Several Southeast Asian countries are upgrading their military capabilities, with Indonesia purchasing French-made Rafale jets for $8.1 billion, while the Philippines is investing a decade-long $35 billion modernization initiative to acquire advanced fighter jets, submarines, and missile systems amid tensions in the South China Sea. China has offered its J-10 jets to Indonesia, which have been used in Pakistan's clashes with India.
https://channelnewsasia.com/asia/defence-spending-5-cent-gdp-southeast-asia-asean-united-states-focus-5207481Southeast Asian leaders can help shape US policy on Taiwan by providing insight into China's signals and encouraging a more proactive approach to regional security. Experts like Ryan Hass, Director of the Thornton China Center at Brookings Institution, argue that while China's military advancements are significant, they don't necessarily indicate an imminent threat to Taiwan. Instead, regional leaders should push for the US to deploy more military capabilities into Asia, prioritizing Taiwan as a central security challenge. By pooling strength and speaking with one voice on the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, Southeast Asian nations can help mitigate risks and make the situation more manageable.
https://channelnewsasia.com/commentary/us-china-taiwan-strait-tension-war-military-southeast-asia-5213786Russia launched its largest combined aerial attack on Ukraine over the weekend, prompting a halt in U.S. weapons delivery. The move comes as peace efforts led by former US President Donald Trump have stalled. Trump had previously discussed providing Ukraine with Patriot air defense missile systems during his meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO summit last week.
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/07/01/us-weapons-ukraine-assistance/A UN expert, Elizabeth Salmon, has expressed empathy for the families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea decades ago. During a meeting with family members Koichiro Iizuka, Takuya Yokota, Sakie Yokota, and Tetsuya Yokota in Tokyo, Salmon acknowledged their suffering, as they have been seeking answers and justice for over two decades.
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250702/p2g/00m/0in/015000cThe Trump administration's dismantling of US foreign aid has led to a projected 14 million avoidable deaths by 2030, with over 4.5 million children under five expected to die annually. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) had provided over 40% of global humanitarian funding until its significant cuts, which could halt or reverse two decades of progress in health among vulnerable populations. Research estimates that USAID funding has prevented 91.8 million deaths between 2001 and 2021, a number comparable to the estimated deaths during World War II.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40370666/over-14m-people-could-die-from-us-foreign-aid-cutsForeign Minister Penny Wong met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Quad summit in Washington, where they discussed trade and security issues. The meeting did not result in a tariff exemption for Australia from US tariffs, which are set to resume on July 9. Wong reiterated that Australia values its strategic partnership with the US, but expressed concerns over the impact of tariffs on consumers. She also acknowledged President Trump's vision for a different role for America in the world, while continuing to advocate for Australian interests.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/australia-news-live-wong-meets-quad-powers-in-washington-musk-s-x-wins-fight-against-esafety-commissioner-trump-s-one-big-beautiful-bill-passed-in-us-senate-20250702-p5mbt9.htmlAustralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been criticized for delaying a meeting with US President Donald Trump at an upcoming Quad meeting in India later this year. The two leaders have spoken on the phone three times since Trump's inauguration in January, but missed opportunities to meet at the G7 Summit in Canada and NATO Summit.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14866519/Penny-Wong-Nat-Barr-Albanese.htmlThe Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) is at risk of collapse if it becomes entangled in Cambodia's domestic crisis involving the Paetongtarn-Thaksin family and the Hun Sen clan, which would undermine multilateral problem-solving. The US, represented by Secretary Marco Rubio, has no appetite for such disputes, and Malaysia, as Group Chair, may appear partisan or ineffectual if it fails to maintain neutrality.
https://www.malaymail.com/news/what-you-think/2025/07/02/when-the-facts-change-the-asean-regional-forum-has-to-change-along-on-cambodiathai-conflict-phar-kim-beng/182577European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is seeking to form a trading bloc with Asia-Pacific nations, including Australia, in response to US President Donald Trump's tariffs and military threats from Russia. The EU aims to strengthen alliances with like-minded countries to counter economic instability. Australian business leaders welcome the plans, seeing it as an opportunity to boost trade by $106 billion, particularly for agricultural goods and investment. However, European farmers are resisting Australian exports, and negotiations have been stalled since 2023 due to disagreements over farm exports, including grain-fed beef. The EU has proposed a defence partnership with Australia, which would focus on sharing technology and opening up procurement to Australian suppliers, rather than a military alliance.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/europe-looks-east-to-counter-trump-s-tariffs-and-fear-of-russia-20250702-p5mbsr.html