Christopher Woody
@chrstphrwdy.bsky.social
Journalist covering defense and international affairs from Bangkok | writing here: https://thedateline.substack.com/
Good map of the PLAN trip around Australia in Feb/March, from the US-China Commission's 2025 annual report. The return via Sunda Strait is notable, as China and the US are both increasingly active around that and other chokepoints, which I wrote about in Aug: thedateline.substack.com/p/us-and-all...
November 19, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Good map of the PLAN trip around Australia in Feb/March, from the US-China Commission's 2025 annual report. The return via Sunda Strait is notable, as China and the US are both increasingly active around that and other chokepoints, which I wrote about in Aug: thedateline.substack.com/p/us-and-all...
Commander of US Forces Korea writes about "East-up mapping," which gives a "shift in perspective [that] illuminates Korea's role as a natural strategic pivot" in Northeast Asia and illustrates "a strategic triangle connecting Korea, Japan, and the Philippines" www.usfk.mil/Media/Press-...
November 18, 2025 at 4:45 AM
Commander of US Forces Korea writes about "East-up mapping," which gives a "shift in perspective [that] illuminates Korea's role as a natural strategic pivot" in Northeast Asia and illustrates "a strategic triangle connecting Korea, Japan, and the Philippines" www.usfk.mil/Media/Press-...
Xi and the fellas
November 7, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Xi and the fellas
It could take South Korea a decade or longer to build the nuclear-powered subs that Trump approved of after a summit last week, but if Seoul pursues them it would be only one of many sub programs underway across Asia. New story on substack: thedateline.substack.com/p/trump-supp...
November 5, 2025 at 4:20 PM
It could take South Korea a decade or longer to build the nuclear-powered subs that Trump approved of after a summit last week, but if Seoul pursues them it would be only one of many sub programs underway across Asia. New story on substack: thedateline.substack.com/p/trump-supp...
"US Army Spc. Ayden Holbert and Pfc. Daniel Tippett interact with a dog named Bailey during a presence patrol in Dupont Circle, Washington, DC, Nov. 3, 2025." (US Air National Guard/Tech. Sgt. Andrew Enriquez)
November 5, 2025 at 3:38 PM
"US Army Spc. Ayden Holbert and Pfc. Daniel Tippett interact with a dog named Bailey during a presence patrol in Dupont Circle, Washington, DC, Nov. 3, 2025." (US Air National Guard/Tech. Sgt. Andrew Enriquez)
The US's revival of defense ties with Cambodia, announced while Trump was in Malaysia, is the culmination of 2 years of reengagement, but it comes amid tensions between Cambodia and US ally Thailand, whose ties with the US have been strained. New story by me: thedateline.substack.com/p/trump-deal...
November 1, 2025 at 4:48 AM
The US's revival of defense ties with Cambodia, announced while Trump was in Malaysia, is the culmination of 2 years of reengagement, but it comes amid tensions between Cambodia and US ally Thailand, whose ties with the US have been strained. New story by me: thedateline.substack.com/p/trump-deal...
Hegseth says he met China's defense minister on Friday on the sidelines of an ASEAN meeting, where he "highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and emphasized US concerns about China’s activities ... towards US allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific."
October 31, 2025 at 4:54 AM
Hegseth says he met China's defense minister on Friday on the sidelines of an ASEAN meeting, where he "highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and emphasized US concerns about China’s activities ... towards US allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific."
A view from China on Hegseth's tenure at the Pentagon: "The blatant advocacy of violence, however, makes the international community see clearly who behaves like a 'rogue' and who is pursuing 'evil'." eng.chinamil.com.cn/2025xb/O_251...
October 20, 2025 at 4:04 AM
A view from China on Hegseth's tenure at the Pentagon: "The blatant advocacy of violence, however, makes the international community see clearly who behaves like a 'rogue' and who is pursuing 'evil'." eng.chinamil.com.cn/2025xb/O_251...
88% of Thais say they’re satisfied with the military’s handling of the border crisis with Cambodia, but only 35% are satisfied with the government’s handling. And when asked what Thailand should do next, only 1 in 4 said “pursue serious diplomatic talks” www.nationthailand.com/news/general...
October 19, 2025 at 10:21 AM
88% of Thais say they’re satisfied with the military’s handling of the border crisis with Cambodia, but only 35% are satisfied with the government’s handling. And when asked what Thailand should do next, only 1 in 4 said “pursue serious diplomatic talks” www.nationthailand.com/news/general...
Hegseth's big generals meeting is just about "esprit de corps," Trump said Sunday. "You know the expression ‘esprit de corps’? That’s all it’s about. We’re talking about what we’re doing, what they’re doing, and how we’re doing.” www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...
September 29, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Hegseth's big generals meeting is just about "esprit de corps," Trump said Sunday. "You know the expression ‘esprit de corps’? That’s all it’s about. We’re talking about what we’re doing, what they’re doing, and how we’re doing.” www.nbcnews.com/politics/don...
China's KJ-600 early-warning plane launching from its new carrier: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxkg...
"The success showed that China's first domestically built catapult-equipped aircraft carrier has obtained electromagnetic catapult launch and recovery capabilities" eng.chinamil.com.cn/2025xb/H_251...
"The success showed that China's first domestically built catapult-equipped aircraft carrier has obtained electromagnetic catapult launch and recovery capabilities" eng.chinamil.com.cn/2025xb/H_251...
September 22, 2025 at 5:29 PM
China's KJ-600 early-warning plane launching from its new carrier: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxkg...
"The success showed that China's first domestically built catapult-equipped aircraft carrier has obtained electromagnetic catapult launch and recovery capabilities" eng.chinamil.com.cn/2025xb/H_251...
