In Geopolitics Today: Wednesday, February 15th
Air India Makes Large Order of Boeing and Airbus Passenger Jets, Mass Data Leaks Expose Taiwan’s Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities, and other stories.
Air India Makes Large Order of Boeing and Airbus Passenger Jets
Air India is purchasing a record number of passenger airplanes, nearly 500 new commercial jetliners, to position itself to compete for a greater share of the booming domestic and international air travel market in India. The planes are split almost evenly between Boeing and Airbus, with delivery of all the planes costing the airline $34 billion.
The order for Boeing airplanes includes 220 aircraft, and the deal includes options for an additional 70 jetliners. The order is the second largest ever for Boeing in terms of the number of aircraft and the third largest by dollar value. The acquisition of 495 passenger jets tops the previous world record airplane order by a single airline of 460 Boeing and Airbus jetliners by American Airlines more than a decade ago. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron applauded the deal as a sign of the strengthening "strategic partnership" between their countries, while US President Joe Biden called the agreement “historic,” highlighting the rare bonanza for Boeing and Airbus.
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Philippines Lodges Protest over China’s Use of Military Laser
The Philippine government has lodged a diplomatic protest against China after its coastguard used a "military-grade laser" to try to block a Philippine ship on a mission to resupply troops at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.
The Philippine Foreign Affairs spokesperson has called on China to ensure its vessels cease “aggressive activities.” The incident also reportedly involved the Chinese coastguard engaging in dangerous manoeuvres that risked a collision, according to the ministry. The Philippines reiterated its commitment to protecting its sovereignty and rights, while the US also accused China of "provocative and unsafe" conduct.
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Japanese Land Power in the First Island Chain
Japan's three strategic documents, released at the end of 2022, express an anxious tone in response to deteriorating regional and global security situations. The Japan Self-Defense Forces will undergo significant transformation, with the Ground Self-Defense Force set to play a key role in enabling bilateral operations with the US military.
Japan is now a pacing ally for the U.S. while China is its pacing challenge. Japan's new security strategies acknowledge China as the "unprecedented and greatest challenge" to its security, and Japan must possess sufficient capabilities and capacity to deny any potential adversaries from invading. The Ground Self-Defense Force is expected to optimize its architecture to best support joint and bilateral operations with the United States.
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Mass Data Leaks Expose Taiwan’s Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities
Concerns over data security have been raised in Taiwan over the past three months following a series of incidents. The possibility of sensitive information about the Taiwanese public, including high-ranking members of the Taiwanese government, ending up in the hands of the Chinese government is particularly worrying.
The household registration data of nearly all Taiwanese citizens was leaked, as were pieces of information from the Taiwan Stock Exchange and the Bureau of Labor Insurance. Three former National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) employees were accused of leaking data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) system to China. The private sector was also affected, with iRent's car rental service's database of 140,000 individuals' personal information accessible online. There have been calls for the government to create a body for data security, and several cases involving companies accused of links to China have caused concerns about potential data breaches.
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War in Ukraine Highlights the Importance of Alliances
The recent invasion of Ukraine by Russia showed how contemporary alliances work and why they form. States do not form alliances to balance power but to balance threats.
In the case of Ukraine, Russia's response to NATO enlargement reinforced the sense of threat felt by the United States and Europe, leading to closer relations with Ukraine. The invasion of Ukraine prompted a swift and far-reaching reaction, with NATO and EU members imposing unprecedented economic sanctions on Russia, and the United Kingdom, the United States, and other countries sending sophisticated weapons, military training, financial support, and intelligence to Ukraine. As the world moves towards multipolarity, alliances between states will only matter more.