LED lights on surfboards may prevent great white shark attacks: Study
A new study published on Monday, Nov. 11, shows LED lights may prevent great white shark attacks on surfers and kayakers. Australian researchers found seal-shaped decoys with underside lighting blocked the view of silhouettes against the sunlight above, deterring the attacks by obstructing the predator’s vision.
“So, what we’re trying to do now is move from seal decoys into a surfboard prototype by implementing LEDs into the bottom of the surfboard,” Dr. Laura Ryan, one of the lead researchers, said.
The study involved a boat towing a seal decoy for dozens of hours. Researchers found horizontal lighting on objects was much more effective than other positioning. They also say finding the correct level of brightness will be crucial for the technology to be employed in surfboards.
“So, if you don’t get this right, you might not have an effect,” said Professor Nathan Hart with Macquarie University, which is leading the research. “It’s always a possibility that any stimulus you put in the water might attract a shark. So, with that careful testing, we worked to find the optimal brightness, which mostly works like a counter illumination, breaks up the silhouette and seems to deter the shark from attack.”
The study also relies on previous research, which shows great white shark attacks on humans may be a case of mistaken identity. The sharks have a harder time seeing shapes and details than humans.
“Some of the previous research within my group also found out that sharks are potentially colorblind,” Hart said. “So, they don’t see color like we do. They also don’t see as much details as we do. They also don’t see as many details. So, their acuity is a lot lower than ours.”
Scientists believe more studies will be necessary to simulate surfers paddling, and there’s more work to be done to find the best way to implement the technology.
While shark attacks are rare, worldwide most bites are linked to people surfing or participating in board sports.
Furthermore, most fatal bites are from great white sharks. However, the study notes, it may be important to test the lights on sharks with different predatory behavior.
US brings out B-1B bomber after North Korea’s ICBM launch
The United States deployed a B-1B Lancer, a supersonic heavy bomber, to Northeast Asia for a joint exercise with South Korea and Japan. The move is in response to North Korea’s recent test of a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) called the Hwasong-19.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally observed the missile test, which reportedly has a range exceeding 9,300 miles, theoretically putting the U.S. mainland within reach. The missile set a new altitude record for North Korean launches, reaching approximately 4,350 miles—more than 17 times the height of the International Space Station.
In the joint exercise, the B-1B Lancer was joined by four Japanese F-2 fighters, four South Korean F-15Ks, and three U.S. F-16s stationed in South Korea. Originally capable of carrying nuclear payloads, the Lancer was converted to all-conventional strike missions in 2011. With a maximum payload capacity of up to 75,000 pounds, it remains the heaviest conventional bomber in the U.S. fleet.
🇺🇸 – 🇯🇵 – 🇰🇷 fighter aircraft escort a B-1 Lancer during a trilateral escort flight Nov. 3, 2024. This exercise continues strong trilateral cooperation, enabling immediate response to regional security challenges.
The exercise demonstrated the collective strength and readiness of the U.S., South Korea and Japan, showcasing their commitment to regional security. South Korean officials described the B-1B’s presence as a display of “overwhelming” power and reiterated Seoul’s stance on close cooperation with the U.S. and Japan in addressing North Korean threats.
According to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the exercise supported a shared vision for a secure, rules-based Indo-Pacific region, showing the allies’ capability for rapid response to any security challenge. This deployment marks the fourth U.S. bomber mission in the region this year.
In June, a B-1B conducted a similar exercise, dropping live 500-pound bombs over the Korean Peninsula—the first live munition drop in the area by the Lancer in over seven years. In August, two B-1Bs flew a non-stop, 12,456-mile round trip from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota to Japan and back, completing the journey in approximately 31 hours.
China fires off rare ICBM test amid growing tensions in Indo-Pacific
China announced on Wednesday, Sept. 25, that it test-fired an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) into the Pacific Ocean. The country is reportedly bulking up its nuclear arsenal, and the rare public test is sparking international concerns.
