President Joe Biden has so far maintained his predecessor’s firm China policy, which tries to limit China’s economic and political influence in the international arena. Throughout the United States and Europe, China is primarily seen as a rising force that threatens Western dominance.
Chinese military buildup in the Indo-Pacific has alarmed Republican members of Congress, who say it poses a “serious threat” to the United States and its allies. The Biden administration says it has made its concerns about Beijing’s “shadowy, vague agreements” in the region “known,” as both sides are concerned.
In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Congressman Lance Gooden outlines his concerns about the current state of the world. The United States and its allies “would be unprepared and unable to counterattack” if China is “left unrestrained.”
Gooden and colleagues say that China’s rapid expansion and militarization of the Indo-Pacific region is a significant issue.
According to the report, China has used “pressure and intimidation” in recent years to advocate for policy changes, establish unjustified maritime claims, and threaten the United States and its allies.
A statement from the Chinese government reiterated the country’s commitment to maintaining a robust military budget to rebuild the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The United States and its allies cannot retaliate if China’s influence in the region is not reined down.
To “increase China’s military presence in the area,” China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently visited six Indo-Pacific countries to “transfer military personnel and Chinese vessels to utilize their ports for the purpose of ‘logistical replenishment.'”
Gooden warned that the agreement might lead to instability in the region.
In response to China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific area, Gooden and Republicans urged Blinken to “take all necessary actions.”
A 1979 US treaty with Kiribati, mentioned by Gooden, prohibits the provision of military installations to other parties without prior clearance from the United States of America (USA).
According to the Chinese, military action on Kiribati’s South Tarawa Island took place notwithstanding the agreement. This factory may restart in defiance of our deal with Kiribati because of China’s growing regional influence.
The State Department was instructed by Republican legislators to examine “existing accords and treaties in the Indo-Pacific area” and utilize any existing power or privileges to fight China in the area.
In addition, they urged the State Department to “remind our regional allies that agreements with China will undermine our relationship” with those countries.
It was recommended that talks be started with the Republic of Kiribati regarding building a military presence on the island to resupply the Pacific Fleet and counter China’s influence. “Strategic clarity” was also requested to demonstrate to the world that the U.S. will honor its obligations to allies in the Indo-Pacific area and resist China’s aggression and ambitions.
According to a Gooden adviser, the US might claim sovereignty over the island if China builds a facility in Kiribati.
Gooden told Fox News that China’s military buildup “threatens to destabilize the Pacific area.” To avoid escalation of conflict, the Biden administration must take immediate and decisive action rather than continue appeasing China.
“We welcome Congress’ bipartisan support for Indo-Pacific engagement,” an agency spokeswoman told Fox News on Thursday.
“We must match action with policy,” said the spokesperson to Fox. ” US Innovation and Competition Act, which would contribute 3.25 billion dollars in aid to the Indo-Pacific, was requested by the president from Congress.”
According to a State Department source, the Biden administration envisions an Indo-Pacific that is “open, linked, economic, resilient, and safe.”
“Innovative ties among them to tackle key challenges” have been fostered by the U.S., according to the State Department.
According to an official statement, this victory is the foundation of the Administration’s Indo-Pacific Plan. It “outlines President Biden’s vision to more firmly entrench the United States in the Indo-Pacific and enrich the region,” according to a statement.
A spokesperson cited Biden’s recent trip to Japan and Blinken’s recent trip to the Pacific Islands as evidence of the administration’s increased interest in the region.
‘Each country will make its own sovereign determinations,’ the person told Fox News. We, along with our regional allies and partners, are alarmed by China’s ambiguous and vague alliances.
Officials support regional development contributions from the PRC as long as they meet “high standards,” including transparency, the rule of law, long-term investment, and the right of recipients to make their own decisions.
There has been an increase in “unlawful maritime claims and the ongoing militarization of the South China Sea; predatory economic activities, such as illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and investments that undermine good governance; human rights abuses,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State said in a statement.
The post-World War II international system, created to encourage economic cooperation and avert war, may not be able to sustain the stress of China’s increasing difficulties. However unlikely it may be, a battle between the West and China is still a possibility.
