金美孚一号好吗:US Admiral Mullen says to maintain Asia prese...

来源：百度文库 编辑：九乡新闻网 时间：2024/04/27 18:13:33

US Admiral Mullen says to maintain Asia presence amid South China Sea dispute

89.jpg (18.54 KB)
2011-7-10 13:35


The United States is committed to maintaining its presence in the South China Sea, the top military official said in China Sunday, adding that Washington was worried disputes over the resource-rich waters could lead to serious conflict.


Tensions in the disputed waters of the South China Sea threaten to distract Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during a visit to China intended to build on a recent thaw in bilateral military ties.


Adm. Mullen visits to  Beijing  as the U.S. and its two main regional military partners—Japan and Australia—begin joint naval drills in the South China Sea for the first time, a move likely to anger China, which claims sovereignty over nearly all of those waters.


Japan and the U.S. will each provide a destroyer, and Australia a patrol boat for the joint drills to improve tactical movement and communication off the coast of Brunei, two officials from Japan's Defense Ministry said in interviews.


The officials said the three countries have staged joint drills annually since 2007, but never before in the South China Sea, where Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei also have conflicting territorial claims.


China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but it has repeatedly protested in the past over U.S. naval exercises near what it sees as its territorial waters. Australian officials weren't immediately available for comment.


Pentagon officials appeared initially to be unaware of the exercises—as were the military's Pacific Command—and after confirming them took pains to play the down the exercises and head off any potential damage to U.S.-China relations, with one official calling them "very low level."


Referred to as a "Passex," a Navy term for a passing exercise, the maneuvers are expected to occur shortly after a fleet review by the ships participating in a Brunei defense exhibition. The fleet review will take place five nautical miles off the coast of Brunei. Along with the Japanese, Australian and U.S. ships, the fleet review is expected to include two Chinese vessels, the Wuhan and the Yulin, U.S. officials said.


The U.S. has been trying to encourage more multilateral exercises with its allies in Asia. But U.S. military officials insisted the event announced by Japan "had nothing to do with sending a signal" to China.


"These are routine exercises we conduct in international waters all the time," said a defense official. "No nation should take any umbrage at this very minor, low level, routine exercise."


But even before the joint naval drills were announced, diplomats in Beijing said they expected the South China Sea issue to dominate Adm. Mullen's visit.


He is the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs to visit China since 2004, and the first top-level military or defense official to come to China since Robert Gates, the former defense secretary, had his visit upstaged by China's test flight of the J-20—its first stealth fighter—in January.


Adm. Mullen's five-day tour is a reciprocal visit following one to the U.S. in May by General Chen Bingde, his Chinese counterpart, who attempted to reassure his American hosts that China did not represent a military threat to them.


Adm. Mullen is expected to convey a similarly positive message as he tours several military sites, meets Chinese military and civilian leaders, including President Hu Jintao's heir apparent, Vice President Xi Jinping, and delivers a speech to Chinese students.

78.jpg (50.92 KB)
2011-7-10 13:35
Workers look at the missile destroyer USS Chung Hoon before a U.S.-Philippine joint naval exercise in June near the disputed Spratly Islands.


But even as the two sides attempt to rebuild military relations, which only resumed in January following a year-long suspension by Beijing, tensions are mounting again over the South China Sea, which expert say could include valuable deposits of oil and gas.


Mullen's journey to create a security dialogue with Beijing, the officials said, but the exercise of American naval warships in the South China Sea threatens to exacerbate tensions.


Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint U.S. Staff, left for a four-day tour later this afternoon, “the Pentagon said in a statement.


Mullen – who in May was welcomed by his Chinese counterpart, the People’s Liberation Army Chief of Staff Bing Chen – “welcomes the continued engagement and dialogue” with Chen in Beijing, the statement said.


Admiral Travel strikes a common naval drill set for Saturday, the U.S., Japanese and Australian fleets sailing the South China Sea, which China claims most of the sea surface.


Japan Ministry of Defense released the year and said Friday it will send a destroyer Shimakaze to participate in a U.S. Navy destroyer and a Royal Australian Navy patrol boat for the formation of communications and other exercises Brunei.


China opposed to the old naval exercises in the South China Sea, and tensions in the strategic region rich in resources has risen in recent weeks. Philippines and Vietnam have expressed concern over what they call the more aggressive of China there.


China has insisted it wants a peaceful resolution of territorial disputes, but Washington has warned against participation in the conflict intensified.


WSJ/BBC/FT/AFP
US Admiral Mullen says to maintain Asia prese... Asia Times Online :: Gates moved US closer to... US struggles to hold world leadership, Clinton says CPC urged to maintain political quality What China has shown to Mike Mullen? Mullen Plays Up US "Vital Interest" in South ... Labotrix to exhibit in Worlddidac Asia 2011 How to develop and maintain a positive attitu...[] Tibet invests 57 mln yuan to maintain Guge Dy... Flexing US Muscles in Asia: Gates in Shangri US self-love syndrome in Asia's watery flashpoint China says farewell to uncharted area Israeli president says to strengthen relation... 美國簡介(Introduction to US)-2010 East Asia's economic integration to be sped up Asia investment to increase in next three years: survey Asia to play bigger role on world stage: repo... Boao Forum brings voice of Asia to world Xinjiang's auto exports to Central Asia ballo... US 'must adjust to China's rise' US drones migrating to China - Focus discussi... US official: Beijing to target more missiles ... US: No Formal Commitment To Defend Taiwan 美国驻华大使 US ambassador to China