A model of Origin Wukong, China's independently developed third-generation superconducting quantum computer Photo: VCG
China's quantum computing industry has made new progress. Recently, Chinese startup Origin Quantum in Hefei, East China's Anhui Province, launched Origin Tianji 4.0, a self-developed superconducting quantum measurement and control system that supports 500-plus-qubit quantum computers. The progress indicates that China's quantum computing industry has achieved replicable and iterative engineering production capabilities, laying the foundation for the mass production of hundred-bit quantum computers, Kong Weicheng, head of the system's development team, told the Global Times.
Dubbed the "nerve centers" of quantum computers, measurement and control systems manage precise signal generation, acquisition, and control for quantum chips. In 2018, Kong's team developed the first domestically produced quantum computer control system with completely independent intellectual property rights, filling a gap in the domestic quantum computing measurement and control field.
The latest Origin Tianji 4.0 system can effectively shorten the development and delivery time for quantum computers at the hundred-bit scale, while enhancing the system's automation capabilities and long-term stability, according to Kong, who is also deputy director of Anhui Quantum Computing Engineering Research Center.
Previously, China relied heavily on imports for high-end instruments and equipment, and we could only use traditional commercial instruments to build our quantum computing measurement and control systems, with signal output and acquisition tasks being conducted separately. This approach was not only costly and redundant in functionality, but also had drawbacks such as poor compatibility and difficulty in integration, Kong told the Global Times.
"Now, after multiple iterations, China's quantum computing measurement and control system has improved in terms of product scalability, integration, performance stability, and automation level. What we need to do is to go from nothing to something, and from something to a usable and durable product," Kong said.
The Origin Tianjin 4.0 system was built and upgraded based on its preceding 3.0 version, which powers Origin Wukong, China's independently developed third-generation superconducting quantum computer.
Since it went into operation on January 6, 2024, Origin Wukong has served users in 139 countries and regions over 26 million times, and completed more than 380,000 quantum computing tasks, covering a wide range of industries from finance to biomedicine, the Global Times learned from the team.
According to Kong, in recent years, the process of quantum computing industrialization has been growing rapidly around the world. Eight years ago, Barclays Bank began to explore the application scenarios of quantum technology in the financial sector. Subsequently, leading international financial institutions such as JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs formed quantum research teams to explore quantum computing applications.
Domestically, quantum computing has been explored in various industries, including national defense and security, biopharmaceuticals, energy materials, artificial intelligence, financial markets, and transportation and aviation. However, "there is still a significant gap from the industry's expectations for exponential acceleration and leaps in computing power," Kong said.
According to Kong, the development of quantum computers is influenced by various factors such as hardware devices, cooling environments, and temperature, and these challenges require cross-disciplinary collaboration, including efforts in ecological construction and other dimensions. - Global Times In Depth
Ships attached to a destroyer flotilla with the navy under the PLA Eastern Theater Command sail in formation en route to a multi-subject training exercise in East China Sea. The ships' journey took two days from October 13 to 14 before reaching the training waters. Photo:China Military
Philippines’ dream of overpowering China in the South China Sea is just wishful thinking
China will hold a joint military exercise with five Southeast Asian countries this month, with experts saying on Sunday that the move is conducive to the safeguarding of regional peace and stability amid repeated provocations by the Philippines over Chinese islands and reefs in the South China Sea.
The Chinese military will host militaries from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam in Zhanjiang, South China's Guangdong Province from mid-November to late November for the Aman Youyi-2023 (namely Peace and Friendship-2023) multilateral drills, China's Ministry of National Defense said in a press release on Sunday.
Under the theme of joint counter-terrorism and military operations on safeguarding maritime security, the exercise is split into a land part and a sea part, organizing teams to hold joint training, joint command exercises and actual-force drills on counter-terrorism and anti-piracy, the press release reads.
The goal of the exercise is to enhance the participants' operational capabilities in urban counter-terrorism as well as maritime counter-terrorism and anti-piracy, further deepen military mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, the Chinese Defense Ministry said.
The Chinese participating forces mainly come from the Chinese People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, and foreign participating forces include ground detachments and surface vessels, it said.
Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Sunday that the exercise displays the participating countries' mutual trust and common will in safeguarding regional peace and stability.
The South China Sea is one of the world's most pirates-infested regions, making piracy a common threat faced by all countries in the region, and that is why the exercise will focus on counter-terrorism and anti-piracy, Zhang said.
Observers noted that the exercise comes at a time when the Philippines has made repeated provocations since August against China vis-à-vis Chinese islands and reefs in the South China Sea.
Some countries participating in the Aman Youyi-2023 exercise also have maritime disputes in the South China Sea, but they chose the right approach, which is not to let disputes affect friendship and cooperation and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, Zhang said.
Military expert Song Zhongping told the Global Times on Sunday that under incitement from the US, the Philippines is not playing a positive role in the negotiations for the Code of Conduct (COC) on the South China Sea, bringing uncertainties to the region.
But other ASEAN members understand that there must be no chaos in the South China Sea in order for ASEAN to develop, Song said.
"The US, as a country from outside of the region, does not want the signing of the COC or a peaceful South China Sea. The interference of such external interference must be rejected," Song said.
It is also important for other ASEAN members to persuade the Philippines to safeguard ASEAN's common interests, experts said.
Experts warn of potential violent clashes, call for relevant countries to engage in talks
Philippines deliberately provoking trouble
A Philippine vessel approaches a China Coast Guard vessel in a dangerous manner and leads to a bump in waters off China's Ren'ai Reef in the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea on October 22, 2023. Photo: Screenshot from a video released by China Coast Guard
In a video message to the Opening Ceremony of the Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance 2023 held on Wednesday in South China's Hainan Province, China's top diplomat Wang Yi reiterated China's commitment to settling disputes and disagreements through dialogue and consultation while warning against maritime bloc confrontations.
"Disputes over maritime territory and rights and interests that are left from history should be resolved through friendly consultation between the parties directly concerned. Bloc confrontation and zero-sum games at sea must be firmly rejected," said Wang, Chinese Foreign Minister and a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.
Wang said China would continue to work with ASEAN countries to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), agree on a Code of Conduct (COC) at an early date, and foster a peaceful and secure order in the South China Sea.
The remarks came amid some disturbing changes in the South China Sea, including the notably frequent provocations from the Philippines against China in the region since August. The increasing provocations have led to growing concerns about potential "violent crashes between China and the Philippines" among experts and officials who closely follow related issues.
In the latest provocative move, the Japanese government promised to give five ships to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to boost its maritime security capability, as the two countries - two of the US' closest allies in Asia - are working with the US to help enhance Manila's security capabilities, according to Reuters.
Apart from the Philippines, Vietnam is also stepping up its land reclamation in the South China Sea. The country has been building a reef in the Nansha Islands and expanded its reclaimed area in the region more than four times in less than a year, according to media reports.
Although frictions, disputes, and claims of conflict have always existed in the South China Sea, some incidents are inevitable. However, it is surprising that these incidents have occurred so frequently in the context of the overall good relations between China and the Philippines, as noted by some experts.
They pointed out that the current tense situation in Ren'ai Reef has largely been caused by the overt or covert intervention of the US, calling on the Philippines to come back to bilateral dialogue to seek peaceful resolution to disputes rather than blindly following a third party's footsteps to target China as an enemy and risk aggravating the situation.
Increasing provocations
The Philippines started the recent wave of provocation over China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea on August 5, when two Philippine transport ships escorted by two Philippine coast guard ships illegally trespassed into waters off China's Ren'ai Reef of the Nansha Islands, forcing the China Coast Guard (CCG) to take lawful, necessary measures, including issuing a warning with water cannons, to block the Philippine vessels that were carrying illegal building materials.
The aim of the trespassing ships was to reinforce a Philippine warship that was illegally grounded on Ren'ai Reef in 1999. At the time, China lodged solemn representations and the Philippines promised several times to tow away the grounded vessel.
Now, 24 years has passed, and the Philippines not only has not towed away the warship, but is attempting to repair and reinforce it now that it is on the verge of disintegration, so the Philippines can occupy China's Ren'ai Reef permanently.
