The Iran Marine Industrial Company is repairing a Russian ship that crashed into ice on the Volga River and is joining China in helping Russia dredge the Volga-Caspian Seaway Canal, further strengthening the emerging Moscow-Tehran axis, integrating Iran into the Russian-Chinese alliance, and threatening Ukraine. The involvement of China and Iran in the dredging project benefits Moscow’s ability to address bottlenecks, while allowing larger naval vessels from Russia’s Caspian Flotilla to transit to the Sea of Azov. The move will also counter Western influence and integrate Iran into the Russian-Chinese alliance in the military and economic spheres. The Kremlin’s decision to involve Iran in the dredging project will give Russia the advanced ability to project force westward more quickly. The author of the article is Paul Goble and it was published in Eurasia Daily Monitor and the Jamestown Foundation.
South China Sea – Chinese Fighter Jet Intercepted
A CNN crew aboard a US Navy reconnaissance jet witnessed a Chinese fighter jet intercepting their plane over the South China Sea. The Chinese fighter jet was so close that the CNN crew could see the pilots turning their heads to look at them. The Chinese fighter jet armed with air-to-air missiles escorted the US plane for 15 minutes before turning away. The incident reveals the tensions simmering between the US and China in the South China Sea. China claims historic jurisdiction over almost the entirety of the South China Sea, which is a major potential flashpoint in the Asia Pacific. Islands in the South China Sea, like the Paracels near which the US Navy plane was intercepted, are the subject of overlapping territorial claims from China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
US Navy Can’t Keep Up says Carlos Del Toro
According to CNN, the head of the US Navy, Carlos Del Toro, has stated that China has a significant advantage over the US navy in terms of shipbuilding capacity and fleet size, which they are using to project their power across oceans. He added that China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy could be fielding up to 400 ships in the coming years, compared to the US fleet, which currently sits at under 300 ships. Del Toro said that the US needs a larger and more modern fleet to meet the threat, but US naval shipyards cannot match the output of Chinese ones. Furthermore, he claimed that China has a numerical advantage in terms of workers due to the country being free of the restrictions, regulations, and economic pressures that affect labor in the US, and added that China uses slave labor in building their ships, which gives them a significant advantage. However, analysts express doubt about such a claim, as China has a large pool of available manpower and would not resort to using slave labor in a high-tech sector vital to its national security. Despite these challenges, Del Toro noted that the US still has an inherent advantage over China, which is its people, whom he believes are better-trained and have the ability to think more critically. The US Navy has taken steps to address the gap with China, including assigning more of its fleet to the Pacific and using newer and more capable ships in Pacific roles, according to a US Congressional Research Service report from November said CNN.
China Announces Naval Exercises with Russia and South Africa
Bloomberg news reported on February 19, 2023, that China has announced plans to hold naval exercises with Russia and South Africa from February 20-27. The drills, which will involve a destroyer, a frigate, and a supply vessel, are intended to protect maritime economic activities and promote defense and security cooperation among BRICS members. The exercises will take place off the coasts of Durban and Richards Bay in South Africa. This announcement comes amid US warnings to China against providing lethal aid to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken claiming that the US has information suggesting China may be considering.
China’s Support for Russia
US officials have warned allies at the Munich Security Conference that China may be increasing its support for Russia’s military according to press reports from CNN. The officials, who remain anonymous, have reported seeing “disturbing” trendlines indicating China wants to provide lethal military aid to Russia without being caught. They did not provide specific details but stated that the US has been concerned enough to share the intelligence with its allies. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly raised the issue with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, during a meeting at the conference according to the news.
“China Blindness” says Commander of Office of Naval Intelligence says News Reports
Rear Adm. Mike Studeman, the commander of the Office of Naval Intelligence, has criticized the “China blindness” of most Americans in understanding the threat posed by China. Speaking at the West 2023 conference in San Diego according published accounts from Justin Katz, BreakingDeadefense.com. Reports also quoting Studeman “blamed the problem on a “knowledge crisis,” but also accused the Pentagon of overclassifying information”. The admiral also addressed the issue of the US policy on Taiwan, saying that the country should maintain its policy of “strategic ambiguity” regarding the possibility of military intervention in the event of a Chinese invasion. The comments came in the wake of the Chinese government deploying a high-altitude balloon over US airspace.