Rantburg

Today's Front Page   View All of Fri 03/29/2024 View Thu 03/28/2024 View Wed 03/27/2024 View Tue 03/26/2024 View Mon 03/25/2024 View Sun 03/24/2024 View Sat 03/23/2024
2021-01-31 China-Japan-Koreas
Australian military to continue patrolling South China Sea as Beijing warns Taiwan independence ‘means war’
[Guardian] Australian military ships and aircraft will continue to patrol the South China Sea amid warnings from China that a declaration of independence by Taiwan would “mean war”.

With Taiwan reporting an increase in Chinese military aircraft in its air defence zone, and with Beijing cautioning independence forces against “playing with fire”, the Australian government is closely monitoring developments in the region.

The US military announced last weekend that a US aircraft carrier group had entered the South China Sea in a bid to promote “freedom of the seas”.

A spokesperson for the Australian Department of Defence said: “Australian vessels and aircraft will continue to exercise rights under international law to freedom of navigation and overflight, including in the South China Sea, and we support others doing the same.

The comments were in response to questions about the US aircraft carrier group’s arrival, and whether the new Biden administration had requested Australia join it in the South China Sea or whether it would carry out its own exercises soon.

The Australian government believes Australia has a substantial interest in the stability of the South China Sea, in part because of the vast volume of trade that flows through it. While Australia routinely operates alongside the US and other partners, the government sticks to the position of not commenting on the specific details of Australian Defence Force operations.

Amid heightened tensions in the region, self-governed Taiwan has reported an increase in Chinese military aircraft in its air defence zone since last weekend. Six such aircraft, including four J-10 fighter jets, flew close to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands at the top end of the South China Sea on Thursday, according to a Reuters report that cited Taiwan’s defence ministry.

Wu Qian, a spokesperson for China’s defence ministry, said on Thursday that Taiwan was “an inalienable part of China” and the Chinese military activities in the Taiwan Strait “a solemn response to the interference of external forces and the provocations by ‘Taiwan independence’ forces”.

According to a Chinese defence ministry summary of the monthly press conference, Wu also said he wanted to warn independence forces “that those who play with fire will set themselves on fire, and seeking ‘Taiwan independence’ means nothing but war”.

It is understood the Australian government’s position is to support a peaceful resolution of differences over Taiwan and other regional issues through dialogue and without the threat or use of force or coercion. The government also maintains that American leadership in the Indo-Pacific is welcome in order to uphold rules, norms and standards in the region.

Australia’s defence minister, Linda Reynolds, said after her first phone call with her new US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, on Wednesday that Australia and the US would “continue to work side by side with allies and partners to maintain a region that is secure, prosperous, inclusive and rules-based”.

The Pentagon issued a statement saying the US defence secretary had “emphasised the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, founded on existing international law and norms in a region free of malign behaviour”.

Neither the Pentagon nor Reynolds directly mentioned China, but Australia has been at odds with its largest trading partner over a range of issues including Beijing’s militarisation of disputed features in the South China Sea and crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong.

Greg Moriarty, the head of Australia’s defence department, said last month that China had acted in a “disturbing” manner and complicated Australia’s security environment through its activities in the South China Sea. Moriarty also said a number of countries in the Indo-Pacific were deeply anxious about the future prospects for peace and stability, and the great powers to conduct themselves in a way that reassured the region.
Posted by Steve White 2021-01-31 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ]  Top
 File under: Commies 

#1 Same as the last 70 years... no, wait, we now have a POTPUS* instead of a POTUS.

* POtted Plant of the United States
Posted by Mercutio 2021-01-31 08:05||   2021-01-31 08:05|| Front Page Top

#2 INVASION IMMINENT! Made me poor mither a little nervous, she later admitted, until old hands assured her it was a standing headline.
Posted by Beldar Lumplump2747 2021-01-31 21:46||   2021-01-31 21:46|| Front Page Top

#3 BL - Yo' mama b famous

Posted by Vernal Gray5341 2021-01-31 21:55||   2021-01-31 21:55|| Front Page Top

#4 This is precisely how we go to war with China or, betray the convicts.
Posted by Besoeker 2021-01-31 22:15||   2021-01-31 22:15|| Front Page Top

14:54 M. Murcek
14:43 ed in texas
14:42 DooDahMan
14:41 swksvolFF
14:41 ed in texas
14:39 Grom the Reflective
14:38 ed in texas
14:37 Grom the Reflective
14:30 DooDahMan
14:28 NoMoreBS
14:28 DooDahMan
14:27 Grom the Reflective
14:20 USN, Ret.
14:15 Grom the Reflective
14:11 Grom the Reflective
14:08 Procopius2k
14:05 trailing wife
14:03 Frank G
14:01 magpie
13:56 DarthVader
13:40 M. Murcek
13:39 Whiskey Mike
13:36 Dale
13:20 irish+rage+boy









Paypal:
Google
Search WWW Search rantburg.com