Lieutenant General Jing Jianfeng of the People’s Liberation Army accused the United States on Saturday of attempting to establish an Asia-Pacific version of NATO to maintain its dominance in the region. The remarks were made on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, a prominent security forum held in Singapore, where U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had earlier emphasized a “new era of security” for the Asia-Pacific.
Jing’s comments were a direct response to U.S. actions in the region, which include strengthening defense partnerships, increasing joint military exercises, and deploying warships and fighter jets in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. These activities have been a source of significant irritation for Beijing, which views them as attempts to counter China’s growing military presence.
The Shangri-La Dialogue, attended by senior defense officials from around the world, is addressing several contentious issues, including Taiwan and China’s relationship with Russia. The forum highlighted ongoing tensions between Washington and Beijing, exacerbated by events such as the U.S. shooting down an alleged Chinese spy balloon over American airspace and high-level meetings between Taiwanese and U.S. officials.
In his speech, Austin reiterated the U.S. commitment to the region, stating that the Asia-Pacific remains Washington’s “priority theatre of operations” and that the United States’ security is intrinsically linked to the stability of Asia. “We are all in and we’re not going anywhere,” he asserted.
The Philippines, a key U.S. treaty ally, has been a focal point of Washington’s strategy to build alliances across the Asia-Pacific. Given its strategic location near the South China Sea and Taiwan, Philippine support is deemed crucial in the event of a conflict. The Philippines has recently increased the number of military bases accessible to U.S. troops to nine, including locations less than 450 kilometers from Taiwan.
Austin reassured the Philippines of the U.S.’ “ironclad” commitment to their mutual defense treaty, amidst ongoing confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the South China Sea. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. echoed this sentiment, highlighting the “stabilising presence of the United States” as essential for regional peace.
The Shangri-La Dialogue also offered a glimmer of hope for improving military communications between the U.S. and China. Austin announced plans to resume military-to-military communications with China in the coming months, emphasizing the importance of dialogue to prevent conflicts from escalating. “I told Minister Dong that if he calls me on an urgent matter, I will answer the phone,” Austin said, expressing his hope for reciprocal action from Beijing.
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