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China-Japan-Koreas
US accuses China of raising tensions over sea dispute
2012-08-06
All the progressive morons who chanted "no blood for oil" should be keeping a close eye on the Spratly/South China Sea maneuvers these days. If there's going to be a war for oil, this is one place where it could start.
Don't be silly -- the only geography those people know is where their friends go on vacation.
We know for sure that there's no oil in either the Hamptons or in Nantucket...
WASHINGTON: The United States on Friday accused China of raising tensions through a new military garrison in the South China Sea as it called on all sides to lower tensions in the hotly contested waters.

China announced last week that it was establishing the tiny city of Sansha and a garrison on an island in the disputed Paracel chain, infuriating Vietnam and the Philippines which have accused Beijing of intimidation.
At least those are real islands and not semi-submerged coral reefs.
"We are concerned by the increase in tensions in the South China Sea and are monitoring the situation closely," US State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said in a statement. "In particular, China's upgrading of the administrative level of Sansha city and establishment of a new military garrison there covering disputed areas of the South China Sea run counter to collaborative diplomatic efforts to resolve differences and risk further escalating tensions in the region."

Ventrell also pointed to "confrontational rhetoric" and incidents at sea, saying: "The United States urges all parties to take steps to lower tensions."

China says it controls much of the South China Sea, but Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam all claim portions. Vietnam and the Philippines have accused China of stepping up harassment at sea. The United States has rallied behind Southeast Asian nations, expanding military ties with the Philippines and Vietnam. President Barack Obama has decided to send Marines to Australia in a further show of US power in Asia.

The US Senate approved a resolution late Thursday that "strongly urges" all regional nations to exercise self-restraint and to refrain from permanently inhabiting points in the South China Sea until a code of conduct is reached. The resolution, sponsored by senators from both major parties, declared that the United States was committed "to assist the nations of Southeast Asia to remain strong and independent."
Posted by:Steve White

#2  WAFF > BEIJING ATTACKS US "TROUBLEMAKING", in SOuth China Sea.

* SAME > PROTESTS IN VIETNAM AS ANGER OVER CHINA'S "BULLYING" GROWS. Viets angry at China survey of energy, resource blocs in Vietnam-claimed territorial waters.

* TOPIX, CHINESE MILITARY FORUM > BEIJING TELLS US TO "SHUT UP" OVER SOUTH CHINA SEA TENSIONS | CHINA MEDIA TELLS US ....

versus

* TOPIX > [Vice-FM Fu Ying] CHINA TELLS US: LEAVE SOUTH CHINA SEA ISSUES TO CLAIMANTS.

ARTIC > VFM FU YING = SCS disputes are not between China + ASEAN as a body, but between China + individual ASEAN countries to which the US must stay out.

* SAME > NODA MARCHES ON AS [Regional = MilPol] TEMPERATURES RISE, e.g. Okinawa.

* SAME > JAPAN NEEDS STRATEGY FOR NORTHERN CLAIMS [Kuriles].

* WORLD MIL FORUM > EXPERTS: CHINA'S ESTABLISHMENT OF THREE SANSHA/SASHI IN SOUTH CHINA SEA BOON FOR UNICJ + INTERNATIONAL LAW.
ENFORCEMENT OF DIPLOMATIC NEGOTIATIONS [forcing] AMONG ASEAN STATES TO SETTLE LONG-STANDING TERRITORIAL/SOVERIEGNTY DISPUTES E.G. INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, + SINGAPORE OVER BAIJAO REEF.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2012-08-06 23:13  

#1  IIRC PACIFICNEWSCENTER [Guam K-57 News] > US SENATE UNANIMOUSLY PASSES RESOLUTION URGING "SELF-RESTRAINT" IN SOUTH CHINA SEA ISSUE.

IIUC, on a SCS Map the UW borders [seafloor] of the Sansha/Sashi is very very v-e-r-y close to the maritime boundaries of the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia save for PNG. The World/Trade-vital Strait of Malaccas can certainly be obtructed by the PLA in a major war iff its new SCS Garrison's mil capabilities is well-developed.

As for the US, AS PER TOPIX + DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS CHINA HAS TOLD IT TO STOP MEDDLING + NOT TO "SEND THE WRONG SIGNALS" VEE THE SCS.

* TOPIX > [Manila Times] POOR PH[Philippines] A BURDEN ON WASHINGTON: STRATFOR ANALYST [Robert Kaplan].

ARTIC = Moreso than its other Regional allies, the US has to help the PHIL "improve its capacity", espec as per its "weak Military + other Public Institutions". HOWEVER, THE PHIL IS ALSO DESCRIBED BY KAPLAN AS "STRATEGICALLY - " AND "GEOPOLITICALLY IMPORTANT" FOR THE US.

* DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > [Brisbane Times] CHINA REBUKES US ON SOUTH CHINA SEA.

versus

* SAME > POSTER THREAD: RISE OF JAPAN!?, espec iff it acquires Nukes to counter China???

* TOPIX > ANALYSIS: OKINAWA - THE FRONTLINE OF JAPAN'S DEFENSE.

* TOPIX > AUSTRALIA RULES OUT US NUCLEAR AIRCRAFT CARRIER BASE, as well as other USN Nuke-armed vessels.

RELATED > STEPHEN SMITH SAYS "NO" TO US BASE IN AUSTRALIA.

Perhaps GUAM is NOT yet out of the running for a US CVN base or maintenance facilitiy iff our Island Govt. plays its cards right - COULD BE GUAM'S LAST CHANCE TO SALVAGE SOMETHING FROM THE EVER-SHRINKING OKINAWA BUILDUP???
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2012-08-06 00:38  

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