In order to prevent China’s military expansion, the French nuclear-powered attack submarine Emerald and support ship Seine completed a voyage to the South China Sea last month, while the British heavyweight carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth “and a German frigate will both sail to the Indo-Pacific waters. In this regard, Japanese international relations commentator Hiroyuki Akita (Hiroyuki Akita) wrote an article analyzing that the European Navy’s ability to deter China is beyond imagination.
The Nikkei Asian Review (Nikkei Asian Review) published an article by Hiroyuki Akita on the 5th, he said that sending warships and exerting military pressure is the third means for the major powers to face the defiance of international rules by certain countries after issuing public statements condemning and sanctioning, “The warships of the three major European powers are coming to the east in response to the Chinese Communist Party‘s oppression of Hong Kong and Xinjiang Uighurs, and its assertive actions in the South China Sea”.
Hiroyuki Akita cited a Pew Research Center survey released recently, which showed that more than 70 percent of respondents in Britain, France and Germany have a negative view of China, representing “a form of gunboat diplomacy that has manifested itself in the discontent and anxiety of three major European countries toward China. “.
Hiroyuki Akita analyzed that, on the surface, the Chinese PLA has about 350 warships, more than the United States, and the 3 major European powers have sent only a few warships, which cannot pose any military threat to China, which currently has the upper hand, “but security officials in Asia and Europe believe that the actions of Britain, France and Germany will be able to counter the PLA in at least 2 ways “.
Hiroyuki Akita said, first, if the Europeans show the ability and willingness to project naval power in the Indo-Pacific waters, China will only be forced to modify its operational plans in Taiwan and the South China Sea waters, which will force China to reconsider its decision in taking military action.
Second, if Britain and France continue to send ships to the Indo-Pacific waters, it will lead to a new framework of naval cooperation in the region, led by the United States; Britain and France can hold several joint naval exercises in the region to strengthen teamwork with the United States, Japan, Australia and surrounding countries.
Hiroyuki Akita said that although the dispatch of British, French and German warships to the Indo-Pacific waters may cause Chinese discontent and fear a new wave of tension, its positive effects (in terms of stopping China’s adventurism in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea) can outweigh the negative ones.
He stressed that even if European countries are not consistent in their policies toward China at the moment, in the long run, Europe may take a tougher stance toward China.
The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force has been working closely with the U.S. Seventh Fleet in the Western Pacific, and even Spanish Navy ships have come all the way here to join the exercise, which some analysts say is intended to expand cooperation with China.
In addition, the Japanese Land Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Yuasa Goro 4 revealed at a press conference, is coordinating with the French and U.S. forces in Japan to conduct joint exercises, and said that countries with common values to cooperate, will contribute to the stability of the Indo-Pacific region.
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