Barely a week on and the
90,000-ton Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is now patrolling waters off
the island of Okinawa as part a huge naval exercise -- AnnualEx 2013 --
involving dozens of warships, submarines and aircraft from the U.S.
Navy's 7th fleet and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
The aim? To provide a
stern test of their ability to effectively and mutually respond to the
defense of Japan or to a regional crisis or contingency situation in the
Indo-Asia-Pacific region, according to the U.S. Navy.
But this year's war games
have taken on an added dimension given the high-pressure atmosphere in
the region at present -- they take place in the shadow of a
controversial new Air Defense Identification Zone announced by the
Chinese last weekend.
Map showing the controversial air defense identification zone in the East China Sea.
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This zone, which
incorporates among other areas an East China Sea island chain at the
center of an acrimonious tug of war between Tokyo and Beijing, requires
that all military aircraft in the area must report their flight plans to
China, maintain two-way radio and clearly mark their nationalities on
the aircraft. China has warned it will take "defensive measures" if
their orders are ignored.
'Steady as you go'
The commander of the U.S.
7th fleet, Vice Admiral Robert L. Thomas, appeared relaxed about the
situation while addressing a group of reporters aboard the USS George
Washington. He said while China's air defense zone did not appear to be
"well thought out" given the overlap with both Japanese and South Korean
territorial claims, he did not think U.S. military activity in the
region would be negatively affected.
"We are going to
continue with our operations in international airspace as we always
have," he said. "It's about international norms, standards, rules and
laws. When anybody makes an extreme claim it is really an imperative
that the international community can continue to operate in accordance
with international law and not be distracted.
"So for us it's 'steady as you go.' Our operations in the East China Sea will continue as they always have."
'Profoundly dangerous'
Japan, which administers
the largely uninhabited island chain -- known as Diaoyu by China and
Senkaku by the Japanese -- has described China's move as "a profoundly
dangerous act that may cause unintended consequences in the area," while
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said "this unilateral action
constitutes an attempt to change the status quo in the East China Sea.
Escalatory action will only increase tensions in the region and create
risks of an incident."
China has rebuffed any
criticism by stating that its action is not directed at any one in
particular, and that other countries -- including Japan -- have
established similar control zones in the past.
In recent months, both
sides have been involved in a dangerous game of "cat and mouse,"
prompting fears that any miscalculation could set the two Asian powers
on a collision course -- with the United States likely to be dragged
into such a conflict to defend its Japanese ally. Tokyo says it has
twice scrambled fighter jets this month after Chinese aircraft appeared
on course to enter its airspace. For its part, China lodged a complaint
after it said a Japanese warship recently entered waters where the
People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy was holding live-fire drills, noting
"the provocative move may have led to unexpected emergencies."
For us, it's 'steady as you go.' Our operations in the East China Sea will continue as they always have.
Vice Admiral Robert L. Thomas
Vice Admiral Robert L. Thomas
Meanwhile, China's first
aircraft carrier, the "Liaoning," set sail this week from its home port
of Qingdao in eastern China. According to the PLA Navy's website, it
will head for the South China Sea to "conduct scientific experiments and
military training." This course would take it through the East China
Sea accompanied by four other warships.
Restraint
Yet with so many
potential flashpoints in the region, Thomas is optimistic that conflict
will be avoided. He pointed to the professionalism shown by the armed
forces on all sides in the region as the basis for this confidence.
"The South Koreans have
shown great restraint with regard to North Korea and those severe
provocations, while the Japanese Self Defense Force has also been very
measured," he said. Significantly, he pointed to China's development of a
"world class" navy, with a level of professionalism that matches its
improving infrastructure.
"The more confident they
become in their own capabilities, then this will actually
'depressurize' the situation," he said. He added that the People's
Liberation Army Navy was no longer an unpredictable, conscription-based
force training only at certain times of the year.
He said the PLA Navy was
now showing signs of being able to operate far beyond its own waters,
carrying out missions -- such as anti-piracy patrols -- that could make
it a useful and responsible global operator.
Humanitarian challenge
With F-18 fighters
taking off and landing almost every few minutes, it was easy to forget
the role the carrier played in the Leyte Gulf more than a week ago. Many
of its fighter jets were flown back to Japan to make room for more
helicopters able to ferry in supplies to remote areas of the Philippines
in the wake of Super Typhoon Haiyan.
"The ship became a 'lily
pad' for relief operations," said the carrier's commander, Rear Admiral
Mark Montgomery. "This is something we'll train more for," he added,
citing the need for a modern navy to be able to adapt to an increasingly
diverse range of challenges and missions within its theater of
operations.
"It was humbling to be able to take part in the extraordinary humanitarian effort in the Philippines."
Yet the sight of dozens
of warships in tight formation in high seas off Japan was another
reminder of how serious the U.S. and Japan are taking the threat to
regional security -- undeniably their biggest challenge.
Link to source: http://edition.cnn.com
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