Chinese terra-forming in the South China Sea

[D-Ric902]

If China (and others) have no fear of reprisal or international consequences. They will (continue) to do as they wish.
I would be worried if I lived I the Philippines, thinking about anyone backing me up.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Chinese newspaper says war with the US is inevitable unless the US backs off

US-China war 'inevitable' unless Washington drops demands over South China Sea - Telegraph

 

[ArcadiaGP]

What China Has Been Building in the South China Sea

 

[T.Lex]

So... uh.... with everything else going on....

China hits back at US in row over South China Sea - BBC News

The row began when US officials said they were considering sending warships inside the 12-nautical-mile zones that China claims as territory around the Spratlys.
That sparked strong words from China, with Ms Hua warning: "We will never allow any country to violate China's territorial waters and airspace in the Spratly Islands, in the name of protecting freedom of navigation and overflight."

On Tuesday, US Defence Secretary Ash Carter expressed "strong concerns" over island-building, and defended Washington's plans.
"Make no mistake, the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, as we do around the world, and the South China Sea will not be an exception," he said at a news conference with the Australian foreign and defence ministers.

"We will do that in the time and places of our choosing," he added, according to Reuters news agency.
...

That in turn triggered Wednesday's rebuke from China.
Asked about Mr Carter's comments, Ms Hua said: "I want to point out that some countries, in a region far from their own lands, have deployed offensive weaponry on a large scale and flexed their military muscles again and again in the South China Sea.

"This is the biggest factor in the militarisation of the South China Sea. We hope the relevant countries cease hyping up the South China Sea issue and scrupulously abide by their promises not to take a position on the territorial disputes," she said, according to Reuters.

Almost sounds like time to draw a red line.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

U.S. Navy to send destroyer within 12 miles of Chinese artificial islands

"I'm going to start swinging my arms... and if you're in my way, it's not my fault if you get hurt."

"I'm going to start firing missiles 12 miles away from me... and if you terraform into that range, it's not our fault if you get hurt."

 

[T.Lex]

Saw that last night.

Chinese response:
China says US warship's Spratly islands passage 'illegal' - BBC News

The guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen breached the 12-nautical mile zone China claims around Subi and Mischief reefs in the Spratly archipelago.
The freedom of navigation operation is a serious challenge to China's claims over the artificial islands.
Its foreign ministry said the ship had been warned and characterised the act as a "threat to China's sovereignty".
Lu Kang, the spokesman, added that Beijing would "resolutely respond to any country's deliberately provocative actions" and that the ship had been "tracked and warned" while on the mission to deliberately enter the disputed waters.

"If you swing your arms and I get hit, you're gonna get punched in the nose."

Of course, I'm not sure they're really willing to try that punch, just like I doubt we'll actually shoot anything of any import.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

China to abandon iconic one-child policy, allow two children for all couples, Communist Party says



Gotta populate that new land somehow.

 

[T.Lex]

This administration is befuddled. And befuddling.
South China Sea: China warns US over 'provocative acts' - BBC News

China's naval commander has warned his US counterpart against "dangerous and provocative acts", days after a US warship sailed close to contested islands in the South China Sea.
Admiral Wu Shengli said in a video conference that there was a risk that such minor incidents could spark war, according to a Navy statement.
The US said the talks were productive and that dialogue would be maintained.

This is not North Korea that we're dealing with. It isn't Iran. This is China. They say that doing what we're doing could start a war. We describe a threat like that as "productive"? WTF?

 

[ArcadiaGP]

US to operate 'wherever' law allows in South China Sea

 

[T.Lex]

Not sure if Paris or the South China Sea is the distraction, but POTUS drew another red line... in the water.
China 'must stop' land reclamation in South China Sea - Obama - BBC News

China must stop land reclamation in disputed waters in the South China Sea, US President Barack Obama has said.
...

Mr Obama earlier pledged monetary and naval assistance to the Philippines, which has competing claims with China in the resource-rich region.

 

[T.Lex]

US P-8 spy plane deployed to Singapore - BBC News

US sends a P-8 "spyplane" to Singapore to have better access to South China Sea.

 

[T.Lex]

A reporter's first-hand account of flying near the reefs. Yes, it looks like there are about 4 islands that China is building.
Flying close to Beijing's new South China Sea islands - BBC News

And then there's this - I didn't know the part that building artificial structures doesn't change the reef into a "real" island.

China is bound by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which it has ratified. The law states that sub-sea structures, such as reefs, cannot be claimed as sovereign coastline, and that building artificial structures on top of them does not turn them in to sovereign territory either.

A country that owns a natural island can claim a 12-nautical-mile territorial limit around it, both on the sea and in the air. But artificial structures do not confer any such right. In other words, we would be able to fly our aircraft right up to China's new islands without breaking any international laws, and China should not interfere with our flight.

 

[T.Lex]

Whoop, there it is.
China lands more civilian planes on Fiery Cross reef - BBC News

Xinhua state news agency released pictures of two commercial jets on the Fiery Cross Reef, which it called by its Chinese name Yongshu.
Vietnam and the US protested China's 2 January landing of a plane on the reef.
...
Pictures show the planes on a brand-new strip of tarmac at what Xinhua called "our country's most southern airport".

Welcome to the era of Chinese Island Hopping.

 

[T.Lex]

A couple days late on this.

South China Sea standoff: 'Both sides need to step back'

The U.S. Navy's first freedom of navigation patrol of 2016 to counter Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea has refocused attention on the continuing tensions in East Asia.
The destroyer Curtis Wilbur’s patrol of Triton Island, part of the Paracel Islands chain, on Jan. 30 came a little more than three months after the destroyer Lassen conducted its much-publicized patrol of the Spratly Islands, where China is building artificial islands on top of reefs.

 

[T.Lex]

Well, now. This is what we call... raising the ante.
China 'has deployed missiles in South China Sea' - Taiwan - BBC News

China has deployed surface-to-air missiles on a disputed island in the South China Sea, Taiwan says.

Missiles located on the north side of the island. Geographical reference point, Taiwan is northeast of this island.

I'm sure that's a total coincidence.

Oh, and this archipelago is actually north of the islands they are terraforming and is basically within the Chinese Exclusive Economic Zone.

 

[T.Lex]

Well, the militarization is actually our fault.
South China Sea: Beijing accuses US of militarisation - BBC News

China has accused the US of militarising the disputed South China Sea through its air and naval patrols.

So, by sailing our navy through international waters, we militarized them.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

US Navy plans 3rd 'freedom of navigation' exercise near disputed islands in South China Sea

 

[Eight]

A few weeks ago I read that China was looking to deploy some cruiser sized "Coast Guard" ships to the disputed areas to shoulder other vessels out of the areas. Amazing what some white paint will do. They could certainly have their way with the destroyers we have been using to assert navigation rights. Short of an aircraft carrier I don't think there is much in our inventory that wouldn't lose a sumo match with a ship of that size. I would LOVE if we could take a Missouri class battleship out of mothballs for the express purpose of just sailing lazy figure 8's around their new found territory. I know it will never happen, but in my mind it is glorious (a little trick I learned to use with my bank account).

 

[phylodog]

Well, the militarization is actually our fault.
South China Sea: Beijing accuses US of militarisation - BBC News



So, by sailing our navy through international waters, we militarized them.

With that kind of silly **** coming out of their mouths I'm beginning to think that liberalism might be China's biggest export to the US.

 

[halfmileharry]

So, we're getting all butt hurt because China is doing what Japan has been doing for a decade now? I wonder why that's not being mentioned.