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.
POLITICAL AGENDA: Beijing’s cross-strait Mid-Autumn Festival events are part of a ‘cultural united front’ aimed at promoting unification with Taiwan, academics said Local authorities in China have been inviting Taiwanese to participate in cross-strait Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations centered around ideals of “family and nation,” a move Taiwanese academics said politicizes the holiday to promote the idea of “one family” across the Taiwan Strait. Sources said that China’s Fujian Provincial Government is organizing about 20 cross-strait-themed events in cities including Quanzhou, Nanping, Sanming and Zhangzhou. In Zhangzhou, a festival scheduled for Wednesday is to showcase Minnan-language songs and budaixi (布袋戲) glove puppetry to highlight cultural similarities between Taiwan and the region. Elsewhere, Jiangsu Province is hosting more than 10 similar celebrations in Taizhou, Changzhou, Suzhou,
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
COGNITIVE WARFARE: Chinese fishing boats transmitting fake identification signals are meant to test Taiwan’s responses to different kinds of perceived incursions, a report said Chinese vessels are transmitting fake signals in Taiwan’s waters as a form of cognitive warfare, testing Taipei’s responses to various types of incursions, a report by the Institute for the Study of War said on Friday. Several Chinese fishing vessels transmitted fake automatic identification system (AIS) signals in Taiwan’s waters last month, with one mimicking a Russian warship and another impersonating a Chinese law enforcement vessel, the report said. Citing data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, the report said that throughout August and last month, the Chinese fishing boat Minshiyu 06718 (閩獅漁06718) sailed through the Taiwan Strait while intermittently transmitting its own AIS
CHINESE INFILTRATION: Medical logistics is a lifeline during wartime and the reported CCP links of a major logistics company present a national security threat, an expert said The government would bolster its security check system to prevent China from infiltrating the nation’s medical cold chain, a national security official said yesterday. The official, who wished to stay anonymous, made the remarks after the Chinese-language magazine Mirror Media (鏡周刊) reported that Pharma Logistics (嘉里醫藥物流) is in charge of the medical logistics of about half of the nation’s major hospitals, including National Taiwan University Hospital and Taipei Veterans General Hospital. The company’s parent, Kerry TJ Logistics Co (嘉里大榮物流), is associated with the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the