[International] US Military Reverts Pacific Command to Old Name, Indo-Pacific Strategy Draws Attention
bellala 央廣5h ago
The U.S. Department of War announced on the 16th that the "U.S. Indo-Pacific Command" has reverted to its old name, "U.S. Pacific Command." Although officials emphasize that the mission and area of responsibility remain unchanged, "Indo-Pacific" is strategic language used by the U.S. in recent years to cooperate with India and allies in response to China's regional influence, and the name change has subsequently drawn attention.
The U.S. Pacific Command was established in 1947 and is headquartered in Hawaii. It is one of the oldest and largest joint combatant commands in the U.S. military, with a jurisdiction covering half the globe and 38 countries: from the waters off the west coast of the United States westward across the Pacific Ocean to the western border of India.
On May 30, 2018, during Trump's first term, then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis announced at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, that the "U.S. Pacific Command" would be renamed the "U.S. Indo-Pacific Command."
He said at the time that this was to reflect the "increasingly close connection" between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, stating that the U.S. strategic vision was "focused westward."
Reuters interpreted at the time that the name change highlighted India's increased importance to the Pentagon. U.S. official strategic documents also use "Indo-Pacific" as a policy framework, encompassing allied cooperation and regional security competition, extending from the Indian Ocean to the west coast of the United States.
The most obvious example is the "Quad" (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue), a regional cooperation platform established between the United States, Japan, India, and Australia. After the Biden administration took office in 2021, the Quad was upgraded to a leaders' summit, with the leaders of the four countries declaring their commitment to promoting a "free and open Indo-Pacific."
The Biden administration's 2022 "Indo-Pacific Strategy" also explicitly states its intention to support India's continued rise and regional leadership role, positioning the Quad as an important regional cooperation framework.
"Indo-Pacific" reflects the U.S. strategy towards Asia at the time: on one hand, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean are viewed as interconnected security spaces, with India's strategic role rising; on the other hand, China is expanding its influence in the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean, and through the "Belt and Road Initiative." The U.S. also uses "free and open Indo-Pacific" as policy language to respond to China's military and economic pressure.
In its 2017 "National Security Strategy," the Trump administration pointed out that China was attempting to replace the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific region and reshape the regional order. When Mattis announced the name change in 2018, he also said that the Indo-Pacific region should not be bound by any country's "predatory economic or coercive threats," referring to China's "Belt and Road Initiative."
The Taiwan Strait issue also frequently appears in U.S. "Indo-Pacific" policy language. In recent years, when U.S. warships or aircraft have transited the Taiwan Strait, the U.S. military has consistently stated that such actions comply with international law and demonstrate the U.S. commitment to a "free and open Indo-Pacific."
The U.S. Department of War announced in Hawaii on the 16th that the Indo-Pacific Command would be restored to "U.S. Pacific Command." The reason given in the official announcement is historical heritage.
The Department of War stated that restoring the name to Pacific Command is to honor the command's "deep historical roots" and to acknowledge its role in the regional security framework since World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and in humanitarian assistance operations.
Officials emphasized that the name change does not signify any alteration in operational responsibility zones or missions. The area of responsibility remains the same, extending from the waters off the west coast of the United States to the western border of India. The command's fundamental mission and its commitment to maintaining a free and open region with regional allies and partners remain unchanged.
When the name was changed in 2018, "Indo-Pacific" was imbued with strategic implications connecting the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, highlighting India's role, and responding to China's regional influence. With the restoration of the old name, although officials emphasize that the mission and area of responsibility remain unchanged, external observers are still watching whether there will be any adjustments in the U.S. strategic language for Asia.
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=215183
How does this article make you feel?
0 people reacted