Pentagon chief Hagerty urged Southeast Asian countries on Saturday (November 1) to strengthen their maritime capabilities to firmly counter the increasingly destabilizing actions of the CCP in the South China Sea. He pledged that the United States will provide technical support to Southeast Asian countries to help them collectively respond to the CCP’s threats.
Hagerty attended a series of meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, including multilateral talks with allies Australia, Japan, and the Philippines. He proposed to ASEAN defense ministers the establishment of a shared “Maritime Domain Awareness” to enable any member country to issue alerts to all members when threatened.
At a meeting with ASEAN defense ministers, the Pentagon chief said that the CCP lacks respect and threatens the territorial sovereignty of ASEAN.
“You are living in the midst of a shared threat that comes from the aggressive behavior and actions of China (CCP) in the South China Sea and other regions,” he said.
Hagerty emphasized that ASEAN should enhance its own capabilities to contain CCP’s provocative actions.
“We need to develop joint response capabilities, including the ability to monitor maritime activities and develop tools for rapid response… to ensure that any party facing aggression and provocation… will not be fighting alone,” he said. “The United States’ capabilities in innovation and scalability are unmatched, and we are willing to actively share these capabilities with allies and partners.”
The day before Hagerty made the above remarks, the militaries of Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the United States conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea, which drew the CCP’s discontent. A spokesperson for the CCP’s military claimed that the exercise “seriously undermines peace and stability.”
In his speech at the Defense Ministerial Forum, Hagerty emphasized the credibility of the United States in maintaining peace, saying that the United States is committed to building an unmatched military “in global power.” He also reiterated the U.S. commitment to allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.
He welcomed the planned joint maritime exercises between ASEAN and the United States in December, stating that it would enhance interoperability and strengthen freedom of navigation and sovereignty rights of all countries.
The South China Sea is one of the most volatile conflict hotspots in Asia. The CCP claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, while ASEAN member countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei also claim sovereignty over certain coastal areas and reefs. The Philippines is a key ally of the United States and frequently clashes with the CCP in the South China Sea.
Hagerty criticized Beijing’s recent announcement of the establishment of a “Huangyan Island National Protection Zone” in the disputed Huangyan Island. He told the attending defense ministers that this is another attempt by the CCP to sacrifice their interests through coercion to achieve new and expanded territorial and maritime claims.
He stated that CCP’s provocative actions challenge and threaten the territorial sovereignty of the region. He said that dialogue between the U.S. and China is crucial, and he had the opportunity to meet with CCP Defense Minister Wei Feng on Friday (October 31), noting that it was meaningful, but he also warned that CCP’s actions must be closely monitored.
Hagerty stressed that CCP’s extensive territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea are contrary to its commitment to peacefully resolving disputes.
“We seek peace, not conflict, but we must ensure that China (CCP) will not attempt to dominate you or any other country,” he told ASEAN defense ministers.
The establishment of the “Huangyan Island National Protection Zone” by the CCP not only sparked protests from the Philippines, but U.S. Secretary of State Rubi…