U.S. Calls On Beijing To Stop It's 'Confrontational And Dangerous' Conduct In South China Sea

The Philippines accused China of causing "severe damage" to the engine of one boat after using water cannon 

The Hill: US calls on China to stop ‘dangerous’ actions in South China Sea after Philippine vessel rammed 

The U.S. slammed China for “reckless disregard” and provocative action after Chinese coast guard boats shot water cannons at Philippine ships and collided with a vessel in the South China Sea over the weekend. 

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Chinese boats also deployed acoustic devices, or sound cannons, which can employ extremely loud sounds over a distance to incapacitate a target, to drive away Philippine boats. 

Read more ....  

Update #1: US Calls On Beijing To Stop 'Dangerous' Conduct In South China Sea -- AFP  

Update #2: U.S.: Chinese South China Sea clash with Philippine crews "undermines regional stability" -- Axios  

WNU Editor: The U.S. issued this warning after the ship that was rammed by the Chinese Coast Guard also had the Philippine's military chief onboard .... Philippine military head was aboard a ship harassed by China. Beijing accuses US of stirring trouble (AP). More here .... Philippines says military chief was aboard ship Chinese vessels rammed, hit with water cannon (Reuters).

U.S. Accuses China's Military Of Coercive And Risky Behaviors In The Indo-Pacific Region

 

VOA: US Sees 'Sharp Increase' in Chinese Military's Coercive, Risky Behaviors 

WASHINGTON — As the U.S. Defense Department prepares to release its annual China Military Power report (CMPR), officials said the Chinese military has been engaged in "a centralized and concerted campaign" to perform risky behaviors in the Indo-Pacific region to "coerce a change" in operational activities by the U.S. and its allies. 

Meanwhile, Washington has renewed its call for military-to-military communication with China to prevent inadvertent conflicts. Senior defense officials from the two countries are expected to join their counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for meetings in mid-November in Jakarta, Indonesia.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: China has responded by releasing their own video of provocative maneuvers from the US military in the South China Sea (see video below). 

Philippine President Marcos Jr. And Chinese President Xi Jinpin Agree on Measures To Manage Maritime Disputes

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his wife arrive in Beijing, China, January 3, 2022. Credit: Facebook/Bongbong Marcos 

The Diplomat: Philippines, China Agree on Measures to Manage Maritime Disputes 

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Xi Jinping agreed to restart joint oil and gas exploration and set up a direct channel of communication on South China Sea issues. 

China is ready to manage its maritime issues with the Philippines “cordially,” China President Xi Jinping reportedly said yesterday, after meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Beijing. 

Citing Chinese state media, Reuters reported today that Xi also told Marcos that China is willing to resume negotiations over the joint exploration of oil and gas resources in non-disputed areas of the South China Sea, cooperate with the Philippines on solar and wind energy, and increase imports of Philippine fishery products.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: This summit is producing some surprising results. For example. I did not expect both sides to come to an agreement where they will work together on joint oil and gas exploration projects in the South China Sea. 

But like everything else when it comes to China. What they say and what they do can sometimes be two different things. 

Philippine President Marcos Jr. And Chinese President Xi Jinpin Agree on Measures To Manage Maritime Disputes  

China, Philippines agree to handle disputes 'peacefully', boost cooperation -- Reuters  

China-Philippines deals include new channels to resolve maritime disputes -- SCMP  

Red carpet welcome for Marcos and a slew of pacts struck in China -- Straits Times  

China, Philippines vow further cooperation for new chapter in bilateral relations -- CGTN

US Conducted 589 ‘Spy Flights’ Over South China Sea In 2022

SCSPI says its data on US close-in reconnaissance activities near China might be only part of the picture because not all aircraft have their transponders turned on. Photo: US Air Force  

SCMP: US spy planes edge closer to China’s shores in 2022: think tank 

* South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative says the US again sent hundreds of large aircraft for close-in activities over the South China Sea this year 

* Chinese military magazine suggests PLA must strengthen the deployment of drones and the development of home-grown transport aircraft

China faced a growing threat of close-in reconnaissance in 2022, especially from the United States, with a sustained number of flights conducted nearer to Chinese shores, according to a Beijing-based think tank. 

The US sent 589 large warplanes from January to November to conduct close-in intelligence gathering over the South China Sea alone, according to data from the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI). 

While flight data for December is not yet available, the US dispatched 47 large reconnaissance aircraft to patrol the South China Sea region in December last year, according to the SCSPI.  

Read more ....  

