan's proposal to be accepted by Australia, and the U.S. side is said to be willing to do so. At a Japan-U.S. defense ministerial meeting held at the end of March, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani asked U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to support the Japanese proposal. Japan is seeking the cooperation of the U.S. side because the Japanese proposal is advantageous to its close ally in that it is 'easier to mount U.S.-made missiles,' according to a senior ministry official. It is assumed that Tomahawk cruise missiles, ESSM ship-to-air missiles and Harpoon anti-ship missiles will be installed aboard. However, it is believed that many in the Australian Navy support the German proposal, which has already been introduced and is considered less expensive. REDUCTION IN PERSONNEL A HUGE PLUS The main selling point of the FFM is the 'reduction in manpower' needed to operate the vessel. The Kumano destroyer has a crew of about 90, about half that of conventional vessels. The new FFM, which Japan hopes to jointly develop with Australia, can be operated with the same 90 crew members as the Kumano. That is about 30 fewer than the 120 crew members required on German naval vessels. Driving the need for fewer personnel aboard is the manpower shortage in the MSDF, where long naval careers are shunned. The SDF has suffered a recruitment shortfall of about 20,000 personnel in recent years. The number of recruits for the SDF in fiscal 2023 dipped to a record low of 50.8 percent of the planned recruitment quota. A senior Defense Ministry official said, 'Australia's navy is also understaffed." The official said the 'reduction of manpower will be the greatest weapon in selling to Australia.' (This article was written by Mizuki Sato and Daisuke Yajima.)
Times of Oman
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Australia deploys warships and surveillance aircraft to track Chinese naval task groups near its waters
Canberra: The Australian Navy has deployed three ships and surveillance aircraft to "closely monitor" a Chinese task group operating "near Australia" since mid-February, according to a report by Radio Free Asia (RFA). Richard Marles, also serving as deputy Prime Minister, stated on Thursday that the three Anzac-class frigates - HMAS Stuart, HMAS Warramunga, and HMAS Toowoomba - were tracking the Chinese warships, which were located approximately 500 kilometers (310 miles) northwest of Perth, as reported by RFA. "From the moment this task force entered the vicinity of Australia, in an unprecedented manner, we have been observing their movements," Marles mentioned. "We intend to continue monitoring them as long as they remain in the vicinity of Australia," he added, as cited by RFA. The Chinese task group consists of the Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang, the Renhai-class cruiser Zunyi, and the Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu, according to RFA. A report from RFA indicated that on February 21, they conducted a live-fire drill in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand on very short notice, leading airlines to reroute flights to avoid potential accidents. In response to Canberra's concerns, Chinese officials stated that the warships' operations "have consistently been conducted safely, in a standardized and professional manner, and in line with relevant international laws and practices," as reported by RFA. (ANI) While the Chinese vessels have the right to freedom of navigation under international law, analysts noted that China was signaling its capacity to project military power, as highlighted in the RFA report. "It is evident that China is utilizing this naval deployment of three ships to convey a strategic message to Australia and the wider region that China intends to extend its naval capabilities beyond its coastal waters and into the maritime zones of other countries," remarked Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, according to RFA.
CNN
06-03-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Analysis: China's warships are turning up in unexpected places and alarming US allies. Is this the new normal?