"The success showed that China's first domestically built catapult-equipped aircraft carrier has obtained electromagnetic catapult launch and recovery capabilities" eng.chinamil.com.cn/2025xb/H_251...
After the Oct 7 attack, Thailand scrambled to get thousands of its citizens out of Israel. That led the Thai military to do more planning for evacuations from other potential war zones, Thailand’s chief of defense forces told me last month. New story in The Diplomat: thediplomat.com/2025/09/thai...
September 20, 2025 at 3:37 AM
After the Oct 7 attack, Thailand scrambled to get thousands of its citizens out of Israel. That led the Thai military to do more planning for evacuations from other potential war zones, Thailand’s chief of defense forces told me last month. New story in The Diplomat: thediplomat.com/2025/09/thai...
Pentagon readout of Hegseth's call with China's defense minister uses "Asia-Pacific" rather than "Indo-Pacific," which has been the name of the regional command since 2018 and is ubiquitous in official comms. Readout of meeting with Singapore's defense minister still uses "Indo-Pacific," however
September 11, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Pentagon readout of Hegseth's call with China's defense minister uses "Asia-Pacific" rather than "Indo-Pacific," which has been the name of the regional command since 2018 and is ubiquitous in official comms. Readout of meeting with Singapore's defense minister still uses "Indo-Pacific," however
China is building new aircraft carriers and lots of jets to fly from them, but to dodge threats and find targets they need an airborne "quarterback" to keep an eye on things. That's where the KJ-600 — unveiled at this month's military parade — comes in: thedateline.substack.com/p/china-kj60...
September 8, 2025 at 1:54 PM
China is building new aircraft carriers and lots of jets to fly from them, but to dodge threats and find targets they need an airborne "quarterback" to keep an eye on things. That's where the KJ-600 — unveiled at this month's military parade — comes in: thedateline.substack.com/p/china-kj60...
yeah lemme get uhhh
September 1, 2025 at 1:32 PM
yeah lemme get uhhh
Bering, Miyako, Luzon, Malacca, Sunda, Lombok — name a strait in the Pacific and the US military and its allies have begun or stepped up training nearby, part of a strategy to counter the Chinese military's growing reach. New story by me: thedateline.substack.com/p/us-and-all...
August 18, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Bering, Miyako, Luzon, Malacca, Sunda, Lombok — name a strait in the Pacific and the US military and its allies have begun or stepped up training nearby, part of a strategy to counter the Chinese military's growing reach. New story by me: thedateline.substack.com/p/us-and-all...
The intro for Thailand in last year's State Dept. human rights report (which covers 2023): www.state.gov/reports/2023... and the intro from this year's report, which was published on Aug 12 and covers 2024: www.state.gov/reports/2024...
August 13, 2025 at 4:32 AM
The intro for Thailand in last year's State Dept. human rights report (which covers 2023): www.state.gov/reports/2023... and the intro from this year's report, which was published on Aug 12 and covers 2024: www.state.gov/reports/2024...
As part of tariff talks, the Trump admin wanted S Korea to support reorienting US troops in SK to focus on deterring China, rather than just N Korea, and to raise its defense spending to 3.8% of GDP and up its annual payment to host US forces, WaPo reports www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
August 10, 2025 at 9:24 AM
As part of tariff talks, the Trump admin wanted S Korea to support reorienting US troops in SK to focus on deterring China, rather than just N Korea, and to raise its defense spending to 3.8% of GDP and up its annual payment to host US forces, WaPo reports www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
The US is asking foreign officials to sign non-disclosure agreements as part of tariff negotiations (and floating rules-of-origin rates to Southeast Asian governments) www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/b...
August 7, 2025 at 11:49 AM
The US is asking foreign officials to sign non-disclosure agreements as part of tariff negotiations (and floating rules-of-origin rates to Southeast Asian governments) www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/b...
China is gradually driving down its oil demand, which is now set to peak in 2027. China still imports a lot of oil, but the less it needs, the less vulnerable it is to a naval blockade, which US officials regularly talk about imposing thedateline.substack.com/p/china-redu...
August 5, 2025 at 12:52 AM
China is gradually driving down its oil demand, which is now set to peak in 2027. China still imports a lot of oil, but the less it needs, the less vulnerable it is to a naval blockade, which US officials regularly talk about imposing thedateline.substack.com/p/china-redu...
Another year, another record-setting Talisman Sabre. The exercise's growth reflects the US and its allies' focus on preparing for bigger, more complex combat operations in the Pacific—including handling the mass casualties they expect to face in a major war: thedateline.substack.com/p/us-allies-...
July 29, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Another year, another record-setting Talisman Sabre. The exercise's growth reflects the US and its allies' focus on preparing for bigger, more complex combat operations in the Pacific—including handling the mass casualties they expect to face in a major war: thedateline.substack.com/p/us-allies-...
Reporting from Thai media, citing Thai military
July 24, 2025 at 5:13 AM
Reporting from Thai media, citing Thai military
China and Russia's bomber patrols since 2019 have been seen as political messaging and demonstrations of their military ties, but a recent assessment of China's participation suggests Beijing has another goal: building out the final leg of its nuclear triad: thedateline.substack.com/p/the-nuclea...
July 22, 2025 at 1:52 PM
China and Russia's bomber patrols since 2019 have been seen as political messaging and demonstrations of their military ties, but a recent assessment of China's participation suggests Beijing has another goal: building out the final leg of its nuclear triad: thedateline.substack.com/p/the-nuclea...
Guess I'll drive
July 15, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Guess I'll drive
I appreciate these kinds of details. Glad we have outlets like Stars and Stripes (sincere post) www.stripes.com/branches/arm...
July 15, 2025 at 4:22 AM
I appreciate these kinds of details. Glad we have outlets like Stars and Stripes (sincere post) www.stripes.com/branches/arm...