Update: US Conducted 589 ‘Spy Flights’ Over South China Sea In 2022; Recon Missions Getting Close To Chinese Coasts! (EurAsian Times)  

WNU Editor: Expect more "spy flights" in 2023 as tensions and talk of war increases .... War between the US and China - with Australia as a strategically vital ally - is not only possible but highly likely in 2023 (SKY News).

US Navy Challenges Chinese Claims Near Disputed Islands In The South China Sea For The Second Time In A Week

The USS Benfold conducts operations in the Philippine Sea on July 16. 

 CNN: US Navy challenges Chinese claims in South China Sea for second time in a week 

Seoul, South Korea (CNN)A US Navy warship on Saturday challenged Chinese claims to disputed islands in the South China Sea, the US 7th Fleet said in a statement -- the second operation of its kind this week. 

The guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold sailed near the Spratly Islands -- known as the Nansha Islands in China -- in the southeastern South China Sea in a so-called "freedom of navigation operation" (FONOP), the 7th Fleet statement said. 

The US Navy operation in the island chain where China has built military foritifications on man-made islands challenged "restrictions on innocent passage imposed by the People's Republic of China (PRC), Vietnam, and Taiwan," the statement said.  

Read more ....  

Update: US Navy ship again sails near disputed South China Sea islands (CNA/Reuters)  

WNU Editor: Beijing is frustrated .... Call for 'guardrails' nothing but blether: China Daily editorial

U.S. Destroyer Sails Past Chinese-Held South China Sea islands. China Says It Expelled Warship

USS Benfold (DDG-65) sailing past the Paracel Islands on July 13, 2022. PLA Photo  

USNI News: U.S. Destroyer Performs South China Sea FONOP; China Says it Expelled Warship 

A U.S. guided-missile destroyer passed near a South China Sea island chain claimed by China as part of a Freedom of Navigation operation and drew complaints from Beijing. 

USS Benfold (DDG-65) sailed near the Paracel Islands early Wednesday local time in a FONOP and was monitored by the People’s Liberation Army Navy frigate Xianning (500), according to the Chinese Ministry of Defense. 

“This freedom of navigation operation (“FONOP”) upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea recognized in international law by challenging the restrictions on innocent passage imposed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan, and Vietnam and also by challenging PRC’s claim to straight baselines enclosing the Paracel Islands,” reads a statement from U.S. 7th Fleet.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: China is saying that they warned the US warship away .... PLA releases photos of warning away trespassing US warship, shows confidence in tackling navigational hegemony (Global Times). The U.S. says they will not be intimidated .... U.S. Says It Won't Be Deterred in South China Sea After Beijing's Protests (Newsweek). 

 U.S. Destroyer Sails Past Chinese-Held South China Sea islands. China Says It Expelled Warship 

US destroyer sails past Chinese-held South China Sea islands -- AP  

US Navy destroyer performs freedom of navigation exercise in South China Sea -- CNN  

U.S. Navy draws rebuke from China after transiting South China Sea -- UPI  

US sends destroyer near Paracel Islands angering China -- Al Jazeera

Mysterious South China Sea Missile Launch Caught On Video

To their bewilderment, they spotted a SLBM emerging from the sea below their previously intended flight path!! PLAN Missile Submarine launch with very little regard to Commercial Air Traffic in the area!! That would’ve been me on the ‘delivery end’ of that Missile 30 years ago!

— Captain Overnight (@jchovernut) May 24, 2022

Warzone/The Drive: Mysterious South China Sea Missile Launch Claimed To Be Caught By Airliner (Updated) 

Video taken from an airliner appears to show the launch of a missile from a ship or a submarine in the South China Sea. 

Video has emerged on social media that is said to show an apparent launch of a missile, possibly from a submarine, as viewed from a Cathay Pacific Boeing 777 flying over the South China Sea. Unseen individuals can be heard in the clip talking about whether it is heading their way. 

Twitter user @jchovernut, a pilot for U.S.-based airline Allegiant Air and a veteran of the U.S. Navy's submarine community, posted the video, seen below, online on Tuesday. "They were over the South China Sea & were issued a last-minute hectic call from ATC: 'turn left 90 degrees immediately!!,'" according to one Tweet accompanying the video.  

Read more ....  

Update: Watch: Mysterious South China Sea Missile Launch Came Dangerously Close To Commercial Airliner (Zero Hedge)  

WNU editor: China was conducting military exercises in the South China Sea when this missile launch was spotted .... China launches military exercises in South China Sea as Biden visits Asia (FOX News).

