On Wednesday, May 29th, Admiral Samuel Paparo, the commander of the USIndo-Pacific Command, stated in an interview with Nikkei News in Tokyo that the recent large-scale military exercises conducted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) around Taiwan “appear to be a rehearsal for invading Taiwan.” He emphasized the importance of unity among the United States, Japan, and their allies in strengthening deterrence against the CCP.
According to Nikkei News, Admiral Paparo, who became the top military chief of the US Indo-Pacific Command in early May, is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the joint forces of the US military in the region. He mentioned that the US Indo-Pacific Command monitored and analyzed the CCP’s exercises last Thursday and Friday (May 23-24). “We watched the exercises. We made notes. We learned some things from them,” he said. “They help us prepare for the future.”
The CCP’s recent large-scale military drills took place after the inauguration of Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te. The exercises were part of the CCP’s pressure tactics on Taiwan. When asked about the possibility of the CCP invading Taiwan, Paparo emphasized, “What’s important is their own assessment,” and warned that the CCP continues to “build military capabilities at an astonishing pace.”
He quoted a US law from 1979 stating, “The US government requires me to be prepared today, tomorrow, next month, and next year according to the Taiwan Relations Act.” This act stipulates that Washington will assist Taiwan in strengthening its self-defense capabilities. Paparo expressed confidence that the US and its allies and partners would “prevail in the conflict” if armed conflict were to erupt in the region.
The US has been working with allies and partners to enhance “comprehensive deterrence.” Paparo called the US-Japan alliance the “most important alliance in the world” and praised the joint operational capabilities of the two countries. He stated, “Japanese forces are all in formation, and we have very little difference in sharing, tracking, and tactical operational capabilities.”
He also stressed the urgency of achieving “full unity of action” with the Japan Self-Defense Forces and stated that in the coming years, his work would focus on enhancing Command and Control relationships.
Japan plans to establish a Joint Operations Command within its Self-Defense Forces by the end of March 2025 as a coordinating body for cooperation with the US military to expedite decision-making between the two countries and promote joint operations.
Regarding the tense situation in the South China Sea where Chinese vessels have repeatedly harassed Filipino ships, Paparo stated, “We are monitoring the situation and stand ready to assist our treaty ally, the Philippines, at any time.” He added that the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany would enhance deterrence in the South China Sea by dispatching vessels and other means.
On Monday, May 27th, North Korea launched a rocket carrying a military reconnaissance satellite, which despite being unsuccessful, poses an increasing threat to the security of Japan and the US.
Paparo remarked, “The lessons of the past five years have shown that we live in an increasingly chaotic and disorderly world.”