The People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLAARF) announced that the ICBM with a dummy warhead landed accurately in a “predetermined” area, but no specifics on the location were given.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry maintains the test is a routine part of the PLAARF’s annual training and “in line with international law and international practice.” However, nuclear experts noted it’s anything but a regular occurrence, saying that it is the first time China has launched an ICBM into international waters since the early 80s, and one expert said it was “odd” for China to describe the test as routine and annual.
A former Pentagon official, Drew Thompson, who is a senior research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore, believes that it is a veiled threat. He wrote on X, “Timing is everything,” and added, “This launch is a powerful signal intended to intimidate everyone.”
China’s state-run media reported Beijing notified “relevant countries” ahead of the launch.
The entirety of the Indo-Pacific region is on high alert, bracing for potential conflict, while watching China ramp up its nuclear arsenal. China’s nuclear weapons inventory is reportedly expected to at least triple by 2035 from 500 nuclear warheads currently to 1,500 in just about a decade.
Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported it detected 23 Chinese military aircraft around the Island on Wednesday, and all but one crossed the island’s “air-defense identification zone.”
All of these events happened the same week that Russia and China each sent four warships through a strait separating Russian and Japanese territory, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry on Monday, Sept. 23.
It’s not just China and Russia causing concerns in the Asia-Pacific region, it’s also North Korea. The country fired several short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea last week for the second time in September as Pyongyang has ramped up its weapons testing since 2022.
North Korea claims that its weapon tests are in response to growing joint military exercises between the United States, South Korea, Taiwan and others in what it calls a rehearsal for invasion.
The South China Sea is also vitally important route for shipping that China claims to be theirs. There have been several confrontations between Beijing and other countries with which it has territorial disputes with, particularly, the Philippines.
In response, the U.S. has deployed an advanced missile system to the Philippines earlier this year as it sees China as a threat to the island country.
Elite US Seal Team 6 preparing to defend Taiwan: Report
The U.S. Navy unit that took out 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden is preparing for its next covert mission as reported by the Financial Times on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The commandos of Seal Team 6 are training for the potential invasion of Taiwan by Chinese forces, according to sources familiar with the team’s operations.
U.S. officials maintain that an invasion by China is “neither imminent nor inevitable.” However, the United States apparently isn’t taking any chances as the Chinese People’s Liberation Army rapidly ramps up its military technology, and the U.S Indo-Pacific Commander says that China may be capable of taking over Taiwan by 2027.
Seal Team 6 is one of the most elite forces in the United States military alongside the U.S. Army’s Delta Force.
The U.S. has sent other special forces to Taiwan to provide training to Taiwanese forces in recent years. However, Seal Team 6’s operations are highly classified, and people familiar with the unit’s training did not provide further details on possible operations in Taiwan.
Meanwhile, Beijing warned the U.S. to “stop enhancing military contact with the Taiwan region or arming it,” and accused Washington of heightening tensions along the Taiwan Strait, despite holding military drills of its own earlier this year in the region as a show of force.
China claims it’s committed to a peaceful reunification with Taiwan but has not ruled out the use of force. Beijing has long claimed that Taiwan is part of China while Taiwanese officials maintain that the island is independent from Beijing.
Air Force unleashes Ghostrider on Arkansas highway
The U.S. military is getting pretty good at landing big planes in what supposedly “non-traditional locations.” In early August, Special Tactics Airmen from the 1st Special Operations Wing landed an AC-130J Ghostrider on a remote stretch of Highway-63 near Bono, Arkansas.
So why is the AC-130J landing in Arkansas so exciting? For one, it’s the first time it’s happened. According to the Air Force Special Operations Command, or AFSOC, the operation was part of the broader Emerald Warrior Field Training Exercise II, which is all about showcasing AFSOC’s capabilities when it comes to Agile Combat Employment, or ACE.
ACE is basically the mentality the Air Force is applying to its combat operations now as it prepares for a potential conflict with China in the Pacific. The idea is more or less: Don’t put everything in just a handful of locations, spread stuff out, and develop a hub/spoke pattern of supply lines.
If a kinetic war kicks-off in the Pacific — meaning one with bullets and bombs — bases and traditional runways will be prime targets. So, the Air Force is looking for every available stretch of road, highway, or hardened track long enough and straight enough to land an aircraft. Be it a drone, jet fighter, tank buster, air tanker or fifth-generation Air Force gunship.
