Pentagon flags China’s ‘increasingly risky and coercive’ activities in Asia

Singapore

The United States on Sunday flagged China's "increasingly risky and coercive activities" in Asia. The Pentagon expressed the concern in the wake of recent acts of Chinese territorial assertions in its neighbourhood.

"We remain concerned about the PLA's increasingly risky and coercive activities in the region, including in recent days," said Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder, who is with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at a security conference in Singapore.

Meanwhile, the Chinese defence minister warned against establishing NATO-like military alliances in what he referred to as Asia-Pacific, saying they would plunge the region into a "whirlpool" of conflict.

The Chinese side incorrectly referred to the Indo-Pacific region as 'Asia Pacific'.

Li Shangfu's comments came a day after US and Chinese military vessels sailed close to each other in the flashpoint Taiwan Strait, an incident that provoked anger from both sides.

"Attempts to push for NATO-like (alliances) in the Asia-Pacific is a way of kidnapping regional countries and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations," Li said at Shangri La conference in Singapore also attended by US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.

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Li said these alliances would "plunge the Asia-Pacific into a whirlpool of disputes and conflicts".

The United States is a member of the AUKUS alliance, which groups it with Australia and Britain.

Washington is also a member of the QUAD group, which includes Australia, India and Japan.

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"Today's Asia-Pacific needs open and inclusive cooperation, not buddying up into small cliques," Li said at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit.

"We must not forget the severe disasters brought by the two world wars to peoples of all countries, and we must not allow such tragic history to repeat itself."

(With inputs from agencies)

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