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Guam

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Guam. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Hagåtña

Head of State

President of the US Joe Biden

Head of Government

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero

A fighter jet takes off from the Liaoning, China’s first aircraft carrier to sail beyond the second island chain. Photo: Japan Ministry of Defence

China’s military drills

Chinese carrier kicks off drills in western Pacific amid tense Japan ties

The Liaoning carrier group will hold live-fire drills months after stand-off with Japanese fighter jets during a December exercise.

19 May 2026 - 6:22PM

Japan

Why Japan’s travellers are rushing abroad for ‘golden week’ despite falling yen

30 Apr 2026 - 10:04AMvideocam

Pacific nations

Super Typhoon Sinlakua bears down on group of remote US islands in Pacific Ocean

14 Apr 2026 - 2:23AMvideocam

Indonesia

Indonesia earthquake kills 1, triggers tsunami waves

The 7.4-magnitude quake hit at a depth of 35km in the Northern Maluku Sea off ⁠Indonesia’s Ternate island.

2 Apr 2026 - 6:11PMvideocam

Indonesian police officers inspect a damaged building following an offshore earthquake in Manado, North Sulawesi province, on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Japan

Where can Japan store its nuclear waste? Island plan raises alarm

Critics of Minamitorishima proposal point to scant research on the remote Pacific atoll.

30 Mar 2026 - 3:56PMvideocam

US-China relations

Beijing dominant partner in Russia-China relationship: US congressman Fallon

Lawmaker admits both countries have had a long strategic partnership, but world has now ‘seen that senior partnership shift’ to China.

11 Feb 2026 - 7:40AMvideocam

US-China relations

China’s rebuilding of Micronesian airport runway raises alarm in US

At least two Chinese companies appear to be involved in the Woleai project in the strategically important region.

19 Dec 2025 - 11:00PM

The airport runway is located on Woleai, an atoll in Micronesia’s Yap state. Photo: X/Cleo Paskal

China’s military drills

China’s aircraft carriers put to ‘train-as-you-fight’ test beyond island chains

PLA Daily sheds new light on navy’s drills to increase launch frequency and far-sea combat readiness.

17 Nov 2025 - 7:53PMvideocam

China's military weapons

China’s Fujian carrier on track for rapid combat readiness. Will there be more?

China has the potential to produce more aircraft carriers, including nuclear-powered ones, according to state media.

9 Nov 2025 - 8:44PM

US-China relations

Will China be a lower US defence priority? A new strategy report will soon tell

The Pentagon is preparing a National Defence Strategy that might point to a change in American tack.

14 Oct 2025 - 8:00PMvideocam

The US Navy has embarked on a large-scale modernisation of the Joint Base Pearl Harbour-Hickam. Photo: US Navy

Australia

What Australia’s ‘Pukpuk’ pact with Papua New Guinea means for the Pacific

While China has voiced misgivings, the pact is seen as necessary by some – even if it could draw Australia into PNG’s domestic conflicts.

7 Oct 2025 - 5:25PMvideocam

The flags of Australia and Papua New Guinea are displayed on a desk at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong weather

Typhoon Matmo: Hong Kong T3 signal to remain in force until noon on Sunday

Matmo will be closest to Hong Kong in the small hours, the Observatory says.

4 Oct 2025 - 10:35PM

Singapore

Singapore, US scrap plans for F-15 fighter jet training in Guam

The planned deployment, which would have been Singapore’s fourth training detachment on US territory, was set to begin in 2029.

12 Aug 2025 - 9:48PM

China’s military drills

Chinese warships arrive in Russia for joint Pacific naval exercise

Destroyers Shaoxing, Urumqi arrive in Vladivostok for 5-day ‘Joint Sea 2025’ drill beginning on Friday.

31 Jul 2025 - 5:14PMvideocam

The aircraft carrier Shandong departs from Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, July 7. Photo: Xinhua

China’s military drills

How are Chinese carriers pushing limits and testing boundaries in the Pacific?

Training Liaoning and Shandong carriers against each other offers experience that even US military cannot gain in battle: analyst.

3 Jul 2025 - 8:00PMvideocam

Chinese state media has shown the Shandong and Liaoning aircraft carriers engaging in drills featuring reconnaissance and early warning, defensive and counterstrike operations as well as assaults and tactical flights. Photo: Xinhua

US-China relations

Trump’s Golden Dome: will the numbers add up to deter China in the Indo-Pacific?

