Fire in the Hole!
Cambodia calls for cease-fire in Gaza, US assembles 'Squad' of allies to counter China, US Indo-Pacific Raison d'être,
Cambodia Calls for Ceasefire
By C. Nika, AKP Phnom Penh
The Kingdom of Cambodia through her Permanent Mission to the United Nations has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, after more than six months into the war, leaving unimaginable innocent death toll and suffering.
At the 75th Plenary meeting under Use of the veto – Item 63: Special report of the Security Council in New York on May 1, H.E. Mao Tithiarun, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative, Chargé d’affaires, a.i, of Cambodia to the United Nations, said the Kingdom acknowledges the five Resolutions, two adopted by the emergency special session of the General Assembly and three adopted by the Security Council; the most recent one is Resolution 2728 (2024). Getting these resolutions was hard work, but the most important thing is to expedite the implementation.
In this sense, he continued, Cambodia calls upon all relevant parties to the conflict to strictly implement these resolutions in order to save people's lives and achieve a ceasefire, especially to prevent spillover in the region.
H.E. Mao Tithiarun added that it is high time to seek and address the root causes of the Palestine-Israel conflict so that the two nations can live in harmony. Cambodia fully supports all parties involved in exercising utmost restraint, engaging in constructive dialogue, and resolving their conflicts through diplomacy and peaceful means to end the humanitarian crisis and achieve permanent peace.
“Cambodia emphasises the significance of upholding the principles of the two-state solution. Despite the current non-adoption of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution, Cambodia acknowledges its responsibility in granting full membership to the State of Palestine. This development not only benefits both nations and their peoples but also contributes to peaceful coexistence and progress in the entire region,” he underlined.
The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United Nations once again urged all sides to reach a ceasefire without further delay in order to allow humanitarian access for the delivery of essential aid to those in need, and joined others in calling for the unconditional release of all hostages.
Read more here.
US assembles 'Squad' of allies to counter China
Manila warned of losing autonomy, 'Ukrainization' under US manipulation
By Deng Xiaoci
Defense chiefs from the US, Australia, Japan and the Philippines gathered in Hawaii on Thursday (local time) for their second joint meeting, lining up yet another regional group dubbed the "Squad" by Pentagon officials, while vowing a strengthened alliance among the four countries.
Chinese analysts warned on Sunday that this new quadrilateral grouping, distinct from the older version of the Quad which was also assembled by the US, poses a more targeted challenge to China. The grouping, part of Washington's "Indo-Pacific Strategy," aims at containing China, leading to concerns about more complex tensions and division among regional countries.
Chinese analysts warned that the Philippines, increasingly manipulated by the US, is losing its autonomy and becoming a pawn of the US in the region, which could lead to the "Ukrainization" of the Philippines.
Speaking after the talks on Friday, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the four-country group would look at undertaking more maritime exercises, as well as providing greater security assistance to the Philippines, US media reported.
The defense chiefs of the "Squad" met for the first time in June 2023 on the sidelines of the Shangri-La security dialogue in Singapore. And in April 2024, the four countries conducted joint maritime patrols within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone against the backdrop of ongoing tensions between the Philippines and China.
Citing an anonymous US official, Bloomberg reported on Friday that the "Squad" aims to counter coercion and aggression across Asia, as well as ensure that defense capabilities among their militaries are increasingly inter-operable, allowing them to work more efficiently together in the event of conflict.
The US official said the quadrilateral group aims to conduct more joint patrols in the coming months and years and that these patrols will add more capabilities over time.
The report also highlights that this new quadrilateral grouping is one of a number of regional partnerships that the US has used to push back against China in Asia. There is also the "Quad" comprised of the US, Australia, India and Japan and "Aukus," a defense pact among Australia, the UK and the US.
At the tactical level, the new grouping would form a more targeted mechanism against China which is similar but more effective than the previous Quad grouping as Japan, Australia and Philippines are all allies of the US, where India, although it is in the Quad group, it is not technically a US ally. Therefore, this new "Squad" has a stronger sense of direction, meeting the needs of the US to manage the security situation in the regions of the South China Sea and the Taiwan Straits, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Sunday.
