With the rapid escalation of the US strategy toward China, the complex situation in the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, and the East China Sea around China has intensified simultaneously.
Against this backdrop, America's allies are also beginning to move, as if they can't wait to enjoy a "gluttonous meal."
According to US sources, Germany, France, and Spain are preparing for a large-scale and unprecedented military exercise, called "Pacific Sky 24," during which dozens of fighter jets from the three European countries will fly over the Eurasian continent and fly around China.
Obviously, this action is another naked action to "contain China."
Although the Russia-Ukraine conflict has taken up most of the West's attention, exercises like Pacific Sky 24 clearly show that not only the United States is "turning to Asia", but even NATO members in Europe are paying close attention to military movements in the Asia-Pacific region and are beginning to step up preparations with Asia-Pacific allies for possible future armed conflicts with China.
The scale and composition of the participating forces were particularly eye-catching, with eight German Typhoon fighters, four Spanish Typhoons, four French Rafale, 12 German Tornado fighter-bombers, nine A-400 transport planes (four from Germany, three from France, and two from Spain), one Spanish A-330 transport plane, and four German H-145M helicopters. About 1,800 military personnel will participate in the cross-Earth air exercise.
Before these units begin to move toward the Asia-Pacific region, they will first need to fly across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States to participate in the "Arctic Guardian" military exercise, where they will conduct a number of exercises, including live firing, together with the US military's F-22 and F-35 stealth fighters.
They will then fly across the Pacific Ocean to Japan, where they will participate in the "Skies of Japan" military exercise with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, which also marks the first appearance of German warplanes in Japanese airspace.
The itinerary and participating countries of the exercise "Pacific Sky 24" cover areas from the cold to the tropics, and the environment covers the desert to the tropical rainforest, with stops in Canada, New Zealand, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates.
Separately, it is worth noting that France also plans to send a separate contingent to Australia to participate in the exercises. Objectively speaking, this kind of cooperation and exercise across geographical boundaries can enhance the operational capability of the armed forces of the participating countries and deepen mutual understanding and trust.
Judging from their road map, this joint dispatch of troops has chosen a route around China, and this choice itself is full of profound meaning. In particular, their plans for joint exercises with regional countries that have disputes with China seem to send some kind of signal to China.
First of all, from the point of view of route selection, the military operation of the three European countries this time obviously avoided the fast path of directly crossing China's airspace, and chose a tortuous and circuitous route. The purpose of this detour is simple, it is to avoid direct conflict.
After all, they didn't come for war.
For Russia, the "Asia-Pacific tour" of these three countries is equally worthy of vigilance. The commander of the Spanish Air Combat Command, Lieutenant General Francisco Espresati, predicted that Russian fighters could approach and intercept them.
However, the three European countries do not seem to be worried about this, probably because of the backing of the United States.
At the constant instigation of the United States, Europe seems to be becoming more and more daring to flex its muscles in the Asia-Pacific region, even at the risk of threatening military action against China.
This approach naturally forms a clear opposition to China's foreign policy. China has always advocated peaceful coexistence and opposes any form of aggressive expansionist policy, but this does not mean that China will back down in the face of military threats.
What's more, at China's doorstep, whether in terms of military strength or geopolitics, China's advantages are obvious, and if the United States and the West are determined to hit the southern wall, they can try.
European countries can also take the opportunity to see if they can really do whatever they want in the world with the support of the United States. The era of hegemony has long passed, and it is time for the United States and the West to wake up.