Admiral John Aquilino of the U.S. military in the Indo-Pacific region has raised concerns about Beijing’s aggressive actions in the area. He pointed out that the disputed Second Thomas Shoal poses a significant risk and highlighted incidents where Chinese vessels interfered with Philippine resupply missions, resulting in injuries and deaths. Aquilino commended Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Junior for standing up to Beijing’s territorial claims and compared China’s actions to Russia’s behavior towards Ukraine.
He emphasized that China’s claims in the South China Sea have no basis in international law and expressed worry about the direction of the situation. Aquilino also mentioned other territorial disputes in the region, including Japan’s issues with Beijing near the Senkaku Islands and conflicts with Malaysia, Indonesia, and India.
He stressed that China’s attempts to gain territory through force are not isolated incidents, citing the renaming of areas along the Indian border as an example. Aquilino highlighted the importance of working with allies and partners to counter threats in the region, mentioning Japan’s military buildup and the need to integrate and synchronize efforts with like-minded nations.
Additionally, Aquilino discussed the threats posed by North Korea’s missile activities, violent extremism in the Philippines, and increased cooperation between China and Russia in the region. He underscored the importance of preventing conflict and being prepared to fight if necessary, emphasizing the strength of alliances and partnerships in deterring potential adversaries.
“Those are concerning and I’d argue going in the wrong direction,” he said.
Russian and North Korean (DPRK) cooperation, through weapon sharing and economic support was also an issue, the admiral said.
“That’s a problem and not because they’re supporting the economy but because the financial support to the DPRK is going to increase missile development and weapons development not to feed the people in the DPRK.”
In response to Beijing’s overtures to small Pacific nations, Adm. Aquilino said the United States’ strategy was to “work together to ensure we can help and support those islands to maintain their sovereignty, maintain their livelihood, and to maintain their linkage and ability to have a voice in a rules-based order as well.
“That gets to the point that an increased military presence is a direct threat to Australia as it applies to homeland defence. And it doesn’t put the United States in a good position, either.”
