Japan, Koreas, China and Taiwan regional issues

Musashi_kenshin

Well-Known Member

The Executive Yuan yesterday unveiled its budget proposal of NT$2.16 trillion (US$73.13 billion) for fiscal 2021, which includes NT366.8 billion for defense expenditure, an increase of NT$15.6 billion, or 4.4 percent, from this year.

If including payment for the F-16Vs that the nation has committed to purchase from the US, which totals NT$29 billion and would be drawn from a special budget, and non-profit special funds of NT$57.6 billion, the defense budget for next fiscal year would be NT$453.4 billion, or 2.4 percent of this year’s projected GDP, the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics said.
I just wanted to post this because it mentioned the F-16V purchase coming from a special budget rather than the main defence budget. Over the years I've seen a lot of people say things like "how can Taiwan afford X when it only spends Y on defence". Assuming the article is correct it would help explain why Taiwan is able afford some of the big procurements.
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
The Japanese Ministry of Defence (MoD) released last month its 2020 "Defense Of Japan" annual white paper.


First i was confused by this sentence:
"....the 2020 White Paper notes that uncertainty over the existing order is increasing...."
It was like existing orders may be cancelled, or that budget cuts are on the horizon, but later i realized that they mean that the political and military balance in the region is decreasing.
So yes, Japan will continue with strengthening its defence forces.
 

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
The 2020 Defense of Japan White Paper
2. The 2020 white paper, titled “Defense of Japan,” was adopted by the Japanese government at a July 14 Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

...

3. China is pushing harder to make territorial claims in the regional seas and even using the coronavirus pandemic to expand its influence and take strategic superiority, posing a greater threat to Japan and the region, Japan's government said. The white paper highlighted the Japanese government's defense priorities was issued less than a day after the Trump administration rejected outright nearly all of Beijing's significant maritime claims in the South China Sea in a statement likely to deepen the U.S.-China rift.

6. Mike Yeo reports that the white paper contains a section on the short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing variant of the Lockheed Martin aircraft, noting that with regional countries making “remarkable progress” in air power modernization, the country needed to respond in kind. The whitepaper highlighted the operational flexibility of the F-35B, noting the jet’s ability to operate without the need for long runways, which would enable the Japan Air Self-Defense Force to significantly expand the number of locations from whence the service can...
Posted a link to this white paper in the prior page along with some links for context.

First i was confused by this sentence:
"....the 2020 White Paper notes that uncertainty over the existing order is increasing...."

It was like existing orders may be cancelled, or that budget cuts are on the horizon, but later i realized that they mean that the political and military balance in the region is decreasing.

So yes, Japan will continue with strengthening its defence forces.
It is written in Japanese and translated to English, so it is natural to seem a bit confusing. But thanks for the additional link.

We also had a discussion on Japanese naval carrier plans here, for those interested.
 
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OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
This is a totally ridiculous effort by Global Times (and other Chinese propaganda agents to play up Wolf Warrior diplomacy, against a boy band), as BTS the band, did not say anything hurtful towards China — they only stated a fact — the American-Korean alliance shared an alliance blood bond. After receiving the James A. Van Fleet Award, an award celebrating US-Korea relations, the team leader of BTS said: "we will always remember the history of pain that our two nations shared together and the sacrifices of countless men and women."

Many Chinese netizens pointed out that the speech plays up to US netizens, and Chinese propaganda likes to portray the US as the aggressor in the Korean war (that was fought from 25 Jun 1950 to 27 Jul 1953)— when declassified Soviet documents clearly showed that Stalin and Mao backed Kim Il-sung‘s invasion of the South.

This irrational Chinese Wolf Warrior type of nationalism increases risk in doing any business in China. According to China's state-run Global Times newspaper, "Chinese netizens said the band's totally one-sided attitude to the Korean War hurts their feelings and negates history", adding that the comments were designed to "play up" to US audiences.
"They [BTS] should not make any money from China," one angry user commented on Weibo.

If you ask me, I am betting on the BTS Army and Bangtan Style over any Weibo user. 7 years ago, the official fandom name 'ARMY' was announced by BTS, which stands for 'Adorable Representatives and MCs for Youth'.
 
