5-5-2024 (MANILA) In a resolute stance against China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region, the newly appointed chief of the US forces in the area has pledged preparedness to counter Beijing’s “increasingly intrusive and expansionist claims.” Admiral Samuel Paparo, who assumed command of the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) in a ceremonial transition on Friday, minced no words in characterizing China’s actions as “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive.”
“We must be ready to answer the People’s Republic of China’s increasingly intrusive and expansionist claims in the Indo-Pacific Region,” Paparo declared during the change of command ceremony held at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Borrowing a poignant description from Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., who coined the acronym “ICAD,” Paparo underscored the gravity of the situation.
“My friend Gen. Brawner from the Republic of the Philippines has a phrase called ICAD, and he has renamed gray zone, otherwise benign and dull, into ICAD which is illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive,” Paparo stated, asserting that Russia, North Korea, and violent extremist organizations, which “threaten peace, stability and order,” fall into the same category.
With hundreds of military top brass and officials bearing witness, including Brawner himself, Paparo vowed that INDOPACOM, together with its partners, is poised to deny any attempts to disrupt the peace maintained by the international rules-based order.
Describing China’s actions, including its rapid military buildup, as “troubling,” Paparo affirmed that the US and its allies would continue to uphold stability and order in the region. “We will safeguard the international order characterized by transparency, cooperation and fair competition and the rule of law,” he declared.
While focusing on peaceful crisis resolution, Paparo left no doubt about the command’s resolve to confront threats head-on. “But make no mistake, we will be ready to fight any adversary that threatens the peace, security and well-being of the nation and all our allies and partners,” he asserted.
Paparo succeeded Adm. John Aquilino, who retired after 40 years in the US Navy. Both are esteemed Top Gun fighter pilots, underscoring the command’s commitment to aerial superiority.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III, who presided over the ceremonial transition, commended Aquilino for leading INDOPACOM during a pivotal period for the US military in the region. He praised Aquilino’s efforts to bolster the Guam Defense System, expedite the delivery of critical capabilities to warfighters, and deepen partnerships with regional allies.
“In the Philippines, we’ve expanded US access to four new sites under our Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement,” Austin highlighted, acknowledging the strengthening of ties with a key ally in the region.
Addressing China’s concerning behavior, Austin stated, “Unfortunately, the People’s Republic of China continues to engage in increasingly coercive behavior. And we can see that across the Taiwan Strait, in the East and South China Seas, among the Pacific Island countries, along the Line of Actual Control with India, and more.”