Chinese warships have been circumnavigating Australia's coastline for more than three weeks, passing within 200 miles of Sydney, and staging unprecedented live-fire drills on its doorstep with New Zealand. The exercises, which came without formal notice, have deep caused consternation in both nations. Suddenly, the specter of China's military power was suddenly no longer confined to the distant waters of the South China Sea or the Taiwan Strait – where China's territorial aggression has escalated under leader Xi Jinping – but a stark reality unfolding much closer to home. At the same time, Chinese warships have been sighted near Vietnam and Taiwan, part of a show of Chinese naval strength in the Pacific region that regularly rattles US allies. China was unapologetic and insisted it complied with international law, with state media suggesting Western countries should get used to Chinese warships in nearby waters. In the past, Washington's partners have found comfort in their firm ties with the US, but that was before Donald Trump's explosive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and the US leader's subsequent order to halt aid to Ukraine as it battles Russia's invasion. The bust-up in the Oval Office served to sharpen anxieties in capitals across the Pacific: If the US is willing to turn its back on Ukraine – effectively rewarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggression in Europe – would it do the same in Asia when faced with a belligerent Beijing? Trump's embrace of Russia and his cold shoulder to Europe – driven by a transactional approach that Singapore's defense minister likened to a 'landlord seeking rent' – has heightened trepidation in the Indo-Pacific region, where many nations look to the US to keep Chinese aggression in check. 'It does raise issues as to whether the US will be committed to regional security. And even if the US remains committed, what will the Trump administration ask in return?' said Collin Koh, research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore. Experts say it's a fair question from allies who've long relied on the US to provide security assurances, enabling them to limit their own defense spending. Now might be the time, they add, for American partners, like Australia and New Zealand, to reexamine budgets and tighten regional alliances with other countries that could find themselves exposed as Trump pursues his 'America first' mantra. Australia has made sure the world is aware of China's movements in international waters in the South Pacific, issuing daily location updates from trailing Australian Navy ships and spy planes. Defense Minister Richard Marles said the data would be analyzed to determine exactly what China was doing – and what message it was intending to send. China's ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, maintained that China posed no threat to Australia while signaling that more warship visits should be expected. 'As a major power in this region…it is normal for China to send their vessels to different parts of the region to conduct various kinds of activities,' Xiao told Australia's public broadcaster the ABC. Across the Pacific in Washington, Trump was sending his own message to US partners in Europe that they needed to step up military spending in defense of Ukraine. Before his fractious meeting with Zelensky, Trump had intended to sign mineral resources deal with the Ukrainian leader so that the US could recoup some of the cost of its aid to Ukraine since Russia's invasion. But the signing ceremony was abandoned, with Trump telling Zelensky on his social platform Truth Social to 'come back when he is ready for Peace.' By subsequently cutting off military aid to Ukraine, Trump was seeking to force rich European nations to shoulder more of the load, say experts. 'He believes they have all been free riding off the United States for half a century,' said Peter Dean, the director of foreign policy and defense at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. The move seemed to reap rewards when on Tuesday the European Union unveiled a plan to allow member states to borrow €150 billion ($158 billion) to boost their defense spending and 'massively step up' their military support for Kyiv. Dean says Trump wants a deal for peace in Ukraine; however, he's ignoring Zelensky's concerns about the longevity of that peace without measures to keep Putin in check. 'It seems to be that (Trump) almost wants peace at any price, rather than a peace that is fair and equitable, or a peace that you keep,' he said. 'The question is, what does the deal look like? And that's what everyone's worried about. How much is he willing to trade away?' As Trump upends the transatlantic alliance – a pillar of Western security for decades – his administration has signaled that the US should wrap up conflicts elsewhere to focus on deterring China in the Pacific. The urgency of that aim was highlighted by China's latest flexing of its military muscle. 'It's a test of resolve, for sure,' said Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at RSIS in Singapore, of China's military drills. 'China (is) carving out a sphere of influence in the Pacific to test to see if countries in the region are going to resist it.' Even before Trump's clash with Zelensky, the presence of Chinese warships on its southern coast had turned Australia's attention to AUKUS, its multibillion-dollar security deal with the US and the United Kingdom. Concerns had flared about whether the deal could withstand the whims of Trump's White House when a British reporter asked the US president if he and his UK counterpart had spoken about AUKUS. 'What does that mean?' Trump replied. The incident was later brushed off by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as an issue of accents. 'I think we're going to have to limit the questions to Americans he can understand,' he said. Dean, from the University of Sydney, said it's no bad thing that Trump wasn't across the acronym because the deal already has the fulsome support of his closest advisers. That support was cemented by Australia's first down payment of $500 million to bolster America's submarine production, with the agreement that some nuclear-powered subs will be sold to Australia to boost its military capability in the Indo-Pacific. It's the kind of deal Trump will want to focus on in the future, Dean said. 