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Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
The Japanese prime minister announced a visit to Indonesia and Vietnam next week. He also plan to sign an agreement for improvement in defence cooperation with Vietnam


 

CheeZe

Active Member
Intriguing move. I wonder what is on the Vietnamese wishlist from the Japanese as I thought they preferred to get their equipment from Russia or at least maintain compatibility with Russian standards.

That said, I haven't kept up with SCS stuff in a while so I don't know who Russia is or isn't backing re: China's SCS claims. If Russia is overtly backing China, that probably answers my question as to Japan vs. Russia as a supplier.
 

Beholder

Active Member
That said, I haven't kept up with SCS stuff in a while so I don't know who Russia is or isn't backing re: China's SCS claims. If Russia is overtly backing China, that probably answers my question as to Japan vs. Russia as a supplier.
Well, in general RF position always been neutral.
RF don't support third party interference in such conflicts.
On that background Putin actually supported China in defying Hague tribunal decision(in 2016) on contested island(Philippines/China) and on artificial islands China build.
RF see West as more hostile entity now(after Crimea) and China as enemies enemy, so they push for more cooperation with China, but that will not necessary transfer in position change in SCS. IMO

P.S. I think it is not connected to Russia at all. Maybe they look for actual alliance(vs China) and this is first step.
 

ngatimozart

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Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
Well, in general RF position always been neutral.
RF don't support third party interference in such conflicts.
On that background Putin actually supported China in defying Hague tribunal decision(in 2016) on contested island(Philippines/China) and on artificial islands China build.
RF see West as more hostile entity now(after Crimea) and China as enemies enemy, so they push for more cooperation with China, but that will not necessary transfer in position change in SCS. IMO

P.S. I think it is not connected to Russia at all. Maybe they look for actual alliance(vs China) and this is first step.
Not sure about an alliance between Russia and China. If there was the PRC would want to be the senior partner and Russia wouldn't be that happy about it. Plus China has had long standing designs on Siberia and Russia knows that too. They fought a brief border war in 1968 in which the PRC was the aggressor and got its tail whipped. I think that they are friends of convenience at the moment a bit like friends with benefits in a way.
 

Beholder

Active Member
Not sure about an alliance between Russia and China. If there was the PRC would want to be the senior partner and Russia wouldn't be that happy about it. Plus China has had long standing designs on Siberia and Russia knows that too. They fought a brief border war in 1968 in which the PRC was the aggressor and got its tail whipped. I think that they are friends of convenience at the moment a bit like friends with benefits in a way.
That i'm not sure either, i talked only about cooperation.:)
But if it will happen it will be as alliance of US and Soviet in WW2.IMO
Basically when West push one side, other side will create distraction to weaken pressure.
As you say contradictions will not go away, but both able to ignore it for now.

This is interesting read(year 2015):

PARSING CHINESE-RUSSIAN MILITARY EXERCISES

I would say cooperation is growing.
 

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
Japanese Military Developments & Korean updates

1. Units attached to INDOPACOM and the JSDF completed exercise KeenSword21 (KS21) on military installations throughout mainland Japan, Okinawa & their surrounding waters.

2. On top of acquiring F-35As (105) and F-35Bs (42) to be come the world’s 2nd largest operator of VLO fighter jets at 147, in March 2020:
(a) the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA), revealed Tokyo’s plans to develop a hypersonic cruise missile (HCM) and a Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP) to equip its Mitsubishi F-15Js and F-2s to take on land or sea based targets; and​
(b) Tokyo is targeting the induction of HCM powered by scramjet engine, and HVGP powered by solid-fuel rocket engine, by early 2030s. The hypersonic missiles would reportedly be able to fly three times faster than the speed of sound and would replace previous transonic missiles. The blueprint stipulates using different warheads, which will be navigated via satellites, to tackle seaborne and ground targets.​

3. Glad to see that it will be business as usual in Japan and Australia with their American ally once more. I predict that the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue on foreign affairs and defence between Australia, America and Japan (or Minilateralism) should improve and this change will give real options to smaller states caught in the middle of Great Power completion. America’s period of accelerated decline under Trump had the side-effect of fostering 2+2 meetings between Japan on foreign affairs and defence matters with India and Australia — forcing the Japanese Government to be proactive in regional engagement.

4. South Korea breaths a collective sign of relief; while the North Koreans are gonna miss the totally clueless Trump. Trump’s inclination was to give away anything necessary in his meetings with Kim to get a Nobel Peace Prize, because Obama had one.

