US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter warned on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) that land reclamation efforts and a military build-up in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) could lead to conflict between nations in the region.
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“We’re updating and advancing our operational plans for deterrence and defense given Russia’s changed behavior”, Carter said.
“We must ensure that we and our partners are postured to defeat threats from high-end opponents in a complex set of environments”, he said.
“We conducted a freedom of navigation operation challenging excessive maritime claims in accordance with worldwide law”, said a United States defence official.
Carter, speaking to the Reagan National Defense Forum in California, also expressed concern about China’s expanding influence and growing military might. “We do not seek to make Russian Federation an enemy”, he said. “But make no mistake”.
“The United States and Russian Federation are now not the only powers impacting the principled global order”.
The Pentagon chief said that Washington was modernizing its nuclear arsenal and invested in high-tech means such as drones, long range bombers, lasers, electromagnetic cannons and electronic warfare.
“And we’re accordingly transforming our posture in Europe to be more agile and sustainable”, the secretary said. “And so, my visiting with defence ministers of other countries in this region is not a new thing”, he said. “How China behaves will be the true test of its commitment to peace and security”, Carter said.
He said the US has been shifting its focus toward the Asia-Pacific, including sending its best naval and other military weapons, ships and equipment to that region. “Qualitatively, we are making heavy investments in capabilities of importance there: subsurface warfare, electronic warfare, space, cyber, missile defense, and more”.
Relations between the United States and Russian Federation are at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War in 1991, largely due to the crisis in Ukraine and Russia’s air campaign against foreign-backed militants in Syria. First, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and now, China and India, have risen and prospered.
Carter said China is the single most influential player in Asia’s future, and he noted that earlier this week he went aboard an American aircraft carrier in the South China Sea to demonstrate USA commitment to freedom of navigation.
Carter said he was anxious about “the prospect of further militarization, as well as the potential for these activities to increase the risk of miscalculation or conflict among claimant states”.
The supercarrier was accompanied by the destroyer USS Lassen, which last month sailed past a series of islets in Subi Reef (Jhubi Reef, 渚碧礁) in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島). Mr Carter said he couldn’t talk about a few technologies the U.S. is pursuing, describing them as “really surprising”.
On the United States relationship with China, Carter predicted it would be complex as the two countries balance competition and co-operation.
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Carter said he’s accepted an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit China in the New Year.