Planned defence system could make it harder for PLA to strike US bases like those in Guam and Okinawa, or warships trying to defend Taiwan.

3 Jul 2025 - 9:04AMvideocam

Israel-Iran conflict

US B-2 bombers moving to Guam amid Israel-Iran tensions

The aircraft can carry the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators designed to strike underground targets like Iran’s Fordow nuclear site.

22 Jun 2025 - 7:34AMvideocam

China’s military drills

Explainer | What is the US’ island chain strategy and what does it mean for China?

Two PLA Navy aircraft carriers are pushing past the limits set by the US and its allies since the Cold War in the Pacific Ocean.

16 Jun 2025 - 5:35PMvideocam

A J-15 fighter jet takes off from one of the PLA
Navy’s two aircraft carriers during a training exercise in the Western Pacific in early June. Photo: Handout

China's military weapons

China’s Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers sail beyond second island chain

The two carrier groups have been spotted in the western Pacific Ocean, with the Liaoning’s passage taking it past Guam.

10 Jun 2025 - 6:45PMvideocam

South Korea

Talk of US troop cuts rattles nerves in South Korea ahead of snap election

The Pentagon has denied reports of a drawdown, but analysts say it remains possible given Washington’s shifting defence priorities.

27 May 2025 - 8:43AMvideocam

SCMP Highlights

Pakistan claims China-made jets in India clash, boy given wine: 7 highlights

From Pakistan claiming Chinese-made J-10Cs in India clash to a Cathay Pacific oversight, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

9 May 2025 - 12:43PM

Pakistan Air Force J-10C fighter jets perform at a rehearsal ahead of the country’s national day parade in Islamabad on March 21, 2024. Photo: AFP

US-China relations

US conducts first ballistic missile intercept in Guam amid contest with China

Spokesman says ‘it confirmed our ability to detect, track and engage a target missile in flight, increasing our readiness to defend’.

11 Dec 2024 - 9:08PMvideocam

A Standard Missile-3 Block IIA is launched by the Aegis Guam System during the US Missile Defence Agency’s test at Andersen Air Force Base on December 10. Photo: Handout/Reuters

US-China relations

US deploys fast-attack submarine to an outpost closer to Beijing than Hawaii

The Virginia-class vessel is the first of its kind to be deployed at the strategic military base, which is closer to Beijing than Hawaii.

27 Nov 2024 - 10:34PMvideocam

Taiwan

Can Taiwan still rely on US defence if Trump returns to office?

The former president’s ‘transactional’ nature means he might be ‘comparing offers’ from Taipei and Beijing if he wins re-election, analysts say.

20 Jul 2024 - 10:26PM

South Korea

Exclusive | South Korea opposition aims to stop military’s Taiwan entanglement

Lawmaker Kim Joon-hyung says the opposition will introduce a bill to prevent South Korea from partnering with the US over Taiwan.

18 Jul 2024 - 5:15PMvideocam

South Korean and US soldiers bump fists as they take part in the joint river crossing operation drill, in Yeoju, South Korea in 2022. Photo: Reuters

China’s military

China’s military has been simulating attacks on US jets, satellite images show

Pictures published online suggest PLA has been practising strikes on stealth fighters and aircraft carriers.

12 Jul 2024 - 1:19AMvideocam

The images appear to show a simulated strike on US war planes. Photo: X/@clashreport

Science

China’s new interception radar ‘can track 10 hypersonic missiles at Mach 20’

New microwave photonic radar boasts a detection range of over 600km and can identify false targets, according to Chinese scientists.

7 Jul 2024 - 10:00PMvideocam

History

From Hong Kong court translator to the top Chinese diplomat in Washington

Wu Tingfang went from court translator to English barrister, helped negotiate an end to the Sino-Japanese war, then went to Washington, where his diplomatic skills earned him kudos. Until he overreached.

30 Jun 2024 - 9:26AM

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Guam

Chinese carrier kicks off drills in western Pacific amid tense Japan ties

The Liaoning carrier group will hold live-fire drills months after stand-off with Japanese fighter jets during a December exercise.

Why Japan’s travellers are rushing abroad for ‘golden week’ despite falling yen

Super Typhoon Sinlakua bears down on group of remote US islands in Pacific Ocean

Indonesia earthquake kills 1, triggers tsunami waves

The 7.4-magnitude quake hit at a depth of 35km in the Northern Maluku Sea off ⁠Indonesia’s Ternate island.

