There’s a showdown in the South Pacific between the Chinese and US Navy. China’s Foreign Ministry said authorities monitored and warned the US Navy, telling it not to enter what China claims as a 12-mile territorial limit around Subi Reef where the US-allied Philippines has competing claims.
The US Navy responded to the warnings with a message of their own – Back off, China. They sent the USS Lassen, a guided missile destroyer, and sailed the warship past the artificial islands in the South China Sea today, a direct challenge to Chinese sovereignty claims that drew an angry protest from Beijing.
The sail-past fits a US policy of pushing back against China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea. US ally the Philippines welcomed the move as a way of helping maintain “a balance of power.”
Since 2013, China has accelerated the creation of new outposts by piling sand atop reefs and atolls then adding buildings, ports and airstrips big enough to handle bombers and fighter jets — activities seen as an attempt to change the territorial status quo by changing the geography.
Navy officials had said the sail-past was necessary to assert the US. position that China’s manmade islands cannot be considered sovereign territory with the right to surrounding territorial waters.
International law permits military vessels the right of “innocent passage” in transiting other country’s seas without notification.
The US says it doesn’t take a position on sovereignty over the South China Sea but insists on freedom of navigation and overflight. About 30 percent of global trade passes through the South China Sea, which also has rich fishing grounds and a potential wealth of undersea mineral deposits.
China says virtually all of the South China Sea belongs to it, while Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam claim either parts or all of it.
“Make no mistake, the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, as we do around the world, and the South China Sea is not and will not be an exception,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter said earlier this month.
State Department spokesman John Kirby said Monday the US would not be required to consult with other nations if it decided to conduct freedom of navigation operations in international waters.
“The whole point of freedom of navigation in international waters is that it’s international waters. You don’t need to consult with anybody,” Kirby said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story
Go US Navy. It’s probably in one of her “secret” hiding places!! As for Benghazi, she will NEVER pay for the murders of 4 men that she refused to send help to! However, there is an after life & she will burn in Hell!!! america safe as you & all our military always have!!!
The worst mistake the US did was to open the visas to the Chinese, now they are here and forever! maybe planting sleeping cells to be ready to create another 9/11. Wake up America! enough is enough stop the immigration from China or they will take over the US.
Don’t allow them to get advance degrees in science, math or any critical education that will give them more power, remember that by the year 2050 according with the national census Chine population will triple the Caucasian one. We hope that any US President have the guts to stand by it, and maybe the ex-secretary of the US Navy sleeping with the enemy (Chinese woman) who pretended to run for the Presidency, thanks to god he run out of money.
And if you don’t know……Many Chinese woman run to America to have their children so they will have a US Citizenship birth certificate. We need to stop Birthright Citizenship. It may already be to late for some day one from China, Iran or from a soon to be enemy Country to get into our president position. How stupid do we want to be?
One day – hoefully soon – one of “enlightened” leaders will do some research and realize 1 + 1 = 2. Our forefathers had one thought in mind with birthright citizenship. That was to protect the children born of the slave.
My prayer: Lord, God, please save America from the enlightened few.
This great country has never been designed or planned to be governed by the few – that’s the minority. This means the enlightened, elite, FEW!
You should try to understand the Chinese before you get all paranoid. China is not our enemy although we are trying to make it one.
Have you seen how the US is allowing China to sail into Jacksonville,Fl. two or three of their missile destroyers
to allow the crews to participate in some sporting event? Sure, I’ll bet they will leave with much important data about this strategic base. ie, size, depth, # of slips, etc. Sorry Mr. Obama you sir are not fit to be our President.
I tremble for those in our once great Navy. They are now put in even greater harms way everywhere in the world- especially in S. China Sear area – by reduction of 2 Naval Carrier Groups and the inablement of Nucs building up in Iran…Did anyone notice on television the endless room full of guided missiles in one of their storage facilities? They are not our friends, nor are they our free market friends. Who is “Feelin good” about about all this?
But yes advertising is coming out for advertising for recruitment into our Military again just lately. Mostly for the Arny as I have seen so far. What gives with that?
That should be YET no yes.
The best way to deal with China and Russia is by force. After all, China had no problem killing Chinese protesters in Tianneman Square. Russia has shown it has no problems downing civilian airliners. Passive protests will not get anywhere with China.
We killed students at Kent State ! We killed and busted heads at Occupy Oakland and in other cities. And 7,000 blacks are missing in Chicago (search it on msn.com). Read !
