The U.S. Navy's Burke-class destroyer USS Halsey sailed through the Taiwan Strait on May 8 with the intention of demonstrating against Chinese mainland before sailing to the South China Sea. On May 10, it intruded into China's territorial waters of the Xisha Seas, causing a standoff between the Chinese and US militaries in the Xisha Seas.
As China's navy grows stronger, the U.S. Navy has provoked China in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, a rare occurrence in the past. Why did the US destroyer choose this point in time, and what was its purpose?
And, in the face of such frequent provocations by the US military, what better way can China respond? That's the focus for today. Does the Chinese Navy and Air Force need to immediately fire a warning and drive away a US warship when it intrudes into territorial waters?
1 U.S. military provocation
From a military-tactical point of view, the United States did not seem to want to make the scene as big as it did by sending destroyers instead of aircraft carriers this time, but it was even more provocative.
Naturally, it is more convenient and flexible for US warships to carry out their tasks when they cross the Taiwan Strait and intrude into the territorial waters of the Xisha Paracels, because aircraft carriers cannot enter the shallow waters of the territorial waters. The US military also expects that when it intrudes into China's territorial waters in the Xisha Islands, the Chinese Navy will inevitably be dispatched, resulting in a military confrontation between the two sides, a game of cat and mouse, and a confrontation between warships is inevitable. This circumstance, of course, was carried out by the destroyer.
This also means that the action of the US "Halsey" is a provocation, not a demonstration by a major power. Facing China. The U.S. Burke-class destroyers are not enough to see and cannot demonstrate to China. China has warships that are more powerful than the Burke-class destroyers of the US military, such as the 0.55 million ton destroyer.
"Halsey" is also not here to put pressure on China, what can a destroyer put pressure on China? The US military is now unable to put pressure on China even with an aircraft carrier, let alone a destroyer?
The conclusion on this point is that the actions of the US destroyer USS Halsey this time are a provocation, and there is no way to demonstrate, still less to exert pressure on China.
So why did the U.S. military choose this point in time?
Frankly speaking, the US military will definitely go to China's coastal areas every once in a while to play such a play, which is expected, if it does not play like this, then it is not the US military, and it is not the United States.
One reason why the United States chose this point in time is to cheer up Taiwan's Lai Ching-te. Lai Qingde took office on 20 May, and the United States wanted to use warships to cross the Taiwan Strait to show Lai Qingde's independence forces and support Lai Qingde.
Of course, the point of this US show is to make the "Taiwan independence" forces feel that the US military is still behind them. Although it is said to be a provocation against China, the key target is Lai Qingde's "Taiwan independence" forces.
However, the destroyer "Halsey" intruded into the territorial waters of Xisha Islands, which was a provocation to China. At the same time, it is also to cheer and cheer up the Philippines. The U.S. military must always show its face at the right time, otherwise how can it cheer and cheer up Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.?
In addition, the Chinese Navy's Fujian aircraft carrier conducted its first sea trials on May 1 and returned to port on the 8th. The USS Halsey crossed the Taiwan Strait on the 8th and broke into Xisha on the 10th, which was not a coincidence of timing, but was deliberately done for China and, of course, for the US ally, the Philippines.
However, the US Navy's entry into the South China Sea with only one destroyer to "flex its muscles" to China is a bit of a sense of dislocation in time and space. At the very least, an aircraft carrier should be sent over, that's decent, right? For example, the USS Reagan, which is based in Japan.
Everyone was familiar with the Reagan, and the result was the dispatch of the destroyer USS Halsey, which made the Chinese side not know what to do with the destroyer.
The world is in an eventful season, the conflict in Ukraine is still ongoing, and there are signs of expansion in the past few days, with Russia massing a large army to attack Kharkiv. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not over, with the Israeli army storming the city of Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza region.
Both geopolitical conflicts have the shadow of the United States, and both have US troops stationed behind and around them. Isn't it strange that the Biden administration and the U.S. military are making trouble in the Western Pacific while they are too busy?
