Admiral: Beijing Now Controls South China Sea

(Photo Credit: MC1 Tiffini M. Jones/U.S. Navy)

 

Pacific Command Commander-designate Adm. Philip Davidson said China could overwhelm any other military force short of going to war with the U.S.

The nominee to take over the beleaguered U.S. Pacific Command, Adm. Philip Davidson, has informed Congress that China has the capacity and capability to control the South China Sea “in all scenarios short of war with the U.S.”

The admiral told the Senate Armed Services Committee that China is “no longer a rising power, it is a great power and peer competitor” of the U.S. He added Beijing is seeking a long-term strategy to “reduce the U.S. access and influence in the region.”

Davidson said it is critical that American military assets remain in the region to act as a counterbalance. He also expressed concern China was seeking to destroy 70-year-old alliances and partnerships in the region:

“Beijing calls them a relic of the Cold War. In fact, our alliances and partnerships have been the bedrock of stability in the Indo-Pacific region for the past seventy years, and they remain a core element of our defense strategy.”

Davidson addressed the rapid and massive military buildup China underwent in the South China Sea during the Obama administration, stating that Beijing would “easily overwhelm” any allied country due to having militarized several islands in the area. He added:

“China will be able to extend its influence thousands of miles to the south and project power deep into Oceania. The PLA will be able to use these bases to challenge U.S. presence in the region, and any forces deployed to the islands would easily overwhelm the military forces of any other South China Sea claimants. In short, China is now capable of controlling the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the U.S.”

Davidson also accused Beijing of using “predatory” financial deals associated with its Belt and Road Initiative to “coerce states into greater access and influence for China.”

Full article: Admiral: Beijing Now Controls South China Sea (TruNews)