On August 22, the Philippines made another attempt to send illegal building materials to Ren'ai Reef, again sending two transport ships and two coast guard ships, which were again restricted by the CCG.
After the CCG restricted a third attempt by Philippine transport and coast guard ships to reinforce the illegally grounded warship on Ren'ai Reef on September 8, the Philippines switched to Huangyan Island on September 22 to divert China's attention from Ren'ai Reef and increase its bargaining chips.
Following yet another attempt to reinforce its grounded warship on Ren'ai Reef on October 4, which was also restricted by the CCG, the Philippines returned to Huangyan Island on October 10, when a Philippine navy gunboat intruded into waters off the Chinese island despite repeated warnings from the Chinese side.
The Philippine gunboat was expelled by the CCG through professional, lawful measures.
It marked the first event since the start of the Philippines' recent provocations since August that the Philippine side deployed a naval vessel to stir up trouble, which analysts said was a sign of escalation of tensions from a paramilitary level to a military level.
The Philippines then claimed that a Chinese naval vessel had shadowed a Philippine warship on October 15 near Zhongye Island, another Chinese island in the Nansha Islands, to disrupt a resupply mission.
The tensions around Ren'ai Reef again escalated on October 22, when the Philippines hyped collision events in its latest attempt to send vessels to the reef.
In the latest provocation by the Philippines, a Philippine navy corvette illegally trespassed into waters off China's Huangyan Island on October 30.
Instead of the CCG, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command organized naval and aviation forces, tracked and monitored, verbally warned, and then blocked and restricted the Philippine warship in accordance with the law.
With the involvement of military ships from both sides, observers warned of potential violent clashes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea.
China will not step back when it comes to safeguarding national security and territory, a military expert told the Global Times on condition of anonymity, while for the Philippines, the US will not allow it to retreat.
US shadow
The US is without doubt the biggest negative element that is affecting the peaceful and stable situation of the South China Sea, Wu Shicun, president of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times.
The overall situation in the South China Sea remains stable and controllable. The second round of text review consultations on the COC have been completed as planned and the third round of review has been officially initiated. At the bilateral level, China and relevant countries such as the Philippines have established emergency communication hotlines between their foreign ministries and have conducted productive dialogue, laying the foundation for the stabilization and improvement of the situation in the region. However, at the same time, there have been some disturbing changes, including increasing military presence by some external countries and bloc confrontation targeting China led by the US, Wu pointed out.
In a recent event, two sorties by a vessel-borne helicopter from the Canadian Navy's frigate HMCS Ottawa with unknown intentions approached China's territorial airspace above the Xisha Islands, and despite the PLA naval and aviation forces' lawful identification, verification and repeated verbal warnings, the Canadian helicopter not only refused to respond, but also took provocative maneuvers including flying at a very low altitude, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, said in a press release on Saturday.
It marks a third provocation from the Canadian military over the past month. In mid-October, a Canadian CP-140 reconnaissance aircraft illegally entered China's airspace over Chiwei Islet, approached China's eastern coast and entered the Taiwan Straits for close-in reconnaissance, forcing the PLA Air Force to take lawful management and control measures.
On November 1, the Canadian Navy's HMCS Ottawa frigate made a transit through the Taiwan Straits together with the US Navy's USS Rafael Peralta destroyer, while the PLA handled the event in accordance with the law and regulations.
Since 2021, the US has also been building small cliques with relevant countries in or outside the South China Sea, such as the Quad Security Dialogue between the US, Japan, India, and Australia, and the trilateral cooperation between the US, Japan, and South Korea, as well as the AUKUS alliance between the US, the UK and Australia.
In May this year, the US and the Philippines signed the Bilateral Defense Guidelines. In September, the navies of the two countries launched their first joint patrol in the South China Sea.
The US is attempting to use the joint patrol as a lever to build a mechanism for coordination among the US, the Philippines, Japan and Australia in the South China Sea. These US-led cliques all regard China as an imaginary enemy, according to Wu.