At the strategic level, the new "Squad," like the old "Quad," is led by the US, adjusting the Asia-Pacific security architecture and promoting the implementation of overall planning through small-scale multilateral cooperation, Li noted.
An official release from the US-Japan-Australia Trilateral Defense Ministers' Meeting (TDMM) 2024 Joint Statement on Saturday, read that the ministers of the three countries emphasized "the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits."
They called for peaceful resolution of cross-Straits issues and reaffirmed their enduring commitment to a peaceful, secure and prosperous Southeast Asia, where sovereignty is respected, international law is followed and nations can make decisions free from coercion.
In the short term, "Squad" exerts highly targeted strategic pressure on China, making the situation in the Asia-Pacific region even more complex. In addition to aspects such as intelligence network security and naval security, various dimensions including fisheries have a significant impact on Asia-Pacific security, Li predicted.
Another Chinese military analyst who requested not to be named told the Global Times on Sunday that the new "Squad" is centered around the US, with the roles of the Philippines and Australia relatively minor.
By assembling the "Squad," the US seeks to make use of Australia's homeland, defense budget and military to expand the US' influence overseas, while extending the US' military presence in the "Indo-Pacific" region through the Philippines' military bases. However, the military capabilities of these two countries are limited, and the US regards them as pawns, the military analyst explained.
Analysts pointed out the current Philippine government is being manipulated by the US, and is increasingly lacking autonomy, especially under the Ferdinand Marcos Jr administration which follows the US obediently, and it has become an unstable factor in the Asia-Pacific region.
Li warned that blindly following the US encouragement would only lead to the "Ukrainization" of the Philippines. "By creating crises, the US profits and establishes a situation where no country in the region can be secure without American leadership. The tragic result of the Philippines' provocation against China ultimately suggests that the Philippines should be more autonomous, harmonious with other regional countries, and avoid being used as a pawn by other countries."
Analysts believe that the forming of the new anti-China grouping will lead regional countries to feel there exists a more complex and divisive security situation, with stronger antagonism and conflict, forcing more countries to take sides in geopolitics.
Gu Xiaosong, dean of the ASEAN Research Institute of Hainan Tropical Ocean University, told the Global Times on Sunday that the forming of the new anti-China "Squad" poses a significant challenge to the historically cordial relations between China and ASEAN.
Over the years, the China-ASEAN relationship has continually developed in the political, economic and cultural spheres, bringing tangible benefits to both sides. Both parties cherish peace and stability in the region and should work to preserve it, Gu said.
However, the consequences of the Philippines drifting further away could have detrimental effects on the bilateral relationship between China and the Philippines. It is important for both parties to manage their differences and prioritize their shared interests. It is crucial for the current Philippines' leaders to prioritise the common interests of China and the Philippines, maintaining and nurturing the friendly relationship between the two countries for the benefit of both sides, Gu noted.
Read more here.
US Indo-Pacific “Fire in the Hole”
By Nick Schifrin and Zeba Warsi (Transcript Audio)
The Biden administration calls the People’s Republic of China the only country with the will, intent and military strength to change the world order. The U.S. military officer responsible for China and the vast area from Hawaii to India is stepping down this week after three years and a 40-year career. Nick Schifrin spoke with Adm. John Aquilino in Honolulu.
NB: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.
Geoff Bennett:
The Biden administration calls the People's Republic of China, or PRC, the only country with the will, the intent, and the military strength to change the world order.
The U.S. military officer responsible for China and the vast area from Hawaii to India is stepping down this week after three years and a 40-year career. He spoke in his final interview with Nick Schifrin in Honolulu.
Nick Schifrin:
The military calls it Indo-Pacific Command, or INDOPACOM. It covers half the surface area of the planet and more than 60 percent of the world's economy and population.
