The country’s top security adviser said on Friday that the United States would deploy Coast Guard patrol vessels in the western Pacific to “destabilize and discredit” China’s activities in the region.
White House National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien said in a statement that the US Coast Guard was “domestically exporting fast-growing cutters to the western Pacific.” ‘
Calling the United States a Pacific power, the statement said China’s “illegal, illegal, and regular fishing and the harassment of ships operating in other countries’ special economic zones in the Indo-Pacific are a threat to our sovereignty and sovereignty.” Endangers Our Pacific neighbors and regional stability are at stake. “
It said US efforts, including the Coast Guard, were “critical to countering these volatile and volatile activities.”
The Coast Guard did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the statement, which came shortly before United States Secretary of State Mike Popeyo’s planned trip to Asia.
Pompeo chaired a meeting of the so-called quad in Tokyo this month. Washington hopes that the United States, Japan, India and Australia as a whole can do a great job in countering China’s growing commitment and comprehensive maritime claims in all areas, including the South China Sea.
On Sunday, Pompeo will begin a five-day tour of India – where he will be accompanied by US Secretary of Defense Mark Asper – and then travel to Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Indonesia. The State Department said maritime security and the “free and open Indo-Pacific” agenda would remain high.
Attacks
In July, Asper condemned in recent months a “list of misconduct” in the South China Sea, including the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat by the Chinese military, harassment of Malaysian oil and gas ships and Chinese fishing. Accused of moving the fleet to Indonesia’s special economic zone. .
O’Brien added that the Coast Guard, which is under the auspices of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is also investigating whether to permanently deploy several of its patrol vessels in the American Pacific region of South Pacific. To do or not to do.
Last month, Indonesia protested after Chinese coastguard ships sailed into its exclusive economic zone, located between its own territorial waters and international waters and where the state claims exclusive rights to develop natural resources. Is
China owns almost the entire South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines also claim proximity to those parts of the ocean.
The U.S. Navy regularly conducts naval freedom exercises in the disputed seas – angry China, which has developed military outposts on islands and islands.