US Admiral Says China Has Fully Militarized At Least Three Man-Made Islands In The South China Sea

U.S. Indo-Pacific commander Admiral John C. Aquilino (left) shared the revelation with two Associated Press journalists who joined him on board a P-8A Poseidon plane during the reconnaissance mission  

Daily Mail: US admiral says China fully militarized at least three of several islands it built in the disputed South China Sea 

* China has equipped at least three man-made islands in the South China Sea with military equipment such as missile arsenals, aircraft hangars and radar systems 

* A U.S. Navy reconnaissance mission revealed the militarization of Mischief Reef, Subi Reef and Fiery Cross in one of the world's most disputed regions 

* Chinese President Xi Jinping previously promised not to convert the islands into military bases 

* Beijing maintains its military profile is purely defensive, despite China's military now having the second-largest defense budget next to the U.S. 

China has fully militarized at least three of nearly a dozen manmade islands it built in the hotly contested South China Sea, despite Chinese President Xi Jinping´s previous promises not to convert the islands into military bases, a top U.S. military commander said on Sunday. 

U.S. Navy officials surveyed outposts in the South China Sea´s Spratly archipelago – one of the world's most disputed regions – and found that the islands of Mischief Reef, Subi Reef and Fiery Cross has been armed with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missile systems, laser and jamming equipment and fighter jets. 

Read more ....  

Update #1: AP Exclusive: US admiral says China fully militarized isles (AP)  

Update #2: Report: U.S. admiral says China has fully militarized three islands in South China Sea (Axios)  

WNU Editor: so much for Chinese President Xi's promise .... It’s Official: Xi Jinping Breaks His Non-Militarization Pledge in the Spratlys (The Diplomat).

US Destroyer Challenges Chinese South China Sea Claims

 

Business Insider: US destroyer challenges Chinese South China Sea claims as US Navy warns 'nothing' Beijing says will deter it 

* The US Navy conducted a freedom-of-navigation operation near contested territory in the South China Sea on Thursday. 

* China's military said the ship trespassed and threatened the peace in the region. 

* The US argued its actions were lawful and that China's claims pose a threat to international freedom of the seas. 

The US Navy challenged China's "unlawful" and "excessive" maritime claims Thursday with a FONOP – freedom-of-navigation operation – near the Paracel Islands, contested territory in the South China Sea. 

The US Navy destroyer USS Benfold conducted the operation, challenging restrictions on innocent passage and excessive territorial claims by claimant states, China in particular.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The US are denying Chinese claims that they are infringing on Chinese territory .... US navy denies warship sailed 'illegally' into Chinese territorial waters in the South China Sea after PRC claimed they tracked and warned off USS Benfold (Daily Mail). More here .... U.S. Navy Denies Chinese Claims of Expelling Destroyer From Waters Near Paracel Islands (USNI News). 

More News On China's Reaction To The Appearance Of The USS Benfold In The South China Sea  

PLA expels US warship trespassing Chinese territorial waters in S.China Sea -- Global Times  

China says it warned away U.S. warship in South China Sea, U.S. denies -- Reuters  

China warns US after tracking warship in South China Sea -- The Guardian 

China warns U.S. of 'serious consequences' after Navy warship crosses South China Sea -- UPI  

China ‘warns off’ US destroyer -- RT

US Steps Up Aircraft Carrier Deployments In The South China Sea

Carl Vinson CSG And Essex ARG transit the South China Sea (U.S. Navy photo)  

Antiwar.com: US Has Stepped Up Aircraft Carrier Deployments in South China Sea  

Aircraft carrier strike groups entered the disputed waters 10 times in 2021, compared with 6 times in 2020 

Reflecting the Pentagon’s new focus on China, US aircraft carrier strike groups almost doubled deployments to the South China Sea in 2021 compared to the year before. 

According to the Beijing-based South China Sea Probing Initiative (SCSPI), US carrier strike groups entered the South China Sea 10 times in 2021, compared with six times in 2020, and five in 2019.

“The US military have drastically reinforced their military deployment in the South China Sea since last year, in terms of training scales, sorties and scenarios,” SCSPI director Hu Bo said Friday, according to The South China Morning Post.  

Read more .... 

US Steps Up Aircraft Carrier Deployments In The South China Sea  

San Diego-Based ‘Big Deck’ Force Trains in Strategically Critical South China Sea -- Times of San Diego   

US piles on South China Sea pressure with dual carrier strike exercises -- ABS-CBN  

Carl Vinson CSG and ESX ARG conclude joint ESF training operations -- Naval Technology  

U.S. Navy CSG and ARG Wrap Up Joint Operations in the South China Sea -- Naval News  

New stealth moves as US Navy ramps up South China Sea visits -- SCMP  

Vinson strike group, Essex ARG conduct operations in South China Sea -- Navy Times  

Strengthening Naval Readiness in the Indo-Pacific Region -- MilitarySpot

Why Is China Setting Up Forests Of Antennas Across The South China Sea?

There has been significant development at the Mumian facility on Hainan Island. CSIS/Maxar Technologies  

NYPost: Satellite photos reveal worrying antennas in South China Sea  

Forests of antennas are popping up across the South China Sea. And they’re further evidence of Beijing’s determination to dominate the strategic international waterway. 

Metal poles with wires strung between them seem harmless enough. Even a cluster of big satellite dishes isn’t all that uncommon anymore. 

But it’s what they’re attached to that counts. 

International affairs think tank the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) warns Beijing is “taking major steps toward improving its electronic warfare, communications, and intelligence-gathering capabilities near the South China Sea.” 

And that means potentially turning the contested waterway into a communication and navigation “dead zone.”  

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: It looks like China is improving its electronic warfare, communications, and intelligence-gathering capabilities.

Chinese Naval Expert Warns U.S. And Ally Submarines In South China Sea Could Bring ‘Nuke Disaster’

USS Connecticut (SSN 22) is shown in this 2011 file photo at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton. © Flickr/US Navy/MC Specialist 3rd Class Timothy Aguirre  

Global Times: US, allies’ subs in S.China Sea could bring ‘nuke disaster’ 

A senior Chinese expert on the maritime issue raised questions on the announcement the US 7th Fleet made about a US submarine collision in the South China Sea, as well as concerns over the increasing military presence of the US and its allies in the region, as they could bring more danger and accidents to the region, and would even cause a "nuclear disaster." 

Wu Shicun, president of the National Institute for the South China Sea Studies (NISCSS), made comments in Beijing on Wednesday at a press briefing hosted by the NISCSS and China-Southeast Asia Research Center on the South China Sea (CSARC). 

The briefing introduced the Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance 2021 that was held in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province on November 9 and 10.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: This same Chinese naval expert is also issuing a warning on this .... US stepping up operations in South China Sea, researchers say (SCMP).

Is A War Brewing In The South China Sea?

OilPrice.com: Is There A War Brewing In The South China Sea? 

Tensions in the South China Sea have been percolating for years now. Even in relatively calm times when the battling claimants of the contested waters manage to stay out of the headlines, the reality out on the sea is rarely tranquil. In fact, a recent report from the South China Morning Post has revealed that Chinese boats have been harassing Civilian vessels in the Malaysian and Vietnamese portions of the South China Sea “on a daily basis” for years. 

Extending from Singapore and the Strait of Malacca in the southwest to the Strait of Taiwan in the northeast, the South China Sea is a geopolitical hotspot as one of the most important trade routes in the world, not to mention the home of valuable oil and gas reserves as well as lucrative fishing grounds. The United States Energy Information Agency (EIA) estimates that the South China Sea “contains approximately 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in proved and probable reserves.” 

 Read more ....  

WNU Editor: I do not see a war exploding in the Sout China Sea. But China is certainly testing everyone's boundaries.

U.S. Navy Denying Chinese Claims That It 'Drove Away' A U.S. Warship From Its Territory In The South China Sea

The guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold sails in formation in the Philippine Sea in June 2018. | U.S. NAVY / VIA REUTERS

#USSBenfold conducts freedom of navigation operation in Spratly Islands: https://t.co/jR6X3cYmj5 #DDG65 @US7thFleet pic.twitter.com/zlZNt1sXQc

— U.S. Pacific Fleet (@USPacificFleet) September 8, 2021

FOX News: US Navy blasts China over 'false' claim about destroyer in South China Sea 

Last month, Vice President Kamala Harris urged Vietnam to join the US in challenging China’s 'bullying' in the South China Sea 

The US Navy’s 7th Fleet said in a statement Wednesday that the destroyer USS Benfold asserted its navigational rights in the South China Sea and called China’s earlier claim about the voyage "false." 

"USS Benfold conducted this FONOP in accordance with international law and then continued on to conduct normal operations in international waters," the Navy’s statement read. 