And, increasingly, Admiral John Aquilino sees China speeding up. Already, Beijing fielded the world's largest military, and in the three years since he's been in command, Aquilino says China has built more than 400 aircraft, 20 major warships, and doubled its missile inventory, leading Aquilino to say that the U.S., its allies, and its partners must go faster.
Adm. John Aquilino, Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command:
As I look at over my last three years, the security environment has changed drastically, and not in a good way.
When you look at the PRC as the most concerning security threat that exists, they continue to be more aggressive in a variety of areas. They're challenging the current international rules to benefit an authoritarian society that does not provide benefit for anyone else in the region.
They have expanded their military capability. Their verbalization is more aggressive and their actions are more aggressive, and they have now accelerated to dangerous.
Nick Schifrin:
Perhaps most dangerous in the Philippines. On Tuesday, Chinese boats hit a Philippine boat with water cannons in the Scarborough Shoal, which China claims as its own. It also claims the Second Thomas Shoal, where Chinese boats have rammed Philippine boats trying to resupply a ship the Philippines intentionally grounded.
The U.S. acknowledges it is obligated to defend the Philippines.
Are Chinese actions increasing the chances of U.S.-Chinese conflict?
Adm. John Aquilino:
Yes, the Chinese actions are certainly destabilizing to the region. They are putting at risk the Philippine Coast Guardsmen, sailors, and those fishermen that operate in their exclusive economic zone within the full rights of the Philippines.
Nick Schifrin:
If one of these incidents becomes deadly, then that becomes a very serious challenge for the U.S. and for the military.
Adm. John Aquilino:
That could absolutely be a challenge for the United States, again, through the policy level.
Nick, the important part of this, again, it's the Philippines today, but we have to highlight the fact that China has these same claims throughout the entire South China Sea.
Nick Schifrin:
You recently said the Chinese — quote — "believe they can get away with it." Does that mean they haven't paid enough price for their actions?
Adm. John Aquilino:
Well, they have clearly made a risk determination that taking aggressive actions is within their interests and to the benefit of their strategic objectives.
You would have to ask them on how they're thinking about this. Their actions tell a story, as I look at it.
Nick Schifrin:
In about three weeks, Taiwan inaugurates a new president known as William Lai. Beijing calls him a dangerous separatist.
You recently called out increasingly aggressive coercion and pressure by Beijing toward Taipei. What do you expect from Beijing around Inauguration Day?
Adm. John Aquilino:
What I would say is, the United States' policy as it applies to Taiwan has not changed. The United States supports the peaceful resolution of this dispute to the satisfaction of people on both sides of the straits, free of coercion.
And the issue here is, we are not in the free-of-coercion space. Increase aggressiveness in the maritime domain, in the air domain, in the cyber domain, and in the information domain, and not just against the mainland island of Taiwan, but against Matsu, Kinmen, and the other places that we are watching more aggressive behaviour.
Nick Schifrin:
These are Taiwanese islands. Some of them are closer to mainland than they are to Taipei.
Adm. John Aquilino:
That's correct. Operations in spaces that have been designed to separate our forces, those are being challenged.
Nick Schifrin:
The Trump and Biden administrations have both urged Taiwan to purchase fewer fighter jets and tanks and more mobile, smaller weapons. Some experts say they haven't done enough, but the theory has now been proven in Ukraine.
Adm. John Aquilino:
They have absolutely taken steps in the wake of the Ukraine invasion to, number one, understand that the unthinkable is potentially real. And they have taken all the right steps.
As it applies to their defense, they get a choice on what they should buy, how they should work it, how they integrate it, and how they deliver it. And, again, under the Taiwan Relations Act, we're standing by to support that.
When you look at the INDOPACOM AOR here, from the border of Pakistan and India over to this part…
Nick Schifrin:
Across the region, the military has broadened cooperation with allies and now operates from more bases, thanks to bilateral and multilateral political agreements, in part designed to complicate Beijing's war planning.