The essence of the disputes over the South China Sea is the disputes over territorial sovereignty and maritime jurisdictional claims among various claimants. While China has been actively seeking and promoting a maritime cooperative mechanism to solve the disputes, the US' partiality and connivance to some claimants has encouraged provocative actions. These claimants do this to enhance their own interests and create a "fait accompli" before the COC is launched, Wu explained.
Such actions hinder the implementation of practical cooperation under the forum of the DOC, Wu noted, and he predicted consultation on the COC would enter a "deep water area" in the third round of the review.
Back to direct talks
The second round of text review for the COC was completed in July during the ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting. The ministers agreed during the meeting to complete the COC negotiations before fall 2026, according to the Associated Press.
But the previous two rounds of review did not address core issues such as geographical scope, island construction, oil and gas extraction, and implementation mechanisms. As the negotiations enter the third round, the divergences, the conflicts and the dilemmas of all parties will gradually surface, Wu pointed out. One need not go into the details to imagine how challenging it will be for 11 countries to reach a consensus on these issues, he said.
The Philippines and Vietnam may want the COC to be launched as late as possible so that they can boost their negotiating position with the support of the US. But is the US a reliable backer for these countries? Observers hesitate on this question and have called on relevant countries to put more emphasis on direct talks rather than reliance on the intervention of a third party.
Obviously, the US is the biggest external factor in the South China Sea. It is widely believed in China that the US is behind almost all of the provocations in the South China Sea. But this is only part of the US' strategy to contain China. Another strong concern of the US is to avoid being dragged into conflict merely over land features in the South China Sea, Yang Li, executive director of the Institute for China-Europe Studies, said at a round-table meeting jointly organized by Malaysia-based think tank East West Bridge and Chinese think tank Global Governance Institution (GGI).
Some observers slammed current Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr for abandoning his predecessor's more friendly policy toward China. Instead, he has focused more on enhancing ties with the US to promote the development of his country's military capabilities. By doing this, Marcos Jr is hoping to consolidate domestic support. In addition, by constantly provoking troubles with China in the South China Sea, he also wants to test how strong the US-Philippines alliance is, observers said.
In the past six to seven years, the South China Sea dispute between the two countries has been well managed. Relevant bilateral mechanisms have been put in place and have been progressing as planned. However, the current situation between the two countries is continuously escalating. This is because the development of these events is not a simple repetition of what happened 10 years ago, but rather a significant change and deterioration in the environment.
Geopolitical tensions around the world are intensifying, and the strategic competition between China and the US is escalating. In this unfriendly environment, any incident between China and the Philippines will face greater risks. Compared with 10 years ago, today's events are more prone to spiraling out of control. Therefore, both China and the Philippines must demonstrate greater political will, employ more political wisdom, and allocate more resources to address these disputes and differences, experts said at the round-table meeting.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army is believed to have commissioned a type of tactical ballistic missile, which made its public debut during a recent exercise, according to
China's J-20, J-16 fighter jets wow spectators at Zhuhai Airshow
China's J-20 and J-16 fighter jets impressed the spectators at the ongoing 14th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, or Airshow China 2022, on Tuesday in South China's Zhuhai City with thrilling performances.
C919 passenger jet debuts at Zhuhai air show, 300 new orders received for the jet
Highlights from Airshow China 2022 Editor: Feng Qingyin/GT Graphic: Xu Zihe/GT
J-20
fighter jets of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force deliver dazzling flight performances at the opening day of Airshow China 2022 in
Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province on November 8, 2022. Photo:
Cui Meng/GT
J-20 fighter jets of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force deliver dazzling flight performances at the opening day of Airshow China 2022 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province on November 8, 2022.
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Z-20 utility helicopter of the People's Liberation Army releases flares during a flight performance at the opening day of Airshow China 2022 in
Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, on November 8, 2022.Photo:
Cui Meng/GT
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YU-20 aerial tanker releases all three of its aerial refueling baskets during a flight performance at the opening day of Airshow China 2022 in
Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, on November 8, 2022.Photo: Cui Meng/GT
When the six-day Airshow China 2022 kicked off on Tuesday in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, spectators were greatly amazed by the country's most advanced J-20 fighter jets' outstanding flight performances with challenging maneuvers of tactical significance in a very humid weather, as well as their landing before the general public for the first time, which experts said, together with flight performances of the YU-20 aerial tanker and the J-16 heavy fighter jet among others, constituted a confident and high-profile move that not only showed the capabilities of the aircraft, but also served as a deterrence to "Taiwan independence" secessionist and external interference forces.
