Pelosi-Dalai Lama visit will ‘add to the tension’ with China says Adm. Stavridis - YouTube - NBC News

NBC News chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell interviews Admiral James Stavridis,former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

Pacific Perspective:US,Philippines and Australia Initiate Joint Patrols

On 21 November 2023,the US Navy,the Philippines Navy and Philippines Air Force began joint patrols of the South China Sea both by air and sea.The joint patrols lasted through 23 November and,separately,the Australian Defence Force and the Philippines Navy and Air Force conducted joint patrols a few days later.The US State Department has ascertained in a report that China's claims to most of the South China Sea are not in accord with international law.Hence the patrols were undertaken to assert a free and open Indo-Pacific Region.The US-Philippines patrols began at Movalis Island,the Philippines' northernmost point,100 km/62 mi from Taiwan.They ended in the West Philippine Sea,part of the South China Sea within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).*The Philippine Air Force sent two FA-50 light combat fighter jets and an A29B Super Tucano light attack plane on patrol,while the Philippine Navy sent three unspecified warships.The US Navy sent a Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft,armed with torpedoes and Harpoon anti-ship missiles for anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare missions,respectively;and a littoral combat ship.The littoral combat ships,after being criticised for being lightly armed,are now heavily armed with a number of deck guns,air-to-air and air to surface missiles,including US Army Hellfire missiles and Naval Strike Missiles.Indeed,some LCS's are now also armed with Lockheed Martin laser weapons.*Said Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos,Jr.:Unfortunately,I cannot report that the situation (in the South China Sea) is improved.The situation has become more dire than it was before.Through collaborative efforts,we aim to enhance regional security and foster a seamless partnership with the United States in safeguarding our shared interests.*In February 2023,President Marcos added four new US bases to the five extant ones,bringing them into the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.*The Philippines Navy and Air Force later staged patrols with the Royal Australian Navy and Air Force from 25-27 November 2023.Said Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos,Jr.:We endeavor to have bilateral interoperability in maritime security and domain awareness;test doctrines,existing protocols;and enhance efficiency;and foster closer cooperation between our countries' armed forces.This inaugural Maritime Cooperative Activity and those that follow are a practical manifestation of the growing and deepening strategic and defense partnership between our countries.*The Phiippine Navy sent two warships on patrol.BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PS-15) is a former US Coast Guard Hamilton-class offshore cutter,currently armed with various deck cannons,including one by BAE Systems.The Devao del Sur (LD-6) is a Dock Landing-class amphibious warfare ship for Philippine Marines based on an Indonesian model.It is currently armed with eight heavy machine guns and carries two helicopters with hangar space for a third.The Philippine Air Force sent five surveillance aircraft.*The Royal Australian Navy sent the Anzac-class frigate HMAS Toowoomba (FFH-156).Its armament features a 5" deck gun;Sea Sparrow and Evolved Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles;Harpoon anti-ship missiles;two triple torpedo tubes;and two heavy machine guns for extreme close-in defence.The Royal Australian Air Force sent a Boeing P-8A Poseidon on patrol.*For its part,China's Foreign Ministry said:Since November 21,the Chinese People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command Navy Ship Yuenchung has conducted routine patrols in the South China Sea.During this period,the Philippines enlisted foreign forces to patrol the South China Sea,stir up trouble,and hype up regional peace and security,violating the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.* BAE Systems Plc (LSE:BA),Boeing (BA),Lockheed Martin (LMT)

NATO Secretary General with the 🇺🇸 US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken 08 FEB 2023

Bulletin:Pentagon Prepared as Speaker Nancy Pelosi Departs for Asia on Military VIP Plane - Updated

