South China Sea: Beijing threatens military ‘build-up’ to US

I think this is an important question in these troubled times.

Firstly, has there been a threat to navigation in the South China Sea, or is it all in the mind of the US military. The US doesn't like the idea that there might be a land based check to their naval power.

Secondly, what have the affected nations done to assert their sovernienty in disputed territories

Thirdly, what interest does the US have in getting in the face of the Chinese, obviously they don't understand the oriental mind

Next, why is the US saying China is an enemy of the one hand, while trading with them and asking the Chinese to use their influence on NK. Seems a very contradictory attitude

Maybe because we were in international waters (and as long as its our money and our Military having to protect anyone, its our right). China tends to think they own the entire Hemisphere.

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Originally Posted by smoothy

Maybe because we were in international waters (and as long as its our money and our Military having to protect anyone, its our right). China tends to think they own the entire Hemisphere.

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Smoothy I just had to poke this one. China own a very large land mass and other parts were once in their hands. China have a very ancient view, perhaps not realistic, but what history tells us is that when you inhabit a place it is yours, until it isn't. Why provoke an incident over a few reefs that only the Chinese are interested in anyway, it isn't as though the US will do the mineral exploration anyway. You say they are international waters, then stay in international waters. As to rights, no one suggests you cannot navigate through these waters, just stay away from the Chinese installations

It goes well beyond a few reefs... ask the Japanese... Ask Taiwan... ask Tibet, etc, etc.

South China Sea: Beijing threatens military ‘build-up’ to US

I think this is an important question in these troubled times.

Firstly, has there been a threat to navigation in the South China Sea, or is it all in the mind of the US military. The US doesn't like the idea that there might be a land based check to their naval power.

Yes there is a threat when China runs off and harasses the local fisherman and merchants in what they thought was there part of the sea, and everybody is free to use international waters. China's land based military bases are no check for anyone who wants to navigate international waters.

Secondly, what have the affected nations done to assert their sovernienty in disputed territories

They holler in The UN like they are supposed to do.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territ...outh_China_Sea

As you see it's about MONEY, with a thin veneer of sovereignty on top.

Thirdly, what interest does the US have in getting in the face of the Chinese, obviously they don't understand the oriental mind

A very prejudicial skewing of the facts and rather simple understanding of a complex situation. The Oriental mind, like all humans, is about the MONEY, who has it and who controls it! Where have you been?

Next, why is the US saying China is an enemy of the one hand, while trading with them and asking the Chinese to use their influence on NK. Seems a very contradictory attitude.

Try to keep up, it's about the money, who has it, and who controls it! Sometimes you disagree, sometimes you don't. Better to engage and maneuver as in chess, than blow each other away, as in checkers. I understand your point and why you would only see the side you want, after all they buy dirt from you, and you hate America!

If there was a war though, who's side would you take? Who you gonna call for help? Talk about contradictory attitudes!!! It's all good because we play chess, NOT checkers...unless you shoot first.

As a side note, it's the same thing with Russia, coexistence while we maneuver for the MONEY! That's just how SUPER POWERS interact.

Clete they seized territorial waters and claimed them . Then they wreck reefs creating land based carriers . This they are doing in the most important shipping lane in the world . Japan is our ally ;Philippines are our ally . The Vietnamese are coming on board because of the collective threat the Chinese pose. You are too smart to not recognize the Chinese goal here. Under LOST they can claim 200 miles in any direction that is Chinese territory for mineral rights . They can turn the East China Sea ;the South China Sea , the Yellow Sea ,into Chinese lakes .

FON exercises are essential to demonstrate that we are willing to go to the mat over internationally accepted principles of freedom of navigation .It is no different then us sailing in the Black Sea ;or the Russians and Chinese navigating in the Gulf of Mexico .Suppose we told them they could not have safe passage through the Antilles ? If the Chinese want to make an issue about it ,let's get it on.

I think it is time for the "great deal maker" to negotiate with them on behalf of your allies. Shouting at the UN is a waste of time as we all know. FON is a waste of time and only posturing. The Chinese have not told you you cannot have safe passage. You do offshore exploration in the Gulf of Mexico why should they not do exploration in the South China Sea, you use artificial platforms, theirs take a different form.

