[New Tang Dynasty Beijing time, March 02, 2023]On February 28, Thailand and the United States launched the annual “Cobra Gold” joint military exercise. This military exercise brought together officers and soldiers from more than 30 countries, including about 6,000 Americans. Soldiers, the largest number of people participating in the U.S. military in 10 years.
The CCP continues to expand in the South China Sea and invade Taiwan more frequently, and the situation in the Indo-Pacific region is becoming increasingly tense.
On February 28, the “Cobra Gold” joint military exercise, known as the largest in Southeast Asia, officially started in eastern Thailand.
General John Aquino, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command: “Through Cobra Gold, we will demonstrate our determination to jointly respond to and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific region to ensure that countries in the region can maintain peace, stability and prosperity.”
Su Ziyun, director of the Institute of Strategy and Resources of the Taiwan National Defense Security Research Institute: “First, it draws the big frame and the bottom line, that is, prevents the use of force to change the status quo. This is the bottom line. So when the bottom line is met Strengthen military deployment in the Pacific Ocean, as well as the cooperation of allies. At the same time, in the Indian Ocean, it has scaled up the Cobra exercise, which means uniting the countries in the Indian Ocean.”
The joint military exercise hosted by the United States and Thailand has attracted more than 7,000 soldiers from 30 countries this year, including about 6,000 American soldiers.
Admiral John Aquino: “Approximately 6,000 U.S. service members will participate in this year’s Cobra Gold exercise, which includes fifth-generation fighter jets, amphibious assault and air combat programs, and special operations forces. road space to carry out integrated joint operations.”
Su Ziyun: “These 30 countries, I think the United States has brought in relevant countries related to regional security, that is, when the Indian Ocean countries have troubles, it will support the countries in the Pacific direction, so we see that including Singapore Countries are getting involved, and I think it’s kind of becoming an Indo-Pacific version of NATO’s warm-up.”
In addition to sea, land, air, and networks, this military exercise is the first to involve space operations.
Su Ziyun: “The first reason for the space security exercise is that the CCP is already the second largest space country in the world. Under such circumstances, the CCP uses space structures to influence countries including Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean, that is, it The so-called “One Belt, One Road”, space will provide such services as communication and positioning. During wartime, these will become auxiliary tools used by the CCP’s armed forces. Therefore, under this background, the United States gradually strengthens the space cooperation of its allies. defensive ability.”
The new space exercise this year focuses on understanding the impact of aerial phenomena such as solar storms on military operations, communications and satellites, according to a statement from the U.S. embassy in Thailand.
He Chenghui: “It can be seen that this exercise has surpassed the content of the traditional response in the past, and it also heralds the readjustment of the United States‘ goals for strategic threats. We can also see that the United States has realized that the biggest challenge to the international security order in the future , come from the external expansion of revisionist countries and the destruction of the existing security status quo of the international order, and such challenges are comprehensive.”
The exercise consists of three parts, namely field training, command post staff exercises, and disaster relief and humanitarian exercises.
Field training will include an amphibious exercise, a strategic airborne operation, non-combatant evacuation and a combined arms live-fire exercise. The command post exercise will, for the first time, provide training on how to respond to a possible space disaster.
He Chenghui, deputy secretary-general of the Taiwan Security Association: “Although this exercise is a traditional exercise between the United States and Thailand, judging from the content and scale, it can be seen that the United States attaches great importance to the Indo-Pacific region and its As for the improvement of defense in the Indo-Pacific region. Especially the content here involves not only traditional military exercises, but also humanitarian assistance. It can be seen that the United States has indeed started to have problems with the Indo-Pacific region. Be prepared.”
Since its launch in 1982, the “Cobra Gold Exercise” is one of the longest-running multilateral military exercises in the world. It has become an important platform for the United States to strengthen its alliance with Asian countries under the competition between the United States and China. This year’s exercise began on February 28 and will run until March 10.
Editing/Interview with Meng Xinqi/Easy Ru post-production/Tony