The Department of Defense is prepared to deploy military assets to protect Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and her Congressional delegation,should she choose to visit Taiwan over hostile Chinese rhetoric against her planned visit at the invitation of Taiwan,the Associated Press quoted U.S. officials as saying.Mrs.Pelosi declined to reveal whether or not she was going to Taiwan for security reasons.As Speaker,Nancy Pelosi is third in line for the presidency,after Vice President Kamala Harris.It's been 25 years since one of her predecessors,Speaker Newt Gingrich,traveled to Taiwan in 1997.Although President Joseph R. Biden didn't seem enthusiastic about her plans,he has no authority to order her not to go,since she is a member of the co-equal Legislative Branch.Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,General Mark Milley,US Army,indicated that,should the Speaker or anyone else decide to visit Taiwan,the Pentagon will do what is necessary to ensure a safe conduct of her visit.Military assets already deployed to the Indo-Pacific Region are considered adequate for the task. China has warned it will take "firm and forceful measures" against such a visit in order to safeguard what it considers its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.Accompanying Mrs.Pelosi will be Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-New York),Chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee and unspecified others. According to the AP sources,the protection provided to Pelosi and her delegation will apply to her flights into and out of Taiwan;but also while she is on the ground.There would be overlapping rings of protection for her throughout her visit.There would also be search and rescue assets on alert in case of an accident in the air or on the ground.In addition to possibly visiting Taiwan,the Speaker is planning to visit South Korea,Singapore,Japan and Malaysia.Said Congressman Darin La Hood (R-Texas): It is inappropriate for foreign governments,including the Chinese government,to attempt to influence the ability or the right to travel for the Speaker,Members of Congress,or other U.S. Government officials to Taiwan or anywhere else in the world.* The South China Morning Post said that the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Carrier Strike Group had departed Singapore on Tuesday,heading in the direction of the South China Sea.A US Navy spokesman confirmed that the Reagan CSG was now in the South China Sea,but declined to comment on the Pelosi visit.Besides the USS Ronald Reagan,the CSG consists of the embarked Carrier Air Wing V (CVW5);the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54);and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76).Customarily,a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine also accompanies a Carrier Strike Group,but is not announced.A sensitive source told Radio Free Asia that the Reagan CSG could sail close to the east side of Taiwan in a show of power,but will not engage in any confrontation with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).U.S. Indo-Pacific Command declined to comment on the RFA report.* Updates:Speaker Pelosi's plane left San Francisco on Saturday.It is a Boeing C-40C and flew at an altitude of 32,000 ft/9.7536 km.The plane has an American flag on its tail and "United States of America" on its fuselage,with the livery resembling the Air Force One colours.The C-40C is a military version of the Boeing 737 Next Generation.It has auxiliary fuel tanks giving an unrefueled range of up to 5,000 nautical miles,or up to 5800 mi/9300 km.The C-40C is a VIP transport version for Cabinet members and Congressional use.The D.C. Air National Guard operates two of the aircraft,and the US Air Force Reserve 932nd Airlift Wing operates three more of them out of Scott Air Force Base,Illinois.* Also on Saturday,the PLA conducted live-fire drills near the Pingtan Islands off Fujian Province,near the Taiwan Strait.As well,the PLA Navy (PLAN) conducted exercises off the Chinese South Coast near Guangdong on the South China Sea,where the USS Ronald Reagan CSG is also sailing.

Taiwan's President says the threat from China is increasing 'every day'

Flight Operations in the South China Sea Aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70)

