Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – With increasing Chinese assertiveness in the Asia/Pacific region, there is desire for a more American influence, a top Pentagon commander told lawmakers on Tuesday.
“As China was exerting its influence last year in a very assertive way, we were receiving general appeals across the Asia-Pacific from among our partners and some of our just emerging partners, with regard to a desire for more US influence in the region,” Admiral Robert Willard, Commander of the US Pacific Command told lawmakers at a Congressional hearing.
Testifying before the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, Willard said that countries in the Asia Pacific region are asking for the US to be present and asking for its influence to counterbalance what they are being challenged with China.
However, he was quick to point out that the significant growth of the Asian economy has mainly due to the economic achievements of China.
In their remarks, Senators expressed their concern over increasing influence and assertiveness of China in the past few years. It is important to understand and anticipate the consequences of the economic and military growth of China on the regional dynamic, said Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich), who is also chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“As China’s influence and military grow, traditional alliances and partnerships in the region may come under pressure from a perception that the balance of power is shifting, and certain countries in the region may find it necessary to grow their militaries as well,” Levin said.
“Some experts even warn of the potential for an emerging arms race in the region and countries leery of China’s intentions for its burgeoning military seek to shore up their own defense. Such developments must be studied and understood if informed decision- making is to proceed in a thoughtful, effective way,” he said.
Ranking Republican Senator John McCain (R-Az) expressed concern over China’s development of anti-access/aerial-denial weapons, anti-satellite capabilities, stealth combat aircraft, a growing arsenal of ballistic missiles, offensive cyber-weapons, and now an aircraft carrier.
“Our concern over China’s military capabilities has only grown over the past year in light of a sustained pattern of actions that increased tensions in the region, from expansive claims of Chinese sovereignty in international waters to provocative confrontations at sea with neighboring countries, to threats made against Southeast Asian countries,” McCain said.
“This past year also saw a worrying freeze in our bilateral military-to-military engagement with the People’s Liberation Army. The recent visit by the secretary of defense to China suggests that our military dialogue is resuming, but we would welcome our witnesses’ assessment of China’s recent assertiveness,” he said.
Responding to Senator’s concerns Willard referred to the Chinese assertiveness last year that was demonstrated in the South China Sea and in the Senkaku Islands near Japan. “We believe the motive behind that was a declaration by the Chinese regarding both their sovereign claims over the contested areas within the South China Sea region and over the Senkakus, as well as a declaration regarding Chinese security and what they termed the “near seas” and an assertion that military activity, foreign military activity within those nears seas should only come with their permission and generally a design to influence foreign militaries and particularly the U.S. military from the region,” he observed.
“There has been a retrenchment, a bit, by the Chinese navy, such that, while we continue to experience their shadowing of some of our ships and so forth that are operating in these waters, we have not seen the same level of assertiveness in 2011 that we witnessed in 2010, which I take as a positive, particularly given the fact that we have mil-to-mil relations that have recommenced to a modest extent, and perhaps we can make an advancement in that regard,” Willard said.
“But I think there’s no question regarding their aims to have a great influence over that maritime space and especially over the contested areas that they’ve laid claim to in both the South China Sea and East China Sea,” Willard said.
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