U.S Military encirclement of China

and

US defense secretary Leon Panetta said America needs to increase its military role in the Asian Pacific, restating Washington's concern over the reality of China’s rapidly developing military influence.

"That reality is inescapable for our country and for our military, which has already begun broadening and deepening our engagement throughout the Asia-Pacific," Panetta said.

On the eve of an international peace summit scheduled to kick off in Singapore on June 1, Panetta addressed graduates of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The defense secretary called the Asia-Pacific one of the “key projects” for future American mariners.


“Your charge is to help ensure the peace and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region for the 21st century,” Panetta said. “We need you to project America’s power and to reflect America’s character: to serve on ships and submarines, to fly planes, and to train and operate throughout the region."

Panetta echoed Barack Obama’s words at an Australian summit last November, when the president announced plans to increase American military presence in the region by 2017. Obama called Asia-Pacific a “top priority”, stressing that the US “was here to stay”.


Panetta specifically mentioned strengthening existing ties and alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia and the Philippines to safeguard American interests in the region.

The defense secretary also urged the graduates to be prepared to deal with China’s increasing military influence, calling for a new era in Chinese-US cooperation in the region.

Beijing perceives Washington’s new strategic focus as a threat to its sovereignty.

US-China relations have been long-strained over several points. In February, Taiwan placed an order for a new series of Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) “Hit-to-Kill” missiles from US military contractor Lockheed Martin. The deal was worth $921 million, and while Lockheed said the number of missiles in the order was confidential, they did confirm that it was the third such annual order from Taipei.  


China considers Taiwan part of its territory, and does not recognize its independence. Taiwan relies heavily on US support for its security.  


In April, the US and the Philippines held a high-profile series of joint war drills on an island in territory disputed by China. Over 7,000 troops took part in the exercises, which Beijing viewed as a provocation.  China ratcheted up its war rhetoric substantially at the American saber-rattling in its backyard.

On May 15th, Beijing asserted its position in talks with Australian foreign minister Bob Carr, responding to a new plan to deploy a 2,500 strong American military force in northern Australia by 2017 by saying “the time for Cold War alliances has long since passed”.

“China's military is growing and modernizing. We must be vigilant. We must be strong. We must be prepared to confront any challenge,” Panetta said.

http://rt.com/news/us-military-pacific-panetta-570/

Panetta specifically mentioned strengthening existing ties and alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia and the Philippines to safeguard American interests in the region.

They talk about alliances and ties and even occasionally friendships but the bottom line is:


Panetta specifically mentioned strengthening existing ties and alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia and the Philippines to safeguard American interests in the region.

The amusing thing is that they also talk about cooperation with China...

The defense secretary also urged the graduates to be prepared to deal with China’s increasing military influence, calling for a new era in Chinese-US cooperation in the region.

Presumably of course that cooperation will revolve around safeguarding American interests in the region...


It is hilarious BTW hearing US sources talking about military solutions to China... China is not a threat to the US... media people are dumb!

What they are doing can be explained by a very simple biology experiment. Put some bacteria in a dish with food and keep it warm. Every hour the number of bacteria double. Tell the media this and next days newspaper headline will be Bacteria takes over the world in 4 days and we welcome our new overlords. The reality is of course different because the bacteria hit hard limits... food, the edge of the dish, so despite doubling their number every hour, when they reach their limit they stop. It is not the case that in a months time there will be a mass of bacteria the size and weight of the planet earth... maths is fun but biology doesn't work that way.

China is currently expanding and accelerating its economy but it has enormous problems too and I rather doubt their government can solve the problems other governments around the world have failed to solve.

I should add that to support my assertion that China is not a threat to the US, China owns most of the US debt... it doesn't need a single submarine or missile to fight the US... it could simply demand payment on the money owed... in gold... not that green paper sht.

Very simply China would lose an enormous amount of money if it had a war with the US, because the US will simply say they don't owe them anything.

