The US is stepping up military deterrence against China in the South China Sea.

China has voiced its opposition to the joint air force exercises conducted by the US and the Philippines in the South China Sea on February 4th. The Southern Theater Command of the Chinese military emphasized that it will maintain a "high and resolute level of alert" in the region.

What is Trump's message?

Earlier, on February 4, the Philippines announced that it had deployed three FA-50 fighter jets to participate in exercises with two US B-1 Lancer heavy bombers in the South China Sea. The exercises took place in the Scarborough Shoal area.

Two US B-1 bombers (above) and two FA-50 fighter jets conducted a joint exercise in the South China Sea on February 4.

In an interview with Thanh Nien newspaper on February 5th, Dr. Satoru Nagao (Hudson Institute, USA) commented: "Shortly after US President Donald Trump took office, Washington deployed B-1 Lancer bombers to the South China Sea, including Scarborough Shoal. This move will be a symbolic step showing that the Trump administration will choose a tougher stance towards China."

Further analysis by Dr. Nagao assesses: "In Beijing's strategy over the past period, Scarborough Shoal is a key location to create a 'fortress' in the South China Sea. For many years, China has built infrastructure and militarized many artificial islands in the South China Sea, but these entities are not enough to become a 'fortress,' and Scarborough is now the best choice, aiming for a cluster from Hainan Island to the Paracel Islands and then the Spratly Islands to form a closed triangle to control a vast sea area. If the artificial islands at Scarborough Shoal are successfully built, China will easily be able to increase the deployment of missiles, fighter jets… and even establish a nuclear submarine base."

"Now, the new Trump administration has sent B-1 bombers to the area. The B-1 bomber can launch long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, so it has significant military implications. The fact that these aircraft flew over Scarborough Shoal without being intercepted by Chinese fighter jets suggests that Beijing does not want to further escalate tensions," commented Dr. Nagao.

Opening a new phase

Furthermore, in conjunction with the Trump administration's increased tariffs on Chinese goods, Dr. Nagao assessed: "In such a situation, the Philippines has also shown a tough stance towards China. Recently, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. proposed a 'reciprocal' agreement with China. That is, if Beijing stops its incursions and increases its activities in the South China Sea, Manila will remove the Typhon missile system that the US is deploying in the Philippines. It seems that the Philippines has been bolder in 'bargaining' with China since Trump took office. This means a new phase has begun as Washington has chosen a stronger stance towards Beijing."

Since last year, the US has deployed the Typhon missile system to the Philippines. This is a medium-range strategic missile launch system capable of launching both Tomahawk smart cruise missiles and SM-6 anti-aircraft missiles. The SM-6 missile can intercept not only fighter jets and drones but also anti-ship missiles. Therefore, this system contributes to countering the anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy that China is developing in the Pacific to limit the US military potential in the region. In addition, the Philippines has also announced plans to purchase Typhon systems.

The U.S. is accelerating the deployment of Typhon systems in Japan, Guam, and Taiwan. Combined with deployments in the Philippines, Washington could build a ring of defenses across the Pacific aimed at China. This ring would be capable of striking key military forces that Beijing is establishing in the region.

Indian Prime Minister to visit the US

According to Reuters, President Trump has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the White House next week. Several diplomatic sources revealed that Prime Minister Modi's visit to the US will take place from February 12-14. The two leaders are expected to discuss agreements regarding India's purchase of additional defense equipment from the US. In addition, they will also discuss several outstanding issues between the two countries, including the bilateral trade surplus, which currently favors India. Total bilateral trade between the US and India reached over $118 billion in fiscal year 2023-2024, with India achieving a surplus of $32 billion.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/my-day-manh-ran-de-quan-su-trung-quoc-o-bien-dong-18525020521132992.htm