Resuming patrols, Trump administration clears doubts in the East Sea

The first patrol in the East Sea since US President Donald Trump took office shows that Washington has not abandoned its interests in Asia as previously suspected.

The US dispatched ships to patrol the East Sea to affirm its determination to protect international law. Photo: USS Navy.

The US Navy destroyer USS Dewey was dispatched on May 24.patrolled within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, in an operation known as freedom of navigation operations (FONOP).This is the country's first patrol in the East Sea since October last year.

Vanh Khanh Reef is one of seven reefs in Vietnam's Truong Sa archipelago that China has illegally built into artificial islands."The patrol shows that President Trump's administration cannot go against the previous policy that the Barack Obama administration has put forth, affirming that America's position is not easy to abandon, and that America's strategic interests in the Asia-Pacific region are still maintained," Master Hoang Viet, Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, toldVnExpresson the message Washington delivered.

According to Mr. Viet,This American activityhas removed doubts about the US President's East Sea policy, afteras observers say the US is becoming closer to China to contain North Korea.

"This event proves that the US-China relationship has uncompromising issues," Mr. Viet said, referring to the East Sea issue in the interaction between the two powers.

The US Department of Defense explains,FONOPs represent a “challenge to excessive maritime claims.” Operations must take place within 12 nautical miles of an island or feature to legally constitute a freedom of navigation patrol.Master Hoang Viet emphasized that the US policy in the East Sea is to always require relevant parties to respect international law.

Professor James Holmes, of the US Naval War College, said the patrol appeared to be President Trump's response to outside doubts, including his agreement with China to restrain North Korea. He also saidHe expressed confidence that the US would not "side with China" and trade off the interests of Washington and countries in Southeast Asia.

“If China believes it has a friend in Washington, I think Beijing will be disappointed,” Mr. Holmes said.

Major General Le Van Cuong, former Director of the Institute of Strategy, Ministry of Public Security, said.China has illegally occupied Mischief Reef since 1995 and no country recognizes Beijing's so-called sovereignty there.

"Therefore, the US sending warships to innocently pass through the Scarborough Shoal is a normal action, aiming to send a signal to China that Washington does not recognize what Beijing calls sovereignty," General Cuong said.

Affirming that the East Sea is a sea of ​​strategic significance,Senior Lieutenant General Vo Tien Trung, former director of the National Defense Academy, said the patrol may have been aimed at dispelling suspicions thatPresident Trump is only proficient in economics, has no political or military experience, so this may be an action to prove the opposite.

Beware of China's reaction

Ms. Bonnie Glaser, senior advisor on Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), assessed that this is the right time for the US to conduct maritime patrols in the East Sea.Two months have passed since US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met inMar-a-Lago, Beijing must have appreciated that Washington did not conduct patrols immediately before or after that summit. ButCurrently, US-China relations are stabilizing, so they are not surprised about theUS resumes freedom of navigation patrols in the East Sea.

“They absolutely knew the Trump administration was going to continue that practice,” Ms. Glaser said.

CSIS experts noted that US Defense Secretary James Mattis would certainly face criticism at the Shangri-la Dialogue in early June in Singapore if Washington did not conduct patrols in the East Sea.

Although he reiterated the view that the freedom of navigation patrol took place long after President Trump took office, heBill Hayton, Chatham House, UK, stressed the importance of the event in ensuring international law.

"The international arbitration court's ruling held that Mischief Reef is an above-low-tide feature with no territorial sea. That means the US can carry out innocent activities within 12 nautical miles of it," said Mr. Hayton.

Colonel Pham Tan, captain of Vietnam's first submarine, said a military ship operating at sea is the presence of a nation with a national flag and officers and sailors.The patrols can be understood as a deterrent action by the US to neutralize China's unreasonable sovereignty claims. While operating in the East Sea, US ships may also collect intelligence.

Mr. Tan said that it would be difficult for China to have strong reactions because firing warning shots or shooting at warships of other countries is an action that can lead to dangerous consequences.

HoweverMajor General Le Van Cuong saidThe concern now is whether the US action will anger China and Beijing's subsequent reactions could increase tensions.

According to VNE