South China Sea Forum

[ahojunk]

Beijing defends South China Sea reclamation｜Politics｜News｜WantChinaTimes.com

Beijing defends South China Sea reclamation

• Xinhua and Staff Reporter
• 2015-03-08
• 16:50 (GMT+8)

China's construction of islands and reefs in the South China Sea is lawful and justified, as China is merely building facilities in its own yard, the country's foreign minister Wang Yi said Sunday.

Wang made the remarks at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

The minister's response came in light of newly released satellite images, taken by a commercial satellite division of Airbus Group, of a first glimpse at the dramatic pace of China's expansion of artificial island construction on disputed South China Sea reefs, according to the Wall Street Journal. The spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry of Vietnam, another claimant of the Spratly islands where the expansion is taking place, has already voiced Vietnam's "strong protests" over the construction.

China has been undertaking various development activities in the South China Sea to fortify its claims over key territory without the use of military force. Just last year, Vietnam and China came to blows over a Chinese state-owned oil rig off the contested Paracel islands.

Other claimants of the disputed Spratly island chain are Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

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BEIJING—China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi defended China's efforts in reclaiming and developing land around reefs and islands in the South China Sea, saying the work was “necessary” and posed no threat to other nations.

“This construction does not target or affect anyone,” Wang Yi said at a news conference Sunday on the sidelines of an annual meeting of parliament.

“We are not like some countries who engage in illegal construction in another person’s house, and we do not accept criticism from others when we are merely building facilities in our own yard. We have every right to do things that are lawful and justified.”

.

 

[BoQ77]

China Activitieson Disputed Islands Fuels Fear of Military Buildup - Psaki
02:58 10.03.2015
According to US Department of State spokesperson Jen Psaki, China’s development activities on disputed territory around the Spratly Islands are feeding suspicions that Beijing aims to establish military bases across the South China Sea.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — China’s development activities on disputed territory around the Spratly Islands are feeding suspicions that Beijing aims to establish military bases across the South China Sea, according to US Department of State spokesperson Jen Psaki.

“China’s land reclamation and construction activities are fueling greater anxiety within the region about China’s intensions amid concerns they may militarize outposts in disputed land features in the South China Sea,” Psaki said on Monday.

Psaki noted the United States are aware of recent reports about China intensifying construction around the Spratly Islands, and called on all claimants within the region to avoid provocative actions.

“We [the United States] are watching these developments closely, and will continue to raise our concerns with China and urge all parties to avoid destabilizing activities,” Psaki concluded.

China’s territorial claims around the Spratly Islands contradict those of Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines and Vietnam. The Spratly Islands hold potentially significant oil and gas reserves.

On Sunday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said construction on reefs that China controls near the disputed islands, are lawful and pose no threat to other countries.



Read more: China Activities on Disputed Islands Fuels Fear of Military Buildup - Psaki / Sputnik International

 

[yusheng]

 

[ahojunk]

Re: Subi Island - 10 March 2015:-

Compared to the pic on 5 March 2015, there is not a lot of difference in term of size.



Re: Yongshu Island - 10 March 2015:-

The area is now fairly stable. There looks to be a water reservoir on the island.

I can see lots of building activities going on in the northern part and also the part next to the reservoir.

As someone says, maybe we may see a casino or a shopping mall there. lol.
.

 

[areal]

Hi, Friends, I'd like to make a polite clarification over the term, 'disputed territory', or 'disputed water'. It does not mean the islands that are guarded by PLA navy, but those illegally stolen and occupied by Vietnam, Philippine, Malaysia.
So, China does whatever it wants to do in its own yard or pool, which has nothing with others. Only th-ieves will worry their positions.
Want to stop being anxiety about the situations? Great, just return the islands and reefs to China, you will receive a word, 'thanks'.
by the way, it is not China, but VIETNAM who started the reclamation competition, China just made a proper response to those poor engineering technique demonstrated by a poor country called Vietnam. Now you guys know what is the most scientific reclamation way, right?
Vietnam started the competition, and broke the DOC at first, then it should learn to shut up before the situations brought by it.

China Activitieson Disputed Islands Fuels Fear of Military Buildup - Psaki
02:58 10.03.2015
According to US Department of State spokesperson Jen Psaki, China’s development activities on disputed territory around the Spratly Islands are feeding suspicions that Beijing aims to establish military bases across the South China Sea.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — China’s development activities on disputed territory around the Spratly Islands are feeding suspicions that Beijing aims to establish military bases across the South China Sea, according to US Department of State spokesperson Jen Psaki.

“China’s land reclamation and construction activities are fueling greater anxiety within the region about China’s intensions amid concerns they may militarize outposts in disputed land features in the South China Sea,” Psaki said on Monday.

Psaki noted the United States are aware of recent reports about China intensifying construction around the Spratly Islands, and called on all claimants within the region to avoid provocative actions.

“We [the United States] are watching these developments closely, and will continue to raise our concerns with China and urge all parties to avoid destabilizing activities,” Psaki concluded.

China’s territorial claims around the Spratly Islands contradict those of Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei, Philippines and Vietnam. The Spratly Islands hold potentially significant oil and gas reserves.

On Sunday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said construction on reefs that China controls near the disputed islands, are lawful and pose no threat to other countries.



Read more: China Activities on Disputed Islands Fuels Fear of Military Buildup - Psaki / Sputnik International

 

[70U63]

China urges ASEAN secretary-general to stay neutral on South China Sea issue - Global Times

Things are going to get interesting...

 

[yusheng]

3月初，福建海运集团“金海鸥”轮在长江口顺利交接，开始承运从八所港、北海港至南沙群岛的砂石运输任务，成功开启了南沙群岛新航线。

福建海运集团积极认真地做好开辟新航线的各项准备工作，从港口、航线、气象、人员保障等方面开展评估，制定了切实可行的具体操作方案；鉴于政治安全要求等综合考虑，还为该轮船员办理完妥了无犯罪记录证明等相关政审文件。南沙群岛砂石运输新兴航线的航次任务顺利执行进一步拓展了海运集团的货源网络，优化了公司的航线布局。

船舶名称：金海鸥 国 籍：中国 船舶类型：干散货船 总载重吨：43764
起吊能力：4*30 总 长：190M 满载吃水：11.221M 航 区：无限航区

Ship name: golden plover countries record: China ship types: dry bulk total deadweight tonnage: 43764
Lifting capacity: 4 * 30 total length: 190 M full draft: 11.221 M navigation area: world-wide

In early march, fujian shipping group "golden plover" in the Yangtze river estuary smooth handover, began to undertake from eight port, beihai port to the nansha islands of sand transport task, successfully opened up new routes the nansha islands.


Fujian shipping group, positive seriously do the preparations for the opening up new routes, from the port, routes, meteorology, personnel, security and other aspects to carry out the assessment, made the concrete operation of the feasible solutions;Given the political security requirements such as comprehensive consideration, but also for the wheel crew deal with no criminal record certificate and other related political check file.The nansha islands sand transport routes of emerging voyage task carried out smoothly to further expand the group of shipping supply network, optimize the route layout of the company.

 

[areal]

Vietnam secretary obviously crossed the line.
It is not wise, Vietnam has let other members of ASEAN have more doubt about its motivation.

China urges ASEAN secretary-general to stay neutral on South China Sea issue - Global Times

Things are going to get interesting...

 

[BoQ77]

Vietnam secretary obviously crossed the line.
It is not wise, Vietnam has let other members of ASEAN have more doubt about its motivation.

so naive to think that General secretary get no agreement from inside before the conclusion.

 

[Taygibay]

And in general, by following that logic, successor states to the empires of ancient times should do what China does today.

Why not?

By that token, France once own Western Russia under Napoleon & no matter how briefly…
then again Russian troops did invade Paris ( no matter how briefly ), an entirely different matter.

OH? I think I know where yore going with this, fine example!

GN Tay.

 

[areal]

Good, just let the rest nine countries come out to show the agreement, what a joke.

so naive to think that General secretary get no agreement from inside before the conclusion.

 

[ahojunk]

China starts work on Mischief Reef land reclamation - IHS Jane's 360

China starts work on Mischief Reef land reclamation
James Hardy, London and Sean O'Connor, Indianapolis, IN - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
11 March 2015

China has begun to create land on Mischief Reef in Beijing's latest move to firm up its South China Sea claims.

IHS Maritime identified the dredger as Tian Kai , a trailing suction hopper dredger operated by CCCC Tianjin Dredging Co Ltd that was in the area from 14 January to 16 February.

The Airbus imagery shows Tian Kai dredging a channel close to one of China's existing platforms in the reef, and depositing the spoil on the reef to create a landmass.

China's existing presence on Mischief Reef consisted of two small concrete platforms that included buildings and shelters for fishermen.

Other data from IHS Maritime suggests that China is deploying its latest China Coast Guard (CCG) offshore patrol vessels to monitor potential outside interest in the dredging activities. AISLive data showed that Haijing 3307 , a 3000-tonne OPV fitted with water cannon and capable of embarking a helicopter, patrolled an area to the southeast of Mischief Reef from 5 to 24 January and again from 12 to 27 February.

Chinese media have also released satellite images suggesting China is beginning to create a landmass at Subi Reef, which is about 25 km southwest of the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island: Manila's only Spratly island to have an airstrip. China's presence on Subi Reef previously consisted of a concrete platform that included buildings, a helipad, and geodesic dome probably fitted with communications equipment.

Meanwhile, Beijing has reacted strongly to comments by the Vietnamese head of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in which he rejected China's 'dashed-line claim' to the South China Sea.

ASEAN secretary general Le Luong Minh told Philippine reporters in Jakarta on 4 March that all ASEAN claimants opposed the dotted line concept because it did not accord with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and because the dotted line covered "90% of the South China Sea".

"There is no way it can be accepted by any party to UNCLOS," Le said.

Le described China's land reclamation activities in the Spratly Islands as potentially dangerous as they were changing "the status quo".

"The expansion and illegal [occupation] of islands affect the status quo and [they are] complicating the situation," he added.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei responded on 11 March by saying that ASEAN was not a party to the South China Sea dispute and that Le "has many times made partisan statements that do not accord with the facts nor suit his position" as ASEAN secretary general.

"This is a serious deviation from the neutral position ASEAN and its secretary general ought to have on the relevant issue, and damages the image of ASEAN as a regional international organisation," Hong added.
.

 

[BoQ77]

Oh my ... Mischief Reef definitely belongs to Philippines @Cossack25A1 @Zero_wing ?

 

[Cossack25A1]

Oh my ... Mischief Reef definitely belongs to Philippines @Cossack25A1 @Zero_wing ?

It belongs to PH, unless China goes Anschluss against us, decapitates our government and installs an anti-America/ pro-China puppet government in place.

 

[Zero_wing]

Oh my ... Mischief Reef definitely belongs to Philippines @Cossack25A1 @Zero_wing ?

This good for the case thats all am saying