Photo: US B-52H strategic bomber (Source: huanqiu.com)
According to Yonhap News Agency's recent reports, the United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) conducted their first-ever joint aerial exercise near the Korean Peninsula on October 22. This exercise aimed to strengthen trilateral security cooperation in response to the "North Korean threat."
It is noteworthy that although the ROK and the US, as well as the US and Japan, have conducted numerous joint exercises in the airspace near the Korean Peninsula, it was the first time that the three countries have participated in a joint aerial exercise. In addition, it was reported that on October 17, US B-52 strategic bomber with nuclear capabilities made the first landing at a South Korean airbase to participate in ROK's defense exhibition and conduct joint exercise with ROK Air Force's F-35 stealth fighters.
Disrupting East Asia and integrating Japan and ROK
Military analyst Teng Jianqun believes that this trilateral exercise is led by the US and serves the purpose of enhancing the joint air combat capabilities of the three countries. Simultaneously, the US also aims to further strengthen its control over its allies.
Firstly, this is a typical disruptive behavior. Taking Japan and ROK aboard, the US continues to make a mess in Northeast Asia, intending to create a pretext around the North Korean nuclear issue, generate regional tensions, and thus enhance its control over its Asia-Pacific allies.
Secondly, this exercise serves to enhance the joint operational capabilities of the air forces of the US, Japan, and ROK. Prior to this, it was challenging for the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and the ROK Air Force to cooperate. The US aims to integrate their air forces as part of its military power in Northeast Asia.
Deploying strategic nuclear weapons to enhancement war-readiness
According to Teng Jianqun, the US' continuous deployment of strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula serves three purposes.
Firstly, it demonstrates the US' commitment to providing an "extended deterrence" to its allies. The US promises its allies a nuclear umbrella in the form of the "extended deterrence". Since the Biden administration took office, strategic cooperation between the US and ROK has seen a noticeable increase.
Secondly, it also severs to enhance combat-readiness in relevant region. The US has come up with a "great power competition" strategy and imagined a nuclear war background for the Northeast Asian region. Therefore, the US continuously deploys bombers, ballistic missiles, and nuclear submarines to the region.
Thirdly, it strengthens cooperation with ROK. ROK fighter jets have been dispatched to escort the B-52 strategic bombers, indicating that the US has integrated its air capabilities as part of force deployment in the Northeast Asian region. This is utterly logical, given the fact that ROK's wartime command remains in the hands of the US.
Tripartite cooperation will intensify regional conflicts
According to General Kim Seung-kyum, the chief of the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff, this joint exercise was the latest action taken after the three countries decided to strengthen security cooperation against the "nuclear and missile threat" from the DPRK during the Summit at Camp David.
Teng Jianqun believes the US is forcing ROK and Japan to work under its leadership, promoting so-called US-Japan-ROK cooperation. However, both ROK and Japan are looking to leverage the US for their interests.
The entanglement between the US, Japan and the ROK will be highly adverse to Northeast Asia. Their trilateral security cooperation is unlikely to benefit the security in the region. Instead, it could probably exacerbate conflicts.
Editor's note: Originally published on military.cnr.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
