BLUF
The Indo-Pacific missile race is heating up. China’s rapid buildup is being matched by coordinated countermeasures across the region, raising the risk of escalation. Meanwhile, 2025’s cyberattacks are hitting harder, targeting everything from schools to government servers. In Ukraine, the fight for Chasiv Yar drags on with no clear breakthrough. And in Taiwan, a leak at TSMC puts critical chip IP and strategic stability under the microscope.
The global tempo hasn’t slowed it’s sped up. This week, it’s all about positioning. Missiles are being moved into place across the Indo-Pacific. Cyberattacks are becoming more precise, more personal, and more public. And in Ukraine, the battle for Chasiv Yar is chewing through lives and logistics as the lines barely shift.
Let’s unpack what actually matters and what to watch next.
Diplomacy
Missile Diplomacy Reshapes Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific is entering a new missile era. From U.S. deployments in the Philippines to Japan’s anti-ship missile tests and South Korea’s ballistic upgrades, allied nations are responding fast to China’s growing missile arsenal. Taiwan is ramping up domestic production, while Australia and India are investing in long-range strike and exports. China’s own advances, including DF-17 and YJ-21 hypersonic systems, signal a strategy to dominate the first island chain and beyond. With North Korea expanding its ICBM capabilities and Beijing building over 300 new missile silos, the regional security environment is becoming more volatile.
Missiles are attractive to Indo-Pacific states because they’re mobile, fast, and harder to counter than conventional forces. But the more each country leans into long-range strike options, the harder it becomes to dial tensions back. The race is no longer about deterrence alone - it’s about readiness to strike first, and that’s raising the risk of miscalculation across several flashpoints, especially the Taiwan Strait.
Seven-day outlook: Expect regional exercises and weapons tests to continue, especially from China, Japan or the U.S. Any new export deals, missile deployments, or failed de-escalation talks could accelerate this arms race further. Keep an eye on Taiwan’s missile posture and South Korea’s next moves - both are becoming key players in this strategic shift.
Information
Cyber Trends of 2025
This year has delivered some of the most aggressive cyber hits we’ve seen. Here are five worth knowing:
