Chinese warships and fighter jets take part in a military display in the South China Sea on April 12. © Reuters
Simon Roughneen, Nikkei Asian Review: How Beijing is winning control of the South China Sea
Erratic US policy and fraying alliances give China a free hand.
SINGAPORE -- Even by his outspoken standards, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s account of a conversation he had with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, was startling.
During a meeting between the two leaders in Beijing in May 2017, the subject turned to whether the Philippines would seek to drill for oil in a part of the South China Sea claimed by both countries. Duterte said he was given a blunt warning by China’s president.
“[Xi’s] response to me [was], ‘We’re friends, we don’t want to quarrel with you, we want to maintain the presence of warm relationship, but if you force the issue, we’ll go to war,” Duterte recounted.
A year later, Duterte was asked for a response to news that China had landed long-range bombers on one of the South China Sea's Paracel Islands -- a milestone that suggests the People's Liberation Army Air Force can easily make the short hop to most of Southeast Asia from its new airstrips. “What’s the point of questioning whether the planes there land or not?” Duterte responded.
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Update: Shifting US policy leaves Asian allies at sea (Nikkei Asian Review)
WNU Editor: I have a different take.The nations that border the South China Sea want the U.S. to take the initiative to confront Chinese claims in the South China Sea .... but they themselves have always capitulated to China's territorial demands and/or gave mixed signals to the U.S. on what support they would give in the event that tensions would rise. This started during the Obama administration .... and it is continuing with the Trump administration. And as long as these nations remain divided and/or reluctant to support the U.S. .... China will continue to do what it has been doing for the past five years.
15 comments:
Smith: time to grow up
Ombama has been out of office for over a full year and Trump has done nada, zip, zero...and in the meantime, China has continued to build. Trump is the Commander in Chief. What is he doing about China's expansion? At least he is not blaming Obama as you do, non stop
Petty arguments; we continue to conduct freedom of navigation patrols and things won't heat up unless China decides to fire missles at our boats or starts harrassing shipping. Then, it's gets interesting, everything else is window dressing.
SWmith! who the phuck has been our president for the past year and a half while China building these NEW bases? Guess
tedidous, once again: who the phuck has been in the White House for a year and a half? who controls congress and senate? What has Trump done so far about this issue???
Fred even though Obama not president he can still be blamed. Every president inherits some kind of mess, but at least Trump trying peace deal. He knows how to sell and make deals. Is he perfect hell no. Is he doing better then the other guy yes.
no no no
we are talking about one specific issue: the China sea islands that China is building. period. Did Obama do anything? No. Has Trump? no...no deal not even mentioning or warning or noting. zip.
it works like this: If Obama did nothing, Smith complains. If American attacked,Smith would bitch. Smith is moronic misfit who has one object: putting down those not in is childish corner and living in the past to do so and dumping on comments by those who laugh at him by insulting them. In sum: loser simpleton
Well if it's one specific issue they need to stand up not us. They want to sit on their booty and let China bully. Not on USA job to protect them. Only thing is then off-topic is our hands are every where. I mean what can you really do sending ships is just a joke. It's now a politics game. Unless you want war is the other option. Other then that they will do what they want untill Japan ect stand up.
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