The AC-130J Ghostrider is the latest variant of the Air Force’s close air support gunship. It’s armed with a 30mm auto-cannon and an improved 105mm Howitzer. Both of which were featured during the recent RIMPAC 2024 SINKEX. It was a demonstration of what AC-130s were able to do in Iraq and Afghanistan, which is quickly putting shots on target with precision without breaking the bank. Helpful for disabling a ship without destroying it.
But even in Iraq and Afghanistan, AC-130s usually only flew at night so they could limit exposure to enemy attack. In the wide-open battlespace of the Indo-Pacific, Ghostriders need to adapt to stay relevant. China knows where America’s runways in the region are, and China’s air defenses will be orders of magnitude better than the Taliban’s.
During an “Emerald Warrior” exercise, AFSOC simulated what crews would see in the Pacific. An advanced team landed support aircraft on a rural five-lane highway, secured the area, and set up a Forward Arming and Refueling Point. Once that FARP was operational, the Ghostrider could safely land, refuel, rearm and re-engage in the battle. All in a relatively short period of time.
The commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing said the exercise proved AFSOC is ready to meet the enemy anytime, any place, and without traditional runways. It’s also proof the Ghostrider could see some new, or at least expanded, roles in the Pacific.
Now that Ghostriders don’t need to return to a traditional base to re-up on fuel and ammo, they can spend more time on target and throw some of the other, longer-range munitions the Ghostrider can now carry downrange. Things like laser-guided bombs and smaller cruise missiles.
Giving the Ghostrider more places from which to operate makes the large plane that much more nimble, which is necessary in near-peer competition.
US military isn’t prepared for global conflict
The chances of the United States military getting involved in a major war with a near-peer competitor are the highest they have been in 80 years. At the same time, the U.S. military is the smallest and most unprepared it has been to fight in a major conflict since the end of the Cold War, according to a bipartisan panel appointed by Congress.
The eight-member Commission on the National Defense Strategy just released an analysis on America’s National Defense Strategy from 2022. According to the report, the U.S. public is largely unaware of the dangers the country faces or the costs required to prepare for a global conflict.
The report said a bipartisan call to arms is necessary in order for the United States to make the changes and investments to adequately prepare.
Former California Rep. Jane Harman, D, chaired the commission. According to Harman, the country’s most recent National Defense Strategy was written before the war in Ukraine began. That means it doesn’t account for Russia’s growing relationships with China, North Korea and Iran. Now, instead of calling Russia an “acute threat,” the commission said Moscow poses a chronic threat to global peace and stability.
The commission also said China is the top pacing threat for the U.S. military, criticizing current and past administrations and congressional bodies for letting the U.S. military advantage in the Pacific slip away.
The report also offers descriptions of the current global climate and offers some solutions.
For starters, the report said the Pentagon needs to leave behind the Cold War-era construct of being ready to fight two wars against less-capable adversaries. Instead, the commission said the U.S. military should embrace the idea of a multiple theater force construct.
According to the commission, the threats posted by adversary nations are changing. For example, Russia is giving Iran nuclear know-how in exchange for drones.
Adversaries are working together in ways that they have not previously and the U.S. needs to adapt accordingly.
The commission recommends the Pentagon and lawmakers take an aggressive “more of everything” approach. In theory, combining the might of the U.S. military with the ingenuity of the tech sector will increase force readiness.
One example mentioned in the report was the Department of Defense’s Replicator initiative. Started by Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, the program fields thousands of low-cost attritable drones.
Some other straightforward recommendations include investing in U.S. shipbuilding, putting more submarines and uncrewed vessels in the Indo-Pacific, and building up more military facilities to reinforce ones already in the Indo-Pacific.
The commission called for a boost to the U.S. forward presence in Eastern Europe, complete with new headquarters and facilities able to support air defense, aviation units and more.
The report also calls out weakness in the U.S. Defense Industrial Base, saying the Pentagon needs to get rid of its outdated procurement process. In its place, the commission suggests that the Pentagon works more closely with non-traditional defense contractors and lessen the barriers to entry for many allied nations. The DOD would also need to fund the recapitalization of armories and invest in advanced manufacturing and further stockpiling of munitions.
