US continue to deter China & adversaries along with Indo-Pacific allies

The United States will continue to work in collaboration with allies to counter the expanding maritime capabilities of Beijing, said Washington’s new chief of naval operations. Admiral Lisa Franchetti emphasised that the Indo-Pacific region remains the foremost priority for America during an online briefing on Friday from South Korea, concluding her weeklong visit to the region.

“By operating together, continuing to build our interoperability through exercise, training and planning, the United States and all of its allies and partners will continue to deter China and other potential adversaries around the world,” she said.

While the US and China have made recent efforts to stabilize their relations, with Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping meeting earlier this month, persistent disagreements on issues such as chip exports and the South China Sea persist. This week, the US resumed patrols with the Philippines in the South China Sea.

The joint patrols, involving both the U.S. and Philippine navies, took place through Thursday. Notably, these patrols occurred shortly after Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. described the situation in the South China Sea as increasingly “dire,” with China asserting its presence in an area marked by competing territorial claims from multiple nations.

In response to the US-Philippines patrols, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing’s position had been made clear to both the Philippines and the U.S. “The Philippines-U.S. joint patrol drill must not undermine China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” she said.

The U.S. 7th Fleet said the patrols were part of routine American interaction with its allies and partners in “preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea as its own waters, which has led to disputes not only with the Philippines but also with Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei. These claims have long been regarded as potential flashpoints in the region, and have fuelled U.S.-China rivalry.

Earlier this month a Chinese coast guard ship blasted a Philippine supply ship with a water cannon in disputed waters, and last month a Chinese coast guard ship and an accompanying vessel rammed a Philippine coast guard ship and a military-run supply boat near a contested shoal, according to Philippine officials.

With inputs from agencies.