Lawmaker warns Pentagon about China’s maritime actions

NEWS AND ANALYSIS:

Recent incidents of Chinese coast guard harassment toward the Philippines, Taiwan and other regional states require a stronger U.S. response, Rep. Michelle Steel said in a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

“I write to express my grave concerns about escalating tensions in the South and East China Seas; particularly the recent incidents involving the Chinese Communist Party’s aggression towards the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia,” the California Republican wrote in the July 10 letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Times. “These coordinated incursions demand immediate and comprehensive international attention.”

China has deployed its coast guard to confront Philippines supply boats near a grounded ship used as a military base near Second Thomas Shoal. Beijing says the base is in its territory, but its actions undermine Manila’s sovereignty and are destabilizing the region, Ms. Steel said.

A member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Ms. Steel said Chinese coast guard personnel used knives, sticks and axes to threaten and attack Philippine soldiers in one especially dangerous encounter.

Farther north, Chinese coast guard personnel used noise weapons against a Taiwanese fishing boat that was forced to dock at a mainland port.

“These provocations are also coordinated with the express purpose of threatening military conflict in the region,” she said. “In recent months, [China] has shifted from trespassing into Taiwanese waters to practicing a full-scale blockade of Taiwan’s main island.”

In another recent incident, Chinese vessels engaged in a standoff with the Japanese coast guard vessels surrounding the disputed Senkaku islands.

“This is unacceptable and must be stopped,” said Ms. Steel, also a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. “Our allies’ coast guards have the responsibility to protect sovereignty and deter clear security threats.”

In the South China Sea, China also recently deployed the world’s largest coast guard ship, dubbed “the Monster,” to assert its maritime claims in the sea, including areas that are within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, rejecting efforts to resolve the disputes through diplomatic channels.

Beijing is also disrupting the commercial operations of Vietnam and Malaysia in the sea. Both states have clashed with China over efforts to mine oil and natural gas deposits near their coasts.

“This behavior also serves as a stark warning of the international commercial risks posed by the [Chinese Communist Party] to the region should this be allowed to continue,” Ms. Steel said. “The United States must step up in the South China Sea and work with our allies to deter the CCP’s evolving tactics.”

“Failure to do so,” she added, “will empower [China] to further escalate its aggression, risking loss of life and serious instability in the region,” Ms. Steel said.

The lawmaker urged Mr. Austin to do more to build partnerships with regional allies Australia, South Korea, Japan and India. More joint freedom of navigation operations with allies are needed to counter Beijing’s sweeping and “unlawful” maritime claims, she said.

Chinese official warns of increased likelihood of attack on Taiwan

An influential Chinese government official and academic is warning that the People’s Liberation Army may soon launch a military assault on Taiwan as part of Beijing’s drive to take over the self-ruled island.

Jin Canrong, a professor at Renmin University and an adviser to China’s rubber-stamp national legislature, said in a recent article that peaceful options for uniting the mainland with Taiwan are fading.

“The reality is that [our] hope for peaceful reunification is dwindling. Thus, we need to prepare ourselves for reunification through non-peaceful means,” he said. “This includes military and economic preparations as well as preparations with regards to our domestic politics and [gaining] international understanding. All of these require serious work.”

Considered an ultranationalist and a harsh critic of the United States, Mr. Jin’s comments reflect official Chinese Communist Party policy.

Mr. Jin, who also advises several government bodies in Beijing, serves up daily commentaries in Chinese media and online platforms that could not be circulated without the ruling Communist Party’s support and approval, given the regime’s high-technology censorship system.

Mr. Jin’s latest missive, published June 22 in the hawkish party-affiliated outlet Guancha.cn, argues that China’s economic problems and financial dependencies will render military action difficult. Those problems only add to the challenge for China’s military of carrying out an amphibious assault across the 100-mile-wide Taiwan Strait.

China’s military has increased pressure on Taiwan since the inauguration of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on May 20. Shortly after, Chinese forces released an online video that included an animation of simulated attacks on Taiwan.

Mr. Jin said military readiness is the key to assault preparations. The recent “Joint Sword 2024A” military exercises were notable in that the drills were unannounced, took place over a larger area around Taiwan, and used more troops than past exercises, he said.

“Realistically speaking, the means currently employed by the [Chinese military’s] eastern theater command are already sufficient,” he said.

He said the military is working to resolve the challenges of carrying out an operation across the forbidding strait.

“Of course, I also believe that our PLA has many undisclosed strategies and that they are working hard on these,” Mr. Jin said. “But despite the modernization of our military making very good progress, we have not fought in an actual war for many years now, so we must prepare ourselves for this.”

Economically, China needs to prepare for war, he said, noting the current “fragility” of the economy. “With insufficient domestic demand and a lack of [diversified] markets, I describe this as lacking economic strategic autonomy. This is a problem we need to address,” Mr. Jin said.

Mr. Jin blamed the United States for increased tensions over Taiwan, saying Washington has encouraged pro-independence forces on the island.

Thomas des Garets Geddes, editor of the online newsletter Sinification, which published a translation of the article, said Mr. Jin in recent years has morphed from a scholar into one of China’s most important opinion leaders, with a large social media following. Mr. Geddes said the message behind the article presents a mixture of threats of a future armed attack along with a note of caution that the current period is not the time for China to act.

“China still has much to prepare ahead of such a potential military campaign and the international repercussions that would probably ensue,” Mr. Geddes said of the article. “Militarily, China is not quite ready yet. Economically, it is still too dependent on the West and must be able to rely much more on its own domestic market.”

Globally, Mr. Jin argues that China needs more diplomatic support. Domestically, the government needs to build popular support before military force is used, he said.

“There is truth to all of this,” Mr. Geddes said on Substack.

As a side note, Mr. Jin was one of the people who met with Vice President Joe Biden on one of his visits to China during the Obama administration.

Taiwan gets new official U.S. representative

Raymond F. Greene this week took over as director of the American Institute in Taiwan, the official U.S. government representative office on the democratic-ruled island that remains a major political target of China. Mr. Greene, a career diplomat and deputy institute director from 2018 to 2021, vowed to strengthen bilateral relations in the face of mounting pressure from China.

In a meeting with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Wednesday, Mr. Greene said he plans to work with the Taiwanese government to bolster relations “at this important time.”

“First and foremost, the United States remains committed to supporting Taiwan’s ability to defend itself,” he said.

“We have a shared and abiding interest in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. This is critical for the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and the world,” said Mr. Greene, until recently deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.

Taiwan is a critical trade and economic partner and Mr. Greene said he will work to bolster global supply chains.

The new director noted both Taiwan and the United States face growing complex challenges, and the long-standing partnership is “growing stronger by the day.”

“I am confident that with the support of the international community of democracies, we can preserve Taiwan’s democracy, promote prosperity in the United States and Taiwan, and take our relationship to new heights,” he said.

• Contact Bill Gertz on X @BillGertz.