INDOPACOM urges preparedness vs China's expanding claims in Indo-Pacific

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — The United States and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region should remain prepared to counter the People's Republic of China's "increasingly intrusive and expansionist claims."

This was stressed by Admiral Samuel Paparo, newly-installed commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) during Friday's change of command ceremony at the Joint Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Honolulu, Hawaii.

"Our world faces a complex problem set in the troubling actions of the People’s Republic of China and its rapid build up of force," said Paparo, who succeeded outgoing INDOPACOM Commander Admiral John Aquilino.

"We must be ready to answer PRC’s increasingly intrusive and expansionist claims in the Indo-Pacific Region," he added.

He made the remarks following Tuesday's confrontation between the Philippines and China in the Scarborough Shoal, where the former used a water cannon at the latter vessels, enough to cause a significant damage both on the ships and its crew members.

Paparo stressed that the INDOPACOM is geared up to protect the interests of the United States and allies in the Indo-Pacific region against China.

"INDOPACOM, together with its partners is positioned to deny and defend against attempts to break the peace accorded by international rules-based order," he said.

"With this enduring task, the United States and our allies and our partners will uphold stable and open international system that’s been a pillar of global security and well being for nearly a century," he added.

He made the declaration before the attendees composed of defense chiefs from various countries, including Armed Forces of the Philippines' Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr.

"We’ll confidently act on all challenges that threaten the goals required to achieve mission success," he stressed.

During his speech, Paparo mentioned Brawner's name several times as he cited the latter's term to define China's actions in the Indo-Pacific region.

"Some call it the 'grey zone.' My friend General Brawner from the Republic of the Philippines has a phrase called 'ICaD' and he has renamed the grey zone otherwise benign and dull into ICaD which is Illegal, Coercive, Aggressive, and Deceptive," he said.

"This demonstrates the wisdom of our allies and partners," he added.

Other threats to Indo-Pacific region

Aside from China's expansionist claims in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Philippines' West Philippine Sea, Paparo also said the INDOPACOM will work with its allies against threats to peace, stability and order in the region.

"We will work in concert with allies and partners and teammates to preserve the free and open Indo-Pacific itself, a phrase coined by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe," he said.

"We will safeguard the international order characterized by transparency, cooperation, and fair competition and the rule of law," he added.

Paparo said the US will undertake these actions to maintain peace and security in the region while safeguarding sovereign rights.

"We'll bring all to bear in all domains harnessing and integrating capabilities supporting partnerships to maintain peace and security while safeguarding sovereign rights," he said.

Make no mistake

In an apparent warning to China, Paparo said the US and its allies in region would "strive for the peaceful resolution of any crisis or conflict but make no mistake."

"[W]e will be ready to fight any adversary that threatens the peace, security and well-being of the nation and all our allies and partners," he said.

The INDOPACOM, based in Honolulu in Hawaii, is one of six geographic combatant commands by the US defense department's Unified Command Plan.

As a geographic combatant command, INDOPACOM is in charge of using and integrating United States Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps forces within the USINDOPACOM area of responsibility to achieve its national security objectives while protecting national interests.