Indian Ocean Challenges – USA Gov Policy

The New York Analysis of Policy and Government continues its examination of the growing crisis in the Indo-Pacific region, examining the Department of Defense’s latest information on the subject.

American businesses have traded in Asia since the 18th century, and today, within the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), America’s annual two-way trade with the region is $2.3 trillion, with U.S. foreign direct investment of $1.3 trillion in the region – more than China’s, Japan’s, and South Korea’s combined. The Indo-Pacific contributes two-thirds of global growth in gross domestic product (GDP) and accounts for 60 percent of global GDP. This region includes the world’s largest economies – the United States, China, and Japan – and six of the world’s fastest growing economies – India, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Nepal, and the Philippines.

A quarter of U.S. exports go to the Indo-Pacific, and exports to China and India have more than doubled over the past decade. This is made possible by free and open trade routes through the air, sea, land, space, and cyber commons that form the current global system.

Vision and Principles for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific

In 2017, President Trump announced our nation’s vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific at the APEC Summit in Vietnam, and our commitment to a safe, secure, prosperous, and free region that benefits all nations. This vision flows from common principles that underpin the current international order, which has benefited all countries in the region – principles we have a shared responsibility to uphold:

1. Respect for sovereignty and independence of all nations;

2. Peaceful resolution of disputes;

3. Free, fair, and reciprocal trade based on open investment, transparent agreements, and connectivity; and,

4. Adherence to international rules and norms, including those of freedom of navigation and overflight.

Our vision for a free Indo-Pacific is one in which all nations, regardless of size, are able to exercise their sovereignty free from coercion by other countries. At the national-level, this means good governance and the assurance that citizens can enjoy their fundamental rights and liberties. Our vision for an open Indo-Pacific is one that promotes sustainable growth and connectivity in the region. This means all nations enjoy access to international waters, airways, and cyber and space domains, and are able to pursue peaceful resolution of territorial and maritime disputes. On an economic level, this means fair and reciprocal trade, open investment environments, and transparent agreements between nations.

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Our vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific recognizes the linkages between economics, governance, and security that are part of the competitive landscape throughout the region, and that economic security is national security. In order to achieve this vision, we will uphold the rule of law, encourage resilience in civil society, and promote transparent governance – all of which expose malign influences that threaten economic development everywhere. Our vision aspires to a regional order in which independent nations can both defend their interests and compete fairly in the international marketplace. It is a vision which recognizes that no one nation can or should dominate the IndoPacific.

In recognition of the region’s need for greater investment, including infrastructure investment, the United States seeks to invigorate our development and finance institutions to enable us to become better, more responsive partners. U.S. Departments and Agencies will work with regional allies and partners to provide end-to-end solutions that build tangible products and transfer experience. Ultimately, the maintenance of a free and open order sustains regional development because a well functioning and transparent marketplace incentivizes global commercial investments that outpaces any state’s unique resources. The United States is not alone in its pursuit of a free and open IndoPacific – many of our allies and partners share these principles and values:

“We must ensure that these waters are a public good that bring peace and prosperity to all people without discrimination into the future.” – Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, policy speech to the 196th session of the Diet January 22, 2018

“Now what is important is to preserve a rules-based development in the region. It’s to preserve the necessary balances in the region.” – President of France, Emmanuel Macron, speech during a state visit to Australia May 2, 2018

“…rules and norms should be based on the consent of all, not on the power of the few.” – Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue June 1, 2018

“We want a rules-based system that respects the sovereignty and the independence of every single country and a commitment then to regional security that is always the precondition for prosperity.” – Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, address at the APEC CEO Summit November 17, 2018

“Collective solutions to shared challenges in the Pacific require strong and vibrant regionalism, with institutions that can convert political will into action, supported by partners who align their efforts with the region’s priorities.” – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs for New Zealand, Winston Peters, address at Georgetown University

As the region grows in population and economic weight, U.S. strategy will adapt to ensure that the Indo-Pacific is increasingly a place of peace, stability, and growing prosperity – and not one of disorder, conflict, and predatory economics. Embedding these free and open principles will require efforts across the spectrum of our agencies and capabilities: diplomatic initiatives, governance capacity building, economic cooperation and commercial advocacy and military cooperation.

