The U.S.-China relationship has never been better than it is now! After Heggset said this on the spot, the defense ministers of Japan, the Philippines, and Australia looked at each other in bewilderment!
During the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting in Malaysia, U.S. Defense Secretary Heggset was discussing with Japan, the Philippines, and Australia about deterring China, while praising that the U.S.-China relationship is at its best in history. Obviously, this ambiguous attitude left the defense ministers of these three countries very confused.
In the subsequent group photo of the four countries, these three defense ministers seemed to look at each other in confusion and were at a loss. If the U.S.-China relationship quickly approaches, where would these three countries be placed? It seems they have been sold out by the United States, yet they are still helping the United States count the money.
Heggset's words and actions seem contradictory, but actually reflect America's parallel strategy in the Asia-Pacific region — maintaining direct communication and contact with China while building a deterrence network through the alliance system. This way, if a conflict arises, the allies will be put in front, and when the relationship needs to be eased, the United States will step in to take the benefits.
It must be said that this move is perfectly executed. However, America's dual-track strategy has caused complex reactions in the Asia-Pacific region.
Japan and the Philippines have significantly accelerated their defense cooperation in recent years. Japan has provided advanced equipment to the Philippines, including the "Hai Xun-3000" class patrol ships and the FCS-3A phased array radar system. It seems that Japan and the Philippines feel that the United States is unreliable and have started to form a group to keep warm.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1847642446255114/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.