After consecutive days of bad weather in Zhuhai, rainfall stopped on Tuesday, the first day of the airshow, blessing all the aircraft with a cloudy weather condition barely okay for the delivery, and maybe more importantly, the crowd's proper audience, of flight performances.
Despite some strict COVID-19 prevention and control measures, the spectators found it all worthwhile when four J-20 fighter jets of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force appeared from afar in a diamond formation and flew across the event site.
After some circling, two J-20s faded away into the clouds, and the other two dazzled the crowd with many challenging maneuvers with high Gs that tore the air apart, with the wakes distinctly visible because of the high humidity.
While people already know that the J-20s would land on the ground for the first time at an airshow due to an earlier rehearsal, the audience still stood on their toes to get a clearer view on them. Many gathered as closely as they can to take pictures of the J-20s or have their photos taken with the J-20s, as this was their first opportunity to do so.
"Thrilling, satisfying" are some of the words many spectators told the Global Times describing the event. When the J-20 performed its first landing at the show, many viewers shouted, "It is coming! It is like we are about to celebrate the Chinese lunar spring festival. Bravo! The Chinese PLA Air Force!"
One of the last moves in the J-20s' performance was a rolling while ascending, with the aircraft's nose kept changing the direction it was pointing to. This shows that the J-20 has excellent mobility and very flexible aim, which can give it advantages in air combat, Zhang Xuefeng, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday at the airshow site.
The J-20 can perform supersonic cruise and has subsonic super maneuverability at the same time. This is realized thanks to the J-20's unique aerodynamic design of lifting body with strakes and canards, plus domestically developed engines, Zhang said.
A four-aircraft formation of the J-20 is a large tactical unit with high combat-oriented significance, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
The J-20's first static display at the airshow displayed China's confidence in the aircraft, reflecting that many warplanes of this type are already in service and have formed complete combat and logistics support capabilities, and that this advanced stealth fighter is no longer "mysterious," Song said.
Besides the J-20, the YU-20 aerial tanker also delivered its first flight performance to the public, as it released all three of its aerial refueling baskets, showing its capabilities to host aerial refueling for two small aircraft simultaneously or for a large aircraft.
The J-16 heavy fighter jet was another main combat aircraft of the PLA Air Force that performed at the airshow. The J-16 released flares while performing a combat roll, as the beautiful move led many on the ground to express admiration.
The PLA Army for the first time sent the Z-20 utility helicopter, the Z-10 attack helicopter and the Z-8L transport helicopter to conduct flight performances at the Airshow China.
Other equipment like drones also attracted attention.
"This is the third Airshow China I have visited. This year, I was looking forward to seeing new aircraft like the H-20 bomber or the J-35 fighter jet. Now that they did not come, what I'm interested next is drone development," Atsushi Okudera, chief of Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun's Guangzhou/Hong Kong bureau, told the Global Times at the airshow on Tuesday.
Photo: Cui Meng/GT
Sending a warning
Many of the aircraft on display at the airshow, including the J-20, the J-16 and the YU-20, participated in a large-scale military exercises around Taiwan island in August following US house speaker Nancy Pelosi's provocative visit to the island that seriously violated China's sovereignty.
Other first-time exhibits, including the KJ-500A early warning aircraft with in-flight-refuel capability, a JH-7A2 fighter bomber carrying what seems to be a stealth air-to-surface cruise missile and an H-6K bomber carrying two what seems to be air-launched ballistic missiles that analysts said can target aircraft carriers, can also play vital roles over the Taiwan question, observers said.
The PLA Army's Z-20 utility helicopter, the Z-10 attack helicopter and the Z-8L transport helicopter are also a perfect combination in a potential horizontal landing mission when operated from a Type 075 amphibious assault ship of the PLA Navy, as the Z-20 will lead the assault under the escort of the Z-10, followed by the Z-8L, analysts said.
