U.S. and Its Allies Reaffirm Joint Response to CCP Threat

According to a report on October 2nd, the defense ministers of the U.S., Australia and Japan agreed on October 1st to further strengthen military cooperation based on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s growing ambitions.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that China’s increasingly aggressive bullying in the Taiwan Strait and elsewhere is deeply concerning, as he welcomed the Australian and Japanese defense ministers at the U.S. military headquarters in the Pacific.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said: “Our interest lies in the upholding of the global rules-based order. But we see that order under pressure in the Indo-Pacific as well, as China is seeking to shape the world around it in a way that we’ve not seen before”.

The U.S. is stepping up its diplomatic offensive to counter Chinese influence in the region. On September 29th, Washington announced an $810 million aid package to Pacific island countries, and the U.S. plans to strengthen its diplomatic presence in these countries.

Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Japan and South Korea last week and signaled that the U.S. will act undaunted and unwavering throughout Asia, including the Taiwan Strait. Harris visited Seoul and the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas. Her visit was intended to demonstrate the United States’ commitment to defending South Korea from North Korea.

Authorities in Beijing consider Taiwan part of Communist China and claim sovereignty over the narrow and busy strait between the two sides.