Where can Japan store its nuclear waste? Island plan raises alarm

Critics of Minamitorishima proposal point to scant research on the remote Pacific atoll.

Beijing dominant partner in Russia-China relationship: US congressman Fallon

Lawmaker admits both countries have had a long strategic partnership, but world has now ‘seen that senior partnership shift’ to China.

China’s rebuilding of Micronesian airport runway raises alarm in US

At least two Chinese companies appear to be involved in the Woleai project in the strategically important region.

China’s aircraft carriers put to ‘train-as-you-fight’ test beyond island chains

PLA Daily sheds new light on navy’s drills to increase launch frequency and far-sea combat readiness.

China’s Fujian carrier on track for rapid combat readiness. Will there be more?

China has the potential to produce more aircraft carriers, including nuclear-powered ones, according to state media.

Will China be a lower US defence priority? A new strategy report will soon tell

The Pentagon is preparing a National Defence Strategy that might point to a change in American tack.

What Australia’s ‘Pukpuk’ pact with Papua New Guinea means for the Pacific

While China has voiced misgivings, the pact is seen as necessary by some – even if it could draw Australia into PNG’s domestic conflicts.

Typhoon Matmo: Hong Kong T3 signal to remain in force until noon on Sunday

Matmo will be closest to Hong Kong in the small hours, the Observatory says.

Singapore, US scrap plans for F-15 fighter jet training in Guam

The planned deployment, which would have been Singapore’s fourth training detachment on US territory, was set to begin in 2029.

Chinese warships arrive in Russia for joint Pacific naval exercise

Destroyers Shaoxing, Urumqi arrive in Vladivostok for 5-day ‘Joint Sea 2025’ drill beginning on Friday.

How are Chinese carriers pushing limits and testing boundaries in the Pacific?

Training Liaoning and Shandong carriers against each other offers experience that even US military cannot gain in battle: analyst.

Trump’s Golden Dome: will the numbers add up to deter China in the Indo-Pacific?

Planned defence system could make it harder for PLA to strike US bases like those in Guam and Okinawa, or warships trying to defend Taiwan.

US B-2 bombers moving to Guam amid Israel-Iran tensions

The aircraft can carry the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators designed to strike underground targets like Iran’s Fordow nuclear site.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Explainer | What is the US’ island chain strategy and what does it mean for China?

Two PLA Navy aircraft carriers are pushing past the limits set by the US and its allies since the Cold War in the Pacific Ocean.

China’s Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers sail beyond second island chain

The two carrier groups have been spotted in the western Pacific Ocean, with the Liaoning’s passage taking it past Guam.

Talk of US troop cuts rattles nerves in South Korea ahead of snap election

The Pentagon has denied reports of a drawdown, but analysts say it remains possible given Washington’s shifting defence priorities.

Pakistan claims China-made jets in India clash, boy given wine: 7 highlights

From Pakistan claiming Chinese-made J-10Cs in India clash to a Cathay Pacific oversight, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

US conducts first ballistic missile intercept in Guam amid contest with China

Spokesman says ‘it confirmed our ability to detect, track and engage a target missile in flight, increasing our readiness to defend’.

US deploys fast-attack submarine to an outpost closer to Beijing than Hawaii

The Virginia-class vessel is the first of its kind to be deployed at the strategic military base, which is closer to Beijing than Hawaii.

Can Taiwan still rely on US defence if Trump returns to office?

The former president’s ‘transactional’ nature means he might be ‘comparing offers’ from Taipei and Beijing if he wins re-election, analysts say.

Exclusive | South Korea opposition aims to stop military’s Taiwan entanglement

Lawmaker Kim Joon-hyung says the opposition will introduce a bill to prevent South Korea from partnering with the US over Taiwan.

China’s military has been simulating attacks on US jets, satellite images show

Pictures published online suggest PLA has been practising strikes on stealth fighters and aircraft carriers.

China’s new interception radar ‘can track 10 hypersonic missiles at Mach 20’

New microwave photonic radar boasts a detection range of over 600km and can identify false targets, according to Chinese scientists.

From Hong Kong court translator to the top Chinese diplomat in Washington

Wu Tingfang went from court translator to English barrister, helped negotiate an end to the Sino-Japanese war, then went to Washington, where his diplomatic skills earned him kudos. Until he overreached.

Explainer | What is the US’ island chain strategy and what does it mean for China?