Ambassador Eric Edelman — the vice chair on the commission — said the United States can’t confront the biggest threats with the smallest military in a generation, historically low defense spending and an atrophied industrial base.
According to Edelman “deterring [the United States’] adversaries from launching a disastrous war requires investment and demonstrating the ability to mobilize at wartime speed, not the pace of bureaucracy.”
What a Trump-Vance White House could mean for Ukraine, Israel
In November, Americans will decide who will lead the United States for the next four years. The decision will have a huge impact on the world stage, including current and potential wars like Ukraine, Gaza and even the Indo-Pacific.
“It is important to remember that, you know, there are serious, destructive forces out there,” David Siegel, the president of ELNET-US, said. “The British are calling it the ‘Quartet of Death.’ So that’s Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. The ‘Quartet of Death.’ And that’s a strategic point of view that we shouldn’t forget. The United States will be secure if other parts of the world are secure. And if we do it in a smart way, and do it together, that’s probably the best way on the road ahead.”
ELNET-US is the leading Israeli advocacy group in Europe, Israel and the United States. Siegel said right now, Israel is in a second war for its independence, essentially fighting Iran and its proxies on multiple fronts. It’s in the interests of the United States to keep Iran from growing too powerful. So, whether it’s President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump who comes out on top in November, Siegel said he expects the relationship between the U.S. and Israel to remain strong.
“The stronger Israel is, the stronger we get the Europeans to become,” Siegel said. “And the stronger that relationship is, it will enable the United States to have the tools that it needs to operate in other theaters in a world, you know, say the Far East. So, the Trump-Vance approach to the world is not dissimilar than the approach that we see, because the world is changing. The United States is not the sole policeman anymore.”
For others, the decision is more binary. Mark Temnycky is a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. His grandparents came to the United States from Ukraine in the 1950s, but he still has family there. He said in his mind, and in the minds of most of the Ukrainians he talks to, a Trump-Vance administration is not the ideal outcome in November.
Temnycky said that assessment is based on prior events. Such as in 2016, when then-candidate Trump was running against Hillary Clinton. Trump accused Ukraine of meddling in the election, but that was something the FBI and Justice Department said Russia actually did.
“Then, of course, there was the infamous scandal in 2019-2020 where President Zelenskyy and President Trump spoke together and President Trump withheld aid and defensive systems to Ukraine,” Temnycky said. “In exchange, [Trump] wanted information about the Biden family. And more recently, when he has been talking about President Putin, he has said that President Putin is a ‘strong leader,’ and that he wants to end the war as quickly as possible.”
Temnycky said ending the war in 24 hours, as Trump proposed, would mean leaving large swaths of eastern and southern Ukraine. This would leave millions of people under the control of a Russian regime that currently stands accused of thousands of war crimes against the Ukrainian people.
“Based on his previous track record in his first term as president, I think that things should be taken as [Trump] says; at face value,” Temnycky said. “Similarly, Sen. Vance has been an opponent of Ukraine. He had said that he’s not interested or cares about what happens in Ukraine. In addition, he has voted against Ukraine aid on several occasions when Congress has voted on assistance efforts.”
Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, is on the record saying before and after the war started that he doesn’t really care what happens in Ukraine. He told Steve Bannon in March 2022 he was more concerned about his young child interacting with a child sex trafficker.
Vance is one of the most vocal critics in Congress of aid to Ukraine. In an April op-ed in the New York Times, Vance said the United States fundamentally can’t produce all the weaponry Ukraine would need to win the war.
But, as vice president, Vance wouldn’t necessarily be making the final decisions on U.S. aid to Ukraine. As Siegel is quick to point out, there are mechanisms in place for Congress to send aid to Ukraine, regardless of who is president.
“I don’t think these choices are binary,” Siegel said. “There are positives and negatives in every administration. Pros and cons. You know, foreign policy is very complicated.”
