Tag: Project Myoushu

Trump appoints Brent Sadler, a Project 2025 contributor, to MARAD

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Trump Appoints Top Naval Strategist Brent Sadler To MARAD

Sadler, a veteran naval officer and senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation (the think take behind Project 2025 but also several maritime initiatives), has been one of the few voices in Washington consistently beating the drum on maritime readiness, sealift capacity, and the critical role of the U.S. Merchant Marine in strategic competition. He’s not just another bureaucrat with a résumé. He’s a serious policy strategist who understands that America bleeds influence without hulls in the water, flags on sterns, and skilled mariners at the helm.

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Duterte Arrest Raises Stakes in Clash for Control of Philippines

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)
YouTube

Duterte Arrest Raises Stakes in Clash for Control of Philippines

Three years ago, the most powerful political families in the Philippines joined hands to secure the nation’s biggest election victory in four decades. Now they are locked in a feud that threatens to derail one of Asia’s economic growth stars.

In dramatic events on Tuesday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s government arrested and deported his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte to face the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The move came just over a month after the impeachment of his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, by allies of Marcos. A Senate trial, which would determine whether she gets removed from office, is scheduled to begin in July.

The Philippines Inaugurates New President Marcos Jr.
Sara Duterte, left, with Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2022. Photographer: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images
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China’s stealth destroyer lurks 124 miles off Sydney’s coast

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

A Chinese naval task force, consisting of the Type 055 guided-missile destroyer Type 055, a Type 054A frigate, and a Type 903A replenishment ship, has been spotted operating approximately 124 miles [200 kilometers] east of Sydney, Australia.

China’s stealth destroyer lurks 124 miles off Sydney’s coast

Previously:

Chinese Navy Helicopter Intercepts Philippine Cessna Over Scarborough Shoal + Embedded Journalism

The aerial incident follows a week of multilateral activities between the Philippines and its allies in the South China Sea. These drills included back-to-back joint patrols with American, Japanese, Australian and Canadian forces. A U.S. Air Force bomber task force mission composed of two B-1Bs and Philippine Air Force fighter jets drilled off Luzon earlier this month. The Royal Australian Air Force also reported an unsafe interception incident with a People’s Liberation Army Air Force J-16 fighter over the contested waters last week.

Chinese Navy Helicopter Intercepts Philippine Cessna Over Scarborough Shoal + Embedded Journalism

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Chinese Navy Helicopter Intercepts Philippine Cessna Over Scarborough Shoal by Aaron-Matthew Lariosa

The People’s Liberation Army Navy Z-9 utility helicopter that intercepted the Philippine Cessna. Photo Courtesy of Camille Elemia.

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A People’s Liberation Army Navy Z-9 utility helicopter intercepted the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Cessna 208B Grand Caravan during a routine patrol mission over Scarborough Shoal today at 8:39 a.m. local time, according to Philippine officials. A number of Philippine journalists [embedded journalists] were on board the Cessna during the encounter, which saw the Chinese helicopter fly as close as three meters from the turboprop aircraft. Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela described China’s actions as “dangerous flight maneuvers” and blasted the conduct as a disregard to international aviation regulations.

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PH: Stratbase, CIPE (NED), and the Belt and Road Initiative

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

LinkedIn

07-31-2024: If it’s bad business, it’s bad for the Philippines (archived)

Our organization, the Stratbase ADR Institute, received an award from the prestigious Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), one of the four core institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy in Washington, DC. We were recognized for our research, advocacy, and strategic communication on four infrastructure projects entered into by the Philippines, during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, under the Belt and Road Initiative of China.

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The Philippines has currently withdrawn from the Belt and Road Initiative and the current administration has been careful to consider other partners aside from China.

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Victor Andres “Dindo” C. Manhit is the president of the Stratbase ADR Institute.

Just like the National Endowment for Democracy, CIPE has been scrubbing their website. Search for the Philippines and click on the results. Most of the links are missing.

Related:

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US moves Typhon missile launchers to new strategic site in Philippines

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)
Reuters

The Typhon launchers, which carry Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of reaching targets in China and Russia from the Philippines, also house SM-6 missiles, which can strike air or sea targets more than 200 km away.

The US military has relocated its Typhon missile launchers—capable of firing multipurpose missiles over thousands of kilometers—from Laoag Airfield in the Philippines to another location on Luzon island, a senior Philippine government source revealed, as reported by Reuters.

US moves Typhon missile launchers to new strategic site in Philippines

Previously:

‘It’s a win’: Philippines, China uphold South China Sea deal on resupply missions

Philippine Army acquiring US missile system

What’s Really Going On In the South China Sea Between the Philippines and China

More notes on the marriage of RAND and SeaLight

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)
The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte

Understanding and Countering China’s Maritime Gray Zone Operations | RAND

As noted, there appear to be real challenges working through the necessary technologies to support command messaging efforts from being able to acquire simple programs, such as Adobe [1], that can help improve image quality of released content to access to social media. It would seem prudent that an assessment of such issues should be conducted by the command with necessary remediation actions undertaken when the new commander comes into USINDOPACOM.

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The Global Engagement Center (GEC) at the U.S. Department of State [2], for example, partially funds the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative [Center for Strategic and International Studies]. The GEC, the State Department, or DoD should seek to identify other voices that can support and that can more credibly communicate key messages.

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China warns PH, slams US

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)
Straight from the horse’s mouth. Source.

China warns PH, slams US

Senior Col. Wu Qian, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of National Defense, accused the Philippines of causing disturbances in various areas with the support and encouragement of the United States.

“From Ren’ai Jiao (Ayungin Shoal) to Xianbin Jiao (Sabina Shoal) and from Houteng Jiao to Huangyan Dao (Scarborough Shoal), such repeated provocations have allowed the international community to see clearly who is undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea and who is fabricating and spreading lies,” Wu said.

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