Taipei: The United States' recent military activities in the Indo-Pacific region are aimed at deterring China, two analysts from a Taiwanese military-backed think tank told CNA. The U.S. military exercises in the Indo-Pacific in recent years are clearly directed at China, said Shu Hsiao-huang, an associate research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR), a Taipei-based think tank supported by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense.
According to Focus Taiwan, the U.S. has developed new military operational concepts in response to China's military expansion and potential military actions in the Indo-Pacific, such as the Marine's Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). The Marine Corps website describes the EABO as involving the deployment of naval expeditionary forces from various locations ashore or inshore within contested or potentially contested maritime areas to conduct sea denial, support sea control, or enable fleet sustainment.
Shu noted that in addition to the U.S. forces stationed in Japan, its deployments in South Korea have also shifted focus to counter China. These developments indicate that the U.S. strategic deployment is concentrated on addressing potential threats from China and possible People's Liberation Army actions in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China seas.
Shu's comments followed U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's emphasis on the Pentagon's efforts to "reestablish deterrence" in the Indo-Pacific region while strengthening cooperation with allies during his visits to Japan and the Philippines last week. Additionally, the Washington Post reported in March that a secret interim internal guidance memo signed by Hegseth urged the U.S. military to prioritize deterring a Chinese takeover of Taiwan.
Su Tzu-yun, director of INDSR's division of defense strategy and resources, said U.S. President Donald Trump has placed less emphasis on Europe since returning to office in January, focusing American resources on the Indo-Pacific region. Su argued that the U.S. military is preparing for potential Chinese maneuvers in 2027 and emphasized that Taiwan must also enhance its defense capabilities to counter the PLA's military advantage.
Su referred to warnings by some American officials that China aims to be militarily capable of taking Taiwan by force by 2027, although Chinese officials have not stated this. Beijing has never ruled out the use of force against Taiwan, despite its stated goal of "peacefully unifying" Taiwan.