Washington — Because the extremely anticipated assembly between President Trump and Chinese language President Xi Jinping was set to happen in South Korea Thursday, the U.S. army’s Indo-Pacific Command quietly issued an order this week to stage a “present of power” in opposition to current Chinese language aggression within the South China Sea, CBS Information has realized.
It is unclear when this operation would happen, if in any respect, as army operations can simply be canceled on the final minute, however the execute order from Indo-Pacific Command, the Protection Division’s oldest and largest combatant unit overseeing operations throughout half the globe, directed American forces to hold out a precision strike demonstration in response to China’s escalating hostilities close to disputed waters.
Two U.S. officers conversant in the order and granted anonymity by CBS Information as a result of they weren’t licensed to talk publicly on the matter, stated the operation would contain launching HIMARS, which hearth satellite-guided rockets, in direction of the Scarborough Shoal, the disputed atoll positioned within the South China Sea. If the operation goes ahead, it will mark some of the pointed army gestures towards China since tensions within the South China Sea started to surge.
If launched, it is unclear what the HIMARS would goal however the operation is meant to sign Washington’s intent to push again in opposition to Beijing’s increasing presence within the area and defend what U.S. officers describe as Philippine sovereignty and long-standing fishing rights.
Philippine Coast Guard by way of AP
Contacted by CBS Information, no reply has been returned from U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
The Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, delivers its best affect in opposition to mounted targets that may be positioned and struck with precision, reminiscent of ammunition depots or clusters of troops. Constructed by protection contractor Lockheed Martin, the system noticed in depth use within the post-9/11 Iraq and Afghanistan wars and is prized by Ukraine in its combat in opposition to Russia.
Scarborough Shoal, recognized within the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc, sits inside Manila’s unique financial zone within the South China Sea, however Beijing has managed entry to the reef since a tense 2012 standoff between the 2 nations who each declare possession of the shoal.
China’s presence there has grown steadily as its coast guard and maritime flotilla of ships usually shadow or harass Philippine vessels and small fishing boats. In Sept. 2024, a “60 Minutes” crew witnessed China’s naval aggressiveness whereas onboard a Philippine Coast Guard ship that was rammed by a Chinese language coast guard vessel. The Philippine ship was on a mission to resupply ships and stations within the South China Sea on the time however was compelled to desert its first cease as Chinese language vessels surrounded it.
Latest high-resolution satellite tv for pc pictures launched earlier this month exhibits what seems to be a floating barrier on the mouth of Scarborough reef. Retired U.S. Air Drive Col. Ray Powell, a maritime analyst and director of SeaLight, a Stanford College-affiliated evaluation group, posted the images captured by Satellogic on X and stated China was chargeable for putting in the barrier.
Each China and the Philippines have put in and later dismantled non permanent obstacles across the Scarborough Shoal earlier than. One U.S. official stated ideally, the operation by Indo-Pacific Command ought to happen forward of the U.S.-China commerce negotiations or earlier than China establishes a extra everlasting barrier on the Scarborough reef.
In August, a Chinese language Coast Guard ship and a Chinese language Navy vessel collided close to the reef whereas pursuing a Philippine Coast Guard cutter. Weeks later, Beijing introduced plans to create a “nature reserve” within the space — a transfer that was condemned by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and considered by officers in Manila as one other step towards solidifying Chinese language management.
“Beijing claiming Scarborough Reef as a nature protect is yet one more coercive try and advance sweeping territorial and maritime claims within the South China Sea on the expense of its neighbors, together with by stopping Filipino fishermen from accessing these conventional fishing grounds,” Rubio stated in an announcement. “China’s actions at Scarborough Reef proceed to undermine regional stability.”
Talking earlier than fellow leaders of the Affiliation of South East Asian Nations and Mr. Trump on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., echoed Rubio’s feedback from September and condemned China, with out straight naming it, for encroaching on Philippine sovereignty in its push for a “nature reserve” in Scarborough Shoal.
“The try of some actors to ascertain the so-called ‘nature reserve’ standing over Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, which is a long-standing and integral a part of the Philippines over which it has sovereignty and jurisdiction, clearly violates not solely Philippine sovereignty, but in addition the standard fishing rights of our folks,” stated Marcos, who added that China is violating worldwide regulation. He cited the 1982 United Nations Conference on the Legislation of the Sea and the 2016 Award on the South China Sea arbitration which rejected China’s claims of historic rights over the territory.