If America decides a Trump-Vance White House is what’s best for the country, and if that means less U.S. aid to Ukraine, Siegel said that could create other opportunities for American allies to work together more directly. That could involve the support and direction of the United States, but not relying on the Americans for the heavy lifting. For example, an alliance on air defense using Israeli weapons to protect more European countries.
“To have those systems integrated between Europe, Israel and that alliance will enable the United States to have more flexibility, not to cold turkey withdrawal from Europe,” Siegel said. “I don’t think anyone is really talking about that. But to gradually encourage, you know, allies to take more on, more burden on themselves. So that the United States has more wherewithal to focus on other areas of tension, conflict, and threats such as the Far East and Taiwan. That’s a responsible, measured, balanced strategy that we very much believe in and, we think that this is what, the Trump folks are talking about.”
Siegel said a Trump-Vance White House doesn’t necessarily mean Ukraine would fall or lose the war, but it would mean European nations allied with the U.S. should be ready to bear more of the burden to keep the international rules-based order afloat.
President Biden to hold press conference as George Clooney, Sen. Welch call for a change
President Joe Biden is set to hold a press conference as George Clooney joins the calls for him to step aside. And the NBA scores big with its latest TV rights deal. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, July 11, 2024.
Biden to hold press conference as Clooney, Welch call for a change
President Joe Biden will hold his first solo press conference of the year Thursday, July 11. It’s also the first since his rocky performance in the June 27 presidential debate, as calls for him to step aside as the Democratic nominee continue to grow.
On Wednesday, July 10, it was Hollywood actor and longtime Democratic donor George Clooney calling for Biden to withdraw from the race. This happened just weeks after Clooney hosted a fundraiser for Biden’s campaign that brought in more than $30 million.
In an op-ed piece for The New York Times, Clooney wrote that the Biden he saw at the fundraiser was not the Biden of 2010 or 2020, saying, “He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.”
“As Democrats, we collectively hold our breath or turn down the volume whenever we see the president, whom we respect, walk off Air Force One or walk back to a mic to answer an unscripted question,” Clooney wrote. “Is it fair to point these things out? It has to be. This is about age. Nothing more. But also, nothing that can be reversed. We are not going to win in November with this president.”
Clooney joined a chorus of Democrats who have recently spoken up for Biden to drop out, including nine House members. And on Wednesday, Peter Welch of Vermont became the first Democratic senator to join the call.
Welch wrote in an op-ed in The Washington Post that Biden should step down for “the good of the country.”
“We need him to put us first, as he has done before. I urge him to do it now,” Welch said.
On Thursday afternoon, Democratic senators will meet with senior advisers from the Biden campaign as they look to express their concerns following the debate. Then the president’s press conference — dubbed by Bloomberg News and cited by the White House as a “big boy press conference” — will take place at 5:30 p.m. ET as the three-day NATO summit winds down in Washington.
NATO calls China “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war in Ukraine
In recent months, the U.S. and European leaders have accused China of bolstering Russia’s defense sector with supplies critical to rebuilding the Russian military. Beijing has denied the accusations.
“China provides dual use equipment, microelectronics, a lot of other tools which are enabling Russia to build the missiles, to build the bombs, to build the aircrafts, to build the weapons they’re using to attack Ukraine,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday, July 11, the second day of the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. “And the fact that this is now clearly stated, agreed by all NATO allies, is an important message to China. And then, of course, we also then state that it cannot continue like this.”
The NATO nations also affirmed the importance of their Indo-Pacific partners, which are not members of the alliance, with leaders from Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia joining the summit.
NATO and the Indo-Pacific partners said they plan to launch four joint projects including supporting Ukraine, bolstering cooperation on cyber defense, countering disinformation and working on artificial intelligence.
China is accusing NATO of overreaching and inciting confrontation in the Indo-Pacific region.
U.S. to resume shipping 500-pound bombs to Israel
The United States is resuming shipping 500-pound bombs to Israel after pausing the shipment of nearly 2,000 of them in mid-May. However, U.S. officials said they’ll continue to hold back on a delivery of much larger 2,000-pound bombs over concerns they could be used in densely populated areas of Gaza.
The U.S. is specifically concerned the large bombs would be used in Israel’s ground invasion of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have taken refuge since the war with Hamas began.
