Latest news with #alliances
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
China's ‘tank boats' and a Royal Navy carrier in the Pacific: Keys to UK security
There is a perpetual battle being fought across Whitehall between those for whom foreign policy stops at Dover and those who understand the global nature of trade and alliances and the requirement to secure them. Not surprisingly, most naval officers are in the latter group. We tend to think that the UK should be able to project power far away for many reasons. To begin with, foreign trade in goods and services represents more than 60 per cent of our GDP. Nearly all those goods move by ship or seabed connections, and nearly all those services are nowadays dependent on undersea connections too. Without maritime power, most of our economy is hostage to fortune – it can only function with the consent of others. Then there is the matter of alliances. It's best, of course, to deter enemies and not have wars. Strong alliances make for strong deterrence: but this means that allies must be able to defend each other, not just themselves. The ability to take action away from home is necessary here. And we belong to other alliances than just Nato: we have just signed a new defence treaty with Australia, for example. There are others in the Indo-Pacific who should be able to rely on our assistance, as we have been able to rely on theirs. We should not forget Michael Joseph Savage, New Zealand's prime minister in 1939, who made this statement when Britain declared war on Germany: 'Both with gratitude for the past and confidence in the future, we range ourselves without fear beside Britain. Where she goes, we go. Where she stands, we stand.' Friends like that are worth defending when it's their turn to be in trouble. Australia and New Zealand are also both part of the 'Five Eyes' intelligence alliance along with us, the US and Canada. If you don't think the Five Eyes alliance is important to the UK's security, I can only put it like this: you are wrong. But still, even today's world of daily cyber-attacks on the UK and weekly attacks on undersea infrastructure in UK waters and in the Baltic has yet to convince many people of our need to be able to take action at a distance. Even the war in Europe and the movements of dark fleet shipping through seas near and far to fund it does not seem to have registered: most of the party in government think that welfare payments are more important. Showing that interest is inversely proportional to distance, contested sea lanes in the Black and Red Seas, the High North and most recently, the Strait of Hormuz attract even less interest. By the time you get to the Indo-Pacific, studied indifference has often been replaced by a more vocal 'nothing to do with us'. But there's a lot going on out there. Chinese People's Liberation Army 'tank boats' have just been conducting high-speed amphibious beach landings and live-fire drills across the strait from Taiwan. These appear to be ZTD-05 amphibious light tanks which can be launched from a variety of vessels out at sea and then drive up the beach. As watercraft their low freeboard and top weight would both give me sleepless nights, and as tanks they are probably not that great either. You would only have them if they were essential to some mission you wanted to carry out: and there is really only one mission for China's ZTD-05s. There are those who say that China will never invade Taiwan, but it's hard to believe this given the sheer amount of military equipment they are making which can have no other purpose. And Taiwan does matter to us, in fact. We still (just) remain among the top ten manufacturing nations in the world. One reason for this is companies like Arm of Cambridge, which expects its chips to account for more than 50 per cent of the entire world's data centre CPU market this year. Almost all mobile phones include at least one Arm chip. But Arm is a 'fabless' chip designer: its chips are actually made by other companies, an awful lot of them in Taiwan. At roughly the same time as the tank boat exercises, Taiwan was conducting the 41 st annual Han Kuang wargames designed specifically to strengthen defences against invasion from the mainland. In the longest and largest version yet, 22,000 reservists were mobilised. Initially the drills were focused on how to counter the actions of the Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia whose harassment of ships across the region continues to get worse: this past week has just seen a People's Liberation Army Navy Type 815G electronic surveillance ship, escorted by a China Coast Guard cutter Zhaojun-class 4203, intercepted in Philippine waters. The Taiwanese exercise then simulated escalation, finishing with a full scale anti-landing operation. The PLA practising this exact operation at the same time just across the way presumably acted as a useful motivational training aid. Meanwhile the 2025 version of the biennial Exercise Talisman Sabre is underway. Some 35,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen from 19 countries, among them our very own Carrier Strike Group, are involved. Our carrier capability has its flaws and failings, but HMS Prince of Wales is still home right now to the largest carrier-borne group of fifth generation jets in the world. The exercise will include the usual array of anti-submarine, surface and air drills, live firings, amphibious landings and air combat operations. Lieutenant General Joel B Vowell, Deputy Commanding General, US Army Pacific, summarised it thus: 'It's effectively a deterrent mechanism, because our ultimate goal, part two here, is no war.' This is alliance in action. So in fact Operation Highmast – our deployment of our Carrier Strike Group to the far side of the world – is very important to our economy and our security here in Britain. Sending up to 4,500 of our service people and all their kit across the world comes with a bill, of course. Much of that cost will only appear after the deployment ends as hard worked ships, aircraft and personnel all need recuperation. If you don't get the importance of the Indo-Pacific, of Taiwan and Australia and New Zealand and so on to the UK, despite the things above I've outlined – and the thousands that I haven't – then that cost is all you will see. The point of this article is to show how interwoven the world's oceans and nations are. A Royal Navy which can (or does) only operate in the North Atlantic or the Channel is not doing the job this nation needs it to. The Houthis have successfully forced much of the world's trade out of the Red Sea onto the much longer route around Africa: that includes a lot of our trade. Even just talk of the Strait of Hormuz closing affects world oil and liquefied gas prices – and that includes a lot of gas that we (and our friends) need to replace Russian pipeline supplies. The ability of Western navies to project power not just into the Taiwan Strait but the Malacca Strait figures large in strategic thinking in Beijing: more than half of China's imports, including the great bulk of its seaborne oil, come through Malacca. This is why China is building a powerful blue-water navy: they know that such a navy is a vital part of their national security. We need to re-learn the same lesson.
