News United States Air Force
 PACAF boss speaks at AFA conference, emphasizes importance of a free and open Indo-PacificPublished Sept. 21, 2022
                        
                        By Tech. Sgt. Nick Wilson
                        
                        
                        Headquarters, U.S. Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs
                **NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (AFNS) --**
                **Gen. Ken Wilsbach**, **Pacific Air Forces** commander, spoke to several audiences about the readiness and resiliency of PACAF forces during the **Air and Space Forces Association’s** Air, Space and Cyber Conference at the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor Sept. 19.
Wilsbach provided remarks as one of three panelists for a “Preparing for Global Competition” presentation, hosted a media roundtable on “Defending the Indo-Pacific Theater,” and hosted a think tank.
“Regarding China, I mentioned at our last conference that I am watching them like a hawk, and that posture has not wavered,” said Wilsbach, a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours in a slew of fighter aircraft. “In fact, now more than ever, Indo-Pacific Allies and partners are resolute in their collective defense of a free and open region.”
Wilsbach explained why the topic of strategic competition recently shifted into even greater focus.PACAF boss speaks at AFA conference, emphasizes importance of a free and open Indo-PacificCol. Sean McKenna, Pacific Air Forces director of public affairs and Gen. Ken Wilsbach, PACAF commander, prepare to answer questions from the media during a media roundtable called “Defending the Indo-Pacific Theater” at the 2022 Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Md., Sept. 19, 2022. During the conference, one of the key topics Wilsbach covered included strengthening alliances and attracting new partners to create an asymmetric advantage through access and interoperability as well as increased partner capacity and domain awareness.  (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Nick Wilson)
            
            
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    PACAF boss speaks at AFA conference, emphasizes importance of a free and open Indo-PacificUnder Secretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones, Gen. Ken Wilsbach, Pacific Air Forces commander, and Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, commander of U.S. Transportation Command, speak on a panel called “Preparing for Global Competition” during the 2022 Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Md., Sept. 19, 2022. Senior leaders used China as a key topic of interest during the AFA conference and discussed how PACAF will cooperate with China to reduce the risk of miscalculation and maintain open lines of communication between both militaries to mitigate conflict and reaffirm the U.S. will operate wherever international law allows. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Nick Wilson)
            
            
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    PACAF boss speaks at AFA conference, emphasizes importance of a free and open Indo-PacificUnder Secretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones and Gen. Ken Wilsbach, Pacific Air Forces commander, participate in a panel called “Preparing for Global Competition” during the 2022 Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Md., Sept. 19, 2022. The theme of this year’s conference is “America’s Air and Space Forces – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (75 Years in the Defense of Our Nation). (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Nick Wilson)
            
            
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“Last month, we all saw the way the PRC [People’s Republic of China] overreacted to a single politician talking to another politician, and I personally found the response to be unreasonable and destabilizing,” Wilsbach noted. “The PRC used a peaceful dialogue between democratically elected leaders as a pretext to increase provocative military activity in and around the Taiwan Strait.”
Wilsbach described the best way for PACAF to navigate the continuously changing security environment while maintaining peace in the region.
“We do it through deterrence and preparation, and it is important to highlight that one of our greatest methods of deterrence involves ensuring that we would not be doing so alone,” Wilsbach said. “In fact, during our recent exercise **Pitch Black**, we trained alongside 16 other countries as part of a large force employment event.”
Overall, Wilsbach emphasized his desire to fulfill the United States’ commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability while resisting any use of force or coercion that would jeopardize the security or the social or economic system of the people of Taiwan.
“We prepare and stand ready for anything that poses a threat to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Wilsbach said. “We will defend our interests without flinching and we’ll work toward our vision for this region — one of expanding security, one of increased cooperation, and not one of growing division.”LR 



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