Ironically the US military is trying to make China an enemy when China has invested billions of dollars in keeping the US afloat.

To be perfectly honest the US is only interested in their own interest not the nations around China. If my fellow forum friends would allow me to show you what the US has done that is counter to our nations external and internal problems here in the Philippines.

Perhaps a new thread in an appropriate section?

This section is for the militaries of Asia and Oceania, so if it is military related about the Philippines then it would certainly fit here.

If it is civilian and military then perhaps you could put it here:

https://www.russiadefence.net/f14-international-politics-forum

Please keep in mind that the American government and the American people are two different things, I am sure your government does things you do not approve of even if it is done in your name, and we should all extend the same courtesy to our American members.

I can appreciate what you are saying... I am from New Zealand and often in my discussions on the internet some frustrated people have resorted to comments like the US saved New Zealand from Japan in WWII and if it were not for the US I'd be speaking Japanese.

My reply to such things however is that I appreciate what the US did in the Pacific but lets not pretend they did it for me or New Zealand. They didn't get involved till Japan attacked them and got them involved, and New Zealand along with many other countries in the region benefited from that involvement. The Japanese had overreached in Papua New Guinea... there was very little threat of a Japanese invasion of New Zealand.

BTW I love the irony... the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour was at the time a day that will live in infamy... yet now Bush jnr would call it a case of successful preemptive self defence.

Thank you GarryB, I will follow your instructions. I have nothing against the American people I respect them as hardworking folks.

However US Government policy has caused major blowbacks in my nation.

The US government has an ever growing interest in re-establishing a permanent military precense in my nation again. They want to reactivate former US bases like Clark Air Base/Naval base as well. Senator McCain even went to my country to have talks with my nations president.

One of the main reasons why the Philippine Senate wanted those bases out because of the reason is that nations like Russia and China will attack those bases in the event of war. However given that our current government is staunchly Pro-American I fear those bases will be reactivated, hence our territorial dispute with China will escalate to a even more dangerous level.

Unfortunately that fact falls into deaf ears, their reason is that they want to get back at China for my nations territorial dispute which ahs caused some economic problems to my nation as well instead of cooperating in other fields like imports and exports.

TheRealist wrote:The US government has an ever growing interest in re-establishing a permanent military precense in my nation again. They want to reactivate former US bases like Clark Air Base/Naval base as well. Senator McCain even went to my country to have talks with my nations president.

One of the main reasons why the Philippine Senate wanted those bases out because of the reason is that nations like Russia and China will attack those bases in the event of war. However given that our current government is staunchly Pro-American I fear those bases will be reactivated, hence our territorial dispute with China will escalate to a even more dangerous level.

Unfortunately that fact falls into deaf ears, their reason is that they want to get back at China for my nations territorial dispute which ahs caused some economic problems to my nation as well instead of cooperating in other fields like imports and exports.

Didn't the Phillippines have a scandal over territorial waters recently with China? What's the story?

Territorial disputes between the Philippines and China is not new, however it only got heated up during the dispute in the Spratly islands (Nasha for China) but got even more heated up when China started claiming the Scarborough Shoal which is considered inside my nations EEZ. As you may know a PLAN frigate a Jianghu-V class frigate (Dongguan) ran aground near Philippine waters.

Now tensions are now escalating even further as you may know a Virginia class submarine the USS Carolina visited a former US base the Subic Naval Base in Olongapo, Zambales back in May.

I as a concerned Filipino believe in a constructive dialogue with China being that we are neighbours can reach a acceptable compromise and not further escalate it to the point of returning to a very hostile relationship. As you may know Chinese DF-3 missile use to be aimed at my country because of those bases.

Personal Note: People who are against the return of US bases here in the country are viewed as Chinese spies or Communist conspirators, but in reality we just want to have good relations with our neighbours. I am glad I can express this because in the local forums in my country you would be hated and insulted.

