Deputy defense secretary stresses diplomacy in dealing with China
By The USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group entered the South China Sea in early April in a show of force, but Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said Friday that diplomacy with China remains the dominant strategy. Photo by MCS Seaman Faith McCollum/U.S. Navy
April 30 (UPI) Stressing the importance of diplomacy, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said on Friday that conflict was China was neither desirable nor inevitable.
In remarks to a virtual meeting of the Aspen Defense Forum, Hicks noted that China can challenge the United States in several categories.
Reuters
The Philippine president has said he is grateful that Beijing has supplied his country with coronavirus vaccines amid a global shortage, but he would not withdraw patrols in Manila-claimed waters of the South China Sea because Chinese vessels had not left.
President Rodrigo Duterte also criticized Washington for what he claimed was a lack of U.S. support for Manila amid this latest standoff with Beijing in the contested waterway.
“China is a good friend. We owe them a debt of gratitude for the vaccines. So China, let it be known, is a good friend, and we do not want trouble with them, especially a war,” Duterte said during a cabinet meeting late Wednesday, transcripts of which were released Thursday.
[Reuters]
The Philippine president said he was grateful that Beijing supplied his country with coronavirus vaccines amid a global shortage, but he would not withdraw patrols in Manila-claimed waters of the South China Sea because Chinese vessels had not left.
President Rodrigo Duterte also criticized Washington for what he claimed was a lack of U.S. support for Manila amid this latest standoff with Beijing in the contested waterway.
“China is a good friend. We owe them a debt of gratitude for the vaccines. So China, let it be known, is a good friend, and we do not want trouble with them, especially a war,” Duterte said during a cabinet meeting late Wednesday, transcripts of which were released Thursday.
USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker: April 26, 2021
April 26, 2021 11:09 AM
USNI News Graphic
These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of April 26, 2021, based on Navy and public data. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.
Total U.S. Navy Battle Force:
296
In Japan
Seaman Zhihao Luo, from San Francisco, assigned to the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6), secures a line during small boat operations training on April 22, 2021. US Navy Photo
Nine PLA planes enter Taiwan s ADIZ
04/20/2021 10:50 PM
A PLA Y-8 tactical reconnaissance aircraft. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense
Taipei, April 20 (CNA) Nine aircraft of China s People s Liberation Army (PLA) entered Taiwan s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Tuesday, the sixth consecutive day similar incursions have taken place, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said that day.
The aircraft involved in the sorties were five J-16 multi-role fighters, one Y-8 electronic warfare aircraft, one Y-8 tactical reconnaissance aircraft and two Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft, according to the MND.
All of the aircraft were spotted in airspace southwest of Taiwan, between Taiwan and the Taiwanese-held Dongsha Islands, an MND chart showed.