“The United States should not provoke China in the South China Sea without expecting retaliation. “ - a ‘high ranking’ (xlation - REALLY REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT) Chinese official
Another official willing to be quoted, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, went on: "The Chinese people do not want to have war, so we will be opposed to [the] U.S. if it stirs up any conflict. Of course, if the Korean War or Vietnam War are replayed, then we will have to defend ourselves."
This, of course, is all over the utterly unprecedented claims of China in the oceans shared with 5 other nations at least TWO of whom are close US allies, in the effort to control the natural resources (OIL) and shipping value (30%+ of all shipping on earth) there.
They have the largest fishing fleet on earth which is used to establish presence, defend it, claim reefs, manufacture them into island, manufacture the islands into harbored, fortified, bases, then expand that with airfields large enough to fly off B-52′s (9800 foot runways).
The so-called "nine-dash line" that China has drawn over most of the South China Sea — a gargantuan territorial claim that stretches about 1,200 miles from its shores — would give Beijing control over a zone that's estimated to handle about half of global merchant shipping, a third of the planet's oil shipping, two-thirds of global liquid natural gas shipments, and more than a 10th of Earth's fish catch. The Obama administration, backed by several Asian governments and entities such as the Brookings Institution, argues that such massive ocean claims at great distance from land are "inconsistent with international law."Obama’s Foreign Policy:
China has a growing military presence in the region, including the wholesale raising of islands and construction of airfields on what were once atolls. The U.S. Navy operates there as well, increasingly in concert with regional powers such as the Philippines. Two Chinese fighter jets on Tuesday intercepted and passed within 50 feet of a U.S. military reconnaissance plane.
The Obama administration, backed by several Asian governments and entities such as the Brookings Institution, argues that such massive ocean claims at great distance from land are "inconsistent with international law."
If there is one thing I learned at DCO school in Pensacola it is that whoever controls the sea lanes controls the commerce. My guess is that China is aggressively seeking to violate and exploit international maritime laws which regulate brisk global business transactions.
ReplyDeleteMaritime laws of the sea include the sub-category of choke point theory: whoever controls the straits controls the sea passages. The rotation of our fleet assets through the straits on a regular basis is all about power projection, Naval presence, and a reminder to China, et al.
To paraphrase Stalin "How many divisions does the Brookings Institution have? What a joke the West has become.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, this will last until the great Red Ponzi financial collapse when China descends into another period of mass insanity. Coming soon.
A Trump Presidency would likely accelerate that process, IMO.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that sailing a DDG-51 12 miles from Fiery Cross Reef is not sending any message except hilarity in the PLAN Navy HQ.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they are just taking the opportunity to drill their DF-21 crews to see if they can hit smaller targets, or watching time to takeoff of the JF-11's and 15's on the runway revetments on these 3 huge airfields on these fabricated islands
One thing is for sure...they are CONVINCED they can halt reconnaissance flights via threats and coercion while B Obama is president, and then claim this as a precedent if a Trump presidency occurs, which he will threaten to violate.
This is what is known, for the edification of those in Beijing who missed the reasoning of the Konoye govt, as a civilizational level error.