The new U.S.’ National Military Strategy released Wednesday underscores the “need to counter revisionist states,” potentially including China, that are challenging international norms and vows to firm up its alliances with South Korea, Japan and other partners.
Published by the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, the strategy appears to be raising pressure on Seoul to join Washington’s efforts to maintain what it calls a “rule-based” order that Beijing is seen undermining with its aggressive behavior, particularly in the South China Sea, observers said.
 |
| U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey (right) speaks next to U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter at their joint news conference at the Pentagon in Washington on Wednesday. (Reuters-Yonhap) |
“Most states today — led by the U.S., its allies and partners — support the established institutions and processes dedicated to preventing conflict, respecting sovereignty and furthering human rights,” reads the strategy released by JCS chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey.
“Some states, however, are attempting to revise key aspects of the international order and are acting in a manner that threatens our national security interests.”
Among the “some states” is apparently China, which has been turning numerous rocks and reefs in the Spratly Islands into artificial islands to construct military bases equipped with naval harbors, airstrips, radar facilities and other equipment.
China has delineated its claim to the vast majority of the South China Sea with “the nine-dashed-line” — a maritime demarcation line that takes in more than 80 percent of the 3.5 million-square-kilometer sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have engaged in intense maritime territorial squabbles with China.
“China’s actions are adding tension to the Asia-Pacific region. For example, its claims to nearly the entire South China Sea are inconsistent with international law,” the strategy reads, though it says the U.S. supports China’s rise and encourages it to play a greater global security role.
“The international community continues to call on China to settle such issues cooperatively and without coercion. China has responded with aggressive land reclamation efforts that will allow it to position military forces astride vital international sea lanes.”
Identifying the “rule-based order advanced by the U.S. leadership” as part of America’s “enduring national interests,” the strategy stressed the need to strengthen the U.S.’ network of allies and security partners to keep open what it terms “global commons” such as freedom of maritime navigation.
Observers say that this strategy, coupled with U.S. officials’ statements calling for Seoul’s support in countering China’s attempts to “revise the maritime status quo,” would pose a tough diplomatic challenge to South Korea, which they say could be increasingly seen as a “swing state,” seeking to maintain close ties with both major powers.
Last month, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel said at a forum that Seoul should “speak out” in support of universal principles and the rule of law, with a reference to China’s increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea disputes.
Analysts said his remarks were a fresh reminder that South Korea, at some point, could be forced to present its position over the escalating maritime disputes — a challenge that could strain Seoul’s ties with Beijing, its crucial partner for trade, tourism and North Korea’s denuclearization, should it not be prudently dealt with.
Suh Jin-young, professor emeritus at Korea University, said the wise way for Seoul to deal with this foreign policy challenge is to clearly communicate Seoul’s position to Washington and persuade it not to devise a situation in which Seoul is forced to choose between the two powers.
“South Korea is in a situation where it cannot completely support China, and also, we don’t have to play a role to wholly back the U.S. with only the alliance in mind. Though this may appear to be a passive form of diplomacy, the wise way for Seoul is to steer clear of a Sino-U.S. conflict,” he said.
“Apart from hardliners in the U.S. government, there are also those who are against going on a Cold War-like collision course with China. Thus the idea that most U.S. officials’ views converge on the hardline stance, if you will, may misrepresent the reality.”
Amid the escalating tensions in the South China Sea, calls have been growing for Seoul and Washington to strengthen their “strategic communication” over the maritime disputes to prevent unnecessary diplomatic friction between the allies.
“I think it is important for the allies to put their heads together over the issue and determine what kind of role South Korea can play within the framework of the bilateral alliance to help secure stability that could be hurt due to the maritime disputes,” said Park Won-gon, security expert at Handong Global University.
“Like the security cooperation guidelines between the U.S. and Japan, South Korea and the U.S. could map out their own guidelines to deal with a comprehensive range of issues in a more coordinated way.”
Nam Chang-hee, political science professor at Inha University, stressed the need for Seoul to develop a prudent way of expressing its position over the maritime disputes that would not hurt its relations with the U.S. and China.
“Seoul may say without singling out China as a threat factor that securing maritime trade routes in the region is beneficial for China and all other nations in the region. This may signal its opposition against China’s potential moves to alter the status quo, but still would not be diplomatically impolite,” he said.
Nam also pointed out that even if an armed conflict flares up in the South China Sea, Seoul would not be able to deploy its naval assets for long to support the U.S. due to constant maritime threats from North Korea, and that just maintaining a robust deterrence against the North would help the U.S. focus on the maritime conflict involving China.
“The North has recently been violating the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea, a move to alter the status quo here on the peninsula. Should a conflict flare up here, this would distract the U.S., which wants to focus on the South China Sea affairs,” said Nam.
“Thus, South Korea successfully keeping in check and deterring North Korea would, after all, help the U.S.’ management of its military assets elsewhere and its focus on maintaining stability in the overall western Pacific region.”
By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)