5. Christopher Hill, who led the American delegation to the six-party talks over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, said he believes “the ROK [Republic of Korea] alliance has been handled very badly... We’ve got to get that issue back into a box,” he said about the Trump administration’s call for a quintupling of South Korea’s contribution to cover the cost of American forces on the peninsula.

6. Joseph Yun, former American special representative to North Korea, said at a Wilson Center forum that with Biden as president, “we do have an opportunity to resolve” both the burden-sharing question and command-and-control issues over forces on the peninsula “in a technical manner.” At CSIS, Victor Cha, head of its Korea program, said resuming large-scale exercises were a matter for the Americans and South Koreans to resolve and the countries should not “throw out the exercises willy-nilly,” as was done in 2018.

7. Speaking at the Wilson Center forum with Yun, Kim Ji-yoon, a political analyst, said the Korean “people were a little bit sensitive” over paying US$5 billion annually for the basing of American forces on the peninsula. While this administration “downplayed the alliance with the ROK,” she said a Biden presidency is “going to heal” the relationship. This plays well with Korean public opinion, she added, since China’s 2017 decision to severely cut back economic and diplomatic ties with Seoul following the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system.
 
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John Fedup

The Bunker Group
Perhaps a Biden administration can tone down the Japanese-SKorea relationship. Trump didn’t seem to mind two close allies dumping on each other.
 

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
Biden and the direction of the Korean and Japanese alliance in the era of Great Power competition

1. South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said on 9 Nov 2020, the country will ensure there is no gap in the alliance with the United States and the process of building peace on the Korean peninsula. Moon's remarks came as he congratulated Joe Biden for his victory in the US presidential election.

Perhaps a Biden administration can tone down the Japanese-SKorea relationship. Trump didn’t seem to mind two close allies dumping on each other.
2. New PM Yoshihide Suga is the low-key son of a farmer. IMO, a change in leadership in Japan should help give both parties a face-saving chance to step back and reflect on their own party’s mis-steps (but Moon is a problem all by himself).
(a) “[Suga] strategically has a lot of different ideas on how Japan can strengthen its security without that direct change to the constitution,” Stephen Nagy, a politics and international studies professor at Tokyo’s International Christian University said. “I think many people would like that change, but the pragmatists understand that it’s difficult to do in the current environment.”​
(b) For example, Nagy said, Suga likely influenced Abe’s successful pursuit of the 2015 Legislation for Peace and Security. The act allows the JSDF to assist foreign militaries and use force when Japan or one of its allies are under attack. Suga has already made decisions signaling his commitment to Japanese defense, Michael Cucek, professor of the Department of Political Science at Temple University Japan Campus and Faculty of Social Sciences at Waseda University, said. Among them replacing former Defense Minister Taro Kono with Abe’s younger brother, Nobuo Kishi. Kono in June canceled Japan’s plans to deploy the land-based missile-defense system Aegis Ashore.​
(c) “[With Kishi], Mr. Abe’s desires of the hard defense-oriented side of the party are guaranteed,” Cucek said. “We can expect Japan to be more activist … more intense, more pro-America and more proactive.” But Suga also lacks Abe’s compulsion to break the constraints of Japan’s post-war defense posture, and is additionally hemmed in by the coronavirus pandemic and the economic damage it’s wrought, which will likely push Japan’s nascent security awakening to the back seat for now.​
(d) 2 Future Multi-Mission Frigates (30FFM) are starting to take shape at two shipyards in Japan — the next generation multi-mission frigate designed for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).​
A total number of 22 30FFMs are expected to be procured for the JMSDF. The two shipyards in charge of building the first two frigates of the class are Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) in Nagasaki and Mitsui E&S in Okayama — given its large production run, its hull form has export potential. The JMSDF sensor fit, however is high end — which limits its customer base.​
 
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OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
3. Suga, 71, who has said he would pursue Abe's key economic and foreign policies, won 377 votes out of 534 votes cast, in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) election. Ruling Liberal Democratic Party policy chief Hakubun Shimomura, noting Biden’s pledges for the US to return to the Paris Agreement, told public broadcaster NHK that this was an area of priority that both nations can work together. Suga had, in his debut policy speech last month, set a goal for Japan to be carbon-neutral by 2050.

