PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii- Nakikita ng United States government, sa ialalim ng Biden administration, ang China bilang tanging bansa na may pagnanais at kapasidad baguhin ang world order.
“We still face real challenges in the region. Unfortunately, the People’s Republic of China continues to engage in increasingly coercive behavior,” pahayag ni US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III Indo-Pacific Change of Command ceremony sa Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam nitong Sabado ng umaga (Manila time).
“And we can see that across the Taiwan Strait, in the East and South China Seas, among the Pacific Island countries, along the Line of Actual Control of India and more,” ani Austin.
Sinabi pa ng US Defense chief na ang China “is the only county with both the will —and increasingly, the capacity— to dominate the Indo-Pacific and to reshape the global order to suit its autocratic vision.”
“That’s why the PRC remains the Department’s pacing challenge,” giit ng opisyal.
Inaangkin ng China ang halos kabuuan ng South China Sea.
Nagbabanggaan naman ang territorial claims ng Beijing at ng Pilipinas, Vietnam, Malaysia, at Brunei.
Tinawag na West Philippine Sea ang bahagi ng South China Sea na saklaw ng Philippine exclusive economic zone.
Noong 2016, nagwagi ang Manila sa maritime territorial dispute na inihain nito laban sa Beijing sa International Arbitral Tribunal. Patuloy ang paggiit ng bansa sa legally binding decision, subalit balewala ito sa China.
Samantala, inihayag din ni Austin na “this year’s Balikatan underway right now.”
Ang Balikatan ay ang taunang serye ng military exercises sa pagitan ng US at Philippine military forces. RNT/SA