These weapons and equipment are not aimed at Taiwan compatriots, but "Taiwan independence" secessionists and external interference forces, Song said.
If it comes to that, the PLA will use the best weapons and equipment there are to counter Taiwan secessionists and end a potential military conflict with the smallest cost; it is also important to show external forces like the US what the PLA is capable of, Song said. "The PLA will put the moves, performances and capabilities displayed at the airshow into practice," he said.
Both new missiles carried by the H-6K bomber and the JH-7A2 fighter bomber are stand-off weapons that can contribute to the PLA's potential anti-access and area denial missions against external military interference, Song pointed out.
With the YU-20 aerial tanker that can extend the range and endurance of fighter jets, bombers and early warning aircraft, the PLA Air Force can more easily break the first island chain created by the US in an attempt to contain China, analysts said.
The PLA's main combat aircraft, including the J-10C fighter, the J-15 carrier-based fighter, the J-16 heavy fighter, the J-20 stealth fighter, the KJ-500A early warning aircraft and the H-6N long range strategic bomber, are capable of receiving aerial refueling, according to media reports.
The Chinese military's next-generation service rifle, which
used to be called the QBZ191 series, has been formally named the Type 20
series, and the spokesperson of the manufacturer said at ...
The Airshow China 2022 kicked off on Tuesday in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province with a higher-than-expected number of
exhibitors - more than 740 companies from 43 countries and regions - and state-of-the-art exhibits that cover land, sea, air, aerospace,
electronics and cyber applications. With China's latest achievements in aerospace and national defense on display, the expo demonstrated China's
strength, strategies, and wisdom in promoting the development of global aerospace science and technology, facilitating international exchanges
and cooperation, and safeguarding peace. Follow this infographic to check the most attractive exhibits at Airshow China
Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said on Sunday that it would be a historic and strategic mistake to insist on taking China as a threat and adversary, or even as an enemy.
Chinese Defence Minister on Taiwan, Nuke, Hypersonic, India, South China Sea and Vietnam!
Taiwan Independence Is a Dead-end! The Chinese Army Will Fight to the End!
Shangri-La Dialogue: Chinese military official calls US Defense Secretary's speech a "confrontation"
China will fight to the very end to stop Taiwan independence: Defence minister | Shangri-La Dialogue
China will "fight to the very end" to stop Taiwan from declaring independence, Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe said in a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday (Jun 12).
"We will fight at all cost and we will fight to the very end. This is the only choice for China," General Wei said.
His speech came a day after US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said China was becoming "more coercive and aggressive" in its approach to its territorial claims in the region.
On Sunday, General Wei said Beijing firmly rejects the US' "smearing accusations and even threats" against China.
Global affairs should be handled through consultation by all stakeholders instead of being dictated by just one country or a small group of countries, he said, adding: "No one or no group of countries should impose its will on others or bully others under the guise of multilateralism."
General Wei said the United States' Indo-Pacific strategy is an attempt to build an exclusive small group in the name of a free and open Pacific to "hijack countries in the region and target one specific country". It is a strategy to "create conflict and confrontation to contain and encircle others", he said.
Chinese delegation says Indo-Pacific Strategy ‘fanning confrontation’ as US defense chief made ‘most barefaced’ Shangri-La speech attacking China
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks at the Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on June 11, 2022. Photo:AFP
After Ukraine, US-led NATO wants to turn Asia Pacific into a new powder keg. Illustration: Carlos Latuff
US' Indo-Pacific Strategy is aimed at maintaining US hegemony, creating divisions and fanning confrontation, the Chinese delegation said, refuting US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's speech at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday as Austin took advantage of the stage to propagandize US' Indo-Pacific Strategy and to point finger at China.
Zhang Zhenzhong, deputy chief of the Joint Staff Department in the Central Military Commission, told reporters on Saturday at the 19th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, that the Indo-Pacific Strategy is designed to trap the Asia-Pacific region into a geopolitical game and confrontation as it tries to form a small circle by roping in some countries to incite against others. It seriously impacts the ASEAN-centered regional cooperation architecture and seriously harms the overall and long-term interests of countries in the region, he added.
