Defending Coercive Actions by China and Implications for US and Australian Air Force Safety and Security: After Pelosi and Austin’s Visit to the Island

Last month, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin similarly called out Beijing, with the secretary criticizing a series of coercive, aggressive and dangerous actions that threaten stability around Asia and vowing the US would stand by partners to resist any pressure.

“The volume, the number of Chinese intercepts at sea and in the air have increased significantly over five years,” Milley said, though he offered no further details on the figure.

Taiwan has experienced increased tension this year. A visit to the island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in August prompted fury from the Communist Party and an immediate flurry of military exercises.

President Joe Biden has suggested the US military believes a potential trip by Pelosi and other lawmakers would pose security risks. The Pentagon has declined to say if officials have directly briefed the California Democrat, but officials say worries include China establishing a no-fly zone or increasing unsafe intercepts of US and allied ships and aircraft in the Pacific region.

Officials tell CNN the aim is to have a solid look at any changes in patterns of Chinese military activity. Interactions between the two militaries are so sensitive that incidents are often not made public. In June, a US C-130 transport plane being operated by US special forces encountered some Chinese aircraft, but the Pentagon didn’t publicly acknowledge the incident.

In one of the most serious recent incidents, the Australian government said in February that a Chinese warship allegedly used a laser to “illuminate” an Australian Air Force jet in what Canberra called a “serious safety incident.”

The Australian Defence Force said in a statement at the time that acts like this have the potential to endanger lives. Pilots targeted by laser attacks in the past have reported disorienting flashes, pain, spasms and spots in their vision and even temporary blindness.

The Defense of the Indo-Pacific Region as a Test of the Free, Open, and Stable Continuum Ruler: The US-Taiwan Defense White Paper

Austin told the crowd that Indo-Pacific countries shouldn’t face political intimidation, economic coercion or harassment by maritime militias.

China aims to meet its rightful security needs and contribute to the growth of the world peaceful forces, according to the country’s defense white paper. “China will never threaten any other country or seek any sphere of influence.”

The US does not recognize these territorial claims and routinely conducts operations there, including freedom of navigation operations through the South China Sea.

Taiwan has responded to the spotted Chinese aircraft by tasking naval vessels, air patrol aircrafts and land-based missile systems.

The Chinese military conducted a joint combat readiness patrol and strike drills around Taiwan in response to provocative acts between Taiwan and the US, but they did not give any details.

China’s ruling Communist Party views Taiwan – a democratically governed island of 24 million – as part of its territory, despite having never controlled it. It has long vowed to “reunify” the island with the Chinese mainland, by force if necessary.

The new defense bill signed on Friday by US President Joe Biden included a defense modernization program for Taiwan to deter Chinese aggression.

“The cooperation between Taiwan and the United States will help safeguard a free, open and stable Indo-Pacific region. The military will continue to strengthen military preparedness based on enemy threats and self-defense needs,” it added.

In November, Biden met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in-person for the first time during his presidency at the G20 summit in Indonesia. Biden described the three-hour meeting as open and candid and cast doubt on the invasion of Taiwan.

Formal bilateral talks on climate cooperation are expected to resume as well as part of a broader set of agreements between Biden and Xi – with China having previously halted talks as part of retaliation for Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.

An Indo-Pacific Joint Force Command statement on Friday involving a Japanese Navy Liaoning Aircraft carrier east of Okinotorishima

Last Friday, China also conducted a series of military drills close to Japan’s southern Okinawa island in the Pacific Ocean, according to Japanese authorities.

The Chinese navy sailed its Liaoning aircraft carrier, as well as two destroyers and a frigate, on December 21 east of Kitadaito Island off the coast of Japan. The vessels traveled east of Okinotorishima on December 22.

The Japan’s defense ministry says that around 180 carrier-based fighter jets and helicopter landings took place on Friday.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense and Self-Defense Forces responded by dispatching two escort ships to collect information and carry out warning and surveillance, the ministry said.

Japanese warplanes are scrambled often in response to Chinese planes near their airspace, while Chinese ships frequently visit the islands which it calls the Diaoyus.

Earlier this month, Japan unveiled a new national security plan that signals the country’s biggest military buildup since World War II, doubling defense spending and veering from its pacifist constitution in the face of growing threats China, North Korea and Russia.

A Chinese fighter jet intercepted a US reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea last week and performed an “unsafe maneuver,” forcing the US aircraft to take evasive action, according to Indo-Pacific Command, the command responsible for overseeing US military operations in the region.

The RC-135 Rivet Joint was flying over the ocean with about 30 people on board when the Chinese jet flew 20 feet from its nose. In order to avoid colliding, the RC-135 took evasive maneuvers, the statement said.

The majority of aircraft interactions, including those between the US and China, are conducted in a safe and professional manner, the official said. When it’s determined that an incident is unsafe, the US makes use of diplomatic and military channels to communicate with Beijing.

The U.S. Indo- Pacific Joint Force will keep flying, sailing and operating in international airspace with due regard for the safety of all vessels and aircraft under international law.