Adm. John Aquilino:
What I want is for all of these nations to be able to operate together, if need be, to support each other when required, whether it be for humanitarian assistance or for the United States to execute our mutual defense treaty responsibilities or ultimately to protect the global commons.
Nick Schifrin:
China has its own expanding alliance.
You recently testified that China has helped Russia rebuild and reconstitute its defense industrial base. How much has it done?
Adm. John Aquilino:
What I can watch from this side is the ability of Beijing to utilize a cover of civil-military fusion to be able to provide capabilities to the Russians below the level of direct lethal aid.
And, again, that is this no-limits relationship that we should be concerned about.
Nick Schifrin:
A U.S. official gave me this detail. China has sent Russia billions of dollars worth of machine tools that Moscow has likely used to build missiles, microelectronics for tanks and aircraft. It almost sounds like this kind of partnership that Nixon and Kissinger were able to prevent during the Cold War.
Adm. John Aquilino:
And in the words of President Xi Jinping, this is a relationship not seen in 100 years. Those are his words.
And the actions support it.
Nick Schifrin:
North Korea has supplied Russia with short-range ballistic missiles, in addition to more than a million artillery shells. Russia has used these ballistic missiles, including in Kharkiv, what was once Ukraine's second largest city.
Are you concerned this is a two-way street, that North Korean missiles, which are not particularly good, get tested, get battle-tested in Ukraine by Russia and therefore could destabilize the peninsula?
Adm. John Aquilino:
Absolutely.
First of all, when you talk about the authoritarian nations, no one ever does anything to help anybody else for the goodness of the other person. There is a quid pro quo that applies. So we are concerned about the access to increased technology in North Korea.
But the main theme that's really concerning here and that everyone has to see is, it links authoritarian nations in ways that hasn't — that we haven't seen in our history in a long, long time.
Nick Schifrin:
Last week, President Biden signed into law a bill that would require TikTok's Chinese owner to divest or face a ban in the U.S.
You have pointed out that no Chinese apps are being used at INDOPACOM. If you don't mind my asking a slightly personal question, would you let your family use TikTok?
Adm. John Aquilino:
I have encouraged my daughters not to. There is a risk there, right, the intelligence gathering risk, the information, misinformation and disinformation transmission that we see.
Again, that's the reason that I have prohibited it here at INDOPACOM.
Nick Schifrin:
Well, do your daughters listen to you?
Adm. John Aquilino:
No one in my house listens to me.
(Laughter)
Adm. John Aquilino:
This jaunt down here for me, Nick, this is my place of sanity, right?
Nick Schifrin:
At Joint Base Pearl Harbor, the guided missile cruiser USS Shiloh has just rebased from Japan. Aquilino has pushed the military to create a regional joint task force, the first outside a theater of war.
Adm. John Aquilino:
The more aggressive rhetoric, and certainly the more aggressive actions over my three years, have led me to a place where the synchronization of our force is required, and the best way to do that is by putting in place a standing joint task force to totally and seamlessly integrate our operations, our actions, our plans in order to be postured in a fight tonight stance.
Nick Schifrin:
Standing here three years later, what have you not accomplished that you hoped you would?
Adm. John Aquilino:
What I would say has been consistent over three years. I haven't been able to drive the entire machine to move faster.
I don't think we have accelerated enough across all domains and all areas to be able to, no kidding, accelerate the delivery of deterrent effects and ultimately posture ourselves in a position that is really where we need to be in this current security environment.
For all of us, we all have to continue to go faster.
Nick Schifrin:
Do you think you have a legacy after three years?
Adm. John Aquilino:
Everybody gets a legacy, whether they like it or not. I will let other people write the history.
I couldn't be more proud to have been serving with and serving alongside the 380,000 U.S. service members in this region.
Nick Schifrin:
Admiral Aquilino, thank you very much.
Adm. John Aquilino:
Thanks, Nick.
Read more here.
NB: Nick Schifrin is PBS NewsHour’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Correspondent.
Zeba Warsi is a foreign affairs producer, based in Washington DC.