4. Japanese media cited government sources as saying that Suga hopes to visit the US to meet the new president as soon as possible after he is sworn in on 20 Jan 2021. The Mainichi Shimbun suggested the trip could take place as soon as late January, depending on the Covid-19 situation.

5. The US and Japan are due to also come to an agreement on host nation support for US Troops by March 2021, when the current pact ends. These talks are typically held once every five years, but the ongoing negotiations over the cost of hosting around 55,000 US troops in Japan had taken on a contentious tone due to Mr Trump’s pressure on Japan to shoulder more of the financial burden.

(a) While some in Japan protest the U.S. presence and complain of base-associated noise, pollution and crime, the status of U.S. military bases in Japan should also remain safe under Suga’s leadership, according to Michael Cucek.​
(b) “They will facilitate the U.S. because the security situation around Japan is getting more serious and dangerous,” Michael Cucek said.​
(c) Japan will acquire another 105 F-35s for an estimated US$23.11 billion, of which 63 is the F-35A and 42 F-35Bs, the short-takeoff and vertical-landing version for Japanese aircraft carriers. This means Japan has orders for 147 F-35s in total.​
(d) Boeing also signed a Direct Commercial Sale agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to upgrade Japan’s F-15J to the F-15JSI in July 2020. In an interview with Air Force Magazine, Boeing’s Vice President and F-15 Program Manager Prat Kumar says “Japan is planning to incorporate many of the EX features except the fly-by-wire system.”​
(e) Japan is taking new steps to engineer an advanced, next-generation fighter jet to emerge in the 2030s, raising some interesting questions about the kinds of technologies it is likely to incorporate.​

6. But one area that Japan is not counting on is a quick return of the US to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade agreement, which Mr Trump withdrew from in one of his first acts in office. Although Biden was vice-president to Barack Obama when the deal was struck, Japanese experts pointed out that the Democratic Party has shifted left, and the liberals have generally been cool to the idea of free trade."
 
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John Fedup

The Bunker Group
I agree, the US joining TPP is unlikely and frankly this might be more aggravation with the likely never ending challenges by special interest groups looking for “special” tariffs. Canada and Mexico understand any trade agreements with the US are always vulnerable.
 
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ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
I agree, the US joining TPP is unlikely and frankly this might be more aggravation will the likely never ending challenges by special interest groups looking for “special” tariffs. Canada and Mexico understand any trade agreements with the US are always vulnerable.
I agree about the US and the TPP. There big pharma were pushing to get an extra 2 - 3 years on their highly expensive drugs before generic medicines which are far cheaper could be accessed, they tried very hard to break up NZ's drug buying agency Pharmac as being monopolistic, but Pharmac is very good at beating their prices down and they want to sell directly to hospitals and chemists, which the government won't allow because it is the sourcing agent and provider of medicines within NZ. The other thing that the US was pushing hard was taking copyright post death of the author from 50 years to 80 years so that their media companies could grab an extra 30 years of royalties. They would not back down on them, so in some ways we are better off without them in it. We also don't want the PRC in it either. That would be a fatal mistake.
 

swerve

Super Moderator
I agree about the US and the TPP. There big pharma were pushing to get an extra 2 - 3 years on their highly expensive drugs before generic medicines which are far cheaper could be accessed, they tried very hard to break up NZ's drug buying agency Pharmac as being monopolistic, but Pharmac is very good at beating their prices down and they want to sell directly to hospitals and chemists, which the government won't allow because it is the sourcing agent and provider of medicines within NZ. The other thing that the US was pushing hard was taking copyright post death of the author from 50 years to 80 years so that their media companies could grab an extra 30 years of royalties. They would not back down on them, so in some ways we are better off without them in it. We also don't want the PRC in it either. That would be a fatal mistake.
Yeah. US media companies bought up lots of old copyrights before they ran out & lobbied hard (complete with campaign donations) for longer-lasting copyright. Totally, utterly corrupt.
 

CheeZe

Active Member
Perhaps a Biden administration can tone down the Japanese-SKorea relationship. Trump didn’t seem to mind two close allies dumping on each other.
I doubt it. The historical grievances Koreans have towards Japan has become part of their culture to an extent. My Korean and Korean-American students have told me that their parents didn't let them play with Japanese kids in school. Their parents haven't taken them to any Japanese restaurants and do not buy any Japanese brands. So, I doubt 4 years of Biden & Harris is going to affect these deeply ingrained feelings.
 
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