Top US admiral warns against coercion, says no nation will dominate Indo-Pacific

Indo-Pacific-command" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="177163" data-entity-type="organization">U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Commander, Admiral Samuel Paparo, gestures during a press conference at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio, northern Philippines, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File) 2026-08-03T08:57:31Z KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The head of U.S. Pacific Command said Monday that coercive actions by China and other actors are challenging regional stability, warning the United States will not allow any nation to dominate the Indo-Pacific. Admiral Samuel Paparo said some actors were using “false claims of legitimacy” to justify intimidation and coercion. “That’s not the rule of law. That’s the rule by law. That distinction between law as a tool of order versus law as a weapon of raw power, is the defining fault line of our time,” he said via video link at a regional security conference in Malaysia organized by the U.S. Pacific Command. Paparo’s remarks come as tensions remain high in the China-sea" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="8346" data-entity-type="location">South China Sea, where China’s expansive maritime claims overlap with those of several Southeast Asian nations. The Philippines has been at the center of a series of confrontations with China, particularly around a disputed shoal, where Chinese and Philippine vessels have repeatedly faced off. Manila has accused Beijing of dangerous maneuvers, water cannon attacks and attempts to block Philippine resupply missions. China has rejected those accusations and maintains its territorial claims in the disputed waterway. The United States has said it does not take sides in competing sovereignty claims but supports freedom of navigation, international law and the ability of states to operate in accordance with their rights. Paparo emphasized that freedom of the seas, maritime security and open commerce are key to regional stability, saying peaceful resolution of disputes and respect for the sovereignty of all nations are essential to preserving the Indo-Pacific order. (