The Navy did not specify the precise statement it was refuting. The Global Times, which has been described as a public voice for the Chinese Communist Party, claimed that the Benfold "trespassed into areas adjacent to the Meiji reef" until it was "warned off" by Chinese naval and aerial forces.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: China's claim of "driving away" the U.S. warship is here .... US destroyer warned off after trespassing into areas adjacent to China’s Meiji reef in South China Sea: military spokesperson (Global Times). 

More News On The U.S. Navy Denying Chinese Claims That It 'Drove Away' A U.S. Warship From Its Territory In The South China Sea  

7th Fleet conducts Freedom of Navigation Operation -- Commander US 7th Fleet  

China lashes out after US warship sails past Mischief Reef in South China Sea -- Hindustan Times 

U.S. warship sails near man-made South China Sea islet, flouting new Chinese law -- Japan Times  

U.S. Warship Challenges China Claims Over Fortified South China Sea Reef -- Newsweek

US Dismisses Beijing's New Demand That All Foreign Ships Entering The South China Sea Must Rregister With Chinese Maritime Authorities

A Royal Malaysian Navy vessel fires a missile during a military exercise in the South China Sea on August 12. Malaysia is among the nations that have competing claims with China in the resource-rich waters. Photo: DPA 

 SCMP: US says new Chinese rule that vessels register for South China Sea access threatens freedom of navigation 

The Pentagon on Wednesday appeared to dismiss Beijing's new demand that all foreign ships entering the South China Sea must register with Chinese maritime authorities, calling it a "serious threat" to freedom of navigation and trade. 

"The United States remains firm that any coastal state law or regulation must not infringe upon navigation and overflight rights enjoyed by all nations under international law," said John Supple, a Pentagon spokesman, in response to questions about China's decree this week. 

"Unlawful and sweeping maritime claims, including in the South China Sea, pose a serious threat to the freedom of the seas, including the freedoms of navigation and overflight, free trade and unimpeded lawful commerce, and the rights and interests of South China Sea and other littoral nations," he said.

Read more ....  

Update: "Serious Threat": Pentagon Blasts Beijing's Demand That All Ships In South China Sea Register (Zero Hedge)  

WNU Editor: The question that is not being asked is what will the U.S. do if China starts enforcing its rules. My guess is that besides increasing freedom of navigation trips, not much. At least that is what China is banking on.

China Demands Foreign Vessels To Now Report To Its Maritime Safety Administration Before Entering Waters That It Claims In The South China Sea

The reporting system for foreign vessels entering and leaving China’s territorial water was added to the Maritime Traffic Safety Law which was revised in April. From Wednesday foreign ships must report ship ID and cargo information to China’s maritime administrations. Photo: Weibo  

SCMP: South China Sea: China demands foreign vessels report before entering ‘its territorial waters’  

Foreign vessels entering what Beijing deems its "territorial waters" must report to China under maritime regulations meant to strengthen its claims over disputed waters, including the South China Sea.

China's Maritime Safety Administration said that under regulations taking effect on Wednesday, vessels of foreign nationality entering China's territorial seas must report ship and cargo information to China's maritime administrations. 

The reporting requirements applied to submersibles, nuclear vessels, ships carrying radioactive materials, ships carrying bulk oil, chemicals, liquefied gas and other toxic and harmful substances and other vessels that were considered a threat to the country's maritime traffic safety, the administration said in a notice on Friday.  

Read more ....

Update #1: China to require foreign vessels to report in ‘territorial waters’ (The Hindu)  

Update #2: Starting Sept 1 China Will Require Foreign Vessels To Report In Its "Territorial Waters" (Zero Hedge)  

WNU Editor: This is one of many steps that China is implementing to assert control of the South China sea. This is a shrewd move by China. They know America's attention is elsewhere.

US Vice President Harris Will Promote 'America Is Back' Message In Singapore And Vietnam Later This Month

Harris will reject China's claim in the South China Sea during trip to Asia - Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021 

Euronews/Reuters: Harris to Push Back on China's South China Sea Claims During Asia Trip  

Vice President Kamala Harris will focus on defending international rules in the South China Sea, strengthening U.S. regional leadership and expanding security cooperation during her trip to Vietnam and Singapore this month, a senior White House official told Reuters. 

Harris will be the first U.S. vice president to visit Vietnam as Washington seeks to bolster international support to counter China's growing global influence. 

The U.S. official said Washington saw both countries as critical partners given their locations, the size of their economies, trade ties and security partnerships on issues such as the South China Sea, which China claims almost in its entirety. 