In my own honest opinion China should not be worried about the Philippines, because in reality the so-called "modernization" program in my nations armed forces is kind of a "joke" if you were to look at it. The Americans are not serious in helping us modernize our military.

I would hope neither side is "worried" about the other.

A strong military should not be used to take what you want when you want it.

The problem of course is that China should treat every country with respect no matter how strong or weak its military is.

The US will do as it pleases, the secret for the small client nation is to bend your interests so that US and your interests coincide.

Otherwise it will not be a happy relationship.

Hopefully China and the Philippines can work something out that they are both happy with.

Hopefully a compromise would be reach, unfortunately the "client nation" mentally comes in. Their are those in my nation that want the US to increase their precense here in the Philippines so that to stick it up to China so that to avoid doing the actual work of defending our nation.

Well, the US does at least stick up for its allies. More than what you could say for Russia half the time at any rate.

But then again the US is a lot more aggressive; in relation to China it's almost as if they have an old school Jingoistic attitude altogether. So your country should really think things over a few times; China is pretty well-behaved and non-interventionist on the world stage, it has not been in a war for over 30 years (AFAIK), it is far more concerned about keeping up its economic development and appeasing its people away from dissent and rebellion - in order to have time for any sort of aggressive foreign policy. The Phillipines I think actually would have a hell of a lot to gain economically, from tighter co-operation with China.

Well, the US does at least stick up for its allies. More than what you could say for Russia half the time at any rate.

I don't agree. The US government is pretty happy to stick it to anyone when it is in their interests.

They are like a big kid with a white book and a black book.

If you stand up to them you go in the black book and e very opportunity to stick the boot in to you... no matter what the situation, they will take it... ask Cuba, or Serbia, or Iran.

You get in the white book if you have something they want or blindly support everything they do.

For instance Sweden is in the white book, and if they get Assange but don't hand him over to the US when they are done they will move to the black book.

The UK is too far gone and will hand over Assange for being a publisher of secrets (like the Guardian newspaper and NY Times), but will continue to protect "dissidents" with enormous amounts of money, whom they will protect and put their children through the best private schools in the UK.

flamming_python wrote:Well, the US does at least stick up for its allies. More than what you could say for Russia half the time at any rate.

ur wrong , Russia has helped india when it needed . when usa tried to attack india in 1971 ,russian came in to help which made the americans to think twice

also there is a rumour that russian submarine acutally sunk a pakistani ship .but i am yet to come across any evidence of that

look at this video

Code:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQchmaC5-q8

PS:
it is in russian even i dint understand ,

here is the transalation

this video is about the Russian role in 1971 y. Indo-Pakistani conflict and about the Soviet-American opposition in Indian Ocean. It's a part of the Russian TV program 'Strike Force'. The translation is mine.

In 1971, December, 3 the World has become an attestor to a new war between India and Pakistan. At afternoon the Pakistani aviation has strike the Indian cities and airstrips. The Indian PM Indira Gandhi put the country in emergency state and gave the order to nip the aggression. Hard clashes were started on the ground in the air, and at the sea.

Historic document: "Confident. December, 10, 1971. Moscow. For the DM Marshal Andrey Grechko. According to the information from our attaché in Delhi in the first day of conflict the Indian destroyer 'Rajput' has sunk a Pakistani submarine by depth charges. In December, 4 and 9, the Indian fast boats have destroyed and damaged 10 Pakistani battle ships and vessels by the P-15 missiles. In addition 12 oil storages was burned in flame. The Commander of the Military Intelligence Service Gen. Pyotr Ivashutin".

In the same day the Soviet Intelligence has reported that the British Naval group with the leadership of 'Eagle' carrier went closer to the territorial waters of India. The Soviet Government immediately sent a unit of battle ships under the leadership of counter-admiral Vladimir Kruglyakov for helping to the fraternal country.

