Singapore (AP) – The support of China and North Korea for Russia in the war against Ukraine has highlighted the blurred lines between regions and the necessity of a global defense strategy, top security officials stated on Sunday.
North Korea has deployed troops to the Ukrainian frontline, while China provides economic and technical assistance to Russia, opposing international sanctions.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Doville Shakarien addressed representatives at the Shangri-La Dialogue, the premier defense forum in Asia, emphasizing that if Ukraine succumbs, it could have far-reaching effects in Asia and embolden China’s territorial ambitions regarding Taiwan and the greater South China Sea.
“If Russia prevails in Ukraine, it impacts not just Europe or one region,” she remarked. “This sends a clear message to smaller states in the Indo-Pacific that territorial boundaries can be disregarded.”
Her comments echoed those of French President Emmanuel Macron, who, in a meeting on Friday, called for heightened European involvement in the Indo-Pacific.
On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegges suggested European nations concentrate their defense efforts within their regions, while the U.S. should take the lead in the Indo-Pacific. However, Shakarien argued that the regions are integrally linked.
“When we discuss major cybersecurity threats to Japan, the culprits are clear: China, Russia, and North Korea,” she stated.
“For Lithuania, the principal cybersecurity threats come from Russia, China, and Belarus. Two of those three are the same,” she noted.
She highlighted that the “convergence of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea into a more coordinated authoritarian axis” necessitates a unified global response. Iran is a primary supplier of attack drones to Russia for its military operations.
“In this context, the U.S. focus on the Indo-Pacific is justified and essential, but it is not solely the U.S.’s responsibility,” she mentioned.
Australia’s Minister of Defense Richard Marles conveyed to reporters that his key takeaway from the three-day conference hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies was the significant involvement of European countries.
“This reflects a sense of connection, the interdependence between the Indo-Pacific and the North Atlantic,” he remarked.
This year, China dispatched a lower-level delegation from the National Defense University to the meeting, but the Foreign Ministry responded on Sunday to Hegges’ comments about Beijing’s intentions to destabilize the region and potentially seize Taiwan.
“No nation other than the United States should be labeled as a hegemonic power, and it is indeed the prime factor disrupting peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific,” reiterating that the Taiwan issue is a matter for China alone.
“The U.S. must cease fanning the flames regarding this issue,” the ministry stated.
Philippine Secretary of Defense Gilberto Theodoro Jr., whose country is experiencing increasingly violent clashes with China, dismissed the notion that the U.S. is a problem in competing claims in the South China Sea.
“This may starkly contrast with what the Chinese government perceives as just, and with the norms and values embraced by other parts of the world, especially smaller nations,” he asserted.
“To envision a China-led international order, we need only observe how they treat their much smaller neighbors in the South China Sea.”
He further emphasized the global implications of tensions in the Indo-Pacific, noting that the South China Sea serves as one of the key maritime routes vital for the “arteries of the world economy.”
“Disruptions in these maritime corridors could trigger ripple effects across the continent, impacting trade, military deployments, and diplomatic relations,” he articulated.
Singapore’s Defense Minister Chang Chun Singh stated that China missed an opportunity to engage by not sending its own defense minister, yet it remains crucial for others to communicate with Beijing to avoid misunderstandings and build bridges.
Singapore maintains close ties with both the U.S. and China, acting as part of a regionally influential network of Southeast Asian nations, alongside the Philippines and others.
“It is in our best interest to collaborate with China, and equally important to engage with everyone else globally,” he remarked. “Just as it is vital for China to comprehend how the world views it, it is equally important for all of us to understand China’s fears, concerns, and aspirations.”
Source: apnews.com