WASHINGTON, DC: Right-wing commentator Matt Wallace made a series of bold assertions on social media, alleging that the Chinese Navy had positioned itself near Israel with intentions to take down US forces.
His claims quickly gained attention, but a closer examination reveals that they lack credible evidence and context.
Matt Wallace's bold assertions
Wallace posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), "BREAKING NEWS: Israel is Putting an Indefinite Delay on Their Ground Invasion of Gaza after China Navy Fleet Shows Up in Region."
He went further to implicate President Joe Biden for what he saw as a concerning situation, suggesting that China was plotting to "dethrone" the United States from its superpower status.
"With Joe Biden in office, it is becoming increasingly clear who is in charge now! China is positioning themselves to dethrone the U.S. and remove the only major block they have to doing whatever they want on a global scale. Biden’s weakness and inability to craft intelligent strategy is paving the way for an Iran/Russia/China alliance to take over," Wallace added.
However, a thorough examination of the situation uncovered several key facts that contradict Wallace's claims. Firstly, no reliable sources or reputable outlets have corroborated his allegations.
The Community Notes feature on X quickly pointed out this discrepancy, offering insights into the ongoing presence of the Chinese Navy in the region for scheduled training operations since May.
"Not only has no official Israeli account mentioned an indefinite delay to the ground invasion but the Chinese Navy has been in the area since May for scheduled training operations," the notes read. "Additionally, no credible sources have reported a build-up of Chinese ships near the conflict."
Social media reactions
Many on social media pushed back against Wallace's unfounded claims.
"That’s not at all true. Chinese have been operating in the area since May," one responded.
"You kinda got owned by community notes Matt. Try better," another wrote.
"Chinese Navy is NOT escalating Mideast tensions since it's nowhere near Israel. 3 warships have been in the Gulf of Oman since May for escort tasks. They leave this month. Another 3 ships will take over their tasks. In times like these, beware of misleading headlines," someone else offered.
"Making assumptions based on limited information can be misleading," another insisted.
Chinese naval presence
In reality, up to six Chinese warships have been actively operating in the Middle East over the past week, according to the Chinese Ministry of Defense.
The 44th Naval Escort Task Force has been conducting regular operations in the region since May and even engaged in a joint exercise with the Omani navy during a visit to Oman.
Following their visit to Oman, the Chinese naval escort taskforce arrived at Shuwaikh Port in Kuwait as scheduled on the morning of October 18.
During their five-day goodwill visit to Kuwait, they were welcomed by representatives of the Kuwaiti military, Chinese Embassy staff in Kuwait, and overseas Chinese.
The task force, hailing from the People's Liberation Army Eastern Theatre, comprises the Zibo, a Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, the frigate Jingzhou, and the integrated supply ship Qiandaohu.
US response to regional tensions
Meanwhile, tensions in the region escalated further, with the United States dispatching advanced carrier groups, including the USS Gerald R Ford, to the eastern Mediterranean following the Hamas attack on Israel. The Pentagon also announced the deployment of the USS Mount Whitney.
On October 19, the USS Carney successfully intercepted and neutralized multiple Houthi missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles in the Red Sea, a significant event given the rare nature of such interceptions by the United States.
However, it's important to note that the likelihood of direct confrontations between these two navies in this region remains relatively low, as it occasionally occurs in the Pacific.
The Chinese Naval Task Group's current visit to Kuwait marks the mutual understanding and cooperation between China and Kuwait, marking the fifth anniversary of their strategic partnership and the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, according to the Eurasian Times.
