Adm. Craig Faller, commander of U.S. Southern Command, claimed in Congressional testimony yesterday that China has become the leading threat in the region, taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic and increased lawlessness to impose its will on a growing number of countries. “I look at this hemisphere as the front line of competition,” Faller told the Senate Armed Services Committee, further describing Beijing’s efforts as a “full-court press,” reported VOA.
“I feel a sense of urgency,” he went on. “Our influence is eroding.” Faller’s testimony followed that of Adm. Philip Davidson, Indo-Pacific Command chief, during which he sounded like his testimony could have been written by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
VOA reports that earlier this month, Indo-Pacific Command’s top intelligence officer told a virtual conference that the United States was already getting “a taste” of what is allegedly likely to come. “You’re going to find a very global, expeditionary Chinese military that will be there to step in anywhere they think China’s interests are jeopardized,” said Navy Rear Adm. Michael Studeman.
Faller repeatedly described the Chinese “threat” as “insidious” because it’s so close to home. “Some examples include their pursuit of multiple port deals, loans for political leverage, vaccine diplomacy that undermines sovereignty, state surveillance, IT, and the exploitation of resources such as illegal unregulated and unreported fishing,” he told reporters at the Pentagon, following his testimony on Capitol Hill.
Faller claimed China’s coronavirus vaccine diplomacy is especially worrisome. “They are using the vaccines to leverage deals for their IT, their 5G,” he said in the hearing. “And they’re using it to try to drive a wedge between some nations like Taiwan and others in the region.”
