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Weekly Briefing: March 14Th

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Weekly Briefing: March 14Th South China Sea Intelligence Briefngs Weekly Briefing: March 14th At The Open Source Briefing, we remain committed to providing the public with ongoing developments around the globe. United States Author: Kevin O’Connell ​ ​ Courtesy of USNI News This week saw significant naval activity by the United States in the Indo-Pacific. On th th, March 8 -10​ the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and USS Russell (DDG-59) were ​ ​ spotted transiting through Indonesia and entering the Indian Ocean.[1] While making this ​ transit, the carrier strike group was escorted by the Indonesian Pari-class patrol boat KRI th Escolar (871). Also, on March 10 ,​ the USS John Finn (DDG-113) transited the Taiwan ​ Strait.[2] ​ The Open Source Briefing 1 ​ Courtesy of @n_morse9927 Following this operation, the USS John Finn (DDG-113) was observed operating in the vicinity of Taiwan's Orchid Island. Also spotted in the same satellite imagery were People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 052C destroyer Jinan (152) and what appears to be a PLAN Type 054A frigate. The range between the vessels at the time of the observation was approximately 5.2 nautical miles.[3] Taiwan's state-sponsored Central ​ News Agency confirmed the presence of USS John Finn (DDG-113) and PLAN Jinan (152) but made no mention of the third ship visible in the imagery.[4] ​ Courtesy of @duandang The Open Source Briefing 2 ​ At the strategic level, this week saw three noteworthy developments. First, on March th 10 ,​ at the end of a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the Biden administration's ​ foreign policy agenda, and while responding to a statement by Representative Young Kim (R-CA) on Taiwan's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Secretary of State (SecState) Antony Blinken said that Taiwan is "a country that can contribute to the world, not just its own people. COVID is a very good example of that."[5] Secretary of State Blinken's ​ reference to Taiwan as a country runs contrary to longstanding U.S. norms and will likely be met with displeasure in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Whether Blinken's reference marks a change in U.S. policy or was simply a slip of the tongue is unclear currently but bears monitoring. The second strategic development this week was the holding of the first Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) heads of state summit. While the meeting was virtual, this marks the first time that the leaders of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States have met as part of this forum. This meeting is further evidence that The Quad appears to be taking on an increasingly important role in Indo-Pacific security and diplomacy. The third strategic development this week is the beginning of Secretary of Defense (SecDef) Lloyd Austin's international tour of the Pacific. Secretary of Defense Austin will visit Hawaii, Japan, South Korea, and India in the coming days to meet with U.S. troops and senior government leaders. In Japan, SecDef Austin will join SecState Blinken and their Japanese counterparts in a 2+2 format meeting of the U.S. Japan Security Consultative Committee. In South Korea, SecDef Austin will again join SecState Blinken and their South Korean counterparts in a 2+2 format meeting of the U.S.-ROK Foreign and Defense Ministerial. Finally, in India, SecDef Austin will meet with the Indian Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh to discuss deepening the U.S.-India Major Defense Partnership.[6] ​ These bilateral ministerial meetings appear to represent the Biden administration's most significant effort to date to establish its brand of U.S. foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific. For those interested, SecDef Austin is traveling aboard an E-4B Nightwatch for the duration of the trip.[7] ​ China and Taiwan Author: Tad Unruh ​ ​ The week of Monday, March 8 to Sunday, March 14, was packed to the gills of activity in the South China Sea (SCS), political maneuvering, and solidifying alliances in Cross-Strait Indo-Pacific relations. Due to these events’ interconnected nature, the Taiwan and China portions of the SCS brief will be combined. Also, some sections have been reduced to bullet points to provide concise coverage of the week. The Open Source Briefing 3 ​ (Taiwan News) Monday, March 8 Starting Monday, OSINT researchers identified that the Longtian and Huian air force bases had renovated and expanded their airbases runways in Fujian Province, the SE coast of China.[1] This is not because of their proximity to Taiwan, with Longtian only 170km away and the Huian base only 190km.[2] Later that day, on the third day of the annual National People’s Congress, Chinese top Foreign Affairs Diplomat Wang Yi (王毅) explained to the National People’s Congress that the US must drop sanctions and restrictions from the Trump administration for relations to get back on track.