The top US commander in the Pacific warned senators on Thursday that the military support that China and North Korea are giving Russia in its war on Ukraine is a security risk in his region as Moscow provides critical military aid to both in return.
Admiral Samuel Paparo, head of US Indo-Pacific Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that China has provided 70 per cent of the machine tools and 90 per cent of the legacy chips to Russia to help Moscow “rebuild its war machine”.
In exchange, he said, China is potentially getting help in technologies to make its submarines move more quietly, along with other help.
Senators pressed Paparo and General Xavier Brunson, commander of US Forces Korea, on China’s advances in the region, including threats to Taiwan.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.
Senators also questioned both commanders on the US military presence in South Korea, and whether it should be shielded from personnel cuts.
Both said the current US force there and across the Indo-Pacific is critical for both diplomacy in the region and America’s national security, as ties between Russia and China grow. The US has 28,500 forces in South Korea.
