Philip Davidson, the top US officer in Asia, warns Beijing’s military activity in South China Sea is ‘not reducing in any sense of the word’
- Davidson also sought to reassure allies in Southeast Asia of American commitment to the region
- He described China as ‘paranoid’ and criticised the ‘desire to supplant rules-based international order’
Admiral Philip Davidson, who oversees US Indo-Pacific Command, declined to quantify the increased activity – nor would he say whether the number of US freedom of navigation patrols would increase or remain stable. He did, however, underscore the American resolve to remain engaged, describing the US as an “enduring Pacific power”.
“It’s building, it’s not reducing in any sense of the word,” Davidson told reporters on Thursday in Singapore when asked about China’s military activities in the South China Sea. “There has been more activity with ships, fighters and bombers over the last year than in previous years, absolutely.”
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“It’s a hazard to trade flows, the commercial activity, the financial information that flows on cables under the South China Sea, writ large,” added Davidson, who took command of around 380,000 civilian and military personnel in the region last April.
Davidson said he saw no sign of a slowdown in China’s defence capabilities, despite the reduced growth trajectory. More spending, he said, was still an increase.
There has been more activity with ships, fighters and bombers over the last year
“Many of those nations will contribute either maritime patrol aircraft or ships later this year. They’re all sequencing them into their schedules,” he said.
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“It is a wanton breach of the joint declarations and statements [agreed by the North with the US and South Korea],” KCNA said. “This also represents a frontal challenge to the aim and desires of all [Korean] people and the international community yearning for peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.”
[China’s] desire is to supplant the rules-based international order
The US holds some 90 named military exercises in the region each year with its partners and allies – about 60 per cent of US navy forces and just over half its army forces and two-thirds of its marines are in the Indo-Pacific, Davidson added. Last October, Asean held its first joint maritime exercise with China.
The second factor must be information-sharing between countries to tackle challenges in the maritime sector such as illegal fishing, piracy and human trafficking, Davidson said. Third, the US would continue its whole-of-government approach to address regional challenges, such as its recent efforts to support global infrastructure financing through the Build Act.
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During the question-and-answer session after his lecture, Davidson said China had to realise it had benefited from a rules-based international order.
“I think their paranoia about the free and open Indo-Pacific, when it comes to wanting to be a participant, is misplaced,” he said.
“I do think their desire is to supplant the rules-based international order and replace it with one of their own … a rules-based order that’s led by one with Chinese characteristics,” he said, adding that this was a “chilling proposal”.
Additional reporting by Lynn Lee and Park Chan-kyong