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Russian and Chinese state media are already mocking the Vice President's trip even before it has started. From Russia .... World record for tone-deafness?: Kamala Harris on mission to tell Vietnam ‘America is back’ (RT). From China .... GT Voice: Harris’ Southeast Asia trip won’t reverse regional economic ties (Global Times). 

More News On US Vice President Harris Will Be Promoting An 'America Is Back' Message In Singapore And Vietnam Later This Month  

US Vice President Kamala Harris Set to Visit Vietnam -- Radio Asia 

Harris to promote 'America is back' message in Singapore and Vietnam -- CNN  

U.S. VP Harris to visit Singapore, Vietnam in a fortnight - PM Lee -- Reuters 

Harris hopes to use Asia trip to counter China's influence in region -- Washington Examiner

Naval Buildups Continues In The South China Sea

Beijing sees nearly all the strategic waterways as its own and has built up its forces.(Supplied: Defence.gov.au)  

ABC News Australia: Indonesia commits to South China Sea defence with US as India and Germany send warships to the region 

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced the launch of a "strategic dialogue" with Indonesia on issues that include defending freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. 

Indonesia is the largest country and economy in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a bloc Washington sees as key to its efforts to stand up to China's growing influence in Asia. 

Meeting in Washington, Mr Blinken and Indonesian Foreign Minster Retno Marsudi also committed to work together against COVID-19 and the climate crisis and to boost bilateral trade and economic ties, the State Department said.  

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: China has decided to hold its own drills in the South China Sea .... PLA holds large drills amid military threats (Global Times). 

 More News On Naval Buildups Continuing In The South China Sea  

Germany wades warily into South China Sea fray -- Asia Times

India deploys warships in South China Sea as part of 'Act East' policy -- Reuters 

India military seeks to bolster ‘Act East’ policy with naval deployment to South China Sea -- RT 

US, Indonesia commit to defence of South China Sea -- Straits Times/Reuters  

U.S. Will Continue to Operate in South China Sea to Ensure Prosperity for All -- US Department of Defense

China State Media Says Neither Britain Nor Germany Has The Power To Fight China In The South China Sea

 

Newsweek: U.K. and Germany Don't Have Power to Fight China, State Media Says 

The editor of China's Communist Party tabloid has warned German and British warships against taking "willful actions" during their deployments to Asia, suggesting the maneuvers could undermine their governments' relations with Beijing. 

German officials waved off the country's frigate Bayern on Monday as it set off on a tour of the Indo-Pacific region. 

At the end of the year, the warship will become the first German naval vessel to pass through the South China Sea in nearly two decades. 

Bayern's deployment came days after the arrival in the region of the Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group, which passed through the contested waters and is now in the Western Pacific. 

The presence of European militaries in Asia is seen by some as a commitment to collective security in the region, as well as support for the principle of lawful navigation through critical sea lanes in international waters.

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Global Times editor Hu Xijin is right. Neither Britain nor Germany has the power to fight China in the South China Sea. 

Global Times is also right about this .... US incapable of simultaneously confronting China, Russia (Global Times).

British And Chinese Aircraft Carriers Are In The South China Sea. China Threatening To Expel British Warships

HMS Queen Elizabeth (front pictured earlier this week) has arrived in the South China Sea as Beijing threatens to 'expel' the British warships if they sail close to islands it lays claim to  

Warzone/The Drive: British And Chinese Aircraft Carriers Both Underway In The Tense South China Sea  

The British flagship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, has entered the South China Sea for the first time. 

Satellite imagery has emerged that indicates that the U.K. Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is underway in the South China Sea while the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy flattop Shandong is also in these waters, though the two ships look to be sailing on opposite sides of the disputed body of water, at least for now. The appearance of the British flagship in the South China Sea had been anticipated, but it still carries a significant message as the United Kingdom and its allies look to further challenge China’s expansive territorial claims in this region. 

Using satellite imagery provided by the European Space Agency and NASA/U.S. Geological Survey, Twitter user @duandang appears to have located the two aircraft carriers in the South China Sea, separated by around 580 nautical miles of water. The Shandong looks to be underway just south of Hainan Island, where it is home-ported within a huge People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) base. Meanwhile, the imagery indicates that HMS Queen Elizabeth is between the coast of Vietnam, to the east, and the island of Borneo to the west.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Beijing is making its opposition to the presence of these British warships very clearly .... Beijing threatens to 'expel' British warships as Big Lizzie arrives in the disputed South China Sea (Daily Mail). More here .... China threatens British warships and vows hostile welcome in disputed sea (Mirror).