America ready to deal with ‘aggression’ of Chinese army

The United States is prepared to deal with China’s “increased aggression” in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea after two “unsafe” intercepts by Beijing in recent days, a senior official said on Monday.

The warning from National Security Council spokesman John Kirby underscores the growing US threat over dangerous interactions between US and Chinese forces in international air and sea routes. It comes as Beijing has rejected US efforts to re-establish military communications between the countries.

Kirby said the interception was “part and parcel” of an “increasing level of aggression” by the People’s Liberation Army of China, particularly in the region around the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

“We stand ready to address it,” Kirby said, calling China’s actions in recent days “unacceptable.”

He said of the intercepts, “They have happened with a higher frequency than we expected.” “Not all of them are unsafe and unprofessional, but these two were.”

Kirby’s comments came after the US Navy on Sunday released a video of what it described as “unsafe interactions” in the Taiwan Strait, where a Chinese warship passed in front of an American destroyer. Last week, the Pentagon accused a Chinese fighter jet of carrying out “unnecessarily aggressive manoeuvres” over the South China Sea.

China has warned Western armies to stay away from the waters and airspace near its borders if they want to avoid a dangerous confrontation with the PLA.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Tuesday accused the US of “bullying” around China’s territorial airspace and waters, saying Washington’s “provocation” was the “root cause of air and water security issues”.

Kirby said on Monday that such episodes lead to erroneous predictions and urged Beijing to participate in US efforts to restart military talks. He said the US was acting in the international arena and would continue to do so as permitted by law.

Two senior US officials – Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Krittenbrink and National Security Council Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs Sarah Beran – met with Chinese officials in Beijing on Monday to manage were part of Washington’s efforts to increase engagements. relationship between powers.

The officials raised concerns about the intercepts and also discussed efforts to improve communications between Beijing and Washington.

“The two sides had frank and productive discussions as part of ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and build on the recent high-level diplomacy between the two countries,” the State Department said.

CIA director Bill Burns traveled to China last month to try to stabilize fractious diplomatic relations, the Financial Times reported last week.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration is trying to reschedule a trip to Beijing that Secretary of State Antony Blinken abruptly canceled earlier this year after China sent an alleged spy balloon over the US. Beijing has refused permission to go ahead with the trip.

Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu also declined to meet with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at a conference in Singapore this past weekend because Washington has refused to lift sanctions on him, although the pair spent the night at the event. shook hands and exchanged pleasantries during dinner.

In his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Austin criticized China for the recent air incidents.

Additional reporting by Meiqi Ding in Beijing

The United States is prepared to deal with China’s “increased aggression” in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea after two “unsafe” intercepts by Beijing in recent days, a senior official said on Monday.

The warning from National Security Council spokesman John Kirby underscores the growing US threat over dangerous interactions between US and Chinese forces in international air and sea routes. It comes as Beijing has rejected US efforts to re-establish military communications between the countries.

Kirby said the interception was “part and parcel” of an “increasing level of aggression” by the People’s Liberation Army of China, particularly in the region around the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

“We stand ready to address it,” Kirby said, calling China’s actions in recent days “unacceptable.”

He said of the intercepts, “They have happened with a higher frequency than we expected.” “Not all of them are unsafe and unprofessional, but these two were.”

Kirby’s comments came after the US Navy on Sunday released a video of what it described as “unsafe interactions” in the Taiwan Strait, where a Chinese warship passed in front of an American destroyer. Last week, the Pentagon accused a Chinese fighter jet of carrying out “unnecessarily aggressive manoeuvres” over the South China Sea.

China has warned Western armies to stay away from the waters and airspace near its borders if they want to avoid a dangerous confrontation with the PLA.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Tuesday accused the US of “bullying” around China’s territorial airspace and waters, saying Washington’s “provocation” was the “root cause of air and water security issues”.

Kirby said on Monday that such episodes lead to erroneous predictions and urged Beijing to participate in US efforts to restart military talks. He said the US was acting in the international arena and would continue to do so as permitted by law.

Two senior US officials – Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Krittenbrink and National Security Council Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs Sarah Beran – met with Chinese officials in Beijing on Monday to manage were part of Washington’s efforts to increase engagements. relationship between powers.

The officials raised concerns about the intercepts and also discussed efforts to improve communications between Beijing and Washington.

“The two sides had frank and productive discussions as part of ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communication and build on the recent high-level diplomacy between the two countries,” the State Department said.

CIA director Bill Burns traveled to China last month to try to stabilize fractious diplomatic relations, the Financial Times reported last week.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration is trying to reschedule a trip to Beijing that Secretary of State Antony Blinken abruptly canceled earlier this year after China sent an alleged spy balloon over the US. Beijing has refused permission to go ahead with the trip.

Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu also declined to meet with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at a conference in Singapore this past weekend because Washington has refused to lift sanctions on him, although the pair spent the night at the event. shook hands and exchanged pleasantries during dinner.

In his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Austin criticized China for the recent air incidents.

Additional reporting by Meiqi Ding in Beijing