Senator Ricketts’ Weekly Column: Red Alert

I participated in the Shangri-La Dialogue Friday and Saturday of last week in Singapore with Democrat Senator Tammy Duckworth. The annual conference is a meeting of world leaders meet to discuss defense policy and national security in the Indo-Pacific. 

Why does this matter to Nebraskans? 

 The Indo-Pacific is critical to our peace and prosperity. Communist China’s aggression has threated that. Some of Nebraska’s largest trade partners are Japan and South Korea. Singapore hosts over 6,000 American companies that are doing business in Asia. Included on that list is ADM, which has nine facilities and processing plants in Nebraska.  

$5.3 trillion worth of trade that flows through South China Sea. This makes up about 21% of global trade. If global trade in the region is disrupted by Communist China’s aggression, Nebraskans would feel it in their pocketbooks. We would be unable to export our agricultural products. We would also not be able to import products, which would drive up prices for everyday consumers.   

At the conference, the topic that was top-of-mind for most was increasing aggression from Communist China. Communist China has been infringing on the economic zones of countries and launching cyber attacks on allies and partners. Dictator Xi Jinping has told his military to be ready to seize Taiwan by 2027. These actions threaten peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific. Both the Trump and Biden administrations have declared Communist China our foremost geopolitical threat.  

Communist China is the greatest threat to our very way of life, and they actively threaten the post-World War II system that has kept peace and fostered prosperity. 

 Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s speech at the conference was heralded as one of the most-detailed accounts of our Indo-Pacific strategy by a Secretary of Defense in years. He said that America is proud to be back in the Indo-Pacific. America and our interests are here to stay.  

I was happy to see the extent of America’s presence at the conference. Unlike Communist China, we sent our top security and defense officials. In addition to Secretary Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard attended. So did Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine. Admiral Sam Paparo, the INDOPACOM commander in charge of the region, also spoke to the importance of the Indo-Pacific. The U.S. Congress was represented by a bipartisan, bicameral delegation from the Senate and House. 

Countries throughout the region know that Communist China is an inconsistent trading partner and a bad neighbor. While Beijing focuses on coercing its neighbors, we are working with our regional partners to deepen relationships. What we heard from America’s friends in the Indo-Pacific is that they want America there. They also have a renewed emphasis on strengthening their defense capabilities. 

In the Senate, I am working with my colleagues to make sure we are ready for Xi Jinping’s aggression. We are making all aspects of our government ready to respond to Beijing’s malign influence and their illegal, coercive, deceptive, and aggressive behavior. We are playing a decisive role in supporting our Indo-Pacific allies and partners. At the same time, we are complicating Xi Jinping’s plans to take Taiwan through either force or coercion. 

This trip with Senator Duckworth follows an April trip I took to Taiwan and the Philippines with Senators Chris Coons and Ted Budd. I also met with Japanese leaders in Tokyo this March. These trips further highlight the threat posed by Communist China. To deter Xi Jinping, we must work with regional allies and partners. 

What we see on our trips are not weak partners asking for our shelter or protection. They are force multipliers. 

That’s why I’ve been leading legislation like the PORCUPINE Act. This bill would make it easier for Taiwan to buy American supplies and weapons faster. I’m also a co-sponsor of the COUNTER Act, which addresses the threat of new Chinese Communist military bases across the globe. I am leading action to make sure America is ready to counter the Communist threat to our way of life. 

My team and I are here to serve you. Contact us anytime by phone at 202-224-4224. You can also view my website at http://www.ricketts.senate.gov/contact.