On this episode of China Uncensored, the US sends a navy Destroyer past disputed islands
in the South China Sea.
So...
like, does this mean war?
Hi, welcome to China Uncensored, I'm your host Chris Chappell.
You know, a wise man once said…
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders!
The most famous is: Never get involved in a land war in Asia."
But a sea war in Asia--that's a totally different matter!
"Tonight, Beijing is firing a rhetorical shot across the bow.
After a US destroyer sailed right through waters claimed by China.
A newspaper closely tied to the Chinese Communist Party encouraging the government to convince
Washington that China is, quote, 'Not frightened to fight a war with the US in the region.'"
Yes, a rhetorical shot across the bow in the metaphorical nightmare that is the South China
Sea.
According to international law, the area 12 nautical miles around a country's coastline
is part of that country's territory.
And on Tuesday this week, the US guided missile destroyer, the USS Lassen, sailed within 12
nautical miles of Chinese territory--as long as you consider artificial islands built on
submerged reefs part of China's territory, which no besides China does.
Recently, China has claimed a huge part of the South China Sea, a region rich in natural
resources and one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.
These are very legitimate claims based on very legitimate ancient maps.
As long as you don't actually look at those ancient maps.
So earlier this month, Beijing had threatened a "decisive response" if the US navy were
to sail through its made-up territorial waters.
But the US Navy did sail through there on Tuesday, and judging by the fact that we're
still not at war, Beijing didn't exactly take a whole lot of "decisive action."
Well, the Foreign Ministry did speak some decisive words:
"China will resolutely respond to any country's deliberate provocations."
And I guess the spokesman's words counts as China's resolute response.
Which makes sense, because the US was never trying to provoke China in the first place.
"To sail a ship through international waters is not a provocative act in any way whatsoever,
and should not be taken as a provocative act."
Surrrree.
(Wink)
Just like when the US flew a surveillance plane over the islands in May that the Chinese
regime said it absolutely wouldn't tolerate.
Or when the US Military did the same thing in the newly established Air Defense Zone
China created over the East China Sea at the end of 2013.
And besides some saber rattling, also nothing happened.
Now despite building artificial islands in disputed waters and then building military
facilities on said islands, the Chinese regime claims these are for peaceful purposes, like
providing better weather forecasts, or better service for international ships sailing through,
or don't blame them, they were been bullied into it!
Of course none of these excuses has actually resolved anything, but neither has anything
else.
China won't stop building, and the US is not going to respect made-up territorial claims
in a region that affects so many of its allies.
So the US will probably keep testing the water, and China will probably keep having its foreign
ministry say some decisive things.
So what do you think of what the US did in the South China Sea?
Will there be war?
Leave your comments below and subscribe for more episodes of China Uncensored.
Once again I'm Chris Chappell.
See you next time.