Britain’s foreign and defense secretaries, Dominic Raab and Ben Wallace, and their Japanese counterparts, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, announced “a new era for U.K.-Japan defense and security cooperation.” They agreed that “Japan and the U.K. are each other’s closest security partners in Asia and Europe, respectively.” The message to China could not be more clear. Like the earlier alliance, the new arrangement includes, but is not limited to, a major maritime component. Indeed, the first manifestation of the new partnership will be the deployment of the British aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth to East Asia and the South China Sea. Britain has participated in Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS, in military jargon) in the South China Sea, and the British Army has trained with Japanese forces in Japan. Nevertheless, the arrival of the Queen Elizabeth and the prospect of joint Anglo-Japanese air and sea operations will mark a quantum leap in Britain’s commitment to maintaining stability in that troubled area. Not surprisingly, China has reacted to Britain’s planned deployment with unbridled vituperation. For its part, the growing British security involvement in East Asia no doubt is due not only to the growing Chinese threat to regional security, but also in response to Beijing’s blatant disregard of the 1984 Joint Declaration with London that provided for the preservation of Hong Kong’s separate identity within China. Again, as with the earlier alliance, Britain and Japan will not limit themselves to joint military exercises. In a further response to Chinese aggressiveness — as well as North Korean ship-to-ship transfers of nuclear and other restricted technologies and systems — the Royal Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Forces agreed to share their maritime reconnaissance findings, termed “maritime domain awareness.” Moreover, the two countries are planning other collaborative efforts, including on the F-35 program. Both London and Tokyo have committed to acquire the American fighter jet, and American F-35s will deploy on the Queen Elizabeth.... https://thehill.com/opinion/nationa...-is-back-in-asia-sending-a-message-to-beijing This is a very long description analysis of a potentially major event in Eurasia. This is very good news for the United States and our allies in Asia and near it. The UK/Japan arrangement is a precursor for more economic and military cooperation efforts. It’s a very long read but well worth it.
It seems that now that it’s free from the EU that the UK is reasserting itself in the world. Trade with the other five eyes nations, SE Asia and its commonwealth and reorientation of its military to secure such trade as well as to back military alliances in it and our interest. The UK largely blames China for covid, has followed the rest of the major English speaking world in limiting Chinese telecoms in 5G issues, and is unhappy with Chinese reneging on their Hong Kong treaty. This is great news.
We've already passed the point of no return with China. They can take their Winnie the Pooh mascot and **** off.
We need to limit hostilities with them to trade and a Cold War. They are the new evil empire of our time. We need to remember peace through strength to keep it cold and to dissuade them from attacking the Republic of China.
70% of our automotive computer chips are made in Taiwan. Hopefully we aren't in the same boat for our computer chips that our military depends on, but, if that's the case, the Free World needs to mass naval assets around Taiwan until we can get our critical military chip manufacturing infrastructure moved onto the continental United States. China is evil on many fronts and all need to be guarded against CHINA CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO SET DICTATORIAL RULES FOR THE INTERNET: China’s Dystopian “New IP” Plan Shows Need for Renewed US Commitment to Internet Governance.
We definitely need to protect Taiwan for the reasons you mentioned too and you are right about 6G too. I’m sure our big tech social media support China on this, the traitors that they are.
The title of this thread actually made me laugh. My nation, which once relied heavily on Britian for its defence, realized Britain was all but irrelevant to Asia back in the 40s. Even an Anglophile PM who declared himself 'British to the boostraps' understood that by the early 50s. Britain hasn't had a military presence in the region worth mentioning in 50 years. Guess some Americans are slow in getting the message. Back in the early 80s Margaret Thatcher, full of bluster from beating up Argentina, breezed into Beijing determined to negotiate an agreement on Hong Kong favourable to the UK. Deng Xiaoping very publically snubbed her for days. On the last day she was in town he had a brief meeting with her in which he made it clear that HK was returning to China in 1997 whether Britain agreed to it or not. This was at a time when the Chinese military was a shambles. China knew how irrelevant the UK was 40 years ago. Nothing Britain is capable of doing will make any difference against Chinese power. Britain can barely maintain a credible military presence in the Atlantic/Europe. Nothing it can do the the Asia/Pacific is worth a cup of dirt.
Covid will not be a factor - it will pass and business as usual will resume - 5G is no suprize as UK and US are always in sync on such things. The real player to watch is the EU.
It’s not going to be going solo there. They will be augmenting other more local powers as the article states and working in concert with allies there. The deal with Japan is good and their joining the Quad is good too. The USA appreciates the support as well.
The EU has been treated rather shabbily by China on a host of issues. They are largely avoiding China on 5G issues as well. The western democracies will not be split into opposing sides over China.
Last I checked EU was going ahead full steam on 5G -and Huawei is involved. I find your second claim unsupported by the evidence .. Italy signed onto the Belt and Road Initiative - Nordstream 2 is a go - and they are game to help the rebuilding of Syria- Iraq - Iran - The Geopolitical Chessboard has changed .. and everyone is everyone's competition in many respects. Trump really blew the Trade war with China - that was a big disaster.
How Trump won over Europe on 5G, cutting China out A growing number of European countries have banned or reduced the Asian superpower’s involvement in their next-generation telecoms networks While foreign allies have resisted many Trump-era policy objectives, the anti-China 5G push is likely to continue under Biden https://www.scmp.com/news/world/uni...ow-trump-won-over-europe-5g-cutting-china-out
Yes, I understood that Britain wasn't going alone. So what? Britain has nothing of worth to contribute militarily. Is Britain really going to send significant naval support to Japan, the US & India in the event of conflict? Of course not. We know it. China knows it. Everyone knows it. I'm sure that if the Falkands was run again Britain would do just fine, but Singapore would hand them their heads on a plate. The diplomatic support is fine, but similarly insignificant. Every extra voice is welcome, but this is 2021, Britain doesn't matter in this part of the world. Britain barely matters anywhere. Post-EU Britain is trying to puff out its chest and look important. It is all a bit sad. If you want to post articles about serious EU pressure on China then I'll happily applaud, but this is some sad theatrics from a nation that lost its global reach before virtually everyone on this board was born.
You should read the articles you post - and vet them to see if the article actually says what the Title Purports .. and in this case - it simply does not .. The only nations that have banned Huawei - according to your article - are a few Eastern European nations - who don't count. Further - It is not like Trump was a complete failure - he did have some win's - but Huawei is just a small example of how Trump completely botched the Trade war with China (not near as many nations signed on as we would have liked) Trump's declared economic war on the world - via forcing all other nations to abide by his unilateral Iran sanctions - usurping their sovereignty - at the same time he was having the Trade war with China. This was an massive blunder. - a war on all fronts.