You are right it is about money, loss of opportunity for the US to make money

We don't create permanent fake islands and claim its territory and act like they are entitled to 20 miles around it too. How is this really any different than what Japan and Germany pulled, except fewer people are being shot to death?

They're already drilling for oil in the South Seas. This has been going on for more than a few decades.

https://www.economist.com/news/asia/...roubled-waters

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territ...outh_China_Sea

South China Sea dispute: Fancy a cruise in hotly contested waters?

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If patriotic tourism isn't enough, the strategy of countries such as the US and Australia complicates the issue, because, while they have no view on the ultimate ownership of the islands, Washington and Canberra are adamant they don't want any country to seize control of islands by force or coercion.And which country is most likely to do that? How far the US, Australia and even Japan would go to stop China is yet another imponderable. Western authorities have denounced China's island building. But military options are less clear.

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Why are YOU helping us bully China? YOUR attitude is the conflicted one.

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Why are YOU helping us bully China? YOUR attitude is the conflicted one.

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Tal, just as you don't agree with everything your government does, I don't march lockstep with my government. I don't agree we should pursue your foolish confrontationilest attitudes, we make ourselves no friends, and you don't respect us anyway.

Smoothy, you say you don't create fake islands. On'y because you didn't think of it. Yes Japan expanded into many islands in the Pacific, but Germany was somewhat different, a little more like yourselves

Gee.. thats a stretch... saying we didn't do it because we didn't think of it. The USA isn't the one guilty of trying to colonize the planet by force or otherwise. A fake Island is still a fake Island and not an Island that can be "claimed" nor the 20 miles around it.

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Originally Posted by smoothy

Gee.. thats a stretch... saying we didn't do it because we didn't think of it. The USA isn't the one guilty of trying to colonize the planet by force or otherwise. A fake Island is still a fake Island and not an Island that can be "claimed" nor the 20 miles around it.

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Well maybe, how big does an island have to be to be an island? When does a reef become an island, when it is dry at low tide?

when does a reef become an island ? When they pour concrete on it and build military bases on it ? Since you don't care about the Chinese doing that territorial grab from their neighbors ,maybe they should build a military base on the reef off of Cairns .

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Originally Posted by tomder55

when does a reef become an island ? When they pour concrete on it and build military bases on it ? Since you don't care about the Chinese doing that territorial grab from their neighbors ,maybe they should build a military base on the reef off of Cairns .

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Nah, we will probably do that to extend our national boundries and keep shipping out of the inner reef now that we have seen it is a successful idea, afteral we don't have any "aircraft carriers", let me see now there is Ashmore Reef, Cocas Islands, Christmas island, Lord Howe and Norfolk they would all make excellent aircraft carriers, then the waters between them and the mainland would be territorial

exactly all you need is the strength to bully and an adversary with the resolve of a wet noodle .

How's that going for you

How's it going ? Well our new resolve has brought in Kim to the table to talk .

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/10/w...rth-korea.html

We are keeping up the pressure on China to stop bankrolling the NORK nuke. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-n...-idUSKCN1BW1DL

In one years time ;after we were told we'd have to live with jihadistan ,ISIS no longer has a 'caliphate '. They were destroyed and now there is a chance for long term stability in Iraq. We drew a red line about the use of chemical weapons and actually enforced it in Syria .

We are gambling thatSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) will modernize Saudi Arabia ,and help roll back radical jihadism and the attempt by Iran to make a Shia corridor from Iran to the Mediterranean.We did not continue the charade of certifying Iranian compliance to the Iran nuke deal. Instead we upped the economic pressure by adding 93 sanctions to Iranian entities.

Despite the rhetoric of herr Donald ,we have kept and strengthened the NATO alliance ;especially as a counter weight to Russian attempts to reform the Soviet sphere .

Spending by NATO on defense has increased 4.3 percent, or $12.4 billion, over the last year .
Not bad for 1 year in office .

Well I would say you have the bully part right

fine with me . As you saw in Davos ,we are more respected then we were a year ago after 8 years of the emperor's retreat .

You're just happy he read the speech somebody wrote for him, and not gave his TrumpTV show spiel in front of the rich guys of the world. Your sigh of relief was heard around the world. America is open for business! Big Deal, America is always open for business. Next speech... SOTU Tuesday.