With US President Joe Biden on monday
signing a new defense bill that will see
u.s military expenditure further expand
with a particular focus on china. Chinese
analysts predict a further increase of
u.s military activities targeting china
next year and said china should continue
its efforts to safeguard national
sovereignty and territorial integrity by
enhancing its national defense
development and troops combat
preparedness.
In 2021, the u.s maintained its intensive
military activities in the south china
sea targeting china. including close in
reconnaissance operations. Transits of
the taiwan straits, forward deployment
strategic deterrence operations. So-called freedom of navigation
operations, drills and battlefield
construction activities. The South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) a beijing-based think
tank revealed on monday in an article
published in its wechat account written
by Hubo, the think tanks director.
U.S large spy planes carried out about 1,200 aerial close and reconnaissance
sorties on china. With some of them
coming near 20 nautical miles of the
chinese mainland's territorial baseline. U.S aircraft carrier strike groups and
amphibious ready groups entered the
south china sea 13 times. More than
doubling the activities of 2020 and at
least 11 u.s nuclear-powered attack
submarines were spotted in or near the
south china sea. Including the seawolf
class uss connecticut which had an
accident in the region, according to
monitoring from SCSPI.
Foo Chianchao, a chinese military
aviation expert told the Global Times on
tuesday that the u.s military activities
near china not only broke records in
terms of numbers but also in terms of
how close they were to china. These provocative activities could
gather intelligence on the chinese
people's liberation army and prepare
the u.s for a potential major military
conflict with china, Foou warned.
"China must stay highly vigilant. keep
close eyes on them and take proper
measures to counter them, including
enhancing weapons and equipment as well
as the level of training of the PLA," Foo said.
Song Zhongping a chinese military expert
and tv commentator told the Global Times
on tuesday that the intensifying u.s
military activities pose increasing
threats to china. The u.s sees china as its top opponent
and is trying to suppress it in all
aspects including the military. Song said we must enhance our own combat
capabilities in order to defend
ourselves.
Other countries from outside the region
including the UK, France, India, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan and Australia also
sent warships to enhance their presence
in the south china sea. While countries
within the region including Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia also boosted
military activities, according to SCSPI.
Wu said that while the main purpose of
these military activities continues to
be muscle flexing and asserting their
presence and real military tensions are
not as high. The biggest variable in the
region's military security lies between
china and the u.s since they deploy the
most military platforms and have the
fiercest confrontations.
Neither china nor the u.s is seeking war
with each other but both are actively
preparing for worst-case scenarios. Wu said noting that the balance between
avoiding military conflict and enhancing
military competition is a subtle one and
accidents could happen. Particularly when
u.s troops are deployed in excess
numbers and suffering from fatigue. This will increase the risk of friction
and conflict between the chinese and u.s
militaries, who wrote.
Biden signed the national defense
authorization act for the fiscal year
2022 into law on monday. Authorizing 770
billion dollars in defense spending. About five percent more than last year
including more aircraft and navy ship
purchases, strategies for dealing with
russia and china as well as 7.1 billion
dollars for the pacific deterrence
initiative targeting china and a
statement of congressional support for
the defense of taiwan, reuters reported.
With more funding available to the u.s
military, it is expected that the total
number, frequency and intensity of u.s
military activities near china will
continue to increase in 2022, Song said. Concerning the taiwan question who wrote
that the situation in the taiwan straits
is closely related to that in the south
china sea since the two regions are
interconnected.