Strategic Sense:Royal Australian Navy Goes Nuclear

The announcement on 15 September 2021 that tha US,UK and Australia have formed a new trilateral defence cooperation activity known as AUKUS is being seen as a geopolitical milestone as well as a military juggernaut.Central to the pact is the US and UK's promise to enable Australia to build a fleet of nuclear attack submarines.Over the next 18 months,consultations will take place to firm up the new trilateral security partnership,which is a cooperative effort by scientists,industry and defence forces to help achieve the construction of the new submarines in Adelaide,Australia.One of the most complex and technically demanding projects in the world,it is an historic step to alleviate unmet strategic needs in the Indo-Pacific Region caused by the rising ambitions of a Communist China,which appeaers to be on a neo-Maoist course of strident nationalism under the personality cult of General Secretary Mr.Xi Jinping.Besides building military installations in the disputed South China Sea,China has recently been curtailing civil liberties in Hong Kong and threatening Taiwan's independence.* Nuclear submarines have a far greater range and have higher speed than conventionally powered vessels.They can stay submerged for long periods of time,gathering critical intelligence- the unspoken capability of attack submarines.* Over the next 18 months,there will be a consultation period to review the programme,which is aimed at maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific,ensuring that the lines of communication remain accessible to all. Besides the submarine,there will be efforts to maintain and expand the partners' knowledge and capabilities in the fields of cybernetics and artificial intelligence.* Former Director of National Intelligence Lieutenant General James Clapper,US Air Force Retired,told CNN: It's a very bold step for the Australian Government and people to take...given the dependence of Australia on China for its economy.It means better preparation for,God forbid,a hostile situation.More importantly,it means deterrence.* It's possible that the new submarine,using the American nuclear propulsion first shared with the UK for British attack submarines,may be based on the US Navy's Virginia-class attack submarine and/or the new British attack submarine design that is currently in work.BWX Technologies of Lynchburg,Virginia has manufactured US Navy nuclear propulsion components since the 1950s.* The programme signals another milestone in the renewed focus on great power competition.* General Dynamics (GD),Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII),BAE Systems (OTCM:BAESF),BWX Technologies Inc (BWXT)

Marines Ramp Up Readiness in the Indo-Pacific

From 17-24 April 2020,US Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted full mission profile drills, including vertical assault,aerial reconnaissance and simulated close-air support,in the South and East China Seas.They were based on the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6).
At one point, two rifle companies from a Battalion Landing Team mustered their assault force with full combat gear in the ship's cargo bay, ultimately embarking both rifle companies aboard two waves of MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.
Said MAJ Jeremy Fisher, company Commander of Bravo Co,BLT 1/5:
This training rehearses our Marines, the ship's crew, and other supporting components of the MAGTF so that if we were to execute a quick reaction mission real world, we've already identified and addressed any friction that might arise.*
In the East China Sea, the MEU conducted a tactical debarkation down cargo nets into an 11-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat, ensuring the Marines can surge combat power ashore via multiple methods.
As well, daily flight operations were staged to enhance readiness.In particular F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters flew sorties day and night, including aerial reconnaissance missions throughout the South China Sea, and projecting USMC air power to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific Region.*
COL Robert Brodie, commanding officer of 31st MEU, noted that:
Whether it's our F-35s conducting an Expeditionary strike, our riflemen raiding an objective,or our combat logistics Marines supporting humanitarian assistance, the MEU stands ready to support our Nation's call-Ready,Partnered, and Lethal.*
The USS America is permanently forward-deployed to Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan.*
NATO is in the process of formulating its approach to China.*

US,Japanese Warplanes Send Message to Potential Adversaries - unprecedented mission

On 6 July 2017,US Air Force and Japanese Air Self-Defense Force units sharpened their combat skills in a bilateral mission over the East China Sea,the Pentagon revealed.Two B-1B Lancer strategic bombers from the 9th Expeditioinary Bomb Squadron out of Dyess Air Force Base,Texas flew from Andersen AFB,Guam for the mission with their Japanese allies.It was the first time that US Pacific Command B-1Bs have conducted combined training with Japanese fighters at night.Such bilateral drills enable the operational units to improve their combined capabilities and tactical skills,also building confidence and strong working relationships,according to the Department of Defense.
US PACOM chief of bomber operations Air Force Major Ryan Simpson said:
Flying and training at night with our allies in a safe,efficient manner is an important capability shared between the US and Japan.This is a clear demonstration of our ability to conduct seamless operations with all of our allies.*
From the East China sea,where Japan and China have a territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands,the aircraft headed to the South China Sea,where Beijing has been intent on militarising several artificial islands it has built up from reefs,adding military-length airstrips,port and missile facilities,while claiming sovereignty of 90% of the Sea.The claim is rejected by the international community,which relies on the Sea for vital shipping lanes.
Additionally,Japan and the US are threatened by a belligerent North Korea's military buildup.*
US officials said this mission demonstrates how the US will continue to exercise the rights of freedom of navigation anywhere international law allows.These actions are consistent with long-standing and well-known US policies applied to military operations worldwide.
The officials went on to say that:
Joint US military forces in the Indo-Asia-Pacific Region are always ready to defend the American homeland.These flights with Japan demonstrate the solidarity between Japan and the US to defend against provocative and destabilising actions in the Pacific theatre.*
The JASDF fighters were reportedly Mitsubishi F-15J Eagles.*
Mitsubishi Corporation ADR US:OTC (MSBHY)

