Against the backdrop China’s expansionist designs in international waters, Navy chiefs of the quadrilateral grouping of India, Japan, US and Australia on Thursday pitched for a two-pronged strategy involving diplomatic efforts backed by credible military power to ensure peace, security and openness.
United States Pacific Command chief, Admiral Harry B Harris Jr outlined the long-term challenge from China; the immediate threat from North Korea and terrorism as the major challenges in the Indo-Pacific region in the year 2018.
Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue, organized by Ministry of External Affairs and Observer Research Foundation, Harris Jr said: “There are nations, entities in Indo-Pacific region that are disrupting potential for prosperity, openness and inclusivity. Reality is China is disruptive transitional force in Indo Pacific. Diplomacy is the first effort but must be backed by credible military power. We need to take courageous action in 2018. We must be willing to take tough decision so that Indo Pacific remains free and open.” He was speaking at the session `Unchartered Waters: In Search for Order in the Indo-Pacific’.
Indian Navy chief Admiral Sunil lanba said China’s People’s liberation Army-Navy had made big changes to its deployment patterns in the Indian Ocean region and the areas surrounding India. “They are developing ports and infrastructure that are not viable. They have a base in Djibouti. They have developed a port in Hambantota (Sri lanka) though we have been told there will be no (permanent) presence (of the Chinese navy) there,” lanba said.
He added that Indo Pacific region is the nucleus of global geo politics and there is a need to establish peace and security in the area. He also sought to work with countries to establish transparency and openness.
Japan’s Chief of Naval Staff, Katsutoshi Kawano directly blamed China saying it has plans to unilaterally change the status quo and there was a need to deter Chinese provocative action. “China’s military power is becoming more powerful and expanding. We are concerned that china neglecting international law and changing the status quo in the East and South China Seas. In order to deter Chinese provocations, India, US, Australia and Japan have to cooperate with one another,” he said while suggesting isolating China if it continues like this.
Chief of Australian Navy, Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, said there was a “trust deficit” among the countries of the Indo Pacific on framing a rules-based regime in the region.
Meanwhile, talking on the topic of Afghanistan and how it can handle its domestic security challenges and leverage its strategic position to become a major player in terms of regional cooperation and connectivity, its former President Hamid Karzai said that there was a need, through political, economical and other means, to bring Pakistan, its Army and Intelligence to realise that the use of extremism as a tool is no longer tolerated by the world. He was responding to the questions on the US’ aid-cut for Pakistan. “We knew and Americans knew of terror sanctuaries in Pakistan all along. It remained a dispute with US. We are not saying attack Pakistan. There needs to be action against Pakistan. Action can be diplomatic pressure of all sorts,” Karzai said.
Talking about the subject of connectivity race in the Asia-Pacific, Secretary (Economic Relations) in Ministry of External Affairs, Vijay Gokhale said that the connectivity projects should be consultative and in consonance with the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Gokhale also raised questions over the methodology to be used while executing the One Belt One Road initiative by China. “Is this process (of OBOR) demand-driven, consultativeIJ Does it allow a fair and open competitionIJ Is the process built on multilateral frameworks that already exist and is the process consonant with principles of sovereignty and territorial integrityIJ” Gokhale said.