U.S. officials said the smaller 500-pound bombs had been put together in a shipment with the larger bombs, which is why they were delayed. They have since been separated and can now be sent to Israel.
AOC files impeachment articles against Supreme Court justices Thomas, Alito
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has introduced articles of impeachment against conservative Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas. Ocasio-Cortez is accusing them of what she calls “unchecked corruption” for refusing to recuse themselves from certain cases, like the recent decision to grant former President Donald Trump immunity and improperly failing to disclose gifts from wealthy donors.
However, it’s unlikely the justices will be impeached. A majority vote of 218 is required for the House to adopt the articles. Currently in the House, Republicans hold 219 seats and Democrats hold 213.
Reports: NBA finalizes 11-year $76B deal with NBC, Amazon, Disney
TNT Sports, which has been airing the NBA since the 1980s, will have a five-day window to match one of the deals once the league shares the finished contracts.
The agreement, which breaks NBA records for length and value, would take effect for the 2025-2026 season.
‘Inside Out 2’ becomes Pixar’s highest-grossing movie of all time
There’s a whole lot of joy over at Pixar studios; its latest movie has made box office history. “Inside Out 2” is officially Pixar’s highest-grossing movie of all time.
So far, the film about a teenager’s emotions has earned $1.25 billion worldwide, passing “Incredibles 2,” which made $1.24 billion in its run. “Inside Out 2” now ranks as the fourth-highest grossing animated movie of all time.
The top spot currently belongs to Disney’s 2019 film “Frozen 2” which grossed $1.45 billion globally during its release.
Those comments did not sit well with China’s government, which recognizes Taiwan as its national territory. However, Lai’s maintains that the people of Taiwan should be able to be independent.
In response, China showed its displeasure with Lai’s views by ramping up its threats toward Taiwan on Thursday, May 23. Beijing sent warships, planes and jets to perform combat drills around Taiwan. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense counted 49 Chinese military aircraft, 15 navy vessels and 16 coast guard vessels surrounding the island.
Taiwan’s military quickly responded to China’s provocation, positioning jets and a missile system. Additionally, the military put ground forces on alert to be ready for any further escalation.
The prevailing theory by experts is that China wants to show off its ability to set up a blockade around Taiwan. One military expert said that these drills by China may just be a “signal,” adding that the real “punishment may be yet to come.”
Washington responded to China’s show of strength by issuing a warning to Beijing to refrain from any use of force against Taiwan.
“I cannot underscore enough how devastating a conflict in the Indo-Pacific Region would be,” Lt. Gen. Stephen Sklenka, the deputy commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said.
The United States is legally obligated to defend Taiwan against attack but is also balancing a delicate relationship with China.
Japan gifts 250 cherry trees to US ahead of its 250th anniversary
Hundreds of cherry trees will be ripped out of the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., this summer as construction begins on a crumbling seawall. However, Japan is stepping up to the plate to replace some of the trees lost in the removal process.
During a visit to the White House on Wednesday, April 10, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that Japan would gift 250 cherry trees to the U.S. by 2026 to coincide with the United States’ 250th anniversary. The Biden administration said as soon as Kishida’s country learned of the removal of some trees, leaders offered to provide replacements.
The first Yoshino cherry trees were given to the U.S. by Japan in 1912. The 3,000 cherry trees were gifted as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.
Hundreds of thousands of tourists descend on the nation’s capital every spring to celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which generally takes place amid peak bloom of the trees.
The additional trees come as the bond between Washington and Tokyo deepens amid global conflicts, which could be seen when President Joe Biden commended Kishida’s support as an ally to Ukraine.
“When Russia began its brutal invasion of Ukraine two years ago, he did not hesitate to condemn, sanction and isolate Russia and provide billions in assistance to Ukraine,” Biden said.
Kishida’s visit also involves talks on the security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, as military tensions between Taiwan and China persist.
Biden has made it a point of his administration to focus on “leaders of the Quad,” which refers to the partnership between the U.S., Australia, India and Japan since he took his office. He called the bond between the U.S. and Japan “unbreakable.”