US pushes new 'card' in East Sea

Nikkei Asia has just published a response from Admiral Linda Fagan, Commander of the US Coast Guard (USCG), about the force's operational plan in the Indo- Pacific region.

Prepare carefully

Accordingly, Ms. Fagan emphasized: "The US Indo-Pacific Strategy identifies the expanded role of the USCG in the region as a priority for Washington to seek to ensure a free and open region." Thereby, the USCG will continue to have a long-term presence in this region by deploying more ships and specialized forces. "The USCG is increasing its operational capacity throughout the Indo-Pacific and will deploy resources to Southeast Asia and Oceania," Admiral Fagan added.

US and Philippine coast guard ships during a joint operation in the South China Sea

This year, the USCGC Harriet Lane (WMEC-903) will be deployed from its base in Virginia (USA) to operate in the Indo-Pacific. The USCGC Harriet Lane has a displacement of about 1,800 tons, is equipped with guns and can carry aircraft.

In fact, the USCG's strategy of pivoting to the Indo-Pacific is not new. At the end of 2020, the US proposed a "3-in-1 integration" plan when building the navy, marines and coast guard into a joint military force at sea to respond to new challenges, including the East Sea.

By the end of March 2021, the then commander of the USCG, Admiral Karl Schultz, gave a speech on the development strategy and operations of this force. After the speech, talking to a number of journalists, Commander Schultz then affirmed that the USCG was really focused on the Indo-Pacific. Specifically, the USNI magazine quoted him as saying that the Indo-Pacific is where the US has to compete with China. "The Chinese Coast Guard does not only conduct regular coastal patrols. This force also possesses armed vessels larger than cruisers and expands operations in the first island chain. That is part of the Chinese government's strategy of extending its tentacles," Admiral Schultz assessed in March 2021.

Since then, the USCG has gradually increased its activities in the region. In 2021, the US Navy announced that the USCGS Munro (WMSL 755) arrived at Subic Bay (Philippines). This is an armed ship with a displacement of about 4,500 tons, equipped with 57 mm guns with a fire support system, Phalanx close-in air defense artillery system, and can carry combat helicopters and unmanned helicopters. At that time, the Munro conducted exercises with the Philippine Coast Guard in the eastern part of the South China Sea.

At the end of February, Reuters reported that the US and the Philippines were discussing joint patrols between the two countries' coast guards, including in the East Sea. For more information, Jay Tarriela, spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on East Sea issues, said that the dialogue with the US had passed the preliminary stage and the possibility of conducting joint patrols was high. Then, from June 1 to 7, the US, Japan and the Philippines held their first joint coast guard exercise in the East Sea. The exercise also had the participation of Australia as an observer. This was the first time the three countries had conducted a joint coast guard exercise.

Use the trick "hit yourself with the stick"

In a recent analysis in response to Thanh Nien , Dr. James Holmes (maritime strategy expert - US Naval War College) pointed out: "China has recently applied a gray zone strategy covering its military power in the East Sea, ready to escalate tensions by sending naval forces, so that it can choose how to increase pressure by diplomacy or military means."

In recent years, China has used its coast guard with many armed vessels combined with militia vessels to try to control the East Sea through law enforcement activities carried out unilaterally by Beijing. Backing up the coast guard is the navy. If other parties use the navy to deal with the Chinese coast guard, Beijing can accuse it of using force, which can create an excuse to use the navy to escalate tensions. Meanwhile, if it simply uses law enforcement forces similar to the coast guard, it will be difficult for other parties in the region to compare with the strength of the Chinese coast guard. This is the way for Beijing to implement its gray zone strategy and strengthen its control over the East Sea.

From the above context, through the deployment of coast guard ships - which also carry the mission of law enforcement, the US can use "the stick to beat its own back" to deal with the Chinese coast guard. Analyzing when answering Thanh Nien, Mr. Derek Grossman, a defense analyst at the RAND Corporation (USA), commented that through the USCG, within the "3 in 1" integration plan, is to exploit mobile and less armed platforms to respond to the coast guard and maritime militia forces that China is deploying in disputed waters in the region.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Carl O. Schuster (former Director of the Joint Intelligence Center - Pacific Command of the US Navy and currently teaching at Hawaii Pacific University on international relations and history) pointed out: "USCG is suitable to solve environmental challenges and law enforcement in the maritime field such as preventing bullying of fishermen, environmental destruction, smuggling... The above mentioned actions are not war-making, but contain risks of sabotage, even leading to conflict".

US and Japanese forces load High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) shells at a training area in Japan in 2019.

US discusses deploying multi-mission unit in Japan

Nikkei Asia on June 15 quoted US Army Secretary Christine Wormuth as saying that the US has begun discussions with Japan about deploying a multi-mission army unit in Japan. Multi-mission units can often perform many missions such as long-range attack, air defense, intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare, and logistics.

According to Nikkei Asia , the new unit is expected to operate land-based missiles with a range of more than 1,000 km. However, Minister Wormuth said that Japan will have to decide what capabilities it will allow to be stationed and whether the stationing will be permanent or rotational. Maintaining such a unit in Japan is believed to be part of the US military's strategy of dispersing forces in the Western Pacific region, where they will be closer to potential threats. The US currently maintains multi-mission units in Washington state and Hawaii, both of which border or are located in the Pacific.

Bao Vinh

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/my-day-manh-quan-bai-moi-o-bien-dong-185230615224941994.htm