Beijing’s island-building projects in the South China Sea might be much larger than previously thought, according to a US Pentagon report.
The report said that as of June, China had reclaimed 1,174 hectares of land — by piling sand on reefs in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島) — up nearly 50 percent from May.
As recently as three months ago, the US Department of Defense believed China had claimed just 809 hectares.
“Washington fears that the islands will be used for military purposes and could create instability in one of the world’s biggest commercial shipping routes as China lays claim to what several other countries see as international waters,” the Wall Street Journal said.
The newspaper said that Pentagon officials believe that as China’s assertiveness grows, the risk of conflict with the US and its allies grows along with it.
The report “The Asia-Pacific Maritime Security Strategy” was ordered by Congress and comes a month before Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is due to visit Washington.
“Rapid military modernization across the Asia-Pacific region has significantly increased the potential for dangerous miscalculations or conflict,” it said.
It said that many countries are significantly enhancing their maritime law enforcement capabilities as China is asserting sovereignty over disputed areas.
According to the report, China is modernizing every aspect of its maritime-related military law enforcement capabilities, including its naval surface fleet, submarines, aircraft, missiles, radar capabilities and coast guard.
At the same time, the report said that Beijing is developing high-end technologies intended to dissuade external intervention in a conflict and designed to counter US military technology.
“Although preparation for a potential Taiwan conflict remains the primary driver of Chinese investment, China is also placing emphasis on preparing for contingencies in the East and South China Sea,” it said.
The report said that the Pentagon is working to ensure continued freedom of the seas, deter conflict and coercion and promote adherence to international law.
“We are strengthening our military capability to promote stability and respond decisively to threats,” it said.
The report added that the US is leveraging military diplomacy to promote trust and stability.
The report said there should be no doubt that the US will maintain the necessary military presence and capabilities to protect “our interests and those of our allies and partners against potential threats.”
It said the US maintains 368,000 military personnel in the Asia-Pacific region and that over the next five years the US Navy will increase the number of ships assigned to the Pacific Fleet outside of US territory by 30 percent.
By 2020, 60 percent of naval and overseas air assets would be “home-ported” in the Pacific region, it said.
SHOW OF SUPPORT: As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan might collaborate with Manila against China’s aggressive actions, MOFA said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday hinted that Taiwan might join forces with the Philippines to protect navigational freedoms, days after Beijing blocked Philippine supply ships in the South China Sea. The ministry made the comment when asked whether Taipei would be willing to join forces with the Philippines to protect the latter from increasingly aggressive activities by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy and China Coast Guard. Taiwan “is willing to cooperate with any other nation with shared values in areas of common concern, including maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacfic region,” it wrote in a statement. A Chinese
‘LIKE A BLACK HOLE’: The figure is about 7% of China’s reported military spending, although diplomats and experts say that number is often opaque or not fully inclusive China spent about US$15 billion, or 7 percent of its defense budget, on exercises in the western Pacific last year, according to a previously unpublished Taiwanese estimate, showing Beijing’s investment in military activity around Taiwan and its neighbors. The internal research by the military, reviewed by Reuters, offers a rare look into a slice of China’s defense spending as Beijing has ramped up its military presence amid rising tensions in the region. China claims Taiwan as its own and is also locked in disputes with several nations over sovereignty of large parts of the South China Sea and the East China Sea. “This
‘GLOBAL THREAT’: MOFA said that it welcomes the ‘staunch US support’ and that ‘China again made spurious claims about Taiwan that do not accord with reality’ US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stressed the importance of stability in the Taiwan Strait, while a senior Chinese military official warned the US to stop “collusion” with Taiwan in a rare one-on-one meeting yesterday, both sides said. Sullivan arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, the first US national security adviser to visit China since 2016, for three days of talks with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) and other high-ranking officials. Yesterday morning, Sullivan met with Zhang Youxia (張又俠), vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and China’s second-highest-ranking military official, at the Beijing headquarters of the commission.
PRESSURE: The Solomon Islands, acting under explicit instructions from Beijing, is aiming to prevent Taiwan from attending the next forum to be held in Honiara Australia has voiced support for Taiwan despite the Solomon Islands’ plan to undermine Taiwan’s status as an observer at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). The forum is one of the most important international organizations in the Pacific region, made up of 18 member states, including Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan’s Pacific allies, associate members and observers, along with “dialogue partners” such as the US, Japan, Canada and the EU. The 53rd edition of the forum opened in Tonga’s capital, Nuku’alofa, yesterday. Taiwan has been taking part in the forum and related events as a “developmental partner” under the name Taiwan / Republic of