Wall Street Journal
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
How China's Military Is Flexing Its Power in the Pacific
HONG KONG—China's military is extending its reach deeper into the Pacific, sending ships and aircraft into new territory in a push that has spurred the U.S. to strengthen defenses and alliances in the region. Beijing has long resented what it sees as interference by the U.S. and its allies in its traditional sphere of influence in the Asia-Pacific region. Now, it is asserting itself more aggressively in its backyard while also pushing well beyond longstanding geographical limits of its military.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Everything You Need To Know About the ‘Big Brother' 27 Cast Before the Season Premiere
The doors to the Big Brother house are open once more. The reality TV show is back for another season—the show's 27th to be exact—and so are the alliances, backstabbing, and general shenanigans. Oh, and so is the crippling anxiety of watching the first few episodes and not being able to keep any of the contestants straight. If you want to avoid that last one, you've come to the right place. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Big Brother season 27 cast—and how to stalk them on Instagram. This season has recruited an eclectic group of players, from Aura Painter Ava Pearl to 'Dungeon Master' Keanu Soto, and, personally, I can't wait to see who gets along and who becomes mortal enemies. Check back in as the season progresses to find out who gets evicted. Big Brother 27 airs on CBS Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, with live evictions every 25 Hometown: Sarasota, FL (but currently lives in Washington, D.C.) Occupation: AI Consultant Instagram: @jimmyheagertyAge: 23 Hometown: San Antonio, TX Occupation: Carpenter Instagram: @livinglifewithadrianAge: 34 Hometown: West Hills, CA Occupation: Unemployed Instagram: @vinnypanaroAge: 23 Hometown: Gwinnett County, GA (but currently lives in Columbia, SC) Occupation: Fine Dining Server Instagram: @katherinewoodmanAge: 29 Hometown: Burbank, SD Occupation: Web Designer Instagram: @kelleyjorgensenAge: 43 Hometown: Stockton, CA Occupation: Insurance Agent Instagram: @ 22 Hometown: Lafayette, LA Occupation: Bridal Consultant Instagram: @lauren_domingueAge: 33 Hometown: Palm Springs, CA (but currently lives in Los Angeles, CA) Occupation: Gamer Instagram: @_modelmorgAge: 24 Hometown: Long Island, NY (but currently lives in New York, NY) Occupation: Aura Painter Instagram: @childofvenusandmarsAge: 33 Hometown: Miami, FL (but currently lives in McKinney, TX) Occupation: Dungeon Master Instagram: @keanureysotoAge: 50 Hometown: Wallace, SC (but currently lives in Charlotte, NC) Occupation: College Sports Podcaster Instagram: @gamecockstalkwithcaptainwillAge: 27 Hometown: Cartersville, GA Occupation: Marketing Manager Instagram: @zcorn_29Age: 35 Hometown: Jacksonville, FL (but currently lives in Atlanta, GA) Occupation: Event Curator Instagram: @themickeycleeAge: 25 Hometown: Chicago, IL (but currently lives in New York, NY) Occupation: Attorney Instagram: @ashleyhollis_Age: 23 Hometown: Paducha, KY (but currently lives in Provo, UT) Occupation: Salesperson Instagram: @zae_fredAge: 27 Hometown: Luther, OK Occupation: Professional Bull Rider Instagram: @rylie_jeffriesNo, host Julie Chen Moonves won't be heading into the Big Brother House this season, but for our purposes, she's being used as a stand-in to the mystery contestant who is rumored to be introduced in the premiere. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Julie would only say that this other contestant was 'very polarizing.' You Might Also Like Here's What NOT to Wear to a Wedding Meet the Laziest, Easiest Acne Routine You'll Ever Try
Bloomberg
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Is the Shine Coming Off the US-Japan ‘Golden Age'?
'A friendship like few others' is how President Donald Trump described the US-Japan relationship in January, declaring his confidence that 'the cherished alliances between our two countries will continue to flourish long into the future!' Not even half a year later, is the shine already coming off what was heralded as a new 'golden age' of ties between the two nations?
CNA
20-06-2025
- Politics
- CNA
CNA Correspondent - The Shangri-La Dialogue: Speed dating for defence officials
Tensions, absences and quiet chats at Asia's premier security summit. The US sent Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth but China left its defence minister at home for this year's summit. CNA's Olivia Siong and Leong Wai Kit tell Arnold Gay whether Dong Jun's absence affected Beijing's messaging and why the summit is similar to speed dating, with defence officials meeting and mingling to seal alliances and agreements.