"The US has already turned the Middle East and Europe into a mess, does it want to mess up Asia-Pacific next?" Zhang asked, adding that this is absolutely not allowed.
Zhang said the US' strategy is designed to destroy peace. The mainstream voice of Asia-Pacific countries is peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, but the US, in contrast, advocates competition between major powers and creates military confrontation, sending warplanes to showcase its military might in the South China Sea, launching military drills with allies, which all created tensions in the region. In conclusion, Zhang said that strategy served US' own interests against the common will of the regional countries, and stressed that for these reasons it must not succeed.
Austin on Saturday gave an hour-long speech themed "Next Steps for the United States' Indo-Pacific Strategy," in which he called the strategy "our priority theater of operations" and "at the heart of American grand strategy."
He also openly criticized China for being "coersive and aggressive."
Austin specifically raised the Taiwan question. "The stakes are especially stark in the Taiwan Strait," he said, adding that US' policy on Taiwan was to remain opposed to any unilateral changes to the status quo. "Our policy hasn't changed. But unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be true for the PRC," Austin noted.
Austin's rhetoric can be translated as the US opposes China's reunification, Song Zhongping, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times.
With this is mind, Song said that Pentagon and the White House are attempting to internationalize and complicate the Taiwan question, which is a matter of China's domestic affairs.
This mentality has been refuted by China in multiple occasions, including during the face-to-face meeting between China's State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe and Austin in Singapore on Friday.
There is only one China, and Taiwan is a sacred, inalienable part of China's territory, Wei told Austin, noting that if anyone dares to separate Taiwan island from China, the Chinese military will not hesitate to fight, and will resolutely crush any "Taiwan independence" attempts at all cost to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
On Saturday, Zhang also responded to Austin's hype over Taiwan question. Taiwan question is China's domestic affairs, the one-China principle is the political foundation of China-US ties, on which successive US governments have made clear commitments. President Joe Biden also stated that he does not support "Taiwan independence," but the US' words are obviously not matched by its deeds, and Washington has kept playing the Taiwan card, severely obscuring and hollowing out the one-China policy, Zhang added.
Zhang said that the Taiwan question can most likely lead China-US ties to conflict and confrontation. If not handled properly, it will have a subversive impact on the relationship between the two countries. There is only one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing the whole China. This is the only correct understanding of "one China." The reunification of China is the aspiration of Chinese people, and the national rejuvenation is unstoppable. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) will stand ready to defend the country's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity at all costs.
Hyping PLA's intercepts
"We've seen an alarming increase in the number of unsafe aerial intercepts and confrontations at sea by PLA aircraft and vessels," Austin said in his speech.
In response to the remarks, Zhang said at the media briefing that the incident occurred near the maritime and airspace of China's Xisha and Nansha islands, not in the adjacent sea and airspace of US allies. The actions taken by the Chinese military are necessary measures to deal with the provocations, and are reasonable, safe and professional.
Prior to the Shangri-La Dialogue, China has already denounced Australian and Canadian "disinformation" over jet encounters. The two countries, however, turning a blind eye to the warnings from the Chinese side, kept carrying out close-in reconnaissance and provocative activities by surveillance planes in East and South China Seas. "This is a dangerous act against China's national security and the safety of Chinese and Canadian front-line personnel," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a Regular Press Conference on June 6.
These days, there has been analysis that the reason why Canada and Australia have not stopped hyping up the case is to create topics for the ongoing dialogue over Asian security, taking "China threat" theory to a new level.
He Lei, lieutenant general and former vice president of the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, who is attending the Shangri-La Dialogue, told Global Times that Austin's accusations against PLA's aircraft interception obviously aimed at endorsing Canada and Australia, reinforcing US-led small circles. Austin talks about "common vision" in Indo-Pacific region, but what Washington has shown is its clear-targeted and exclusive behaviors, He added.
