Press TV
January 15, 2015
US trying to besiege China by war games with South Korea: Analyst
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The United States military participation in war games on South Korea’s east coast is particularly aimed at encircling and besieging China, political analyst Rick Rozoff says.
“We can anticipate seeing increasingly more provocative moves by the United States and its military allies in an effort to encircle and ultimately besiege China,” the manager at Stop NATO International Network from Chicago told Press TV in a phone interview on Tuesday.
The US and South Korea kicked off a two-day joint naval drill off South Korea’s eastern coast on Tuesday.
Two American destroyers and several South Korean vessels participated in the exercise.
“This latest exercise in Koreas is continuation of US brinkmanship in the region, but it’s also an indication of increased military presence and potential for the US to encircle China which is ultimately the goal of this,” Rozoff added.
According to South Korean navy spokesman Lt. Arlo Abrahamson, the drill includes anti-submarine warfare training, communication drills, ship maneuvers and liaison officer exchanges.
Abrahamson said the exercise is meant to reinforce the allies’ readiness posture against North Korea, which is believed to have some 70 submarines.
Both militaries claimed that the exercise is routine training and unrelated to a report that North Korea is trying to increase its submarine capabilities.
North Korea had earlier called on the US that it would consider a pause in nuclear testing if the US scraps military drills with South Korea.
The US has refused to cancel military drills with their 28,500 troops in South Korea. It said the North must first demonstrate how sincere it is about nuclear disarmament before serious talks can commence.
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