US Defense Secretary Austin says Washington won't stand for 'coercion and bullying' from China
Source: AP
SINGAPORE (AP) American Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin vowed Saturday that Washington would not stand for any coercion and bullying of its allies and partners by China, while assuring Beijing that the United States remains committed to maintaining the status quo on Taiwan and would prefer dialogue over conflict.
Speaking at the so-called Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual forum bringing together top defense officials, diplomats and leaders, Austin lobbied for support for Washingtons vision of a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific within a world of rules and rights as the best course to counter increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region.
The U.S. has been expanding its own activities around the Indo-Pacific to counter sweeping territorial claims from China, including regularly sailing through and flying over the Taiwan Strait and in the South China Sea.
We are committed to ensuring that every country can fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, he said. And every country, large or small, must remain free to conduct lawful maritime activities.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/us-china-lloyd-austin-defense-asia-de10a9233bf226288faf86676486eef3
MarineCombatEngineer
(12,094 posts)on how the US is to blame for the deterioration of relations.
In 3..2..1..
Irish_Dem
(45,661 posts)And was way too lenient.
Only after Putin invaded Ukraine did the world seem to wake up about China.
Elessar Zappa
(13,650 posts)BaronChocula
(1,458 posts)Must be one of those nutty white nationalist MAGA goppers in Congress who thinks the military is too WOKE.
Alexander Of Assyria
(7,839 posts)such a negative spin on things. China has been reconciliatory, but that doesnt sell well in a nation spending half its national budget on Guns, while its citizens are actually outnumbered by Guns! Who to replace the Russians with as a foil so the cash keeps rolling in?
...although America knows a thing or two about coercion and bullying, doesnt it
how much of the world is assigned to the Pentagon to police and the taxpayer fork over for?? Holy cow status Pentagon is sad to see how both Ukraine and Russia are receptive to a China mediated negotiation.p, its not their thing.
Recent example
Meanwhile the America/Saudi effort in Sudan went nowhere
not the best at peace, those two! So..sanction some companies and save face!!
Last I checked Indo Pacific is
half a planet away
where is the so called national security interest that requires so many military bases, or does that abused term now cover anything and everything to justify a trillion dollars a year, slipped through Congress like beans and chili
Guns are beloved of all in Gunmerica
starting with the Pentagon.
MarineCombatEngineer
(12,094 posts)paleotn
(17,781 posts)If Neville Chamberlain and Joe Kennedy had just gotten Hitler in a circle and sang kumbaya, WWII would have been averted.
McKim
(2,412 posts)So grateful for your perspective! This chest thumping story is glaring in its stupidity and short sightedness. Our country always has to have enemies so that the MIC is well fed. Meanwhile in my city people sleep on the streets at night. What is wrong with this picture. Diplomacy is cheaper than war and ultimately more productive.
MarineCombatEngineer
(12,094 posts)Maybe you should tell China and Russia that.
Alexander Of Assyria
(7,839 posts)Apparently America can make war and aggression with impunity, but not so good at peacemaking
with a trillion dollar budget maybe time to open a Department of Not War!? Lots of cash to spare, untouchable cash funded Guns
ofc with so much military money, must find any excuse for hostility and conflict
send more money mommy!
The cash tail is wagging the dog
we the dogs!
How much longer can America not take a second glance at WHY a trillion a year is needed
to make America
safe?? Borders with Canada and surrounded by oceans!
Pentagon must spend half the budget pumping out propaganda to keeps its cash warm and safe
Russian military incompetence may be a really problem for that cash cow being milked
China!!..will have to stand in.
paleotn
(17,781 posts)EX500rider
(10,532 posts)paleotn
(17,781 posts)I get that. I also get that if I take chunk of land by force and stand firm, I'll only have to give up part of my ill gotten gains through diplomacy and keep the rest. So I do that again and again and again. See where this is leading? The flaw is your extremely naive view of human nature. A more realistic plan is to do everything you can to help your own citizens, but also keep your powder dry because humans will be humans.
EX500rider
(10,532 posts)So Guam, Midway, American Samoa, Hawaii, Northern Mariana Islands, those aren't things?
Voltaire2
(12,632 posts)China is not my enemy. My enemy is much closer to home. There is bipartisan consensus that we should engage in various economic political technological and psychological actions against China. Its as if weve completely forgotten the lessons of Iraq, and the many other manufactured crises our government has spun up to delude the population about our goals and intentions. Our problem is not China. Our problem is fascism right here, in our state governments, and threatening to take control at the national level.
China.
Alexander Of Assyria
(7,839 posts)If Russia turns democratic and peaceful and not a worthy war adversary, what in holy hell will the Pentafon do to justify its holy cow immunity from spending a trillion a year??
Desperate times for war hawks! The propaganda is painfully obvious, beginning with a giant white highly visible balloon that still hasnt been proven to the public
the same public that bought the Iraq war lies
to be anything but benign
American media and the quasi government of the Pentagon is in control of this narrative
and only the Pentagon and the Press seems to be aware of that.
Unfortunately China seems to not be cooperating
their peace initiative in Russia UKR war
and Chinas love affair with the developing world..putting real sad damper on the attempt to hoodwink the nation
again!
Mysterian
(4,525 posts)He was a great Army officer and is doing a great job as SecDef.
Alexander Of Assyria
(7,839 posts)Same with Blinken average Americans need to really stop sleeping on the job of checking the mass media war narratives not like its the first time remember the Dixie Chicks!!?