Vladimir Kruglyakov, the former (1970-1975) Commander of the 10th Operative Battle Group (Pacific Fleet) remembers:

"I received the order from the Chief Commander 'To not allow access of the American Navy to the Indian military objects'.

- On the way of American Navy stood the Soviet cruisers, destroyers and atomic submarines equipped with anti-ship missiles.

Vladimir Kruglyakov, the former (1970-1975) Commander of the 10th Operative Battle Group (Pacific Fleet) remembers:

"We encircled them and I have targeted the 'Enterprise' by missiles. I have blocked them and didnt allow enclosing to Karachi, nor to Chittagong or Dhaka".

On the Soviet ships then were only the missiles with limited to 300 km range. Thus, to be sure the rival is under the hindsight the Russian commanders have had to take the risk of maximal enclosing to the American fleet.

Vladimir Kruglyakov, the former (1970-1975) Commander of the 10th Operative Battle Group (Pacific Fleet) remembers:

"The Chief Commander has order me: 'Lift the subs when they (the Americans) appear!' It was done to demonstrate, there are all the needed in Indian Ocean, including the nuclear submarines. I have lifted them, and they recognized it. Then, we intercepted the American communication. The commander of the Carrier Battle Group was then the counter-admiral Dimon Gordon. He sent the report to the 7th American Fleet Commander: 'Sir, we are too late. There are the Russian atomic submarines here, and a big collection of the battleships'.

The war was then two weeks long, and it has finished by Pakistani forces surrendering.

US Fighter Jets Send Message to China With ‘Emergency’ Landing in Taiwan

The landing of two US fighter jets on Taiwan on Wednesday has angered China’s Foreign Ministry. While the Pentagon says the planes suffered mechanical trouble while flying a routine training exercise, others see it as a political message, warning China to slow its growing influence.

The Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 outlined strict rules for how the United States should deal with the island. While Washington privately considers Taiwan to be an independent nation, China considers the island, only 140 miles from its shore, as its own territory under the “one-China policy.”

While the US has pledged support to Taipei, should it be attacked, any military contact between the two is heavily frowned upon by Beijing. Which is why Wednesday’s landing of two F-18s at the Tainan air base is so troubling — and unusual.

“We have already made solemn representations to the US side,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, said in a news briefing. “China demands that the United States strictly abide by the “one-China policy”…and cautiously and appropriately handle the incident.”

For its part, the Pentagon insists that the incident was an emergency situation, not intended as an act of defiance.

“Two F-18C Hornets…made a precautionary landing this morning at an airfield in southwestern Taiwan,” Marine Corps spokesman, Maj. Paul L. Greenberg,said, according to the Washington Times. “The cause of the mechanical issue which led to the precautionary landing is currently being examined. As soon as the necessary maintenance is performed, both aircraft will soon depart Taiwan.”

But the timing makes the Pentagon’ version of events highly suspect. Earlier this week, Chinese bombers underwent the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s first exercises in the “west Pacific.” The flightpath took the H-6K bombers over the Bashi Channel, a waterway between Taiwan and the Philippines.

“The ‘emergency’ landing for two F/A-18 fighters at an air base in Taiwan, while perhaps unintended, does give China a significant signal of US resolve,” military analyst Rick Fisher told the Washington Times, “two days after China used its new H-6K nuclear cruise missile bomber in exercises intended to signal a threat to US forces in Guam.”

Especially given that the fighters could have just as easily landed at the Japanese airfield on Shimoji island, only 120 miles east.

The landings also seem timely given the recent rise in aggressive American rhetoric against the Chinese government. On Tuesday, the commander of the US Pacific Fleet warned an Australian naval conference audience about China’s construction of a “great wall of sand,” in reference to the artificial islands being built in the Spratly chain.

“When one looks at China’s pattern of provocative actions towards smaller claimant states…It’s no surprise that the scope and pace of building man-made islands raises serious questions about Chinese intentions,” Admiral Harry Harris Jr. said.