'He's looking to make money for the United States, and he's looking to do better deals. And AUKUS is a bit of an exemplar deal for them,' Dean said. 'For the Europeans, I wouldn't underestimate Donald Trump looking at this and going, if the Australians can do this, why can't you?' Elsewhere across the Pacific, US allies appeared unsettled by the extraordinary scenes in the Oval Office. Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba struck a cautious tone on Monday, insisting he had 'no intention of taking sides' when asked about the Trump-Zelensky clash. Yet, he vowed to do his utmost to 'maintain US involvement and promote unity' among the Group of Seven nations – hinting at growing disquiet over the fracturing of the Western alliance. 'Today's Ukraine could be tomorrow's East Asia,' he added. 'We must also consider steadily increasing our deterrent power to prevent war.' Japan, which has territorial disputes with China in the East China Sea, has raised concern about increasing Chinese military maneuvers in its nearby waters. Last year, a Chinese aircraft carrier entered Japan's contiguous waters for the first time. South Korea, another US ally in East Asia, declined to comment on the meeting between Trump and Zelensky but said it was closely monitoring US suspension of military aid to Ukraine. Trump has repeatedly called on allies like South Korea to pay more for US troops stationed on their territory. In a speech to Congress on Wednesday, he once again made a veiled threat while referencing what he called unfair tariffs South Korea places on US goods – something Seoul denies. 'We give so much help military and in so many other ways to South Korea. But that's what happened, this is happening by friend and foe,' Trump said. In Taiwan, the self-governing democracy China has vowed to one day absorb, Defense Minister Wellington Koo tried to reassure confidence despite what he described as 'rapid and bizarre changes' in the international landscape. 'I think the United States won't retreat from the Indo-Pacific region, because this is its core interests,' he told reporters in a briefing Tuesday, citing shared interests with Washington in economic development, geopolitics and US military security. But Koo also nodded to Trump's 'America first' stance. 'In international politics, we also deeply realize that we can't just talk about values and not talk about interests. Of course, the United States must value its own national interests,' he added. Experts say the US has become frustrated at having to shoulder the weight of other countries who fail to contribute to their own defense. 'The Trump administration has made clear its lack of tolerance. It's had no tolerance for free riders,' said Thompson, from RSIS in Singapore. 'I think the countries that get that message clearest and fastest are the ones that are going to be the good partners of the United States, because it's not like the US is abandoning allies. What the US is doing is prioritizing its most capable ones,' Thompson said. CNN's Wayne Chang, Yoonjung Seo and Yumi Asada contributed reporting.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
China's warships are turning up in unexpected places and alarming US allies. Is this the new normal?
Chinese warships have been circumnavigating Australia's coastline for more than three weeks, passing within 200 miles of Sydney, and staging unprecedented live-fire drills on its doorstep with New Zealand. The exercises, which came without formal notice, has deep caused consternation in both nations. Suddenly, the specter of China's military power was suddenly no longer confined to the distant waters of the South China Sea or the Taiwan Strait – where China's territorial aggression has escalated under leader Xi Jinping – but a stark reality unfolding much closer to home. At the same time, Chinese warships have been sighted near Vietnam and Taiwan, part of a show of Chinese naval strength in the Pacific region that regularly rattles US allies. China was unapologetic and insisted it complied with international law, with state media suggesting Western countries should get used to Chinese warships in nearby waters. In the past, Washington's partners have found comfort in their firm ties with the US, but that was before Donald Trump's explosive meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and the US leader's subsequent order to halt aid to Ukraine as it battles Russia's invasion. The bust-up in the Oval Office served to sharpen anxieties in capitals across the Pacific: If the US is willing to turn its back on Ukraine – effectively rewarding Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggression in Europe – would it do the same in Asia when faced with a belligerent Beijing? Trump's embrace of Russia and his cold shoulder to Europe – driven by a transactional approach that Singapore's defense minister likened to a 'landlord seeking rent' – has heightened trepidation in the Indo-Pacific region, where many nations look to the US to keep Chinese aggression in check. 'It does raise issues as to whether the US will be committed to regional security. And even if the US remains committed, what will the Trump administration ask in return?' said Collin Koh, research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore. Experts say it's a fair question from allies who've long relied on the US to provide security assurances, enabling them to limit their own defense spending. Now might be the time, they add, for American partners, like Australia and New Zealand, to reexamine budgets and tighten regional alliances with other countries that could find themselves exposed as Trump pursues his 'America first' mantra. Australia has made sure the world is aware of China's movements in international waters in the South Pacific, issuing daily location updates from trailing Australian Navy ships and spy planes. Defense Minister Richard Marles said the data would be analyzed to determine exactly what China was doing – and what message it was intending to send. China's ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, maintained that China posed no threat to Australia while signaling that more warship visits should be expected. 