China’s increasingly provocative and assertive military exercises could spark a crisis or conflict in the Indo-Pacific region, US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner said.
Ratner made the remark during a talk on Thursday at the Center for a New American Security, titled “Building a Networked Security Architecture in the Indo-Pacific.”
China has been displaying “more assertive, aggressive, unprofessional, risky, unsafe behavior” in the Indo-Pacific region over the past 18 months, he said.
Photo: Screen grab from YouTube
For example, a Chinese J-16 fighter jet performed an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver close to a US Air Force RC-135 surveillance plane over the South China Sea at the end of last month, and a Chinese warship crossed the path of US Navy destroyer the USS Chung-Hoon as it was transiting the Taiwan Strait last week.
Behavior like this is a major problem and “could lead to some kind of crisis or conflict,” he added.
However, the US is “not going to be deterred or intimidated by this behavior,” he said, adding that he is confident in the deterrent efforts of the US and its allies.
Beijing’s unwillingness to engage in military communications with the US, especially over the past six months, makes the situation more problematic, he said.
China rejected the US’ invitation for Chinese Minister of National Defense Li Shangfu (李尚福) to meet with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore last week, he said.
“China’s assertiveness and coercion have really underscored the importance of working together to strive toward that outcome,” Ratner said, referring to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
AMENDMENT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of high-temperature days, affecting economic productivity and public health, experts said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is considering amending the Meteorological Act (氣象法) to classify “high temperatures” as “hazardous weather,” providing a legal basis for work or school closures due to extreme heat. CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen (呂國臣) yesterday said the agency plans to submit the proposed amendments to the Executive Yuan for review in the fourth quarter this year. The CWA has been monitoring high-temperature trends for an extended period, and the agency contributes scientific data to the recently established High Temperature Response Alliance led by the Ministry of Environment, Lu said. The data include temperature, humidity, radiation intensity and ambient wind,
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist