Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Watchers from China expressed concern about Michèle Angélique Flournoy, a potential candidate for the head of the Pentagon or Secretary of Defense of the United States (US) under president-elect Joe Biden.
The reason is that Flournoy, who was previously Deputy Minister of Defense in the 44th President of President Barack Obama’s administration, suggested US troops should be deployed in the South China Sea (SCS) to prevent China from further claiming these waters.
The SCS is the disputed waters of several Asian nations, and is also central to US engagement in the Indo-Pacific, with 45th President Donald Trump’s senior staff and Chinese officials debating claims of sovereignty in the region.
Writing in the journal Foreign Affairs in early 2020, Flournoy called for an increased US naval presence in the LCS. He said Washington was losing the ability to counter Beijing’s military aggression in the disputed waters.
“For example, if the US military has the capability to credibly threaten to sink all Chinese military ships, submarines and merchant ships in the SCS within 72 hours, Chinese leaders may think twice before, say, launching a blockade or invasion of Taiwan; they have to wonder if it is worth risking their entire fleet, “Flournoy wrote, quoted from Express UK.
This woman who was born on December 14, 1960 also recently reiterated her anti-Chinese stance and her desire for a stronger American defense in the Indo-Pacific.
“We must have sufficient advantage, first and foremost we can prevent China from attacking or harming our vital interests and our allies. That means determination,” Flournoy said in an interview with Defense News.
But Flournoy also wanted a change from the Trump administration’s view of China so far, and expressed a desire for some cooperation between Beijing and Washington.
“There are a series of threats, whether it’s preventing the next pandemic, or dealing with climate change, or dealing with North Korea’s nuclear proliferation where, like it or not, we have to deal with China as a partner or we can’t solve the problem,” he added.
China observers reject Flournoy’s proposal for a large US Navy presence in the SCS, saying China is ready to retaliate if the US massively increases its presence in those waters.
“Such a threat can hardly work, because the PLA has taken into account direct American interference when planning military operations in Taiwan,” said Wu Xinbo, director of the Fudan University Center for American Studies. South China Morning Post (SCMP).
Collin Koh, a researcher with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, also notes Flournoy and the Biden administration’s stance on China.
“Regardless of who is in the White House, the ability to maintain credible prevention and, if necessary, defeat the aggression (People’s Liberation Army) against Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act, will be seen as a gift,” Koh added.
After defeating Trump in the US election, Biden has made it clear that he will be firm on China in the same way as his predecessors. During the campaign, Biden denounced Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “thug” and promised to lead an international campaign to “suppress, isolate and punish China”.
Biden has also been assertive in his assessment of China’s detention and treatment of Uighur Muslims, which is considered genocidal activity. But Biden is also expected to pursue US national interests and collaborate with China on climate change policy.
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