The U.S. Navy has stepped up operations in the South China Sea, Admiral Philip Davidson, head of the Indo-Pacific Command of the United States, said during his speech at the International Security Forum in Canada. His words are quoted on the Pentagon website.
“The US Navy has stepped up its operations in the South China Sea. In September and October, exercises were held there several times, and over the past week or two, maneuvers were conducted there twice to ensure freedom of navigation, ”the statement said.
In addition, the admiral said that Washington also intends to intensify navigation in the waters of the South China Sea through cooperation with Singapore and the use of US military bases in Japan.
“Navigation in these waters will also increase because the United States continues to rotate its troops through Singapore and spread its air and sea presence thanks to military bases in Japan,” the Defense Department quoted Davidson as saying.
The admiral stressed that the United States is increasing military activity in the region in response to the "wider" threat from China.
“China is expanding its military presence outside the South China Sea. Now it acts globally to cover areas adjacent to South America, Europe and Africa ... In response, the United States is improving its missile defense systems and developing high-precision long-range weapons as a deterrent, "said Davidson, stressing that" freedom and support for the international order are worth protecting. ”
- Admiral Philip Davidson, Head of the Indo-Pacific Command of the United States
- © US Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jack sander
The American admiral also warned the ASEAN countries against concluding an agreement with China. According to the American side, such an agreement supposedly could limit the freedom of these states in the South China Sea, including the ability to conduct military exercises.
Recall that in early November, Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang announced Beijing’s readiness to work with ASEAN states to create a “code of conduct” in the South China Sea.
"Provoke China"
For several decades, Beijing has been conducting territorial disputes with a number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region over islands in the South China Sea, on the shelf of which significant hydrocarbon reserves have been discovered. This includes, among others, the Xisha archipelago (Paracel Islands), the Nansha (Spratly) and Huangyan (Scarborough Reef) islands. Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines participate in a varying degree.
At the same time, the United States aggravates the situation by regularly sending its destroyers to patrol areas near the disputed islands, which China considers to be its own. Despite the fact that the Chinese side is protesting against such actions by the American side, the United States announced its intention to "swim and act wherever international law permits."
So, this week, Beijing sent a strict submission to Washington because of the passage of US warships in the South China Sea. According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Gen Shuang, during the briefing, the actions of the US Navy caused serious damage to the sovereignty and security interests of China.
According to experts, the growth of US military activity in the South China Sea is aimed at "provoking China." As an expert at the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Research Vladimir Bruter noted in an interview with RT, the United States plans to "force the PRC to retaliate."
“The White House intends to demonstrate in such a way that it can restrain Beijing and exert pressure on it. At the same time, the American side seeks to show that China is not a superpower, since Americans can organize exercises at its borders and use their extraterritorial military bases located not far from China. In fact, Washington is now staging demonstrations aimed at showing that China has no opportunity to influence the situation, ”Bruter suggested in a conversation with RT.
At the same time, the expert drew attention to the fact that in fact the United States is conducting operations in the region where “everything is in order with navigation”, and the Pentagon’s statements about the “growing” threat from China are “verbal noise” and “fabrications” .
- The Central Building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
- © Wikimedia
“Washington wants to interpret the situation the way it never really looked. China, as a world power, of course, has its own geopolitical interests. However, we have not yet seen Beijing insist on a change of power in any of the countries, on unequal trade agreements, or try to threaten its neighbors with a military invasion. No direct threats from Beijing to any state in the region have ever been received. The PRC, unlike the United States, does not force the Asia-Pacific countries to act contrary to their own interests, ”the expert said.
Vladimir Bruter believes that China will not go on a counter-provocation, as he is aware of the negative consequences of such steps for the entire region.
According to political analyst Alexander Asafov, Washington is warning ASEAN countries against an agreement with China, as it is afraid of losing allies in the region.
“Of course, it would be beneficial for such states to reorient themselves towards cooperation with the PRC, since Beijing is their closest neighbor and in many ways the main trading partner on whom they depend economically,” the analyst said in a conversation with RT.
"Will lead to negative consequences"
According to political scientists, the intensification of hostilities off the coast of the South China Sea is only part of the US plans to implement its new Indo-Pacific Strategy, which Donald Trump spoke about earlier.
In Russia, this concept was recognized as dangerous for the Asia-Pacific region, which could undermine the system of multilateral cooperation in the region. This was stated in October by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during a plenary meeting of the Xiangshan Forum.
In addition, according to Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, the United States is trying to "strengthen influence in Southeast Asia through the concept of a" free and open Indo-Pacific region. " This was stated by Medvedev in early November in an interview with the Bangkok Post on the eve of the ASEAN Investment Summit and the East Asian Summit.
Recall that in mid-November, the head of the Pentagon, Mark Esper, emphasized that the Indo-Pacific region is “a priority theater of operations” for Washington.
It was also noted that “maintaining alliances and attracting new partners” in this region is part of the United States National Defense Strategy.
In addition, experts point out that in addition to trying to expand the network of its allies in the Asia-Pacific region, Washington has recently been more actively building up its military potential in the countries of the region.
So, in early August, after information appeared on the US withdrawal from the INF Treaty, Esper came up with a proposal to deploy ground-based medium-range missiles in Asia soon.
- Pentagon Head Mark Esper
- © Erin Scott / Reuters
At the end of the summer, the US Department of Defense’s Department for Defense Cooperation and Security announced that Washington intends to sell Japan $ 73.39 billion of interceptor missiles for the missile defense system. According to the American side, this deal is designed to strengthen the national security of the United States by increasing defense capability. " major ally ”in the Asia-Pacific region.
In addition, in September, the agreement on bilateral military cooperation between the United States and Singapore was extended, which will now be valid until 2035. The document assumes that the White House has the right to use Singaporean military bases for its own purposes.
The US is building up military partnership with India. So, on October 13, in the United States, joint military exercises of the American and Indian special forces “Vajra Prahar” began.
According to Vladimir Bruter, Washington deliberately increases tension in the Asia-Pacific region and will continue to “qualitatively” build up its military potential in the Asia-Pacific region.
“However, if the United States continues to pursue a similar policy of containing China and strengthens it, then this will lead to negative consequences: a decrease in the level of security in the region, manifestation of regional conflicts, increased unrest in Hong Kong, trade contradictions between the countries of the regions in which Beijing will inevitably be involved” , - the expert considers.
This point of view is shared by Alexander Asafov. According to him, the buildup by Washington of its military potential in the Asia-Pacific countries leads to a weakening of the security system in this region.
“Such a policy of Washington adversely affects the safety of the passenger and cargo fleet. At the same time, the withdrawal of American ships from the South China Sea is unlikely, since this zone is of both political and economic interests of the United States. On the contrary, Washington will impose its military assistance to other Asia-Pacific states to take them under control, ”Asafov concluded.