Meia Nouwens
When Chinese defence minister Li Shangfu took the stage at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue last year, he argued Beijing was pursuing a path of regional stability. After an eventful year, which included the general’s ouster, such a message would be a much harder sell at this year’s gathering, which begins 31 May.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) recently demonstrated its power-projection aspirations when it completed an eight-day, inaugural test cruise with its third and most capable aircraft carrier, the Fujian. Skirmishes between Chinese vessels and Philippine boats in the Spratly archipelago have demonstrated Beijing’s increasing assertiveness in the region. The PLAN has also taken maritime activity near Taiwan to new levels, and recent activity by the Chinese Coast Guard around Taiwan’s Kinmen Island and high-altitude balloon overflights of Taiwan have fuelled questions about Beijing’s intent.
Tensions between China and Western countries have also increased over other issues. China’s Coast Guard has broadened cooperation with Russia, and Beijing has rebuffed Western pressure to cut Moscow off equipment it is using to fight in Ukraine. The United States and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region also accuse the PLA of increasingly unsafe behaviour in the air and at sea.
No comments:
Post a Comment