Top US Admiral Warns Against Coercion  08/03 06:20

   

   KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- The head of U.S. Pacific Command said Monday 
that coercive actions by China and other actors are challenging regional 
stability, warning the United States will not allow any nation to dominate the 
Indo-Pacific.

   Admiral Samuel Paparo said some actors were using "false claims of 
legitimacy" to justify intimidation and coercion.

   "That's not the rule of law. That's the rule by law. That distinction 
between law as a tool of order versus law as a weapon of raw power, is the 
defining fault line of our time," he said via video link at a regional security 
conference in Malaysia organized by the U.S. Pacific Command.

   Paparo's remarks come as tensions remain high in the South China Sea, where 
China's expansive maritime claims overlap with those of several Southeast Asian 
nations. The Philippines has been at the center of a series of confrontations 
with China, particularly around a disputed shoal, where Chinese and Philippine 
vessels have repeatedly faced off.

   Manila has accused Beijing of dangerous maneuvers, water cannon attacks and 
attempts to block Philippine resupply missions. China has rejected those 
accusations and maintains its territorial claims in the disputed waterway.

   The United States has said it does not take sides in competing sovereignty 
claims but supports freedom of navigation, international law and the ability of 
states to operate in accordance with their rights.

   Paparo emphasized that freedom of the seas, maritime security and open 
commerce are key to regional stability, saying peaceful resolution of disputes 
and respect for the sovereignty of all nations are essential to preserving the 
Indo-Pacific order.

   "The United States is clear-eyed about the complex security environment in 
this region. Our posture and our intent are well defined. The United States is 
deterring China through strength, not through confrontation," Paparo said. "We 
will not let any nation dominate this region or sweep away the hard-fought 
sovereign rights of independent states."

   The U.S. Indo-Pacific commander said the region remains the world's 
geopolitical and economic center of gravity, with growing instability and 
security challenges making cooperation among allies and partners increasingly 
important.

   Earlier at the conference, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro 
vowed his country will continue to resist and "push back" against the threat 
from China.

   Teodoro told reporters later that the Philippines' concerns extend beyond 
China's activities in the South China Sea, pointing to Beijing's actions in 
other areas, including a recent ballistic missile launch into the Pacific 
Ocean, as evidence of its expanding reach and growing military presence.

   "China is everywhere ... this is a matter of concern," he said.

   Talks between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China for a 
code of conduct to govern behavior in the South China Sea and help ease 
tensions have progressed significantly, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn 
said on the sidelines of the conference.

   "The pace has picked up dramatically and I think we are much closer to 
finalizing the code of conduct," Kao said. "I have full confidence that we will 
get it done within this year."