These allegations of Chinese aggression in the South China Sea appear to be causing a rise in American hostility. In March, the US Senate demanded that the Pentagon develop a strategy to counter the rise of Chinese influence in the region.

Wednesday’s incident isn’t even the first example of an aggressive US air presence in recent months. In February, the US moved its most advanced spy plane, the Poseidon P-8A, into the Philippines to monitor the region.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/asia/20150402/1020385361.html#ixzz3WBU0GcZR

Hint to Beijing? US Organizes War Games With Philippines in South China Sea

This month, the US and the Philippines will begin their annual war games in the South China Sea. While insisting that the exercises are not meant to be seen as a "show of force," this year’s games are twice as large as previous drills, and follow a recent trend of American intimidation as it fears the rise of Chinese influence in the region.

Last year, 5,500 soldiers took part in the Balikatan exercises in the Philippines. But this year, the 10-day exercises will feature twice as many individuals. The American troop presence alone exceeds last year’s total, with 6,600 participating. In total, nearly 12,000 soldiers will take part in this year’s event, which includes maritime security and disaster response drills, as well as civic projects.

The exercises will begin on April 20.

"The joint exercises are designed to increase our capability to defend our country from external aggression," military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Harold Cabunoc told Reuters. "It is to test how ready and how effective we can operate with our American allies in both humanitarian and security operations."

But it’s hard to ignore who the imagined target of that "external aggression" refers to. US officials have recently taken a series of assertive steps into the South China Sea, largely in response to a growing Chinese influence. These fears rest mainly on the fact that China has been building artificial islands over a series of reefs in the Spratly archipelago, just off the coast of the Philippines.

Beijing maintains that the islands fall "within the scope of China’s sovereignty."

Despite the pattern, US and Philippine military officials insist that the exercises are not meant as a "show of force."

"The higher strength of Balikatan 2015 for this year only reflects the Philippines’ and the United States’ growing commitment to enhance our capability to conduct joint military and non-military activities," Cabunoc told AFP. “This has no direct relationship with the ongoing construction of structures, not a show of force,” he added.

But the location of the exercises is also suspect. A portion of the drills will be held from Zambales naval base, only 137 miles from the Chinese-controlled Scarborough Shoal.

This could also be seen as the latest example of the US responding to the Philippines repeated protests of China’s claims to the South China Sea. Last year, the long-time allies signed a contract allowing for a larger American military presence in the country. Earlier this year, the US also began flying its most advanced spy plane, the P-8A Poseidon, out of the Philippines. Capable of both anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, the Poseidon is currently monitoring activity in the South China Sea.

While the Chinese embassy in Manila has given no comment on the drills, the government did express concern last week when a pair of American fighter jets landed on Taiwan. The Pentagon insisted it was an emergency landing due to mechanical issues, Beijing saw this as a political message from Washington, and a breach of its "one-China policy."

"China demands that the United States strictly abide by the 'one-China policy'…and cautiously and appropriately handle the incident," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a news briefing.

In February, the US Senate also demanded that the Pentagon develop a formal strategy to address a perceived Chinese threat.

"This is a qualitative change that appears designed to alter the status quo in the South China Sea," a bipartisan group of Senators wrote in a letter to the US Defense Department.

An energy-rich region, China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, while these territorial assertions are disputed by the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Malaysia. The waterway is also a major shipping route, with nearly $5 trillion passing through the region.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/asia/20150407/1020573626.html#ixzz3WemAiGWq

US Plans Military Patrols to Counter Beijing’s Expansion in S. China Sea

Tensions in the South China Sea just became a lot more heated. According to a US official, the Pentagon is drafting plans to begin military patrols around China’s land reclamation projects in the Spratly Archipelago.