Just watched a interview on cbsn and they think china might try a cyber attack on the electric grids of the usa. I guess we are on the last stepping stones of wwiii
China will not back down.!
So…looks like the Peace Prize President Barack Obama, who has initiated more violent conflict than even George W. Bush, is apparently intent on starting a world war before he leaves office.
Why would you provoke China? In the name of the sovereignty of the Philippines?
This is the other side of the planet and has absolutely nothing to do with us.
How do these people think that this is all a game? They are now messing with both Russia and China, acting like these nations are equivalent to Iraq or Afghanistan.
How have we allowed this level of incompetency in our highest ranks of leadership?
If China wants to block international shipping then just stop all shipping To and From them. Take trade and industry back ,sure just like retooling at a GM or Ford plant done every year model change. Fire the foundry back up and put our peeps back to work here in the USA. All these congressmen and women and all members of the Big house are making millions on the market and insider trading up the kazoo and you and I are not finding these deals because its who you know and blow at the top. Obama didn’t have more than a few k and now is worth mega millions like the rest of the house party. A career politician is for life and its pays huge to the family. NO one deserve to be paid a full time wage for life. The job is a servant job for the people’s not you are above the law almighty theft ring of thieves, lairs,policy changers I keep saying the MOB is running the country!! To get all the high paying contracts for your own agenda and family. How many countries do you go intervene in covert ops to overthrow and destabilize for you war machine to keep running? Big money in WAR. you want a inside tip on a money maker investment?? BUY GUNS NOW for a investment or gun stocks as in the market. Other countries are arming themselves to the teeth record sales with sold out stores as we live and breath right now. Now is your chance for a solid investment in the war against crime,ISIS.home invasion,just to name a few.
Great, provoke China and start WWIII for The New World Order.
Why should we let this President continue to destroy our great nation. And what can we do to prevent it from happening!
Served in WW II to save it and now have to sit back and see this Muslim destroy it. Can we do anything before it is to late
Both Russia and China respect only power. If the USA backs down or gives up it’s right to freely navigate in international water that will be perceived as weakness by the Russian and Chinese governments and they will become more aggressive. History repeats itself. The allies before World War II appeared weak to Hitler and the Nazis when they began to become more aggressive towards their neighbors and the allies did nothing and as a result World War came about resulting in the death of millions of people. When Cuba allowed the Russians to put nuclear warhead missiles in Cuba the USA Navy prevented Russian ships from reaching Cuba and the Russians pulled the missiles out of Cuba. The United States is more powerful then both Russia and China put together and they know it, but if our leadership appears weak they will become more aggressive to those democracies that depend upon us for their freedom. It’s either that or our agreeing to allow such smaller countries the right to have nuclear weapons to defend themselves. Nuclear weapons are the great equalizers when it comes to big bully nations that want to push smaller weaker countries around and to take whatever they want. Isolationist policies did not work in the 1900s and resulted in two world wars and it won’t work now. Red China is not democratic and it’s record of human rights stinks. It is a communist dictatorship where a few control the vast majority, and the few live like kings, and the majority live as pawns to keep the few in power. Speak out against the government and you wind up in jail, or worst.There is no freedom of speech, religion, press or assembly. Russia is a little better, but have no doubts that Putin runs the show and his election to political office is a farce. There is now more freedom but not enough to dispose of Putin or prevent his aggressive actions.
Nearly all the people who comment on your site seem to be semi literate judging by their language. We all have to live with evil dictators of powerful countries. A balanced attitude and sensible economic and military force is how to combat these nut cases. Unless this happens the world as we know it will be destroyed and no one will win. Keep the USA strong and powerful!
Don’t bite off more than you can chew. We can all recall that Korea, Vietnam, Burma, Sudan, Lebanon, Irak, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Syria and Ukraine were all too big a bite for America. What we do know is that Grenada was the right size bite.
Not long after WWII the Chinese called us a “paper tiger’. Nothing has happened since then that I am aware of to make them change their mind. They, and most of the world, including muslims, are politically aggressive, not financially aggressive like we are.
Our claim to fame is our form of govt, our individual freedoms. Not the fact the dollar is the reserve currency. We should be tooting our own horn about our form of govt. But no, their is nothing but talk about civil rights, amnesty while everything else goes to hell in a hand basket! Our light for the rest of the world could cause unrest in other countries where the people would want to be free. .
You caan certainly see yolur enthusiasm in the article you write.
The arena hopes for more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid to mention how
thesy believe. All the time follow your heart.