(Dan Tri) – To deal with China at sea, the US Coast Guard is taking on tasks that the US Navy is limited to.
The coast guard ship Munro and the US Navy destroyer USS Kidd passed through the Taiwan Strait in August 2021 (Photo: US Navy).
According to Business Insider, to compete with China, the Pentagon has put more resources into Asia-Pacific, but the most visible US military presence may be a force outside the Department of Defense.
Accordingly, the Coast Guard under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is now an important factor because it can perform tasks that military forces are not allowed to perform.
The service’s ships and personnel are spending more time in the Asia-Pacific region on missions that other branches are not suited to, balancing Washington’s growing demands.
`What we do, it’s not huge in terms of volume, but I think it makes a pretty big contribution. We have access. We can go places,` said Adm. Karl Schultz, commander of the Coast Guard.
Admiral Schultz dispatched the coast guard ship Munro to the Indo-Pacific and in October 2021, this ship returned after a 102-day deployment in this area.
The US Coast Guard has a long presence in the Pacific.
`The US Coast Guard has more than 150 years of service in the Pacific region. We are very proud of that,` said Vice Admiral Michael McAllister, commander of the US Coast Guard’s Pacific region.
The Navy has led recent US military efforts to counter China in the region, and the Japan-based 7th Fleet took control of the Munro during the deployment.
Navy officials worked with the Coast Guard and others to plan the Munro and `incorporate deliberate operational goals, objectives and priorities,` said Lt. Mark Langford, who
Among its unique missions are search, rescue, marine environmental response and humanitarian assistance.
`Frankly, those are different missions than the U.S. Navy or the military services that the U.S. handles here,` McAllister said in January, calling the Coast Guard a `complementary force` for
It is those missions that have renewed America’s relevance amid escalating tensions with China.
In December 2020, this force helped Palau arrest a Chinese ship illegally fishing in Palau’s exclusive economic zone.
The US Coast Guard also dispatched three new coast guard ships to Guam in the summer of 2021 and renamed the outpost there the Micronesia Coast Guard Guam.
The reach is not limited to small island nations.
U.S. officials and former officials have praised the Coast Guard, which, with its responsibility and conduct, is seen as a model for the region and as a highly sought-after partner.
`When we showed up, we were welcomed with open arms because the mission is very important to these countries and we want to be good partners to them,` said Randall Schriver, assistant secretary.
Extremely important tool under Biden
According to Mr. Schultz, the role of the US Coast Guard is especially enhanced under the administration of President Joe Biden.
`The Coast Guard is an incredibly important tool, one that we’re looking at to see if there’s a way to expand our presence and engagement in the Asia-Pacific,` he said.
However, this is not an easy task.
That increased need for expansion has raised concerns about whether the Coast Guard will receive enough resources to carry out the required missions.