Chinese Defence Minister General Li Shangfu at the 20th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's annual defence and security forum, in Singapore. Photo / AP
Chinese Defence Minister General Li Shangfu at the 20th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's annual defence and security forum, in Singapore. Photo / AP
EDITORIAL
A lot of thought has gone into theories of what could spark a conflict between the United States and China in the wider Asian region.
A military move by Beijing on Taiwan has been a focus, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
But overly aggressive actions and mistakes inthis wide area, increasingly of interest to different countries and with rising powers of its own, could easily spark something dangerous.
That view seemed to gain legs at the weekend during the Shangri-La Dialogue forum involving defence officials in Singapore.
As the talks were going on, the two major powers were involved in a near-collision on the seas.
The US says that on Saturday a Chinese ship cut across the sailing path of an American warship in international waters. The US destroyer was in the Taiwan Strait with a Canadian frigate on a regular “freedom of navigation” patrol.
US Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin, at Asia's annual defence and security forum, in Singapore. Photo / AP
The Chinese ship veered into the bow at about 140m, the US says.
Speaking at the security forum on the same day, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said the sailings would continue and Washington would not “flinch in the face of bullying or coercion” from China.
A day later, Beijing replied through a speech from its Defence Minister, General Li Shangfu, at the same event. He bluntly said the patrols are a provocation to China, which has territorial claims in the South China Sea and on the self-governed island of Taiwan.
He said China did not have problems with “innocent passage” but “we must prevent attempts that try to use those freedom of navigation [patrols], that innocent passage, to exercise hegemony of navigation”.
The best way to ensure such incidents didn’t occur, Li said, was for foreign military ships and aircraft to stay away. “What’s the point of going there? In China, we always say, ‘Mind your own business’.”
But there’s certainly no resiling from sending ships and planes to areas where there could be friction.
Germany plans to send two warships to the region next year with Defence Minister Boris Pistorius saying countries should back international rules and the protection of major seaways.
With European nations becoming more interested in the strategic future of the Asia Pacific, that means more countries are influencing what’s happening. Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, said that was a problem for fence-sitters between the US and China. “The world’s changing. That more passive attitude means they’re not a party to how it’s shaped.”
Austin said China has been making aerial intercepts above the South China Sea. A Chinese J-16 fighter jet last month flew across the nose of a US Air Force reconnaissance aircraft. The US defence secretary also criticised China for refusing to hold military talks.
📹 China sends 'aggressive' warship to cut across US Navy vessel
In more diplomatic language, Li said that China sought dialogue over confrontation and that “a severe conflict or confrontation between China and the US will be an unbearable disaster for the world”.
A previous attempt at easing tensions in February was blown away by the spy balloon saga, with a visit to China by Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled.
In a positive move, a US State Department team arrived in Beijing on Sunday for talks. Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for east Asia and the Pacific, is also due to visit New Zealand this week.
Better communications between China and the US have to be the way back to a less risky situation.
