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In the early hours of Thursday morning, the Chinese military said that it drove away a U.S. guided missile destroyer that had "illegally" enter Chinese-claimed waters in the South China Sea.
According to the Southern Theatre Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), the USS Milius entered waters near the disputed Paracel Islands before being warned by the PLA and allegedly driven away by the Chinese military. The U.S. and its Western allies have long denied that the waters belong to China after Beijing militarized several island chains in the region years ago.
While China's account of Thursday's incident indicates that the PLA forced the U.S. destroyer to leave the waters, the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet denies the claims.
Lt. j.g. Luka Bakic referred to the destroyer's actions as part of a routine operation in international waters and said of the incident, "USS Milius is conducting routine operations in the South China Sea and was not expelled" and added that "The United States will continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows."
The Chinese continue to disagree with a PLA spokesman calling the event an "illegal incursion into Chinese territorial waters... without permission from the Chinese government, harming peace and stability" in the region.
"The theatre forces will maintain a high state of alert at all times and take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and security and peace and stability in the South China Sea," the spokesman concluded.
The Parcel Islands are claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan, both U.S. allies, which has caused encounters with rival vessels to quickly escalate into intense standoffs.
The U.S. for years has consistently maintained that incidents that the PLA is calling "illegal incursions" are really 'innocent passages' that follow international maritime law, which means that permission is not needed to transit through the disputed waters. Beijing, however, has always challenged Washington's stance on U.S. intrusions into waters the Chinese see as theirs.
We are at war but most Americans are blissfully unaware. Folks are busy living their lives, attending school, work, raising kids, pursuing dreams, or if retired, leisure activities, visiting grandkids, enjoying life. Most are ignorant of the malign designs of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
China is ruled by CCP Chairman and President Xi Jinping. His word is law. His goals are anathema to freedom loving people everywhere. The people of China are helpless pawns. They have no rights. Government may lock people in their dwellings for months on end with no reason and no recourse, as they recently did. There is no freedom, no autonomy. Everything, everyone in China is subordinate to the will and whims of the CCP and its absolute ruler, President Xi. I have written extensively on the threat of the CCP here, here, and here. China experts Gordon Chang of Gatestone Institute, Dr. Michael Pillsbury of Heritage, and former Trump National Security Advisor Lt Gen H. R. McMaster have sounded alarms about the PRC. See General McMaster’s recent Congressional testimony. Dr. Pillsbury concludes there is a 70% chance that the PRC will dominate the world. Unfortunately, too little heed is paid to these warnings. We don’t want a world ruled by China.
Decades ago, Congress established the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission. That non-partisan body has been doing yeomen’s work warning the nation of the CCP/PRC threat. Their sobering 2023 Executive Summary is well worth reading. The full report lays out in stark detail the corrupt and evil ways the PRC is using to gain power, influence, and dominance in virtually everything. Experts consider China a peer or near-peer to the United States in both military and economic strength. A 2023 study by Australia Public Policy Institute documents China’s leadership in 37 out of 44 fields. Technology is crucial to economic and military strength. China is a leader in space, Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, rare earths, manufacturing, college degrees, patents, pharmaceuticals, hypersonic missiles, shipbuilding, batteries, solar panels, manufacturing, port control, and many other fields. Senator Rubio issued a startling report Made in China 2025 on CCP’s plans to dominate in 10 critical sectors by 2025. They are well on their way to this goal.
Many now predict a military confrontation with the PRC/CCP in the near term? It likely will be over Taiwan. I have written about that threat here and here. President Biden and other national leaders state forthrightly that the US would come to the aid of Taiwan. We have authorized billions of defense weaponry and promised more. TRANSCOM General Minihan recently warned that war will begin with China as soon as 2025. What is the state of our readiness?
You might think our military will save the day. Heritage Foundation’s Index of Military Readiness paints a grim picture. This year’s report warns in stark terms our military capability and readiness has fallen. Heritages states, “ In the aggregate, the United States’ military posture can only be rated as “weak.” Weak budgets, neglect of the military by both parties, and the politicization of the military has led to a shocking weakness just when China is stronger than ever.
