By Morgan Deane:
Concerns over China usually boil down to one of several issues. American workers and manufacturers, particularly those in steel industries, are concerned about cheap products coming out of China that put them out of business. Foreign policy concerns center around new and advanced technology and the seizure of islands in the disputed territory. The former are often represented in breathless articles about scary new missiles, or planes and sleek warships. The seized territories in the South China Sea are often built up as bases that can house those new technologies and assert Chinese control in the region. In response to this, President Obama often talked about a pivot, which would shift focus and additional forces to the region. This was often delayed or insufficient. Analysts were unsure of what President Trump would do upon entering the Oval Office, but his response in the past month has been better than what most could have imagined.
News outlets report that America just dispatched a carrier group on a Freedom of Navigation patrol through the South China Sea. This accompanies three US attack submarines, which were also deployed to the area. Additionally, earlier this month they sent a dozen F-22s Raptors to the region, the largest deployment of F22s to East Asia since taking flight. The US also tested four ballistic missiles, which launched from Trident submarines. This was the first four missile salvo since the Cold War. In the coming weeks they plan to reassume a continual bomber presence in Guam, build up missile defense systems in South Korea and Japan, continue transits through the South China Sea, and increase ports of calls in countries that contest China’s claims in the region. The aforementioned build-ups and show of force will establish near-continual air and sea presence in Singapore. Further, it is anticipated that the F35B, which is stationed in Japan, will join the action.
While these actions could be interpreted as warlike — there is a risk of confrontation with China — these are positive developments. The Freedom of Navigation patrols are an important function of international law. If the US did not perform them, it would concede that the seized territory is in fact China’s, and only encourage everybody in the region to settle the matter by force. With the biggest military, China would easily bully its neighbors for what they wanted. As far back as Theodore Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet, shows of American strength have reassured allies and deterred potential adversaries. China has repeatedly shown their aggression in unilaterally seizing disputed territories in the South China Sea, and a show of American strength will work to deter them. US allies in the region are far weaker militarily; the Southeast Asian version of NATO works much better when the US takes the lead. That, in turn, brings along those allies in operations in the South China Sea.
These deployments display American technology and capabilities that should calm concerns over game-changing missiles and technological developments from the Chinese. Above all, it’s an assertive stance that can ease both American and international concerns from a president that some thought was dangerously isolationist or an unstable leader.
Morgan Deane is an OpsLens Contributor and a former U.S. Marine Corps infantry rifleman. Deane also served in the National Guard as an Intelligence Analyst.
