US military commanders in the Pacific have developed software to predict how the Chinese government will respond to US actions in the region, including congressional visits to trouble spots such as Taiwan. News Agency reports it Reuters.
The relationship between China and the United States has reached an all-time high. The United States has warned China several times that it does not approve of Xi Jinping’s treatment of Vietnam. In August, US Vice President Kamala Harris, during a visit to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, called for tough action against China’s actions in the South China Sea.
Expect Chinese reactions
The US military now wants to predict when some actions might offend China. That is why some US military leaders in the Pacific have developed a tool to predict these reactions. Kathleen Hicks, Under Secretary of Defense, was briefed on the new tool during a visit to the US Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii on Tuesday. that reports Reuters.
“What you see is the need to look at a much broader set of indicators, weave them together and then understand the interaction between threats,” Hicks said in an interview on a military plane bound for California.
strategic friction
The tool calculates “strategic friction,” according to a defense official. It looks at data from early 2020 and assesses key activities that have affected US-China relations. The computerized system will help the Pentagon predict whether certain actions will provoke an excessive Chinese response.
In October, the Chinese military condemned the United States and Canada for sending warships through the Taiwan Strait, saying they threaten peace and stability in the region. “This and other similar incidents have increased the demand for this tool,” the deputy minister said. “The tool should ensure that the United States does not inadvertently provoke China.”
The new program will allow US officials to look ahead to planned actions four months in advance.
(Javed)
