United States War Secretary Pete Hegseth has slammed China for what he described as “intimidation, harassment, and illegal activities” in the South China Sea, calling on Southeast Asia to establish a united maritime surveillance to counter Beijing’s increasing aggression.
The remarks, which the Pentagon chief made during a meeting with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) defence ministers in Malaysia on Saturday, came shortly after a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The two leaders agreed to pause maritime penalties on ships docking in each other’s ports.
“Shared examples of intimidation, harassment, and illegal activities are occurring within your sovereign waters and across the South China Sea,” Hegseth said, as reported by The Straits Times.
“We do not seek conflict, but we must ensure that China is not seeking to dominate you or anybody else.”
China claims sovereignty over almost the entirety of the South China Sea based on a line on its maps which encroaches on the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
Hegseth says US will share tech to counter China
Hegseth told his ASEAN counterparts to enhance their maritime collaboration by establishing shared domain awareness.
“You live it on the threats we all face from China’s aggression and course of actions in the South China Sea and elsewhere,” he said, as reported by Reuters.
Emphasising China’s lack of respect for their territorial sovereignty, he assured defence ministers that the US is committed to sharing their technology with Southeast Asia to resist Beijing’s threats.
He also proposed a joint programme on unmanned technologies, such as aerial and underwater drones, to boost surveillance while cutting costs and minimising risk.
“We need to develop our joint capabilities to respond, and this includes being able to monitor maritime conduct and develop the tools that allow us to respond quickly… ensuring that whoever is on the receiving end of aggression and provocation is then, therefore, by definition, not alone,” Hegseth explained.
READ MORE: El Fasher becomes epicentre of atrocities following RSF capture
US, Philippines form new task force
Despite the US and China’s recent agreement to reboot their military connections to “deconflict and de-escalate”, Hegseth nevertheless voiced serious concerns about the Chinese Coast Guard’s activities around Taiwan and the South China Sea.
He cited an incident where Chinese Coast Guard vessels were using water cannons and ramming Filipino ships.
China has stationed its armed vessels hundreds of kilometres from the mainland, repeatedly and aggressively clashing with Philippine vessels while allegedly disrupting Malaysia and Vietnam’s energy activities, says Reuters.
To combat this, Hegseth and Philippine defence chief Gilbert Teodoro announced ‘Task Force Philippines’ on Friday.
The task force, Hegseth said, would increase Manila and Washington’s interoperability and contingency readiness “so that we can decisively respond to a crisis or aggression and re-establish deterrence in the South China Sea”.
Moreover, the US politician clarified that the launch of the task force was not intended to confront China, but to “protect our interests, individually and mutually”, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Meanwhile, Teodoro highlighted the importance of freedom of navigation and respect for territorial integrity.
“It is not only important for both our countries that we interoperate deeper, better… because freedom of navigation, respect for territorial integrity, and sovereignty are not only important for us but for the whole world, given the strategic area that the Philippines occupies in the whole world’s economic supply chains and the security environment,” he said.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Grand Egyptian Museum opens after $1.2bn project with Tutankhamun as special inhabitant
Geoffrey H. Latayan 
Vivien Bernardino