The ancient Chinese once said, "Come and don't be rude." "The U.S. Coast Guard's mandatory inspection of two Chinese fishing vessels in Kiribati has provoked a strong response from the Chinese side. Kiribati, the closest neighbor to U.S. Hawaii, has become the focus of the dispute.
The U.S. Coast Guard recently inspected two Chinese fishing vessels in the Kiribati Exclusive Economic Zone, according to a report by the United Kingdom on February 26. Although the U.S. side claimed that this was a routine inspection to "combat illegal fishing", the U.S. has publicly stated that it intends to selectively inspect Chinese vessels, which is clearly a targeted and discriminatory act.
Less than 24 hours later, Chinese law enforcement officers were also working in Kiribati, creating new tensions in the United States.
Kiribati requested police assistance from China in 2022, and the first batch of 12 Chinese police officers arrived in the country last year for a six-month rotation, Reuters reported.
These Chinese police officers mainly assist the Kiribati community with policing, collate crime databases, and teach local police officers martial arts such as Chinese Taijiquan. It is worth noting that this is not the establishment of a Chinese police station in Kiribati, nor does it involve the participation of Chinese police in the security of local Chinese citizens, let alone interference in the normal law enforcement operations of Kiribati**. This move has also caused concern in the United States, Australia and other countries.
Kiribati's geographical location makes it strategically important in the Pacific region, just over 3,000 kilometers from Hawaii in the United States, making it one of the closest neighbors to Hawaii.
During World War II, the U.S. military established an air base in Kiribati to support the fight against Japanese forces in the southwestern Pacific, demonstrating the country's geopolitical importance. Despite its small size, Kiribati has a population of only 1150,000, but it has a huge exclusive economic zone with an area of 3.5 million square kilometers, and its economic value cannot be ignored.
The main reason why the United States is paying attention to Kiribati's movements is because of China's involvement. At present, the United States' attitude toward China has escalated from political correctness to "demonic intimidation", and any Chinese action will be regarded as a threat to the United States, so the United States is eager to take action. After the arrival of the 12 Chinese police officers in Kiribati, the United States not only quickly opened an embassy, but also pledged to assist Kiribati in building a terminal, improving transportation, and especially improving the country's security system, demonstrating the urgency of the United States.
Today's China is no longer the poor country it was after World War II. China's navy is the largest in the world, and its navy has gradually upgraded from its coastal activities to a "blue-water navy" that can carry out missions in the open ocean. In contrast, the United States still adheres to its own set of principles, and even deploys troops in Kinmen, in flagrant violation of the basic commitments made when China and the United States established diplomatic relations. In this regard, China is no longer the China of the past, and now has enough strength to meet the head-on challenge of the United States.
Under such circumstances, the emergence of Chinese law enforcement forces in Kiribati is not only to safeguard national interests, but also to send a strong signal to the United States. The Pacific Ocean is not America's private garden, and China has the right to exert influence in this area. In the geopolitical competition, China is no longer reactive, but dares to take positive actions to protect its own interests without fear of challenges.
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