The United States’ growing involvement in military exercises near the South-China sea threatens peace and stability in the region, claimed China on Monday, April 21. It urged regional countries not to become a part of such military drills which put regional security and economic prosperity at risk.
Record-breaking “Balikatan” exercises simulate warfare scenarios
Over 14,000 armed personnel, 9,000 US and 5,000 Filipino soldiers, along with hundreds of others from Australia, Japan, Britain, France and Canada began participating in the annual “Balikatan” military exercises in the Philippines on Monday. Dozens of other US allies are participating as observers of the exercises, which will go on until May 9.
The three-week long exercise is unprecedented in scale. It will include fighter jets, warships and various forms of advanced military technology, including Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) and HIMRAS rocket launchers, among others, AP reported.
James Glynn, US military official in charge of the exercises claimed that this year’s exercise is “full battle tests” involving multiple scenarios to test the capabilities of the two forces.
Glynn claimed that “the full battle test is intended to take into consideration all of the regional security challenges that we face today, beginning in the South China Sea,” Reuters reported.
China and the Philippines have conflicting claims over certain islands in the South China sea.
Mixed signals on the target of the drills
The Philippines military official Francisco Lorenzo, however, was reported saying that the exercises are not aimed at any particular country and are purely for the Philippines’ defense.
Glynn, nevertheless, hinted that China was central to the exercises. He claimed that the purpose of the exercises is to create “deterrence” against the rising threats in the region including the threats to Taiwan and to free and open passage through the South China Sea.
Successive US administrations have expressed their desire to intervene militarily in the region if China tries to take hold of Taiwan militarily, despite them professing adherence to the “one-China” policy.
The US has deployed warships and increased its military presence in the region, holding multiple exercises with its allies, such as South Korea, each year, allegedly to “counter threats” from China.
A threat to regional peace and prosperity
China has maintained that such exercises in the region are part of the larger US project to contain its rise. It has underlined that such a provocative display of military prowess threatens regional peace and stability and pushes the region closer to the brink of war.
China has also opposed the deployment of advanced US weapon systems in the Philippines claiming it could lead to an arms race in the region and put the region at risk.
The US deployed advanced Typhoon missiles in the Philippines near the Chinese border for the military exercises last year. Despite strong objections those missiles were not removed and have been deployed indefinitely now. The US officials have claimed that NMESIS would also be deployed indefinitely if the Philippines wishes so, Global Times reported.
“Betrayal of regional solidarity by the Philippines”
Guo Jiakun, spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the exercises a betrayal of regional solidarity by the leadership in the Philippines. Pointing towards Donald Trump’s recent policies which have affected the countries across the globe, Jiakun claimed that Philippines’ move has been “detested and opposed” by the region.
“With the world being hit by unilateralism, protectionism and bullying, countries in this region have been calling for greater solidarity, coordination, and joint efforts to keep the region stable and respond to challenges,” Jiakun claimed. However, he blamed that the Philippines “chose to conduct the large-scale military drills with this country outside the region and brought in strategic and tactical weapons to the detriment of regional strategic stability and regional economic prospects.”
On the issue of Taiwan, Jiakun said that his country firmly opposes “using the Taiwan question as an excuse to strengthen military deployment in the region, heighten tensions and confrontation, disturb regional peace and stability” by a country outside the region.
“We urge relevant sides not to make provocations on the Taiwan question. Those who play with fire will perish by it,” Jiakun asserted.
