Navy to challenge Chinese claims in South China Sea

originally posted by: Xcathdra
China is its own worst enemy in this case. For some reason China likes to believe that an EEZ equates into sovereign territory. They also seem to think building islands also creates sovereign territory, which it does not.

I agree - Freedom of Navigation (Sea and Air) is an essential part of international law and the UN Charter. China is picking a fight based on a flawed premise that has absolutely nothing supporting it.

It's based on no one being strong enough to challenge it. Unfortunately for them the US is.

Illegal Differences

Most relevant is that China is itself a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which their latest actions in the Spratly Islands appear to directly violate.

China does have credible historical claims to some of the islands, but they are not unique nor exclusive. The more militant they become in asserting them by force, rather than negotiation, the more they alienate their neighbors and encourage them to build up their military defenses, form defensive alliances in response and appeal to foreign intervention, a process which is already underway.

Spratly Islands aside, China's presumption to claim most of the South China Sea has no foundation in any form of international law and is a provocation that extends far beyond the region in its scope.


Thus while it's reasonable to not want the US butting in on every regional dispute (I would certainly prefer it didn't), China's presumption to assert control over a vast area of international waters is a challenge that must not go unanswered.


Related news: China will not allow violations of its territorial waters

a reply to: 727Sky

"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," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular news briefing.

www.reuters.com...

a reply to: 727Sky

The islands in question don't have territorial rights. But even so, US P-8s have already overflown the area and all they got were radio warnings.

a reply to: 727Sky

That's the typical rhetorical flourishes that all these countries spout. Then they see that CBG come sailin' over the horizon, and oddly enough, the rhetoric quiets down.

China is merely having it pointed out, in a fashion that only the U.S. Navy can do, that those waters are free to all.

Exactly analogous to the Gulf of Sidra a/k/a The Line of Death nonsense that the late, and unlamented, Col. Quaddafi tried back in the '80's.

I'm guessing the ROE's will be strict, and even more strictly followed. Woe betide the pilot or ships commander that even looks like violating them... But the message will be loud and clear.

I got a idea. permantly staion a carrier group there in that area. literally park around the islands.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

But will the US do anything? theres no point having a metric crap load of carriers and support craft if at the end of the day they're just going to sit there doing nothing but if they do decide to do something whats the response?

a reply to: Maxatoria

I think sitting their would reinforce to China they cant do what they are doing. It would force China into 2 actions - back down and talk it out or escalate it and try to use force to back their claim (which has absolutely nothing else backing it).

If China chooses force it means they are attacking another nation who is freely operating in international waters and airspace. It means China would be claiming jurisdiction, creating a double whammy in that they have no authority to do that either.

Long story short this is lose lose for china and that's before we even get to the realm of economics and sovereign debt.

International law is dead since US attack, invasions and agressions in ME after 9/11. Add to that the obssessive support by the US to Israel illegal occupation of Palestine (one of the most brutal and long time injustice in modern history), it just makes one ask why are you guys even speaking in internatinol law? there is none. US has broken it to many times in these last years. US need a mirror to look when it start's to accusing anyone at this point. its mess and a shame.

lack respect for human rights has price: no respect for anyone. caos.

originally posted by: voyger2
International law is dead since US attack, invasions and agressions in ME after 9/11. Add to that the obssessive support by the US to Israel illegal occupation of Palestine (one of the most brutal and long time injustice in modern history), it just makes one ask why are you guys even speaking in internatinol law? there is none. US has broken it to many times in these last years. US need a mirror to look when it start's to accusing anyone at this point. its mess and a shame.

lack respect for human rights has price: no respect for anyone. caos.

Of fantastic so if some people break the law speeding the law just goes away? Not that the US did not cover itself legally in all the things mentioned above. And so lets say we go with your advice and ignore international law, you know the only peaceful tool that can be used to settle the dispute in the South China sea. Maybe we just have Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Philippines and Brunei settle this with a good old fashion war. Sounds like a great idea, what could go wrong. Then we could take the other border disputes that are being debated in international courts and toss them out and tell them to settle it old fashion way. You see this is what happens when you try and take a cheap jab. Somebody is going to call you out on it.

a reply to: Majic

Thanks for the map. The territorial lines drawn by Brunei and Vietnam are almost as ridiculous as China's. Those Spratly Islands seem to be the source of all the problems. It's not clear in the picture who owns what but it appears to be multiple nations who own various islands there.

originally posted by: bjarneorn

originally posted by: crazyewok

I thought it was to defend the USA?

Anyway providing no one gets itchy trigger fingers China will no doubt be the one that blinks.

Yeah, the Chinese are way too friendly sometimes ... didn't even hear them scramble a jet to escort the bosos out of their territory.

And for those who think it's international waters, 12 miles out ... IS the countries territory, period. Get over it.

Do you not remember the foolish Chinese fighter pilot who ran his plane into our Navy P3 Orion? He crashed and died, the P3 had to make an emergency landing in China which was a very foolish move for them to do but they were probably ordered to.

Yeah 12 miles from China's mainland, Not 12 miles from a man made island they want to call their own that is hundreds of miles away from China in International airspace. The other is a thousand miles away by the Philippines and Vietnam. Both belong to other countries, not China. The Spratlys are owned by Japan tho China thinks it belongs to them, like the entire China Sea!!!!

originally posted by: Patriotsrevenge

originally posted by: bjarneorn

originally posted by: crazyewok

I thought it was to defend the USA?

Anyway providing no one gets itchy trigger fingers China will no doubt be the one that blinks.

Yeah, the Chinese are way too friendly sometimes ... didn't even hear them scramble a jet to escort the bosos out of their territory.

And for those who think it's international waters, 12 miles out ... IS the countries territory, period. Get over it.

Do you not remember the foolish Chinese fighter pilot who ran his plane into our Navy P3 Orion? He crashed and died, the P3 had to make an emergency landing in China which was a very foolish move for them to do but they were probably ordered to.

Yeah 12 miles from China's mainland, Not 12 miles from a man made island they want to call their own that is hundreds of miles away from China in International airspace. The other is a thousand miles away by the Philippines and Vietnam. Both belong to other countries, not China. The Spratlys are owned by Japan tho China thinks it belongs to them, like the entire China Sea!!!!

Bet the chinese told him to ram the aircraft so they could get a look at its technology. I wonder if his family got a good amount of money for his heroic sacrifice to the fatherland?
I got a idea. Lets destroy all th e spratleys then allow no one to build there.

Seems the C.I.A. prognostication from a few years ago of "large scale conflict" in Asia "over water" by 2025 is proceeding to fruition nicely.

The only part they perhaps got wrong was with respect to "water" -- it will be s body of water, not the resource, that will serve as a spark to the conflagrance.