World War III on the horizon: Eastern allies issue warnings to the West

World War III on the horizon: Eastern allies issue warnings to the West

Andrew Powell

Pressure is mounting in the East as the People's Republic of China continues aggressively to engage with surrounding nations. Attempts by the U.S. to calm the situation have been met with several stern warnings of war.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is in Beijing this week in an effort to stabilize relations between the U.S. and China. Sullivan met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, to discuss various issues, including Taiwan.

"Mr. Sullivan reaffirmed the United States' commitment to defending its Indo–Pacific allies and expressed concern about the PRC's destabilizing actions against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea," the White House said.

According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Wang reportedly issued a warning to Sullivan about the U.S. being involved in disputes between China and U.S. allies.

"The United States must not use bilateral treaties as an excuse to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor should it support or condone the Philippines's actions of infringement," Wang said.

Over the past week, China has repeatedly used force against Philippine vessels near the Spratly Islands, a rich fishing ground within the Philippine Economic Exclusion Zone.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela said in a post on X China used 40 vessels to block supplies being delivered to soldiers who are stationed in Sabina Shoal, an atoll within the island chain.

China Daily recently published an editorial on how the U.S. should respect China's sovereignty, because the U.S. expects the same.

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