New US defence strategy puts pressure on South Korea

[webfact]

New US defence strategy puts pressure on South Korea
Song Sang-ho
The Korea Herald
Asia News Network


US-made small unit riverine crafts manoeuvre during a mock beach assault scenario as part of the US-Philippines joint military exercises in the town of Ternate, Cavite province, south of Manila, in this May 11, 2014 file photo.

Seoul wary of regional developments straining its diplomatic ties with China

SEOUL: -- The new US National Military Strategy released last Wednesday underscores the "need to counter revisionist states", potentially including China, that are challenging international norms and vows to firm up its alliances with South Korea, Japan and other partners.

Published by the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, the strategy appears to be raising pressure on Seoul to join Washington's efforts to maintain what it calls a "rule-based" order that Beijing is seen undermining with its aggressive behaviour, particularly in the South China Sea, observers said.

"Most states today - led by the US, its allies and partners - support the established institutions and processes dedicated to preventing conflict, respecting sovereignty and furthering human rights," reads the strategy released by JCS chairman General Martin Dempsey.

"Some states, however, are attempting to revise key aspects of the international order and are acting in a manner that threatens our national security interests."

Among the "some states" is apparently China, which has been turning numerous rocks and reefs in the Spratly Islands into artificial islands to construct military bases equipped with naval harbours, airstrips, radar facilities and other equipment.

China has delineated its claim to the vast majority of the South China Sea with "the nine-dashed-line" - a maritime demarcation line that takes in more than 80 per cent of the 3.5 million-square-kilometre sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have engaged in intense maritime territorial squabbles with China.

"China's actions are adding tension to the Asia-Pacific region. For example, its claims to nearly the entire South China Sea are inconsistent with international law," the strategy reads, though it says the US supports China's rise and encourages it to play a greater global security role.

"The international community continues to call on China to settle such issues cooperatively and without coercion. China has responded with aggressive land reclamation efforts that will allow it to position military forces astride vital international sea lanes."

Identifying the "rule-based order advanced by the US leadership" as part of America's "enduring national interests", the strategy stressed the need to strengthen the US' network of allies and security partners to keep open what it terms "global commons" such as freedom of maritime navigation.

Observers say that this strategy, coupled with US officials' statements calling for Seoul's support in countering China's attempts to "revise the maritime status quo", would pose a tough diplomatic challenge to South Korea, which they say could be increasingly seen as a "swing state", seeking to maintain close ties with both major powers.

Last month, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel said at a forum that Seoul should "speak out" in support of universal principles and the rule of law, with a reference to China's increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea disputes.

Analysts said his remarks were a fresh reminder that South Korea, at some point, could be forced to present its position over the escalating maritime disputes - a challenge that could strain Seoul's ties with Beijing, its crucial partner for trade, tourism and North Korea's denuclearisation, should it not be prudently dealt with.

Suh Jin-young, professor emeritus at Korea University, said the wise way for Seoul to deal with this foreign policy challenge is to clearly communicate Seoul's position to Washington and persuade it not to devise a situation in which Seoul is forced to choose between the two powers.

"South Korea is in a situation where it cannot completely support China, and also, we don't have to play a role to wholly back the US with only the alliance in mind. Though this may appear to be a passive form of diplomacy, the wise way for Seoul is to steer clear of a Sino-US conflict," he said.

"Apart from hardliners in the US government, there are also those who are against going on a Cold War-like collision course with China. Thus the idea that most US officials' views converge on the hardline stance, if you will, may misrepresent the reality."

Amid the escalating tensions in the South China Sea, calls have been growing for Seoul and Washington to strengthen their "strategic communication" over the maritime disputes to prevent unnecessary diplomatic friction between the allies.

"I think it is important for the allies to put their heads together over the issue and determine what kind of role South Korea can play within the framework of the bilateral alliance to help secure stability that could be hurt due to the maritime disputes," said Park Won-gon, security expert at Handong Global University.

"Like the security cooperation guidelines between the US and Japan, South Korea and the US could map out their own guidelines to deal with a comprehensive range of issues in a more coordinated way."

Nam Chang-hee, political science professor at Inha University, stressed the need for Seoul to develop a prudent way of expressing its position over the maritime disputes that would not hurt its relations with the US and China.

"Seoul may say without singling out China as a threat factor that securing maritime trade routes in the region is beneficial for China and all other nations in the region. This may signal its opposition against China's potential moves to alter the status quo, but still would not be diplomatically impolite," he said.

Nam also pointed out that even if an armed conflict flares up in the South China Sea, Seoul would not be able to deploy its naval assets for long to support the US due to constant maritime threats from North Korea, and that just maintaining a robust deterrence against the North would help the US focus on the maritime conflict involving China.

"The North has recently been violating the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea, a move to alter the status quo here on the peninsula. Should a conflict flare up here, this would distract the US, which wants to focus on the South China Sea affairs," said Nam.

