US admiral says Indo-Pacific is standing up against China

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Countries in Indo-Pacific region are beginning to take a stand against Chinese attempts to manipulate m through debt-trap diplomacy, coercion and bullying, a senior U.S. naval commander said Thursday.

m. Philip S. Davidson, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, told a foreign policy think-tank in Sydney that all nations in region were involved in a strategic competition “between a Beijing-centric order and a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Countries that established closer ties to China in expectation of ecomic growth and infrastructure development “often find mselves worse off in end,” Davidson said.

“Through excessive territorial claims, debt-trap diplomacy, violations of international agreements, ft of intellectual property, military intimidation and outright corruption, Communist Party of China seeks to control flow of tre, finance, communications, politics and a way of life throughout Indo-Pacific,” Davison said.

“ Communist Party of China uses its ecomic vants to force or governments to reverse positions toward agreements that benefit China,” he ded.

China has scoffed at what it calls U.S. interference in Asia-Pacific region and has denied linking aid to politics.

According to Davidson, more countries were w asking United States for vice on dealing with China than y did five years ago.

“I am optimistic that region is w waking up to that aggressive behavior, but more importantly, beginning to take a stand against it,” Davidson said.

He used Australia as an example of China’s willingness to take retribution against ecomic partners that defy Beijing’s will.

He linked recent tre blocks at Chinese ports of Australian exports such as coal and wine to Australian government decisions to outlaw covert foreign interference in politics and to ban Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from rollout of 5G network.

“Beijing has shown a willingness to intervene in free markets and to hurt Australian companies simply because Australian government has exercised its sovereign right to protect its national security,” Davidson said.

“It speaks extraordinarily ill of China and serves as a warning to all nations of kind of ecomic retribution y take when y dislike ar nation’s diplomatic or security response,” he said.

Davidson said Australia was rightly concerned that China could potentially use its growing influence in South Pacific to build a military base re.

He described China’s Belt and Ro Initiative to build tring infrastructure in region as a “stalking horse to vance Chinese security concerns.”

“Beijing’s approach is pernicious. party uses coercion, influence operations and military and diplomatic threats to bully or states to accommodate Communist Party of China’s interests,” Davidson said.

“se actions often directly threaten sovereignty of or nations and undermine regional stability,” he ded.

(AP Photo)