London: The US plans to boost its naval presence in the Pacific as part of the Obama administration’s “pivot” towards Asia, a move that will almost certainly antagonise China.
Leon Panetta, US defence secretary, on Saturday said the US would deploy 60 per cent of its naval assets, including warships and submarines, in the Pacific by 2020, up from the current 50 per cent.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue – an annual meeting of Asian defence officials and experts – Mr Panetta said the shift underscored Washington’s intention to remain what American officials describe as a “resident” Pacific power.
“Make no mistake. In a steady, deliberate, and sustainable way, the United States military is rebalancing and brings enhanced capabilities to this vital region,” said Mr Panetta.
The US defence chief, who will also visit Vietnam and India on his week-long tour of Asia, said the Pentagon would also increase the number of military exercises it conducts in the Pacific, and make more navy port calls, including in the Indian Ocean. Earlier this year, the US started basing marines in Australia – one of the first concrete pieces of its new Asia strategy.
Asian countries that have been calling on the US to increase its Pacific presence will applaud the shift. But China, which has repeatedly criticised the US for claiming to have a national interest in the region, will not react as positively. Earlier this year, Xi Jinping, the Chinese vice-president, said the US decision to “scale up military deployment and strengthen military alliances is not really what most countries in the [Asia-Pacific] region hope to see”.
Military rivalry between the countries has mounted as Beijing increasingly pursues territorial claims in the contested waters of the South China Sea. Mr Panetta tried to dispel the widely held view in Asia that the US shift is part of a strategic move to counter the rise of China.
“Some view the increased emphasis by the United States on Asia-Pacific as a challenge to China. I reject that view entirely,” said Mr Panetta. “Our effort to renew and intensify our involvement in Asia is fully compatible with the development and growth of China.”
Mr Panetta also dismissed suggestions that US fiscal constraints – including the fact that the Pentagon must cut $487bn from its budget over the next decade – would affect its ability to carry out the military tilt towards Asia.
In an interview, John McCain, the US Republican senator, welcomed the Obama administration’s move to bolster US forces in Asia, but he questioned whether the Pentagon would have sufficient resources to implement it. The US navy is reducing the size of its fleet because of budget constraints, although the Pentagon argues that the replacement of older ships by new advanced models will compensate for some of the reduction.
“I worry about our reductions in shipbuilding versus the verbal commitments to increase our naval presence [in Asia],” said Mr McCain. “Nobody buys this line that they have increased capabilities and flexibility. Nothing replaces military presence.”