[3] Other issues he raised were about Chinese “internal affairs” of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and the South China Sea. His comments about Taiwan explained that there was only “one China” and that Taiwan is “an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and it must be unified” because there is no room for compromise on the issue, with no room for concessions.”[4] Wednesday, March 10th The Observer Research Foundation, an independent Delhi-based think tank, released a report outlining the adverse effects that China’s actions have had on the SCS marine ecosystem. The policy brief explained that “through island construction, drilling activities, and overfishing,” the Chinese have destabilized the ecosystem. Among the most damaging activities are dredging and hydrofracking, depletion of fisheries through dangerous cyanide and dynamite fishing, destruction of coral reefs, and unsafe drilling practices.[5] The Open Source Briefing 4 ​ Thursday, March 11 Thursday saw the US Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113) conduct a freedom of navigation operation and Taiwan Strait transit.6 This is the third FONOP of 2021 and also of the Biden Presidency, “on Feb. 4 and Feb. 24, the USS John S. McCain and the USS Curtis Wilbur, both Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, sailed through the Taiwan Strait, marking the first two such passages since Biden took office on Jan. 20.”7 It became known later in the week that the Jinan, a People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 052C destroyer appeared nearby and shadowed the Finn through the strait but caused no issues.8 The news media has been abuzz about an announced meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Minister Wang Yi, and Yang Jiechi, China’s most senior foreign policy official in Alaska early next week.9 The meeting will consider several ongoing issues between the two countries, including sanctions, ongoing situations with Taiwan, Hong Kong, the SCS, Xinjiang, and others. It also bears mentioning that Sec. Blinken referred to Taiwan as a country in a House Foreign Affairs committee meeting on Wednesday.10 Saturday, March 13 (SCMP) On Saturday, at the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) meeting, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison talked virtually about many issues. However, the most pressing is China and its actions in the SCS, Taiwan, Indo-Pacific, and others.11 The Open Source Briefing 5 ​ In response, China began 3 days of military drills in the SCS, and next week’s briefing will cover the outcomes of these drills.12 Philippines Author: Bang Tongco ​ During the week, the Philippine Navy (PN) clarified that the government-to-government purchase of the Russo-Indian BrahMos anti-ship missile is the most ideal candidate for its Shore-based Anti-Ship Missile System. In coast guard developments, the Asia Pacific Defense Journal reported that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is seeking to purchase two additional 84-meter Gabriela Silang-class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). Meanwhile, the Philippine province of Palawan--whose jurisdiction covers Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in the Manila-claimed West Philippine Sea (WPS)--held a plebiscite to divide the province into three. Philippine state media on 10 March reported that PN Flag Officer-in-Command VAdm. Giovanni Bacordo clarified that the BrahMos supersonic missile was judged by a PN-led Technical Working Group to be the most ideal candidate for its Shore-based Anti-Ship Missile System [1]. Bacordo’s comments come a week after Manila signed an agreement to pave the way to purchase BrahMos missiles from New Delhi. Bacordo stated that the acquisition was part of the PN’s thrust to develop a credible defense posture but made no mention of the WPS. Bacordo disclosed that the acquisition is still pending the approval and funding of President Rodrigo Duterte. Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana previously revealed that the PN will only buy one battery equipped with three launchers alongside tracking and support systems. The anti-ship missile system is part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) Horizon 2 modernization program slated for completion by 2022 [1]. The Asia Pacific Defense Journal on 10 March reported that PCG Commandant Adm. George Ursabia announced that the Service intends to acquire two more Gabriela Silang-class OPVs from French shipbuilder OCEA [2]. Ursabia said that the OPVs will allow the PCG to extend its patrols further into Manila’s EEZ to conduct maritime patrols, search and rescue, and disaster response. Ursabia admitted that the BRP Gabriela Silang was not enough to patrol the vast EEZ, adding that the vessel was engaged in COVID-19 relief operations but has already conducted missions to the WPS since its arrival in April 2020 The Open Source Briefing 6 ​ [2].
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