Tensions at ‘maximum’ in South China Sea as Beijing warns of confrontation
China has accused Washington and Tokyo of a “vicious attack” on policy, saying it will only bring “confrontation” to the region.
Beijing has complained that the US is exerting “maximum pressure” on the South China Sea and is inciting “anti-China encirclement”.
As a leading member of China’s Politburo leads a high-level diplomatic delegation to talks with Washington in Alaska this weekend, the relationship between the two world powers has reached a new low.
On Thursday, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Washington was attempting to revive Cold War-era alliances to counter China’s growing influence.
He accused Japan and the US of “a vicious attack on China’s foreign policy” and “gross interference in China’s internal affairs”.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken travelled to Tokyo this week. Shortly afterwards, a joint statement declared the allies were “committed to opposing coercion and destabilising behaviour towards others in the region”.
It also highlighted concerns over Beijing’s “open fire” orders to its coast guard vessels.
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In retaliation, Zhao has accused Washington and Tokyo of a “vicious attack on China’s foreign policy”.
“These efforts run counter to the current of the times … and will only bring chaos and even confrontation to the region,” he warned.
As the diplomatic delegations squared off, a Beijing-based think-tank accused Washington of “unprecedented” naval and air force deployments to the South China Sea – even as China’s own navy began another round of intensive military exercises there.
The “intensive and oppressive” military presence has led to “escalating potential military risks,” it warned.
‘MAXIMUM PRESSURE’
The South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) has issued a 38-page report on the East and South China Seas ahead of this weeks’ high profile diplomatic events.
“The intensity, in terms of the scale, number and duration, of the US military activities in the region in 2020 was rarely seen in recent years,” it states.
It did not note Beijing’s own dramatically increased military activity in the region last year. Chinese warships, aircraft and marine troops have been engaged in an almost endless chain of manoeuvres and live-fire exercises since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Generally, in 2020, the US surface force activity was obviously weakened due to COVID-19 , while perhaps to fill the power vacuum, the operations of submarines and air forces have expanded significantly in the #SouthChinaSeahttps://t.co/8eAedKzMk0pic.twitter.com/CC5dbPqn8F
— SCS Probing Initiative (@SCS_PI) March 14, 2021
But the Beijing University-based SCSPI says the continuation of US activity in the area since the US Presidential election was a sign of Washington’s “insecurities”.
The report says US carrier strike groups, strategic bombers and nuclear attack submarines had been “posing unprecedented deterrence against China” … and was part of a program building up “strong momentum for battlefield construction and warfighting readiness across the US military”.
The think tank went on to accuse Washington of whipping up a militaristic frenzy in the disputed region.
Beijing has itself been accused of the same dangerous nationalistic behaviour, particularly after releasing a video appearing to depict an attack on the US base of Guam.
“In an effort to emphasise competition with China, the US flaunted military power on their official websites and social media and even publicly intimidated China, which significantly aggravated tensions in the South China Sea region,” SCSPI accused.
‘ALL MEASURES NECESSARY’
“China uses coercion and aggression to systematically erode autonomy in Hong Kong, undercut democracy in Taiwan, abuse human rights in Xinjiang and Tibet, and assert maritime claims in the South China Sea that violates international law,” US Secretary of State Blinken said after talks in Tokyo.
“We are united in the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, where countries follow the rules, co-operate whenever they can, and resolve differences peacefully.
“In particular, we will push back if necessary when China uses coercion or aggression to get its way.”
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Beijing has sent its fishing militia and coast guard vessels into Japanese-controlled waters near the disputed Senkaku islands for more than 32 consecutive days so far this year.
This has raised Tokyo’s concerns, particularly when coupled with Beijing having issued a law allowing its coast guard to open fire on “intruders”.
China has told Japan it is exercising “self restraint” in waters that are its “inherent territory”.
The visit came after US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison met virtually with their Japanese and Indian counterparts in the first-ever top-level meeting for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad).
The summit issued a joint statement asserting the nations intended to work together to “meet challenges to the rules-based maritime order in the East and South China Seas”.
Amid the mounting international pressure, China’s Foreign Minister Zhao warned that Beijing would take “all measures necessary to resolutely defend sovereignty, security and development interests”.
Zhao lashed out, accusing all but Beijing of “despicable” and “deeply unpopular” behaviour.
He said Japan “willingly stoops to acting as a strategic vassal” to the US – repeating an accusation often levelled against Australia.
ALL AT SEA
In recent weeks, the People’s Liberation Army says its navy has been conducting “intensive” combat drills in each of the three seas bordering China.
Communist Party-controlled media has been releasing details, pictures and video of the operations in its Northern and Southern Commands ahead of a diplomatic meeting between Beijing and Washington in Alaska this weekend.
Footage shows corvettes and destroyers sinking an “enemy warship” in the Yellow Sea, while in frigates, destroyers and aircraft engaged in anti-submarine exercises in the East China Sea. In the South China Sea, a task force practised engaging “enemy aircraft and surface vessels”.
This high-tempo of military operations is expected to continue until the end of this month, with new “no-go” zones being declared around Hainan Island to the nation’s south.
Meanwhile, two Australian warships are joining French forces in Exercise La Perouse in the northeast Indian Ocean.
Acting Defence Minister Marise Payne said the frigate HMAS Anzac and the support ship HMAS Sirius are demonstrating Australia’s commitment to “work with regional partners to address shared challenges, including our region’s maritime security”.
Foreign Minister Zhao said such co-operation was designed to “intentionally create confrontation between camps, and attempt to create an anti-China encirclement”.
Meanwhile, the SCSPI think-tank says the high-tempo of Beijing’s operations display its growing influence over South East Asia.
“The US is gradually losing such military dominance in the Western Pacific despite its evident military superiority globally, as China has been delivering much more targeted and effective countermeasures,” its report reads.
“It remains to be seen whether this trend can be sustained.
“In any case, it would be positive for the two militaries and two countries if the competition could be kept as limited as possible to the professionals.”
Jamie Seidel is a freelance writer | @JamieSeidel
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