Cctv newsOn May 30th, local time, US Secretary of Defense james mathis announced that the US Pacific Command was officially renamed Indian Ocean-Pacific Command. At the same time, Philip Davidson, a four-star general of the US Navy, also took office on the same day, replacing retired Harris as the first commander of the Indo-Pacific Command and officially taking over the United States, the world’s largest war zone that spans half the world. It is also a name change and a coaching change. What is the intention of this intensive action in the United States?
Defense Minister Matisse presided over the handover ceremony.
On May 30, local time, the handover ceremony of the US "India-Pacific Command" was held in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The ceremony was presided over by US Secretary of Defense Matisse, and the first commander Philip Davidson and other US naval officials attended. In addition to announcing the official name change, Matisse also clearly declared that the name change was due to the growing ties between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, which symbolized the determination and commitment of the United States to the Indian Ocean-Pacific region.
News link: US Indian Ocean-Pacific Command
In the global military strategy of the United States, the Indo-Pacific Command plays an important role. The U.S. Pacific Command is one of the six major U.S. theater commands in the world, and it is also the largest one. The headquarters of the Indo-Pacific Command is located in Hawaii. Its predecessor, Pacific Command, is the earliest, largest and most extensive joint operations command of the US military. It has nearly 375,000 soldiers and civilians, and the Pacific Fleet alone has 130,000 troops and about 200 ships and nearly 1,100 aircraft including five aircraft carrier battle groups.
Davidson, the first commander, once said "brush existence"
It is widely speculated that the position of the first commander Davidson may be tougher than that of his predecessor. Because before, when Davidson appointed the hearing, he openly expressed the desire of the United States for influence in the Indian Ocean and Pacific region.
Davidson, 58, the first commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, served in the U.S. surface naval forces for a long time. Earlier, when attending the appointment hearing in the Senate, Davidson said that after taking office, the US military presence in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific region will be adjusted, and the priorities include strengthening the US military deployment in the region, arms upgrading, operational preparation, and power projection.
According to American media reports, Davidson believes that the troops deployed in the forefront of the Indo-Pacific region and the rotation troops are insufficient, and the current force structure and deployment situation are "not enough to deal with the threats in the Indo-Pacific region." He also claimed that the US military should continue to be committed to equipping a new generation of weapons, such as long-range hypersonic weapons. Observers believe that Davidson’s position may be tougher than that of Harry Harris, the former commander of the Pacific Command, who is regarded as the "hawk" of the US military’s Asia-Pacific policy.
News link: The concept of "Indo-Pacific" made by the US has a long history.
In fact, the idea of the United States relocating the so-called "Indian Ocean-Pacific" war zone has a long history.
In October last year, Tillerson, then US Secretary of State, repeatedly replaced the word "Asia-Pacific" with "Indo-Pacific" in public, and declared that the United States needed to strengthen cooperation with all parties in the region; In November last year, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit held in Da Nang, Vietnam, the word "Indian Ocean-Pacific" almost became one of the most important keywords in his speech. In many subsequent public occasions, senior officials of the US government frequently used the so-called "Indo-Pacific" concept.
At the same time, not long ago, according to the website of the US Military Times, the Armed Services Committee of the US House of Representatives stressed in a 15-page outline of the 2019 National Defense Act that it is necessary to "pass the so-called ‘ Indian Ocean-Pacific Stability Plan ’ Provide funds for the Ministry of National Defense to plan and provide necessary troops, military infrastructure and logistics capabilities in the region. The bill also calls for enhancing "awareness of maritime safety and marine areas in the Indian Ocean".
At the same time, not long ago, according to the website of the US Military Times, the Armed Services Committee of the US House of Representatives stressed in a 15-page outline of the 2019 National Defense Act that it is necessary to "pass the so-called ‘ Indian Ocean-Pacific Stability Plan ’ Provide funds for the Ministry of National Defense to plan and provide necessary troops, military infrastructure and logistics capabilities in the region. The bill also calls for enhancing "awareness of maritime safety and marine areas in the Indian Ocean".
Foreign Ministry of China: The United States should exist in the Asia-Pacific region in a responsible manner.
At the regular press conference of China’s Foreign Ministry yesterday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying also responded that no matter how the name is changed or called, the United States should exist in the Asia-Pacific region in a responsible manner and play a constructive role in regional peace and stability.