NATO, Japan and U.S. address security challenges in Indo-Pacific

NATO, Japan and U.S. address security challenges in Indo-Pacific

2023-02-01

On Tuesday, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg met with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and released a joint statement on Japan-NATO security cooperation. In the statement, and during the talks, the two sides expressed serious concern over China’s military action in the region, including its coercive behavior over Taiwan. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in the Philippines on Monday night to seek access to another four Philippine military bases, in case a conflict breaks out in the region.

On Jan. 31, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio in Tokyo. After the meeting, the two sides released a joint statement, in which they expressed concern over reports of militarization, coercion and intimidation in the South China Sea. In his remarks, Stoltenberg criticized China’s behavior, agreeing with Japan that it’s a matter of serious concern.

Jens Stoltenberg (Jan. 31)
NATO secretary general
China is substantially building up its military forces, including nuclear weapons, bullying its neighbors and threatening Taiwan. Beijing is watching closely and learning lessons that may influence its future decisions. What is happening in Europe today could happen in East Asia tomorrow.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who arrived in the Philippines on Monday night, is slated to meet Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday to discuss expanding U.S. access to another four military bases in the country, to counter China’s growing military action in the region.

According to U.S. newspaper the Wall Street Journal, two of the four sites could be located on Cagayan Province on the northern island of Luzon, and on the Province of Palawan to the east. With only 321 kilometers between Luzon and Taiwan, the U.S. military would be able to respond quickly should a conflict erupt in the South China Sea or the Taiwan Strait.

Shu Hsiao-huang
Institute for National Defense and Security Research
If the Philippines will allow access to these locations, to these bases, allow the U.S. military to effectively interfere… of course whether it’s the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea, both are important regions, and the Philippines’ location has a great strategic significance. An important aspect of U.S. deployment in the South China Sea is the surveillance of anti-submarine and underwater activity.

The Indo-Pacific Region’s security is high on the agenda of NATO, the U.S. and their allies.

訪日批中恫嚇台灣北約秘書長:今日歐洲明日東亞

2023-02-01

北約秘書長史托騰伯格週二和日本首相岸田文雄會面，公開批評中國，大幅軍力、威脅台灣的行為，警告今天發生在歐洲的事情，明天可能發生在東亞。美國也傳出將和菲律賓協商，讓美軍共用菲國4處「軍事基地」，建立台海或南海發生衝突時，就近馳援的戰略據點。

北約秘書長史托騰柏格訪問日本，與首相岸田文雄會談，兩人會後發表聯合聲明，表達對台海局勢的擔憂。史托騰柏格更公開批評中國，窮兵黷武的行為。

[[北約秘書長史托騰柏格(01.31)]]
“中國正在大舉擴張軍力，包括核子武器在內，用來霸凌鄰國，威脅台灣。北京正在密切關注(烏俄戰爭)，並吸取可能影響未來決定的教訓。今天發生在歐洲的事情，明天可能就會發生在東亞。”

北約示警，美國也有動作，除了已大幅調整駐日美軍規模，美國國防部長奧斯汀也將前往菲律賓，拜會總統小馬可仕，希望達成讓美軍共用菲國4處「關鍵軍事基地」的協議，以應對中國與日俱增的威脅。

根據「華爾街日報」披露，基地可能位置，包含緊臨中國南沙群島的、巴拉旺島，以及呂宋島北端「卡加延省」的兩處。由於呂宋島距離台灣最南方、只有約321公里，美軍在此擴大「戰略立足點」，專家分析，將能在南海或台海爆發衝突時，迅速反應。

[[國防院副研究員舒孝煌]]
“如果說菲律賓能夠在這個地方，就是在(軍事)基地，美軍能夠有更多實質的介入的話，那當然對於不管是台海或者是南海，這兩大重要區域，其實菲律賓(地理位置)都能夠有非常關鍵跟重要的這種戰略上面的意義。美國在南海地區的部署，其實很重要的一部分，其實就是反潛，跟水下活動的一些相關的偵測。”

印太區域安全環環相扣，各國緊盯中國一舉一動，嚴密部署。

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