The UK has condemned recent Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, with Defence Secretary John Healey criticising Beijing’s aggressive manoeuvres and calling for international efforts to ease tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
These remarks follow China’s latest military drills, which encircled Taiwan with warships and aircraft, heightening concerns among Western allies.
During a Commons session, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP raised the issue, noting the significance of the Indo-Pacific region in Britain’s strategic defence review. He said:
“In these particularly volatile times, I fully welcome the Government’s strategic defence review. I for one hope it will include serious analysis of the Indo-Pacific region, because many of us are very concerned about China’s recent launch of military drills around Taiwan. Will the Secretary of State use this opportunity to condemn those highly aggressive and intimidatory manoeuvres? What are the Government doing to work with international allies to de-escalate tensions?”
In response, John Healey affirmed Britain’s commitment to a thorough review of defence strategy in the Indo-Pacific, condemning China’s actions:
“I will indeed. My hon. Friend will know that our party went into the election committed to building on commitments the previous Government made on the Indo-Pacific. I want the strategic defence review to be not just the Government’s defence review, but Britain’s defence review. We are consulting military veterans, industry, academic experts, and all parties in this House.”
Healey also mentioned the importance of collaboration with international partners to maintain regional stability.
China’s drills, framed as a response to what it considers separatist movements in Taiwan, have sparked concerns globally. These exercises involved joint air and sea patrols, with the PLA simulating blockades and other military operations around the island. Taiwan’s Ministry of Defence condemned the drills as provocative, while Western nations, including the UK, have voiced apprehension over the rising military pressure.
Britain’s condemnation reflects its increasing focus on the Indo-Pacific region, as the UK seeks to build alliances and play a more significant role in ensuring peace and security in one of the world’s most strategically important areas.
“committed to building on commitments the previous Government made on the Indo-Pacific”
That sounds positive and thankfully far from NATO-first rhetoric!
I don’t think they themselves know where they stand from week to week.
Unless he is saying what he thinks people want to hear.
If I am wrong on that, and HMG mean it re the Indo Pacific, agree it sounds positive.
I wonder why HMG has done a U-turn. Reality biting?
Oh great! Britain to finally re-understand the importance of Naval might and commit to 50 skimmers, and 17 sun dodger vessels ordered immediately.
Oh. Here was I hoping for a different outcome.
Absolutely. You need more ships and subs and personnel to back all this “Indo-Pacific” talk up and needed yesterday! A few more T31s ordered right now to bulk up the RN wouldn’t break the bank! For a comparison the RAN here is planning 7-11 Corvettes and 6 LOSV’s but this is their neighbourhood. And a few more P-8s?
Something the article did not make clear, was the context of this “exercise” this was essentially in response to Taiwanese internal politics and a greater political movement to independence, with some very very robust statements around what will happen if Taiwan continued on the independence road and or if it responded to the blatant aggression of the exercise..as in statements that, “this is an exercise but we are ready to immediately transition to a war” and Taiwanese independence in is incompatible with peace…essentially china is working its way forward to invasion, once its a convinced political warfare will not bring Taiwan into the fold, its going to invade, possibly as Taiwan has stated is likely..juts transitioning strait from an exercise to war to gain strategic suprise.
I don’t fully understand why taiwan doesnt go hell for leather on militarising their population and economy?
Cost and reality, second being regardless how many people they could militarise and however much equipment they purchase China will still easily outnumber them on a considerable scale. Ultimately whats the point?
China is expanding its nuclear weapons count at quite a considerable rate, if/when they attack Taiwan and the US says its supporting them the nuclear argument will very quickly appear.
I take on board what your are saying.
Taiwan has a fairly decent sized population of around 23million. It really wouldnt take much cost to militarise a large proportion of the men on the island, and i think the cost to benefit ratio would be very worthwhile.
I do not see the harm in teaching everyman how to shoot, and giving every man a level of basic military training, even if its only say 4 weeks or what have you, and in providing suitable stocks are weaponry to support a very large active reserve.
As we have seen with russia and ukraine, if taiwan had say a strong reserve fighting force of 1million people this would seriously alter chinese calculations for an invasion. Using the very wooley 3:1 rule for attacking defenders, china would need to try and perform a contested landing with 3 million troops to beat such a force.
So that would be the point. Yes they can launch missiles at taiwan, but israel has shown how good an advanced anti missile shield can be.
And yes they can perform a blockage, but this is where submarines and allies can help significantly.
Other than that, what will china do? Nuke taiwan?
I would think it was a very very sensible policy in light of the current geopolitical climate.
An uncomfortable thought: Wonder whether the ChiComs are reassessing strategy re pace of Taiwan annexation in response to US political developments? In addition to military balance of power considerations, an intelligent opponent would seek to exploit any weaknesses resulting from chief rival’s internal political dissension. Originally believed this reasoning could be associated w/ 2028 US election cycle, but…🤔😳
Another #45 term means that the CCP can do whatever they want as NATO will be busy Supporting Ukraine without the USA.
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The only NATO member to invoke Article 5 was the USA (9/11) when everyone responded. So clearly NATO membership is the USA national interest.
Congress passed a law to prevent an Executive Order to exit NATO.
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NATO says the 2014 spending agreement is on track, so his alleged delinquency by Europe is just to trigger his supporters. Lies.
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So it’s in the national interest of the free world and Ukraine that convicted fraudster and rapist #45 is defeated by US voters in November 🇺🇸
Country before Party 🇺🇲
Democracy not dictatorship 💙
It seems your nation is apparently full of left wing insurgents, ready to violently try and seize power if Donald wins, so according to Donald it may be necessary to call out the army to prevent any civil disobedience from democrat supports….ironically his own supporters are good people who would not turn to violence protest…
I profoundly worry what will happen to your nation on and after the election. I actually had an interesting conversation on line with a Donald support who actually told me that the U.S. was not a democracy it was a republic and protecting democracy was not part of the U.S. constitution only protecting the republic….and he had little or no interest in protecting democracy, infact I would have very specifically classed that specific Republican voter as a Fascist in that all that mattered.
The voters choice is dictatorship or democracy so they must choose wisely.
Dictatorship means no further choice as he will do whatever he wants. That’s it, you’re done.
Project 2025 is a blueprint for the fascist dictatorship of #45 and an exercise in declared loyalty by 140 members of his first administration. He’s on record thanking them for it, though later denied it.
Democracy means another choice in four years and no regrets.
He’s a clear and present danger to US national security, so it is time for patriots to protect the Republic from all enemies, both foreign and domestic.
Vote 💙 for Democracy not dictatorship 🇺🇸
Much better Obama and Biden of course with its policy of wars and conflicts , it seems that “democrats” they Don,t forgive that in the Trump term there would be no wars.
Read an estimate that at one time there were ~300Mn (may be dated estimate) firearms owned by the American public. Would be a suicidal mission for an occupation army to attempt to suppress the population by force; however less than certain that a significant percentage of the population is incapable of forming circular firing squads, based upon recent trends. 🤔😳😱🤞☹️
I imagine the West and Taiwan are taking notes on all this as it’s all very revealing in its scale. China’s actions like this will come up more and more before regional forums like ASEAN, TPP, the UN as well as “unite nations” in response. It’s going to be interesting to see what other nations are okay with it and who’s against it.
I don’t think china give a toss about a sternly worded letter…
That’s right, they don’t. A nation barely capable of sustaining two coast guard boats in the Pacific is not a nation that the PRC will take seriously.
Probably didnt even open the email, why bother!