New Chinese Military Move in the South China Sea

China has deployed an advanced surface-to-air missile system on Woody Island in the South China Sea.Woody Island is also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.The island,part of the Paracel archipelago,is north of the island building projects in the Spratly archipelago that have been causing much concern among the US and its allies recently.Woody Island already had a military-length airstrip on it.Now it has two missile batteries and a target-acquisition radar on it as well as the communications and radar infrastructure to support military activities.*
US Secretary of State John Kerry criticised the installation as a serious concern and said there is evidence,every day,of further militarisation in the South China Sea.When he was in Washington,the Chinese president,Mr.Xi Xinping,promised he would not militarise the South China Sea,Mr.Kerry pointed out.China responded that it has the right of self-defence on Woody Island.

Challenging China:USN Guided-Missile Destroyer

Tensions are near boiling point in the South China Sea following a US Navy guided-missile destroyer's patrol within a 12 mile limit claimed by China.The USS Lassen (DDG 82) drew shadowing from a Chinese PLA Navy guided-missile destroyer and naval patrol boat,as well as bridge-to-bridge warnings from the Chinese vessels,when it patrolled off Subi and Mischief Reefs,where China has built artificial islands.The patrol lasted two hours.*
The two reefs the Lassen patrolled off of are part of a series of island-building projects China has been working on in the region,constructing facilities on them believed suitable for military use,such as airstrips long enough for fighter jets and a harbour that can handle Chinese warships.Both Subi and Mischief Reefs have military length airstrips on them,according to satellite imagery.*
The US doesn't accept a 12 mile limit off of manmade islands.Along with other Asia-Pacific nations such as the Philippines and Vietnam,the US insists the South China Sea is international waters that are critical shipping lanes.The Lassen's patrol,which lasted two hours,is the first of a series of American freedom of navigation exercises in the face of China's territorial claims,a US official promised.*
If the US continues this,China counters,it might have to expand its capabilities.The US illegally entered the waters.The military will take all necessary steps to protect the nation's security.China criticised what it feels is the US coercive action that seeks to militarise the South China Sea region.It will firmly defend China's territory sovereignty,security and its lawful and proper maritime rights and interests.China will firmly respond to deliberate provocation from any country,said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang.*
The USS Lassen is homeported in Yokosuka,Japan.Its armament includes Harpoon,Tomahawk and Standard missiles;a Mk45 5-inch/62-caliber gun;and Mk32 dual surface vessel torpedo tube launchers.

Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015 Gains Significance From China's Posturing

