The US would like to have a better idea about the intentions behind China’s naval build-up, a senior US navy officer said yesterday, but downplayed worries over Chinese plans for an aircraft carrier.
“The advancement and the growth of the PLA [People’s Liberation Army] navy is consistent with China’s economic advancement and its role in a globalized world,” US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead told a news conference in Beijing.
“I think it is important however that as we create a naval capability, indeed any military capability, that there should be clear communications with regard to what the intentions of that capability are,” he said.
“That’s why visits like mine are important,” Roughead said, ahead of a trip to the northern port city of Qingdao to attend celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PLA navy.
The US has long complained that China’s increased military spending lacks transparency, charges Beijing denies.
This year’s US Defense Department annual report on Chinese military capabilities said China was making advances in denying outsiders access to offshore areas and was improving its nuclear, space and cyber warfare capabilities.
Last week a Chinese admiral told state media that China would accelerate development of warships, stealth submarines and long-range missiles as the country makes a stronger navy a priority in military modernization.
Chinese media have also highlighted the government’s hopes to build an aircraft carrier, seen as the badge of a mature ocean-going power, prompting concern in the region about China’s military ambitions and how that could alter the balance of power.
“There has been no doubt in my mind that the acquisition of an aircraft carrier and carrier aviation was something that was clearly an ambition and an objective of the PLA navy,” Roughead said.
“The advent of an aircraft carrier on the part of the PLA navy to me really doesn’t change the nature of our operations at all,” he said. “The real issue is: How are those aircraft carriers used and what is the intent of that capability?”
Tensions between the US and China rose last month over an incident in the South China Sea in which five Chinese ships jostled with the Impeccable, a US Navy surveillance vessel.
The US said its ship was in international waters, but Beijing said the US ship was in the wrong and Chinese naval officers argued that it violated their country’s sovereignty.
“It’s important that we adhere to international law even though there may be some different interpretations. We must continue to operate in accordance with the rules of the road ... and most importantly that we operate safely,” Roughead said.
Still, the admiral said he wanted greater cooperation with China in areas like search and rescue and humanitarian missions, highlighting joint efforts to combat piracy in the seas off Somalia.
“The opportunity for our navies to work together against the threat of piracy is very important,” Roughead said.
‘GREAT OPPRTUNITY’: The Paraguayan president made the remarks following Donald Trump’s tapping of several figures with deep Latin America expertise for his Cabinet Paraguay President Santiago Pena called US president-elect Donald Trump’s incoming foreign policy team a “dream come true” as his nation stands to become more relevant in the next US administration. “It’s a great opportunity for us to advance very, very fast in the bilateral agenda on trade, security, rule of law and make Paraguay a much closer ally” to the US, Pena said in an interview in Washington ahead of Trump’s inauguration today. “One of the biggest challenges for Paraguay was that image of an island surrounded by land, a country that was isolated and not many people know about it,”
DIALOGUE: US president-elect Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform confirmed that he had spoken with Xi, saying ‘the call was a very good one’ for the US and China US president-elect Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) discussed Taiwan, trade, fentanyl and TikTok in a phone call on Friday, just days before Trump heads back to the White House with vows to impose tariffs and other measures on the US’ biggest rival. Despite that, Xi congratulated Trump on his second term and pushed for improved ties, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The call came the same day that the US Supreme Court backed a law banning TikTok unless it is sold by its China-based parent company. “We both attach great importance to interaction, hope for
‘FIGHT TO THE END’: Attacking a court is ‘unprecedented’ in South Korea and those involved would likely face jail time, a South Korean political pundit said Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol yesterday stormed a Seoul court after a judge extended the impeached leader’s detention over his ill-fated attempt to impose martial law. Tens of thousands of people had gathered outside the Seoul Western District Court on Saturday in a show of support for Yoon, who became South Korea’s first sitting head of state to be arrested in a dawn raid last week. After the court extended his detention on Saturday, the president’s supporters smashed windows and doors as they rushed inside the building. Hundreds of police officers charged into the court, arresting dozens and denouncing an
CYBERSCAM: Anne, an interior decorator with mental health problems, spent a year and a half believing she was communicating with Brad Pitt and lost US$855,259 A French woman who revealed on TV how she had lost her life savings to scammers posing as Brad Pitt has faced a wave of online harassment and mockery, leading the interview to be withdrawn on Tuesday. The woman, named as Anne, told the Seven to Eight program on the TF1 channel how she had believed she was in a romantic relationship with the Hollywood star, leading her to divorce her husband and transfer 830,000 euros (US$855,259). The scammers used fake social media and WhatsApp accounts, as well as artificial intelligence image-creating technology to send Anne selfies and other messages
RSS