m******r
发帖数: 485 | 1 BEIJING — China's attempts to claim a nearly 1.4-million-square-mile swathe
of open ocean are without precedent and probably without legal merit, but
Beijing continues to assert its right to the economically critical zone —
and increasingly puts its claims in military terms.
Speaking to a small group of reporters in Beijing on Thursday, a high-
ranking Chinese official made his warning clear: The United States should
not provoke China in the South China Sea without expecting retaliation.
"The Chinese people do not want to have war, so we will be opposed to [the]
U.S. if it stirs up any conflict," said Liu Zhenmin, vice minister of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Of course, if the Korean War or Vietnam War
are replayed, then we will have to defend ourselves."
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."
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.
DigitalGlobe imagery of the nearly completed construction within the Fiery
Cross Reef located in the South China Sea. Fiery Cross is located in the
western part of the Spratly Islands group.
Beijing's real strategy in the South China Sea
"We rely heavily on the South China Sea [for] transportation of resources
and energy and the South China Sea is an important trading group for us. We
attach great importance to peace and stability in the South China Sea," said
Liu, who warned the United States that it "cannot circle China by building
military bases — we cannot do so 30 years ago, or even now."
"Chinese people and the government feel like we haven't been treated fairly
because the U.S. is blaming China for rising tensions in the South China Sea
," said Liu, who added that "what matters is that the U.S. government has
recognized that times have changed, [and the U.S.] can gain much more
through cooperation than going to war."
China is party to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, and that
framework provides "no legal basis" for China to claim its "nine-dash" area,
said Alessio Patalano, senior lecturer in Naval History and East Asian
Security at King's College London.
DigitalGlobe imagery of the nearly completed construction within the Fiery
Cross Reef located in the South China Sea. Fiery Cross is located in the
western part of the Spratly Islands group.
DigitalGlobe | Getty Images
DigitalGlobe imagery of the nearly completed construction within the Fiery
Cross Reef located in the South China Sea. Fiery Cross is located in the
western part of the Spratly Islands group.
But beyond that, Patalano said, China's actions have no historical precedent.
"There is not a precedent of this kind, and this is for two reasons,"
Patalano told CNBC. "First until recently, technology didn't allow nation
states to project power over the oceans as it is possible today. Second,
today's degree of interdependence has no precedent in history, therefore
issues over the ability of shipping to move through this basin has potential
impact on the international system in a way that was not possible
previously."
The South China Sea for years has been a point of contention for bordering
nations besides China, including Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, but
in recent years has become a larger nexus of disagreement as China has
unilaterally declared the region its own. China's fishing fleet, the world's
biggest, operates increasingly within the legally exclusive zones of
Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and other countries.
A tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is expected to
rule in the next couple months on China's expansive territorial claims,
though China has already rejected those proceedings.
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As the dispute festers, experts see a higher chance of an unintended
conflict between U.S. and Chinese vessels or aircraft, something that was
witnessed in 2001 when a Chinese and a U.S. plane collided. China watchers
say if a collision were to happen in 2016, a strong response from both sides
could be possible.
"China attaches far greater importance to peace in the South China Sea —
much greater than the U.S. and Japan. No one should doubt our sincerity in
this subject," Liu said. "The Chinese government will uphold peace in
Southeast Asia even for the sake of our own survival. In this sense we are
actively against any moves that will jeopardize peace in the South China Sea
."
Liu warned that a conflict between China and the United States would have
wide repercussions for the global economy.
"No country would want to see confrontations between [the] U.S. and China,"
he said, "because [the] Chinese and U.S. economy will be hurt, and impacts
will be felt across the world." | m******r
发帖数: 485 | 2 TimesTheyAreAChanging • 15 minutes ago
Looks like China shaped that island to look like a giant middle finger.
Wonder who they were directing that too.
Regent • 14 minutes ago
I DEMAND to know if this Island is transgendered!! I will not fight there
unless it is
challengeyourlimits • 15 minutes ago
Good for them. We plop our big ass all over the world wherever we want and
it ain't even in our neighborhood.
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junkyard dawg challengeyourlimits • 14 minutes ago
My DEMOCRAT neighborhood stinks, plus, it is trashy and dangerous.
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Geeko143 challengeyourlimits • 15 minutes ago
US foreign policy is to occupy others and not let others do the same
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challengeyourlimits Geeko143 • 13 minutes ago
eggfukinzacly.
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junkyard dawg Geeko143 • 12 minutes ago
Past maybe...not present.... | m******r
发帖数: 485 | 3 M A Merkel • 17 minutes ago
The Chinese economy will suffer much more if China promotes war in South
China. It will be suicide for China. Utter chaos and more of the Chinese ren
chi ba tsou strategic planning which they are infamous for.
Anyone ever watch a Chinese Fire Drill?
India will kill the Chinese as well when they take over their economic power
and shift trade away from China. China is being run by dunderheads.
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bb_959 M A Merkel • 16 minutes ago
Obama is still president here so, how can that be?
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challengeyourlimits M A Merkel • 12 minutes ago
How 'd that Iraq invasion work out?
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challengeyourlimits M A Merkel • 12 minutes ago
They promote war? Look in the GD mirror USA | m******r
发帖数: 485 | 4 theworldlaughs • 18 minutes ago
You will try to hit us so hard we dare not escalate and we are going to hit
you so hard you will never dare to challenge us again. And we'll get a
regime change out of it
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RedHacker • 19 minutes ago
"A rifle behind every blade of grass..."
Let's keep it that way, and keep China at bay, shall we?
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DubyaFTW • 19 minutes ago
China, ISIS, and Russia running rogue, meanwhile a dillusional Obama in mom-
jeans pretends he's created world peace and can focus on the all-important
trans-gender bathroom issue. What a knob. | m******r
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