Most barefaced accusations
Austin also hyped up territorial disputes in the Indo-Pacific region, naming East and South China Sea issues, and border disputes with India. "Indo-Pacific countries shouldn't face political intimidation, economic coercion, or harassment," Austin said. "We'll do our part to manage these tensions responsibly," he added.
Lieutenant General He said Austin's speech is the most blatant and most comprehensive slander against China compared to previous US defense chiefs' remarks at the summit, as this is the first time that a Pentagon chief raised Taiwan question, the South China Sea, the East China Sea issue, and China-India border dispute all at the same time.
Zhao Xiaozhuo, a research fellow at the Academy of Military Sciences of the PLA, told the Global Times that US real intention is to boost its alliance system, mobilizing its allies to maintain the US' versions of rules-based international order, shaping China's peripheral environment, piling enough pressure on China and eventually realize the containment of China's emergence.
Observers say Austin's speech mirrors that the US opposes everything China does to safeguard its own national security and interests. And it is largely due to incitement of outside forces, especially the US and its allies, contradictions and disputes in Indo-Pacific region come to where it is today.
By hyping up tensions and so-called China threat, the US is trying to drive a wedge between China and regional countries, while kidnapping more countries to its side to coordinate with its Indo-Pacific Strategy. And the US could paint itself as "entitled" to play the role as an arbitrator of the region, far away from its own soil, and take Asian affairs under its control, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times.
However, most Asian countries do not want to take a side in major power games. During the 2019 Shangri-La Dialogue, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong raised concerns, "Unfortunately, when the lines start to get drawn, everybody asks: Are you my friend or not my friend? And that makes it difficult for the small countries."
On the Taiwan question, the majority of regional countries refuse to dance to the US tune, as they are well aware that the US is an outsider, and has no right to intervene in China's domestic affairs, Wei said.
Hegemonic mentality
During the speech Austin brought up the so-called rules-based international order to cover US intentions. He took the Russia-Ukraine conflict as an example. "The Ukraine crisis poses some urgent questions for us all... And I am here because the rules-based international order matters just as much in the Indo-Pacific as it does in Europe," he said.
This is an arrogant, hegemonic mentality, Wei told Global Times. Wei said the so-called rules are not at all fair and square rules which are accepted by the international community, but a US-dominated one, in which the US is the one and only boss and other has to listen to it.
The Ukraine crisis is a proof that US-led rules have caused great harm to US allies and Europe as a whole. Not to mention the emerging energy and food crisis, increasing European countries are losing their diplomatic independence and autonomy, experts said.
During the ongoing Summit of the Americas, questions toward US-led rules-based orders are surfacing. It signals that be it Indo-Pacific regions or wider range of the international community, hypes of the US over so-called tensions will find fewer countries to join in the chorus, Wei said.
Although the US has this intention to shape events, and it has some followers like Japan, Australia and those who are far from the region like the UK and Canada, it's plan won't be realized, said Lü Xiang, an expert on international relations and US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
"Only the countries with enough power and strength, as well as the support from the most regional countries, are able to shape the strategic environment in a specific region. In the Asia-Pacific region, the US is not such a country, but China is," he said.
Although Austin outlined some ambitious plans in his speech, but it's questionable to all regional countries that to what extent the US can make its plan come true, experts said.
The countries named by Austin, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam all have stable and friendly ties with China. Even if there are some differences or disputes, they prefer to solve the problems with China rather than be blindly used by the US to pay for its costly confrontation with China, said analysts.
On Sunday, Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe delivered a keynote speech at
the Shangri-La Dialogue, elaborating "China's vision of regional order." He once again stated China's solemn position on the Taiwan question:
China will definitely realize its reunification, that peaceful reunification is the greatest wish of the Chinese people and that if anyone dares to secede Taiwan from China, it will not hesitate to fight and will fight at all costs.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Friday. Before
the curtain goes up, Japanese media reports have already sent a signal –
Kishida has come with ill intentions. .
Having developed its capabilities for over five decades, China's nuclear force has seen impressive progress, with new weapons and
the equipment displayed at the National Day military parade in 2019 all commissioned to the Chinese armed forces, said State Councilor and
Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe on Sunday.
