🌏🚤 Notable developments in the Indo-Pacific last week:

- China conducted back-to-back joint combat patrols 24nm from Taiwan on the same day for the first time
- 59 PLA aircraft detected around Taiwan + 43 entered its ADIZ on Monday, largest single-day surge of 2025 + highest in 5 months
- Recent PLA military drills in the Taiwan Strait, Western Pacific, South China Sea, East China Sea, + Yellow/Bohai Sea
- New Shuiqiao landing barges carrying out docking trials with civil-military RO-RO ferries
- Elevated PLA drone activity, including WZ-10 + GJ-2

Taiwan recently wrapped up a week of “Rapid Response Exercises,” practicing tactical maneuvers, key asset protection, concealment, and cover operations to enhance readiness and response capabilities. MND said: “ROC Armed Forces closely monitor maritime and aerial activities, conducting joint operations to track and respond to PLA incursions.”

China’s foreign ministry stated: “China’s relevant military operation is necessary, lawful and legitimate in order to defend national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. It’s a firm response to external forces who are hellbent on abetting and aiding ‘Taiwan independence,’ and a warning to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces’ unconscionable acts... Those who attempt to use Taiwan to contain China will get burned for playing with fire.”

https://fxtwitter.com/ianellisjones/status/1903978064217772162

🇺🇸🇬🇱 U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Greenland:

Denmark, which controls Greenland, is not doing its job, it’s not being a good ally.

If that means that we need to take more territorial interests in Greenland, that is what President Trump is going to do.

Because he doesn’t care about what the European scream at us.

🔗 Clash Report

🇵🇱💣‼️🇧🇾 — 📰 Remix News | Poland to lay up to 1 million anti-personnel mines on its eastern border, says deputy defense minister | Poland will reportedly deploy up to one million anti-personnel mines along its eastern border as part of its East Shield defense initiative after withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention | March 19, 2025:

"Poland is preparing to lay up to one million anti-personnel mines along its eastern border as part of its newly announced East Shield defense initiative, according to Paweł Bejda, secretary of state at the Ministry of National Defense.

The decision comes as Poland, alongside Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, withdraws from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use, production, and transfer of such mines.

“We have no choice. The situation at the border is very serious. Mines will be one of the elements of the East Shield,” Bejda stated in an interview with RMF FM, highlighting Poland’s increasing focus on fortifying its defenses against potential threats from Russia and Belarus."

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👔📝🇫🇷💣 — 📰 ZeroHedge | Macron Unveils Major Nuclear Expansion By 2035 | March 22, 2025:

"France has talked a big, hawkish anti-Russia game of late, but this week President Macron has actually backed up the rhetoric with action, but which brings Europe another step closer to nuclear escalation with Moscow.

France unveiled earlier this week plans to establish a new nuclear-capable air base, which will be its fourth, also to be home to two squadrons of the latest version of its domestic-made Dassault Rafale multirole fighter.

France plans to invest around 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) to establish the new nuke-capable installation. A moment, the three air bases equipped with secure weapons storage for nuclear missiles are: Saint-Dizier, Istres, and Avord."

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🇫🇷⚡️💣🕊 — 📰 Politico | France to reopen fourth nuclear air base as Europe rushes to rearm | Emmanuel Macron announces site near Germany will be modernized to host nukes amid fears Donald Trump will desert the continent | March 18, 2025:

"France will modernize one of the country's main air bases so it can host nuclear weapons, French President Emmanuel Macron announced Tuesday.

"The Luxeuil air base is about to be upgraded in an unprecedented way and regain its full role in France's nuclear deterrent," he said, speaking from the area, adding it will need a "massive investment" to house two squadrons of Rafale jets able to carry nuclear weapons.

(...)

Announcing the storage of modern nuclear missiles on an air base less than 200 kilometers from the German border is strategic signalling. It also comes after Germany's chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz said he wanted to hold talks about France's nuclear deterrent as fears grow of a U.S. retreat from the continent."

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🇺🇸❌🇻🇪❗️ — United States President Donald J Trump announces new massive tariffs on the Chavista-ruled Venezuela, rightfully pointing out that Venezuelan Regime has purposefully deceitfully sent thousands of criminals operating under Venezuelan Intelligence as Tren de Aragua (now classified as a Foreign Terror organization)

Donald Trump also announces that any country that purchases Oil and/or Gas from Venezuela will be forced to pay a Tariff of 25% to the United States!

🇷🇺📞🇺🇸 — Russia-USA talks in Saudi Arabia just finished after 12 hours.

🇪🇺📞✈️ — Airbus Defence & Space CEO: European nations are exploring options to replace US Space assets like Starlink and strategic airlift capabilities.

🇺🇸/🇺🇦 President Trump says a rare earths deal with Ukraine has been reached and will be signed shortly.

🔗 The Kobeissi Letter

🇪🇺🚫🇭🇺🚫🇪🇺🤝🇺🇦 — 📰 Politico | Europe’s new unanimity: Orbán doesn’t need to agree | If the Hungarian prime minister wants to go it alone, he’s very welcome to, diplomats say | March 20, 2025:

"(...) Rules that normally require all 27 EU countries to agree on a joint statement for it to be issued on behalf of the European Council were firmly in the crosshairs two weeks ago, when he attempted to derail proposals for Europe to fill the gap left by an American aid cutoff for Kyiv.

Then though, a text agreed by the remaining 26 countries was appended to the other resolutions, which were unanimously agreed. And while Hungary opted out, it was still issued as a formal European Council conclusion. That tactic seems to be working and diplomats told POLITICO they intend to use it again.

"The statement on Ukraine today will be issued as an annex on behalf of the 26," said one senior EU diplomat, granted anonymity to discuss Thursday's closed-door talks. "This is the new normal. And it is useful when it comes to political intent. Maybe down the line though we will encounter other problems."

Meanwhile, a top EU official added, Hungary's objections are being priced in — and quickly ignored.

"After March 6, no one has any doubts that there is divergence with one member state. The objective should always be to have conclusions at 27 — if it’s not possible, if the strategic division is maintained, and we have all the indications that it is maintained, that we would move forward at 26," the official said."

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🇪🇪🇱🇻🇱🇹🇵🇱🇷🇴🗯🇪🇺 — 📰 ZeroHedge | Europe's Reported Plan To Replace The US In NATO Ignores The Interests Of Five Key Countries | Authored by Andrew Korybko via Substack | March 23, 2025:

"It’s strongly implied that Poland, the Baltic States, and Romania prefer to remain under the US’ security umbrella...

The Financial Times (FT) cited four unnamed European officials to report that “European military powers work on 5-10 year plan to replace US in Nato”. The UK, France, Germany, and the Nordic nations are named as those that want to present this proposal to the US during the next NATO Summit in June. They also reported that some countries have refused to participate in these talks either out of fear that this could encourage the US to move faster in this regard or due to their belief that it won’t abandon Europe.

FT is likely referring to Poland, the Baltic States, and Romania, the most important countries on NATO’s eastern flank, all of whom prefer to remain under the US’ security umbrella. Poland’s recent flirtation with France could herald a full-blown pivot if the ruling liberal-globalists win May’s presidential election, but for now it functions as an attempt to rebalance ties with the US amidst uncertainty over its future plans. It can also be seen as a misguided negotiation tactic to keep and expand the US’ military presence."


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