China has been constructing artificial islands atop coral reefs in the Spratly Archipelago for months now. The inclusion of runways and other potential military installations have caused a panic among Pentagon officials, who fear that Beijing may be making a power play for the strategic waterway.

In the now infamous example, the commander of the US Pacific Fleet even accused China of building a "great wall of sand."

China maintains that it has every right to build in its own territory, and that the islands will ultimately provide stations for disaster mitigation, scientific research, and navigation safety.

These assurances have done little to soothe Washington, and according to an anonymous Pentagon official speaking to the Wall Street Journal, the US may soon send military aircraft and naval vessels to enforce “freedom of navigation” around the disputed islands.

"We are considering how to demonstrate freedom of navigation in an area that is critical to world trade," the official said. "The US and its allies have a very different view than China over the rules of the road in the South China Sea."

The draft request comes directly from Defense Secretary Ash Carter, and seeks to review the Pentagon’s options for sending military vehicles within 12 nautical miles of Beijing’s artificial islands.

Washington has steadily made moves to bolster its presence in the South China Sea. Admiral Harry Harris Jr. of the US Pacific Fleet announced in March that the US Navy would be shifting 60% of its fleet into the Pacific by 2020, and would expand its cooperation with India.

The US Navy has also admitted to flying its most advanced spy plane – the P-8A Poseidon – out of the Philippines earlier this year. Capable of both anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, the plane has been regularly monitoring the South China Sea region.

In March, the United States Senate also requested that the US adopt a formal strategy for dealing with Beijing’s growing influence in the region. It’s possible that the Pentagon’s considerations are a response to this appeal.

Also throwing itself into the mix is Japan, another country with no territorial claim in the region. The Japanese Navy has been conducting military exercises with Philippines, and Tokyo has indicated that it may partake in joint air patrols with the United States.

There’s a lot at stake. While China claims nearly 90 percent of the South China Sea, there are disputed, overlapping claims by Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, and Malaysia. All of them also claim various parts of the Spratly Archipelago.

Nearly $5 trillion in trade passes through the contested waterway each year.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/asia/20150513/1022071274.html#ixzz3a0tuSsLv

US to Deploy Strategic Bombers in Australia as Chinese Concern Grows

The United States announced that it will deploy nuclear-capable strategic bombers in Australia as China becomes increasingly concerned about US interference at its borders.

The United States will station B-1 strategic bombers in Australia, US Assistant Secretary of Defense David Shear told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday.

The move comes amid increasing Chinese concern over the United States' military activities in the South China Sea. On Wednesday, China's ambassador to Washington said that the US has "no right whatsoever to intervene in the legitimate activities conducted by China in the South China Sea."

"We will be placing additional Air Force assets in Australia as well, including B-1 bombers and surveillance aircraft," Shear said.

The South China Sea has been the site of increasing tensions in recent months as Vietnam, China and the Philippines accelerated the building of installations on the disputed Spratly Islands.

China has cautioned the United States against intervening in the dispute. According to a Xinhua state news agency commentary on the US role in the dispute, "Desisting from taking sides on the South China Sea issue would be a good start."

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/asia/20150514/1022148975.html#ixzz3a9WZAhGV

China should just pull the rug from underneath America by calling in their $1 trillion plus in US debt bonds ... watch America crumble

It is good that the US continues to show India and China who the real bad guys are...

Garry but for India China is also a bad guy . Moreover i have noticed for past few mnths usa is trying to incite India against China turning them hostile just like aussies are to china on usa demands .


But India is an independent nation not a sook puppet therefore us efforts go in vain .



@George1 : Pentagon has denied placing B-1 bombers in australia . Latest info on that issue .

India and China are not true enemies, a few land disputes does not mean the countries are filled with tension. Though some "tension" does exist there. 

Thankfully Russia acts as a middleman in between them, or will if necessary.

As much as the US would love to see conflict between Russia, China, and India there is enormous potential for cooperation and mutual growth.

Hating is easy and really counter-productive for both sides...