The Report continues tomorrow.

Photo: Chinese military practices beach landings (Chinese Ministry of Defense)

In the popular imagination, much of the Indo-Pacific region is a realm of exotic ports and tropical seas. It is the new center of international commerce, and it is vital to the global economy. But as China’s military power has reached new heights, the vast portion of the globe is increasingly reminiscent of the era when Japan was an expansionist power and its islands were soaked with the blood resulting from the fiercest battles of the Second World War.

The U.S. Department of Defense has recently released a report of extraordinary significance. Over the next several days, we will provide you with the opportunity to examine this vital issue.

THE DEPARMENT OF DEFENSE Indo-Pacific Strategy Report

The Indo-Pacific is the Department of Defense’s priority theater. The United States is a Pacific nation; we are linked to our Indo-Pacific neighbors through unbreakable bonds of shared history, culture, commerce, and values.

We have an enduring commitment to uphold a free and open IndoPacific in which all nations, large and small, are secure in their sovereignty and able to pursue economic growth consistent with accepted international rules, norms, and principles of fair competition. The continuity of our shared strategic vision is uninterrupted despite an increasingly complex security environment. Inter-state strategic competition, defined by geopolitical rivalry between free and repressive world order visions, is the primary concern for U.S. national security.

In particular, the People’s Republic of China, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, seeks to reorder the region to its advantage by leveraging military modernization, influence operations, and predatory economics to coerce other nations. In contrast, the Department of Defense supports choices that promote long-term peace and prosperity for all in the Indo-Pacific. We will not accept policies or actions that threaten or undermine the rules-based international order – an order that benefits all nations. We are committed to defending and enhancing these shared values.

Preparedness – Achieving peace through strength and employing effective deterrence requires a Joint Force that is prepared to win any conflict from its onset. The Department, alongside our Allies and partners, will ensure our combat-credible forces are forward-postured in the region. Furthermore, the Joint Force will prioritize investments that ensure lethality against high-end adversaries.

Partnerships – Our unique network of Allies and partners is a force multiplier to achieve peace, deterrence, and interoperable warfighting capability. The Department is reinforcing its commitment to established Alliances and Partnerships, while This kind of medication is mainly sildenafil price in india prescribed to those patients who do not want to consider brain surgery as an option. Before that time they were unable to see well enough to online prescriptions for cialis play baseball again? Probably. In their opinion, if someone has posted their email address for all to see, then other people have the purchase generic levitra http://downtownsault.org/christmas-festivities-continue-downtown-this-saturday-december-14th/ right to contact that person and ask them questions or send them offers. With the inhibition of PDE5, the body experiences augmentation in nitric oxide level, which allows the students to tadalafil super active take the course with other regular programs. also expanding and deepening relationships with new partners who share our respect for sovereignty, fair and reciprocal trade, and the rule of law.

Promotion of a Networked Region – The Department is strengthening and evolving U.S. Alliances and Partnerships into a networked security architecture to uphold the international rules-based order. The Department also continues to cultivate intra-Asian security relationships capable of deterring aggression, maintaining stability, and ensuring free access to common domains.

Advancing this Indo-Pacific vision requires an integrated effort that recognizes the critical linkages between economics, governance, and security – all fundamental components that shape the region’s competitive landscape. The Department of Defense, in partnership with other U.S. Government Departments and Agencies, regional institutions, and regional Allies and partners, will continue to diligently uphold a rules-based order that ensures peace and prosperity for all.

—Patrick M. Shanahan Acting Secretary of Defense

Introduction

The Indo-Pacific is the single most consequential region for America’s future. Spanning a vast stretch of the globe from the west coast of the United States to the western shores of India, the region is home to the world’s most populous state, most populous democracy, and largest Muslim-majority state, and includes over half of the earth’s population.

