With the Trump administration warning of a possible war with North Korea, U. S. allies in Asia are sounding the alarm on another risk: a clash with China in the western Pacific.
With the Trump administration warning of a possible war with North Korea, U. S. allies in Asia are sounding the alarm on another risk: a clash with China in the western Pacific.
China has recently accelerated air and naval excursions in sensitive areas near Japan and Taiwan, part of a longstanding quest to expand its military presence further from its shores into the Pacific Ocean. Leaders in Tokyo and Taipei have called on Beijing to back off while strengthening their defenses.
Earlier this month, Japan observed for the first time a Chinese submarine entering the contiguous zone (12 nautical miles to 24 nautical miles from shore) around disputed islets in the East China Sea. That came shortly after Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen warned that China’s increased military patrols around the island threatened to destabilize the region.
President Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy has raised concern in Asia about the reliability of the U. S. in helping to stave off Chinese pressure as it gains greater military and economic strength. China has a long-term goal of reuniting with Taiwan, and territorial disputes with countries ranging from Japan to Vietnam to India.
“The unpredictability of the Trump administration encourages Tokyo and Taipei to do more for their own defense,” said Ja Ian Chong, an associate professor with the National University of Singapore who specializes in Asia-Pacific relations. “Unless resolved in such a way that all sides feel simultaneously assured, the actions can increase tensions in East Asia and raise the potential for some sort of incident.”
While Trump’s interactions with President Xi Jinping mostly focused on North Korea and trade during his first year in office, China’s territorial claims may become more prominent going forward. In a strategy document released last week, the U. S. Defense Department cited China’s military modernization and expansion in the South China Sea as key threats to U.