The biennial US-Australian military exercise Talisman Sabre 2015,being held in mid-July this year,is always a notable event in the Asia Pacific region because of its scale alone,but this time it takes on added significance because of China's widely perceived belligerence over its expansive South China Sea territorial claims,particularly in light of its militarisation of the Spratly Islands,where it has swiftly been building reefs up into islands and constructing military airstrips on them-and a PLA Navy port on Hainan Island as well,where three ballistic missile submarines and two guided missile corvettes have been observed.Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015 is even getting an extra participant this year in that Japan will be take part for the first time,although in a small way,sending just 40 troops to exercise only with the US Marines,and not with Australia's defence forces.*
Talisman Sabre 2015 is the largest combined military exercise undertaken by the Australian Defence Force,the Australian Department of Defence said in a Media Release.It is the principal Australian and United States bilateral training activity focused on the planning and conduct of mid-intensity 'high-end' warfighting.New Zealand and Japan will also participate with their defence forces.A New Zealand contingent of over 500 personnel,including ships and aircraft,will operate as part of the Australian forces.
Australia's Chief of Joint Operations,Vice Admiral David Johnston,said the inclusion of the New Zealand and Japanese forces would enable the ADF to deepen its engagement with close defence partners in the region but did not change the bilateral nature of the exercises between Australia and the US.The primary aim of the exercise remains improving Australia-US readiness and the way we operate together through combined training,VADM Johnston explained.*
More than 28,000 US and Australian personnel will participate in drills held across Australia,US Pacific Command noted,in an effort to increase their ability to defend Australia's national interests.*
On 27 May,US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter laid out the US point of view on China's recent island-building campaign on reefs in the Spratly Islands chain of the South China Sea.Speaking at a change of command ceremony for US Pacific Command in Hawaii,Mr.Carter minced no words:
First,we want a peaceful resolution of all disputes and an immediate and lasting halt to land reclamation by any claimant.We also oppose any further militarisation of disputed features.Second,and there should be no mistake.The US will fly,sail,and operate wherever international law allows,as we do all around the world.
With its actions in the South China Sea,China is out of step with both international norms that underscore the Asia Pacific's security architecture,and the regional consensus in favour of noncoercive approaches to this and other long-standing disputes.China's actions are bringing countries in the region together in new ways.And they're increasing the demand for American engagement in the Asia Pacific.We're going to meet it.We will remain the principal security power in the Asia Pacific for decdes to come,Mr.Carter promised.

Marines Exercise Near Controversial Islands

Six Asian countries,including China and the Philippines,lay claim to some of the Spratly Islands.Nonetheless,U.S. and Philippine Marines are holding two weeks of military exercises near the disputed islands.Some 3,000 troops are participating.The most sensitive exercise will be a mock raid by the forces to capture a hostile beach head on the South China Sea.
A U.S. Marine Corps spokesman denied the exercises were aimed at a specific country;they are merely intended to improve regional security capability.
The Spratlys are part of a vast archipelago of more than 750 islands,reefs and atolls off the Philppine and Malaysian coasts in the South China Sea,which China considers to be its territorial waters.The international community doesn't agree with China's expansive concept.
The Spratlys consist of only four square kilometers of land,but the archipelago is flung across more than 425 square kilometers of sea.
The Spratlys are considered important as way marks for territorial claims on natural resources believed to be in and under the South China Sea,including fisheries and oil and gas.A number of the islands are patrolled by small military units of China;Vietnam;Taiwan;Malaysia;and the Philippines,as a way to assert these claims.This has resulted in minor armed clashes over the past thirty years.

China Builds Navy Base

China is building a navy base on its southern island of Hainan,according to a Pentagon assessment.The base appears large enough to accommodate a mix of attack and ballistic missile submarines,as well as advanced surface combatant ships,the report states.It goes on to say that the port has underground facilities and would provide the Chinese navy with direct access to vital international sea lanes,and offers the potential for stealthy deployment of the submarines into the deep waters of the South China Sea.China is working toward building its first aircraft carrier,and is augmenting its fleet of attack submarines.China is also building up its stock of highly accurate cruise missiles.This military expansion is regarded as curious,since no one is directly threatening China at the moment.Just what these programs are for remains a puzzle to the Defense Department analysts.

U.S. Ship Harassed

The USNS Impeccable,a Special Missions ship,was challenged by five Chinese boats in the South China Sea.The Chinese came dangerously close to the Impeccable;one of their boats got within 25 feet,or 7.62 meters,of her.The Chinese also strewed debris in the path of the U.S. ship and blocked her in,surrounding her.China accused the Impeccable of engaging in illegal activity.China considers most of the South China Sea to be its territorial waters,but the U.S. and many other countries dispute this.The USNS Impeccable has a merchant mariner crew,plus military personnel to carry out its special mission of ocean surveillance.The Impeccable tows sensor arrays and maps the ocean floor with the data they collect.The mapping is used for submarine navigation and antisubmarine warfare.The Impeccable is unarmed.She is part of the Military Sealift Command,an organization that provides utility ships for a wide array of government needs.The MSC is under a Navy admiral.