Latest news with #SamuelPaparo
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.
Daily Mirror
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Top admiral's chilling warning China will soon be able to defeat US in war
Amid growing concerns about China's preparation for an invasion of Taiwan, a US Navy admiral, Samuel Paparo, has warned the US won't be able to protect the contested island for much longer The US may no longer have the ability to protect Taiwan from China should a war break out over the contested island in the South China Sea. It comes amid rumours that Beijing may be close to plotting a full-scale invasion of the island, which it claims is Chinese territory, after reports of its military amassing warships and submarines. Top US Navy Admiral Samuel Paparo, who commands the Indo-Pacific Command, says the US' current dominance could be shortlived. He said the US would best China if a war broke out now, but that wouldn't always be the case and it could soon lose its advantage. The Financial Times cited him saying: 'The United States will prevail in the conflict as it stands now, with the force that we have right now.' 'Our trajectory on . . . really every force element that is salient is a bad trajectory,' he warned colleagues at the McCain Institute's Sedona Forum on Friday in Arizona. Over recent years, China has dramatically increased its defence spending, splashing out huge amounts on warships and submarines. However, the US, the country spending the most money on defence each year by a huge majority, appears as though it can't keep up. For the 1.8 warships built by the US in a 12-month period, China is able to knock out six. Beijing can also produce two submarines for America's 1.4. It comes after another top US general voiced his concerns about the increasingly "aggressive" military drills that China has been holding to simulate a blockade of Taiwan. He noted that these exercises have often left him and fellow senior military leaders 'speechless'. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, General Ronald P Clark, the newly appointed Commanding General of US Army Pacific, highlighted that the frequency of these war games has escalated tensions in the South China Sea region. Since 2022, such manoeuvers by China have become a routine affair, and the presence of Chinese fighter jets, naval ships, coast guard vessels, and drones is now a near-daily occurrence around Taiwan. The threat of invasion looms larger than ever with China considering Taiwan part of its domain, despite Taiwan's self-perception as independent. In his interview, General Clark expressed amazement at the audacity of these moves, admitting, "These are extraordinary times," and acknowledging that the actions of China's military sometimes "really leave you speechless at times.", reports the Express US. He added that the thought of China attempting such bold operations was unbelievable five years ago, but today it is a new normal, stating, "now it's commonplace that the PLA (People's Liberation Army) would make a move like that".
Scottish Sun
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
China will soon be able to defeat the US in a war over Taiwan – they are preparing to invade, warns top US admiral
CHINA will soon be able to defeat the US in a war over Taiwan, a top US admiral has warned. The chilling warning comes amid fears that China is preparing for a full-scale invasion of the island as it masses warships and submarines. 6 Taiwanese tanks parade the streets in Taipei Credit: AFP 6 Taiwanese US-made tank during the military exercises on Taiwan's Penghu Islands Credit: AFP 6 China's aircraft carrier Liaoning during a military drill Credit: Reuters 6 Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel Paparo, raised the alarm at the McCain Institute's annual Sedona Forum in Arizona on Friday. The admiral said that while the US would defeat China in a war over Taiwan now, it may soon lose its advantage, as reported by the Financial Times. Paparo said: 'The United States will prevail in the conflict as it stands now, with the force that we have right now.' But he added: 'Our trajectory on . . . really every force element that is salient is a bad trajectory.' China has ramped up its production of weapons including warships and submarines - and the US doesn't seem to be able to keep up. According to Paparo, for every 1.8 warships made in the US each year China builds an impressive six. And for every 1.4 submarines made in the US, it builds two. The warning comes as China continues to expand its military exercises around Taiwan, as fears of an invasion mount. Paparo fuelled fears of an attack, saying that Beijing is rehearsing "the full spectrum of military operations" - from a direct invasion of the island to a naval blockade. This comes as Taiwan reported at least 19 Chinese warships as well as the large Shandong aircraft carrier patrolling nearby last month. Total blockade, mega-barges & 2 million troops… How Taiwan invasion would unfold as island warns of all-out war by 2027 This marked the biggest number of enemy vessels seen in a 24-hour period since last May - part of China's chilling war games. But the US admiral hinted that Taiwan wouldn't be on their own if China invaded. When asked whether the US would support military intervention in Taiwan, he responded: 'A lesson in history is that people are always saying America will never get in a fight, but it's not the track record.' But if China continues to ramp up its weapons production the US may not be able to protect the island. And China may have more weapons than previously thought. Why does China want to invade Taiwan? TAIWAN insists it is an independent nation after splitting from mainland China amid civil war in 1949. But China claims Taiwan remains a part of its territory with which it must eventually be reunified - and has not ruled out the use of force to take the island and place it under Beijing's control. The island, which is roughly 100 miles from the coast of south-east China, sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders. Taiwan sits in the so-called "first island chain", which includes a list of US-friendly territories that are crucial to Washington's foreign policy in the region. This also puts it in an ideal situation to slow a Chinese attack on the West. And with tensions between the two nations high, Taiwan is likely to aid China's enemy if it means keeping its independence. Taiwan's economy is another factor in China's desperation to reclaim the land. If China takes the island, it could be freer to project power in the western Pacific and rival the US, thanks to much of the world's electronics being made in Taiwan. This would allow Beijing to have control over an industry that drives the global economy. China insists that its intentions are peaceful, but President Xi Jinping has also used threats towards the small island nation. Google Maps images exposed China's secret submarine fleet back in April. The shocking pictures showed six nuke boats massed at a Chinese base. These included two of the deadly Type 091 submarines, two Type 093A and one chillingly unidentified submarine. The base - dubbed the First Submarine Base - is located 18km east of Qingdao in the Yellow Sea, meaning there's easy access to the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan. Australian independent naval analyst Alex Luck posted the shocking images to X. In the post, he said that five nuclear-powered subs seen on the base were conventionally armed. Taiwan insists it is an independent nation after splitting from mainland China amid civil war in 1949. But China claims Taiwan remains a part of its territory with which it must eventually be reunified - and has not ruled out the use of force to take the island and place it under Beijing's control. China insists that its intentions are peaceful, but President Xi Jinping has also waged a "war of words" on the small island nation. In this years New Year's address, President Xi said that the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family. And he has previously called the independence of Taiwan a futile effort and that annexation by Beijing is a "historical inevitability". 6 Taiwanese soldiers in front of inscriptions reading 'immediate action' Credit: AFP