Our military is not ready to fight the PRC! Both Heritage and the Security Review Commission are sounding the alarm! Exacerbating a bad situation, the politicization of our military which started in 2009 under President Obama is now on steroids! President Biden greatly accelerated what Obama began, mandating divisive, wasteful social justice indoctrination. Critical Race Theory, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, gay pride celebrations, drag queen shows, women in combat units, indoctrination in what pronouns to use, and integration of transgenders are military commander top priorities, consuming resources and distracting from the core mission. With what result? Readiness is down. All services missed recruiting goals last year. Retention is down. Military member suicide trends are unconscionable and the problem is glossed over by leadership. Sexual assault rates have skyrocketed as shown by this report. Scores of commanders are being relieved each year for cause. Our military is distracted and not ready. American youth are declining to join the military. Families who served generations are telling their children to avoid the military. The nation is waking up to this danger thanks to the efforts of veterans’ organizations who are documenting the problems. STARRS, Calvert Group, Restore Liberty, Center for Military Readiness, and Veterans for Fairness and Merit are sounding the clarion call to restore merit and traditional values in our military including fidelity to the Constitution. Visit their websites and support their efforts. Members of Congressman are warning of these dangers too such as Senator Rubio and Congressman Roy who recently issued a scathing report outlining dozens of examples of the wokeness that has weakened and distracted our military.
In 1941 with the attack at Pearl Harbor, the world saw the US viciously attacked with our pants down. Almost 3000 died on that single infamous day. In hindsight its clear the US ignored the warning signs that presaged that attack. Our failures in diplomacy and readiness led Japan to wrongly conclude that they could defeat us. That led to 111,000 American deaths and 250,000 wounded in the Pacific theater alone. Let’s not repeat that type of failure with the PRC with 10 times the resources and population of Japan plus nuclear weapons.
We must elect those who will strengthen our military. We must have a military that focuses on readiness alone. We must educate the American public on the dangers to America the PRC poses. Congress must act to better protect us against the CCP’s evil plans and strengthen our military. If our military is not ready to defend us you might as well start learning Mandarin. In a stark warning, China’s Minister of Defense openly discussed using biological weapons to kill Americans. Both the Department of Energy and the former head of the CDC confirm that the Covid virus was developed in Wuhan China. What else are they developing? Think of that. Every one your loved ones could be dead in a few years in the coming conflict if we don’t act now to preserve our military and its ability to protect and defend us. The time to act is now.
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The State Department announced this week that it has approved the sale of $180 million worth of arms for Taiwan pending Congressional approval. The order is mostly comprised of Volcano anti-tank systems. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry has said that the sale should take approximately a month to complete and that the volcano mine systems would increase the country’s “asymmetric warfare” capabilities.
The announcement of the sale came days after China sent 30 aircraft into Taiwan’s airspace Monday in the largest show of force that China has conducted thus far. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry called the US’s sale of military assets to the country the “cornerstone of maintaining regional stability and peace.” The Defense Ministry cited China’s military exercises as the reason for the buildup of anti-tank systems, saying, “The Chinese Communist Party’s frequent military activities near Taiwan have posted severe military threats to us.”
American companies Northrop Grumman and Oshkosh Corporation are listed as the principal contractors for the Volcano anti-tank mine systems to be sent to Taiwan.
The purchase of the anti-tank mine system is part of Taiwan’s efforts to step up its capabilities to protect its shores from a possible Chinese invasion using amphibious landing craft.
After multiple shows of force from the Chinese PLA in recent weeks, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen vowed to increase the country’s civil defense systems saying, “The more preparations we make, the less likely there will be rash attempts of aggression. The more united we are, the stronger and safer Taiwan would become.”
The massive show of force on Monday appears to be retaliation for the US including $10 billion in loans in its 2023 National Defense Authorization Act for Taiwan to purchase US-made weapons and equipment. China has made it clear that it will keep pressure on Taiwan by conducting military exercises and drills near the island as well as sending aircraft and warships across the Taiwan Straight median line.
