Tokyo – The Pentagon is expected to announce investments in Asia this week that will position the country for a long fight to deter China. Chinese bombers entered international airspace off the coast of Alaska for the first time.
Despite the ongoing war Ukraine and Gaza With the Indo-Pacific region still facing growing threats, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is on his 11th visit as secretary of defense as part of a focus on China that the Pentagon calls a “pacing agenda.”
Austin’s trip will take him to Japan and the Philippines, where he is expected to herald a major expansion of command and control between the two countries, and to announce $500 million in foreign military funding in the Philippines, some of which defense officials say could be earmarked for cybersecurity and maritime self-defense to help protect against an aggressive China.
On Wednesday, the U.S. military intercepted two Chinese and Russian bombers off the coast of Alaska. While Russian planes are routinely intercepted by NORAD in the region, this was the first time the U.S. has intercepted a Chinese aircraft in the vicinity. The joint exercise was A relationship that appears to have grown Since China began supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by helping supply Russia’s defense industrial base.
All eyes are on Taiwan and President Xi Jinping’s intention to develop the capability to militarily invade Taiwan by 2027, even if the decision to invade comes later. This timeline drives some of the Pentagon’s own long-range warfighting plans, but an area that could escalate sooner is the South China Sea, where conflict has escalated between the Philippines and China.
The Philippines maintains a base out of an old ship called the Sierra Madre in waters claimed by China in the South China Sea. Over the past year, when Philippine troops have flown resupply missions to the base, Chinese forces have attacked them with water cannons and powerful laser beams, sometimes even clashing.
The Philippine president said he could invoke the mutual defense treaty between the United States and the Philippines if a Filipino sailor was injured. Asked about this, Austin said the treaty is “ironclad,” but the aim is to prevent any escalation. Part of the investment in the trip, including $500 million in foreign military funding, is for this purpose.
Kevin Wolf/AP
Before leaving the US, Austin read out to reporters what he considered Biden’s legacy, with the focus on China being at the top of his list. He said Biden’s legacy includes “positioning the US to compete and win against China.”
Upon returning to the US, Mr Austin will travel to Annapolis, Maryland, where he and Secretary of State Blinken will meet with their Australian counterparts for Australia-US ministerial consultations.
A defense official called the visit and meetings with Australia “the most significant 10 days for U.S. defense relationships in the Indo-Pacific since this Administration.”