'As a major power in this region…it is normal for China to send their vessels to different parts of the region to conduct various kinds of activities,' Xiao told Australia's public broadcaster the ABC. Across the Pacific in Washington, Trump was sending his own message to US partners in Europe that they needed to step up military spending in defense of Ukraine. Before his fractious meeting with Zelensky, Trump had intended to sign mineral resources deal with the Ukrainian leader so that the US could recoup some of the cost of its aid to Ukraine since Russia's invasion. But the signing ceremony was abandoned, with Trump telling Zelensky on his social platform Truth Social to 'come back when he is ready for Peace.' By subsequently cutting off military aid to Ukraine, Trump was seeking to force rich European nations to shoulder more of the load, say experts. 'He believes they have all been free riding off the United States for half a century,' said Peter Dean, the director of foreign policy and defense at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. The move seemed to reap rewards when on Tuesday the European Union unveiled a plan to allow member states to borrow €150 billion ($158 billion) to boost their defense spending and 'massively step up' their military support for Kyiv. Dean says Trump wants a deal for peace in Ukraine; however, he's ignoring Zelensky's concerns about the longevity of that peace without measures to keep Putin in check. 'It seems to be that (Trump) almost wants peace at any price, rather than a peace that is fair and equitable, or a peace that you keep,' he said. 'The question is, what does the deal look like? And that's what everyone's worried about. How much is he willing to trade away?' As Trump upends the transatlantic alliance – a pillar of Western security for decades – his administration has signaled that the US should wrap up conflicts elsewhere to focus on deterring China in the Pacific. The urgency of that aim was highlighted by China's latest flexing of its military muscle. 'It's a test of resolve, for sure,' said Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at RSIS in Singapore, of China's military drills. 'China (is) carving out a sphere of influence in the Pacific to test to see if countries in the region are going to resist it.' Even before Trump's clash with Zelensky, the presence of Chinese warships on its southern coast had turned Australia's attention to AUKUS, its multibillion-dollar security deal with the US and the United Kingdom. Concerns had flared about whether the deal could withstand the whims of Trump's White House when a British reporter asked the US president if he and his UK counterpart had spoken about AUKUS. 'What does that mean?' Trump replied. The incident was later brushed off by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as an issue of accents. 'I think we're going to have to limit the questions to Americans he can understand,' he said. Dean, from the University of Sydney, said it's no bad thing that Trump wasn't across the acronym because the deal already has the fulsome support of his closest advisers. That support was cemented by Australia's first down payment of $500 million to bolster America's submarine production, with the agreement that some nuclear-powered subs will be sold to Australia to boost its military capability in the Indo-Pacific. It's the kind of deal Trump will want to focus on in the future, Dean said. 'He's looking to make money for the United States, and he's looking to do better deals. And AUKUS is a bit of an exemplar deal for them,' Dean said. 'For the Europeans, I wouldn't underestimate Donald Trump looking at this and going, if the Australians can do this, why can't you?' Elsewhere across the Pacific, US allies appeared unsettled by the extraordinary scenes in the Oval Office. Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba struck a cautious tone on Monday, insisting he had 'no intention of taking sides' when asked about the Trump-Zelensky clash. Yet, he vowed to do his utmost to 'maintain US involvement and promote unity' among the Group of Seven nations – hinting at growing disquiet over the fracturing of the Western alliance. 'Today's Ukraine could be tomorrow's East Asia,' he added. 'We must also consider steadily increasing our deterrent power to prevent war.' Japan, which has territorial disputes with China in the East China Sea, has raised concern about increasing Chinese military maneuvers in its nearby waters. Last year, a Chinese aircraft carrier entered Japan's contiguous waters for the first time. South Korea, another US ally in East Asia, declined to comment on the meeting between Trump and Zelensky but said it was closely monitoring US suspension of military aid to Ukraine. Trump has repeatedly called on allies like South Korea to pay more for US troops stationed on their territory. In a speech to Congress on Wednesday, he once again made a veiled threat while referencing what he called unfair tariffs South Korea places on US goods – something Seoul denies. 'We give so much help military and in so many other ways to South Korea. But that's what happened, this is happening by friend and foe,' Trump said. In Taiwan, the self-governing democracy China has vowed to one day absorb, Defense Minister Wellington Koo tried to reassure confidence despite what he described as 'rapid and bizarre changes' in the international landscape. 'I think the United States won't retreat from the Indo-Pacific region, because this is its core interests,' he told reporters in a briefing Tuesday, citing shared interests with Washington in economic development, geopolitics and US military security. But Koo also nodded to Trump's 'America first' stance. 'In international politics, we also deeply realize that we can't just talk about values and not talk about interests. Of course, the United States must value its own national interests,' he added. Experts say the US has become frustrated at having to shoulder the weight of other countries who fail to contribute to their own defense. 'The Trump administration has made clear its lack of tolerance. It's had no tolerance for free riders,' said Thompson, from RSIS in Singapore. 'I think the countries that get that message clearest and fastest are the ones that are going to be the good partners of the United States, because it's not like the US is abandoning allies. What the US is doing is prioritizing its most capable ones,' Thompson said. CNN's Wayne Chang, Yoonjung Seo and Yumi Asada contributed reporting.
