Pacific

Jul- 2026 -

11 July

Military vehicles carrying HQ-9 medium- to long-range surface-to-air missiles march past the Tiananmen Rostrum during the military parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing, China, 3 September 2015. China has pledged to cut the number of troops in its army by 300,000, in an unexpected announcement made by Chinese president Xi Jinping on Thursday (3 September 2015). Xi disclosed the news during a speech made before the beginning of a huge military parade in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, held to mark the end of World War II and celebrate China's victory over Japan. Xi said that a 13% cut would be made in the country's 2.3 million-armed forces, stressing that China was committed to peace, although he gave no indication of when it would be implemented. "War is like a mirror," he said. "Looking at it helps us better understand the value of peace. China will remain committed to peaceful development. We Chinese love peace." China has cut the size of its military three times since the 1980s, according to media reports. (Photo by Ge jinfh / Imaginechina via AFP)

Pacific Islands Reject Missile Test in ‘Blue Continent’

Pacific Islands denounced China's ballistic missile test because they say it landed in the heart of their shared "blue continent."

8 July

Sea

Staff Writer With AFP

China Signals ‘New Normal’ With Coast Guard Patrols Off Taiwan’s East

China has signalled its intent to maintain a new coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, analysts say, as Beijing dials up pressure on the self-ruled island that it claims is part of its territory.

7 July

Sea

Staff Writer With AFP

Japan, China Coast Guards Face Off Near Disputed Islands

Ships from Japan's and China's coast guards faced off near disputed islands, with each claiming they drove out the other's vessels that had intruded into their territorial waters.

1 July

Americas

Christine Casimiro

USAF Reveals B-2 Stealth Bomber Fired LRASM During Pacific Exercise

A US Air Force B-2 Spirit has successfully deployed the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile during a live-fire exercise in the Pacific, marking the service’s first time publicly disclosing the pairing.

Apr- 2026 -

18 April

Asia Pacific

Staff Writer With AFP

Australia, Japan Ink Multibillion Dollar Warship Deal

Japan agreed on a deal to provide Australia's navy with the first of almost a dozen stealth frigates, part of a wider military build up by Canberra.

16 April

Asia Pacific

Staff Writer With AFP

Australia to Boost Defense Spending to 3% of GDP

Australia will lift defense spending to 3.0 percent of GDP by 2033 as armed conflicts flare worldwide, the government said Thursday.

Feb- 2026 -

10 February

Asia Pacific

US strike on alleged drug trafficking boat off the cost of Venezuela.

Staff Writer With AFP

Two Killed in Latest US Strike on Alleged Drug Boat in Pacific: Military

The US military said Monday it killed two people in its latest strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Eastern Pacific.

6 February

Americas

Staff Writer With AFP

US Strike on Alleged Drug-Smuggling Boat Kills Two in Pacific: Military

The US Southern Command said it killed two alleged drug traffickers in a strike on a boat in the eastern Pacific.

Jul- 2025 -

2 July

Asia Pacific

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka hold a joint press briefing in Fiji, Nov. 23, 2024.

Staff Writer With AFP

Fiji Says Would Not Welcome China Military Presence in Pacific

Fiji's prime minister said Wednesday that China should not be allowed to gain a permanent military foothold in the strategically contested South Pacific region.

May- 2025 -

7 May

Land