It is not surprising at all that the United States is brushing up its presence and wants to use this to "remind" China that I (the United States) is still here, and I am not overwhelmed by the conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine and Israel. Therefore, on the one hand, the US military's move is to warn China not to act rashly. On the other hand, it also shows Japan and South Korea that the US military is still in the western Pacific and has the ability to suppress China and Russia in the east.
The United States is deliberately announcing to the world that the US military is still capable of fighting two large-scale wars in the East and the West at the same time.
2 U.S. military posturing
It is true that the US military is still strong, but this is posturing. If the U.S. military can really slow down, why not send two and three aircraft carriers to the South China Sea for free navigation or large-scale military exercises, as Biden did in 2021 when he first took office, why bother sending only one Burke-class destroyer as it does now?
In addition, a destroyer is really not strong enough, so it has to engage in a more exciting crossing of the Taiwan Strait and intrude into the territorial waters of the Xisha Paracels to make up for the impression that a destroyer is too thin.
No, there has not been much movement on the Korean Peninsula in recent times, unlike in 2022 and 2023, when the U.S. military often conducted joint naval and air exercises with the South Korean military.
The conclusion of this is that the US military is still strong, but it is a mere formality and a sense of presence. I am deeply afraid that others will say that the US military will not be able to free up its hands, and I am also afraid that people will say that the US strength has declined.
The United States needs a stage in the international community to demonstrate the strength of the U.S. military to the outside world through military exercises and freedom of navigation. It also shows influence through military intervention. Otherwise, it is through the G7 to make the world feel that the United States is still dominating the world.
3 There is no need for the same now
However, America's influence is actually going downhill. We can see from the fact that the destroyer "Halsey" crossed the Taiwan Strait and broke into Xisha this time.
Let's compare this with the 2016 South China Sea arbitration.
At that time, on the eve of the arbitration award, the US military sent two aircraft carrier strike groups, the USS Reagan and the USS Stonis, into the South China Sea. At that time, there was a lot of wind and war clouds. The U.S. military wants to use the two carrier strike groups to intimidate China and force China to accept the outcome of the arbitration.
Harris, the commander of the US Pacific at that time, also released a rumor, saying: The US military is ready to go to war tonight.
As a result, the next day, the two US aircraft carriers disappeared and ran to the Philippine Sea early in the morning.
At that time, the Chinese and US navies faced off, and the Chinese side dispatched hundreds of warships to show its determination. In addition, Flying Leopard fighter-bomb planes and H-6K planes have crossed the airspace over the South China Sea, as well as a number of missile bases on land. Of course, we do not know how many Chinese submarines there are underwater in the South China Sea. It is understandable that the US military did not dare to move because of this.
However, the fly in the ointment was that at that time, China needed to display hundreds of warships to be able to scare off the American aircraft carriers, and the battle required was really large.
And what about today? Now, eight years later, there is no need for the Chinese side to put on such a big battle.
The US destroyer USS Halsey broke into Xisha Islands, and the Southern Theater of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) organized naval and air forces to follow and supervise it and warn it to leave. According to China, this is detention and expulsion in accordance with laws and regulations.
Since 2022, the units responsible for making statements about US ships passing through the Taiwan Strait or intruding into the Xisha waters and territorial waters have been lowered from the level of the Ministry of Defense to the Eastern Theater and the Southern Theater. This time, the Eastern Theater is responsible for the "Halsey" as it crosses the Taiwan Strait, while the Southern Theater is responsible for releasing information to the outside world in the South China Sea.
4 055 destroyers and H-6K stationed
In fact, the focus is not on follow-up, vigilance, and dispersion in the corresponding sea areas, but on whether there is such strength, to scare off US warships, and to demonstrate strength to US allies.
According to a piece of news, on May 7, according to online satellite images, a Chinese Navy Type 055 destroyer was moored at the dock of Mischief Reef (Mischief Island) in the South China Sea. This image was taken on May 5.
In another news, on May 4, a propaganda video of the H-6K taking off and landing on Yongxing Island in Xisha appeared on the Chinese military trumpet's Weibo.