"Thus, South Korea successfully keeping in check and deterring North Korea would, after all, help the US' management of its military assets elsewhere and its focus on maintaining stability in the overall western Pacific region."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/New-US-defence-strategy-puts-pressure-on-South-Kor-30263969.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-08

[PepperMe]

I wish the US would stay out of other region's territorial disputes.

They are NOT the world police.

[FloridaExport]

They used to have that policy. Then the Japanese attacked Hawaii, and they realized it is better to get involved when the aggression starts instead of when it arrives at your door.

[wwest5829]

I wish the US would stay out of other region's territorial disputes.

They are NOT the world police.

Hmm, while not a U.S. hawk by any means, I have to say I have a big problem with China unilaterally claiming 80+% of the South China Sea, requiring flights over the area to report to Chinese authorities, to their declaring the area is now Chinese sovereign territory, thus having control of the sea lanes.

But, hey, if the 7 nations having overlapping claims do not raise a collective international resistance, well, I support only the U.S. ignoring any Chinese demands of control over international air space and sea lanes. It is not just US flights and sea transport that uses these international air and sea lanes so, yes, by all means let the regional nations raise opposition. I do not support the U.S. taking a physical lead in this...unless China challenges unimpeded transport of our airplanes and sea ships.

[oneday]

I wish the US would stay out of other region's territorial disputes.

They are NOT the world police.

So you you feel China has a right to do anything they want and violate all types of international laws and no one should say one word.

What an ostrich. Go find a long stretch of beach you can stick you head in and hope for the best.

[craigt3365]

I've read the UN is getting close to a ruling on this. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. The ecological disaster China is doing in that region is unacceptable.

[Scott]

A post containing a racial slur has been removed.

[Thaidream]

The US really does need a pivot to Asia to counter Chinese influence and business incursions into every Asian country that they can. This week the Vietnamese leader is in Washington meeting with Obama and will attempt to get the Viets more in the American sphere of influence as a counterweight against the huge Chines push. The Americans are making a big mistake in dealing with Thailand. They are forcing Thailand into the Chinese sphere by constantly harping about democracy. The General appears interested in buying Chinese subs. Normally, the Thai military buys Western equipment. I hesitate to generalize but I see China as a potential problem for the World. Its vast population and aggressive search for oil and food will continue unabated. In addition, their arrogance knows no bounds. Yet, the United States continues to educate their elite and wealthy. American greed will eventually be the downfall of the country.

[Publicus]

South Korea remains focused on North Korea and gearing for the hugely expensive experience Seoul has examined thoroughly that come from German unification right up to the present. Seoul is concomitantly busy convincing Beijing that US troops will never be positioned north of the 38th parallel, which is what precipitated Chinese involvement in the Korean Conflict, known in S Korea as the civil war (1950-53).

Seoul is aligned with the international community for numerous reasons, one of which is that its oil supply passes through the South China Sea (the same being true of Japan, Taiwan), making risks there intolerable.

When in December 2013 the CCP Dictators in Beijing suddenly declared an Air Defense Identification Zone over Japanese administered islands in the East Sea, to include South Korean islands, Korean Air Force fighters joined USAF and Japan Air Defense Force fighters to fly unannounced through the zone, led initially by unarmed B-52 nuclear capable bombers. The three air forces fly regularly through the new Beijing ADIZ making it into aerial Swiss cheese, meaningless. The humiliated CCP Central Military Commission in Beijing knows now the same will occur if it might try an ADIZ in the SCS.

From the time....

The reaction from Korea to the ADIZ announcement has been bristling. Seoul reportedly summoned a PLA military attache' from the Chinese Embassy in Korea to denounce the unilateral ADIZ and has warned Beijing that it will not comply with these rules. In fact the Ministry of Defense in Korea released a statement earlier this week stressing that it “will fly aircraft over Ieodo [island] as usual without informing China.” Korea maintains an ocean research center on Ieodo and has insisted that it is determined to defend its claimed EEZ. China for its part has been backpedalling quickly to mitigate the diplomatic fallout with Seoul, indicating that the intention of the zone is not to box Korea in on Ieodo.

http://thediplomat.com/2013/11/is-the-china-south-korea-honeymoon-over/

Last year Seoul donated an invaluable 1200 ton corvette warship to the Philippines and signed a $420 million contract with Manila for 12 of Seoul's FA-50 fighter jets. Seoul has made itself clear since May last year when the CCP Coast Guard sank several Vietnamese vessels trying to stop Beijing putting its huge oil rig in Vietnam's EEZ in the SCS. Only after anti-Chinese riots all over Vietnam did the CCP Dictators pull it out.

The riots were bad enough, but the CCP Dictators in Beijing sinking several Vietnamese vessels made everyone from Asean to the UN sit up and take notice of Beijing's carefree belligerence.

Troops of the South Korea Army 201st Special Assault "Eagle" Regiment parade in Seoul at inauguration of President Park Guen-hye..