Bierman (second from left), commander of the 3rd Expeditionary Force of the U.S. Marine Corps stationed in Okinawa, said that the U.S. and Japan are strengthening military cooperation and will take a combat stance when the Communist Army invades Taiwan.

(Associated Press file photo)

[Compilation of Sun Yuqing/Comprehensive Report] James Bierman, commander of the Third Expeditionary Force (III MEF) of the U.S. Marine Corps stationed in Okinawa, Japan, said in an interview published by the Financial Times on the 8th that the U.S. and Japanese armed forces are Rapidly integrate command structures and scale up joint operations to prepare for potential conflict with China, including a war in the Taiwan Strait.

The 3rd Expeditionary Force of the U.S. Marine Corps is the only crisis response force permanently stationed outside the United States. Commander Lieutenant General Bierman said that in the past year, the joint operations of the U.S. and Japanese armed forces to defend the territory The number of times showed "exponential growth".

The United States and its Asian allies are following the example of Western countries in supporting Ukraine to resist Russia, making basic preparations for assisting Taiwan in situations such as China's aggression.

Please read on...

Bierman emphasized that a major factor in the success of the West in aiding Ukraine is that after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 and 2015, the West seriously prepared for future conflicts, including providing training for Ukraine, deploying materials, and confirming that it can provide support And the stronghold of continuous supply, etc.

He described these actions as setting the scene, "We are now setting the scene in Japan, the Philippines and other locations." The report pointed out that with the increase in the scale and complexity of China's military intimidation against Taiwan in recent years, Biermann rarely brought the Ukrainian-Russian conflict to the fore. Contrasted with the conflict in the Taiwan Strait, and said that Japan and the Philippines have also strengthened their defense cooperation with the United States.

It is understood that the Third Expeditionary Force is the core of the comprehensive reform of the US Marine Corps. Area Denial" (A2/AD) strategy.

Bierman pointed out that to achieve the above goals, cooperation with allies is crucial. In a series of recent exercises, the US Marine Corps established a two-way ground tactical coordination center for the first time. connect.

The designation of specific Japanese military units as permanent units alongside the Third Expeditionary Force, the U.S. Navy and Air Force is also a sign of deepening U.S.-Japan cooperation.

Bierman said that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces used to cooperate with the US military on a rotational basis, but now the allied forces responsible for combat operations are forming a "standing community of interest".

Bierman emphasized that although the US military is concerned about China's provocative actions around Taiwan, it does not need to regard the Chinese People's Liberation Army as an indestructible "giant", because there will be signs and warning signs from the complexity and scale of the invasion of Taiwan. There will also be specific signs in geography or time, which can make the United States and its allies take a confrontational posture and make the best preparations.

Bierman also mentioned that based on the "Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement" (EDCA) with the United States, the Philippines agreed that the U.S. military would share five other Philippine military bases in addition to the original five bases, including arrangements for the rotation of officers and soldiers, maintenance of ammunition, and fuel. supply of medical supplies, and standby for natural disasters, etc., as long as the U.S. military has one more stronghold and deployable base, it can greatly enhance its advantages in different action plans. capability to act, but we can identify decisive key areas that must be controlled, defended, defended and exploited."