China has always been low-key, unlike the US military, which loves to engage in propaganda and almost makes a big noise. Just like Harris, the Japanese Pacific commander of the U.S. military in 2016, announced to the outside world that he ordered his troops to prepare for war.
However, China attaches great importance to substance, the 055 destroyer is stationed at Mischief Reef in the South China Sea, and the H-6K is on Yongxing Island in Xisha Island, which is the essence and the real background of China. What more practical actions should China have?
Some may think that China should have taught the Philippines a long time ago. And, like Russia, when a British destroyer intruded into Crimea's territorial waters in June 2021, Russia dropped bombs on its route, which was tantamount to firing artillery and shelling at its side.
This approach is indeed more relieving, but it also requires more substantive actions to demonstrate strength. For example, in addition to the 055 destroyer stationed at Mischief Reef and the H-6K stationed on Woody Island in Xisha Island, the DF-26 has already been stationed in the South China Sea in 2022.
These are the symbols of strength and the basic forces for de facto control over the South China Sea.
With a strong foundation, no matter how much the Philippines jumps or makes trouble, it will not be able to jump out of China's substantive control of the South China Sea.
In addition, it is time for Scarborough Shoal to be filled.
5 Conclusion
China and the United States have long faced off in the South China Sea. Since 2013, when China blew sand and reclaimed islands in the South China Sea, the United States has been on edge. The United States is a maritime power, and it claims that the shadow of US warships can be seen in all seas and waterways around the world. If there is any body of water in the world that is not under the control of the US military, the United States will definitely be nervous.
As a result, the United States began to encourage the Philippines and Vietnam in 2013 to claim sovereignty over islands and reefs in the South China Sea to China. In 2014, Vietnam launched a large number of fishing vessels to harass China's oil exploration facilities in the Paracels.
These troubles were postponed to the 2016 South China Sea arbitration, which was personally ended by two U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups.
In the end, the U.S. military was unable to shake China's de facto control over the South China Sea. Many of the islands and reefs that China has reclaimed in the South China Sea are still standing.
Beginning with former US President Barack Obama, hasn't the US military repeatedly threatened to bomb these islands and reefs if necessary? Why don't you see action? However, it has always instigated small countries such as the Philippines with weak military strength to stir up trouble in the South China Sea.
What is the dispute between China and the United States in the South China Sea?
For years, the United States has sought freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, adding a rules-based international order.
In fact, China has never been difficult for other countries to navigate freely in the South China Sea, never. Where did the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea come from? This is a non-existent problem.
The United States has not come up with a substantive statement in the South China Sea, but only blindly emphasizes freedom of navigation and lacks substantive and effective demands on the countries surrounding the South China Sea.
At most, it is only to encourage neighboring countries to compete with China for sovereignty over islands and reefs in the South China Sea and the development of maritime resources. However, the United States has never put forward actual sovereignty and resource support to any of the countries surrounding the South China Sea. It's just that China can't take it away, and China can't control the South China Sea.
But China's demands are clear: tough on sovereignty over the South China Sea and soft on resource development, and everyone can negotiate and develop together.
What China wants in the South China Sea is substantial control of islands and reefs in order to enforce its claims along the 9-dash line, or 10-dash line. As long as China accumulates substantial control over these islands and reefs and adjacent waters, it will be a winner.
If the United States wants freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, then give it to it. The United States wants face, and these faces can be given. Anyway, freedom of navigation in the South China Sea has never been an issue, so let the US military engage in freedom of navigation.
The United States does not want the waters of the South China Sea to be effectively controlled by a major power, but the United States is not a country in the South China Sea, so it has no reason to claim sovereignty and has no legitimacy to participate in disputes in the South China Sea.
Over time, China's grip on the South China Sea will become more and more solid. And what can the U.S. military's ethereal freedom of navigation get? This is our judgment of the long-term confrontation between China and the United States in the South China Sea. And the most important point today.
China has mastered this strategic principle, and sooner or later the South China Sea will be controlled by China, and the US military will eventually lose the South China Sea, just like the night in 2016, when two US aircraft carriers disappeared in the misty sea fog in the early morning of the second day.
That's all for today's analysis and reasoning, we'll see you next time!