Q #2669: Moar on Admiral John Richardson & his China mission
After Drop #2669, an anon identified Admiral John Richardson as the most likely "senior US official" traveling to China soon (#4726217 PB) on Jan. 13 - 16. He'll meet "with Central Military Commission leadership and People's Liberation Army (Navy) (PLA(N)) commander Vice Adm. Shen Jinlong." Richardson & Jinlong have met once before in 2018 and have had 3 teleconferences, the last in Dec. 2018. Admiral Richardson said the purpose of the trip is for a "routine exchange of views" in order to "reduce risk and avoid miscalculation."
https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=108291
However, actual details on the visit are sparse. But the Japan Times reported that "The meeting will come in the wake of an announcement Tuesday by Beijing that its so-called carrier killer anti-ship missile had been deployed to the country’s northwest, just a day after the U.S. Navy sailed a warship past disputed islands in the South China Sea."
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/01/12/asia-pacific/top-u-s-navy-officer-meet-chinese-counterpart-amid-military-trade-tensions/#.XDrNL1xKhaQ
The new Chinese "carrier killer" missile accelerates to speeds that make it very hard to intercept. In addition, it can target not just ships, but also U.S. bases in Japan. So it's probably no accident that the warship that sailed past the islands was the USS McCampbell, a guided-missile destroyer. Or surprising that China called this move a “provocation."
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/01/10/asia-pacific/beijing-announces-deployment-carrier-killer-missile-u-s-warship-sails-near-china-held-south-china-sea-islets/#.XDrN8lxKhaQ
https://news.usni.org/2018/12/17/design-maintaining-maritime-superiority-2-0
The "risk" is that tensions could escalate, something both sides want to avoid–hence, Richardson's mission to China.
What Admiral Richardson brings to the table is the firm belief that America can maintain naval superiority while at the same time successfully negotiating with potential adversaries: "Our Navy will protect America from attack, promote American prosperity, and preserve America’s strategic influence. U.S. naval operations…will deter aggression and enable resolution of crises on terms acceptable to the United States and our allies and partners" (from "A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority"; 1st link below).
Moar sauce:
https://news.usni.org/2018/12/17/design-maintaining-maritime-superiority-2-0
https://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/top-us-navy-officer-to-visit-china-amid-heightened-tensions-1.564131
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/01/10/asia-pacific/beijing-announces-deployment-carrier-killer-missile-u-s-warship-sails-near-china-held-south-china-sea-islets/#.XDrN8lxKhaQ
https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/422804-the-us-navys-powerful-pep-talk-for-a-deadly-serious-contest