Among the 10 largest standing armies in the world, 7 reside in the Indo-Pacific; and 6 countries in the region possess nuclear weapons. Nine of the world’s 10 busiest seaports are in the region, and 60 percent of global maritime trade transits through Asia, with roughly one-third of global shipping passing through the South China Sea alone.

The United States is a Pacific nation and has five Pacific states: Hawaii, California, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, as well as Pacific territories on both sides of the International Date Line, including: Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

The Report continues tomorrow.

Photo: Pixabay

Quick Analysis

Russia Expanding Aggression

President Putin is using more than one pathway to enter Europe and undermine the West. While most of the world watches the conflict he initiated in Ukraine, the Russian government is actively pursuing a second front in a little noticed campaign in Cyprus. Although the corrupt Cypriot government ended its issuance of “golden passports” in 2020, Russian intelligence is functioning quietly there to transform this EU country into a Russian beachhead of illicit economic activity aimed at penetrating the capitalist West, according to Paul Goble of the Jamestown Foundation. Cyprus is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) nor does it receive as much attention as those countries who are member states. That adds to its allure as a prime location for Russia to attempt to gain a European foothold. Last week a NATO report, cited in the European Daily Monitor, noted that Russian intelligence agents have been plotting to destroy European infrastructure across the continent to disrupt states supporting Ukraine. It further suggests that Putin’s immediate goal is to lay the framework for a future move against the security organization’s members. Hungary, in particular, is another country garnering Moscow’s attention as it opposes the Western response to Russian aggression. Russia is focusing its intelligence efforts on other European, non-NATO member countries in addition to Cyprus, including Austria, Malta, and Ireland. The NATO report suggests that Moscow has had success in disseminating the Russian political narrative in these states to advance its campaign against the West. The island of Cyprus is proving to be a good target for Moscow as it is an ethnically divided island that is part of the EU since 2004. Northern Cyprus, officially called the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a de facto state that is only recognized by Turkey. The division precludes it from joining NATO. As Goble suggests, “it offers Russia troubled waters in which to fish.” Over the last 20 years, he points out, Cyprus’ challenges have opened it to a massive influx of Russian citizens, who now comprise approximately 10 percent of the island state’s population. Over 2,900 residents are Russians who entered until the “golden passport” program that allowed wealthy or well-connected Russians to move to Cyprus. It also provided them with documentation to travel freely throughout Europe! Although less visible on the world’s radar than the war in Ukraine, Moscow is also being helped by Cyprus’ banks opposition to seizing Russian assets and its support in evading Western sanctions. Russia has placed tens of billions of US Dollars there for money laundering. It has been more than two years since a single Russian “diplomat” has been deported and, in fact, the Embassy has grown to over 300 staffers on this tiny island state of only 1.2 million people. The Russian embassy in Nicosia has advanced communications antennae on its roof and opened a consulate on the northern end of the island. Moscow’s Ambassador, Mura Zyazikov, is a lieutenant general in the FSB with no diplomatic experience. The FSB, SVR (Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service), and GRU are actively using the island as a base of operations against NATO Member states, Israel, and other Western allies. Moscow backs pro-Russian political parties who in turn influence Cypriot decisions on education, language, and other issues. “Dmitry Khmelnitsky of the Dossier Center says that its findings should be of concern not only to Cyprus but to the West as a whole. Those who ignore what Moscow is doing because Cyprus does not follow the EU sanctions regime are missing something critical,” says Goble. “Cyprus does not seek to get rid of Russian agents and does not interfere with their work,” Khmelnitsky concludes, “despite the fact that what the Kremlin is doing is so clearly visible.” This has an impact not only on the small island but on the EU, NATO, and the West in general. Earlier this year the Moscow Times reported that when the FBI became more interested in Russian business and oligarchs in Cyprus, at least 10 of the major Russian businesses operating there left. Despite the government of Cyprus’ vow to implement plans for new sanctions against Russia, it continues to ignore Putin’s atrocities in Ukraine and to shield the wealth of the 50,000 wealthy Russian citizens and oligarchs residing there. Daria Novak served in the U.S. State Dept. Illustration: Pixabay