US won’t dare challenge Chinese military in South China Sea: American researcher

[beijingwalker]

US won’t dare challenge Chinese military in South China Sea: American researcher

The United States will never dare to challenge the might of the Chinese military in the South China Sea for fear of the consequences, an American researcher says.

“US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter's comments are all bluster and bravado,” said Dennis Etler, a professor of Anthropology at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California.

He made the remarks on Wednesday when asked to comment on Carter’s statement that the US military forces will be present in the South China Sea like other international waters.

“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 will not be an exception,” Carter said on Tuesday.

Commenting to Press TV, Etler said, “China has never threatened to block access to the South China Sea or to impede navigation through the region.

“Chinese leaders have said time and time again that they respect the law of the seas and want to ensure that shipping lanes are open to all.

“They also have never directly challenged other nation's possession of territory in the South China Sea although they dispute their sovereignty.

“They have pledged not to militarily intervene in these disputes but to negotiate mutually agreeable solutions.

“It is the US that wants to roil the waters and inflame tensions falsely accusing China of aggression.

“Prior to the US declared ‘pivot to Asia’ China did not see the need to reinforce its claims in the South China Sea, but once the US made it clear that they would challenge China in its own backyard China responded in order to protect its own vital national interests, just as the US has done time and again in the Caribbean Sea and wherever else it is deemed essential for its own national security.

“The potential crisis in the South China Sea is thus all of the USA's own making and is meant to disrupt the status quo so it can fish in troubled waters and try to keep China guessing as to US intentions.

“It will all be to no avail. China has been resolute in both its words and actions and will never retreat from its position. So Carter's words are mere bluff.

“China will not intervene with US naval maneuvers in the South China Sea if they are outside the 12 mile limit, so for Carter to say ‘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 will not be an exception,’ is blowing hot air, a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

“He then goes on to equivocate and say that the US will challenge the 12-nautical-mile limits of Chinese islands built on reefs in the Nansha/Spratly archipelago ‘in the time and places of our choosing.’ Which is simply an idle threat.

“The US will never dare to venture into Chinese territorial waters around their outposts for fear of the consequences, so Carter's brazen trumpeting is mere political rhetoric and posturing.

“The whole episode shows the US to be on the defensive throughout the world and in need of ‘tough talk’ to cover its losses.”

Washington has sided with China’s rivals in the territorial dispute, with Beijing accusing the US of meddling in the regional issues and deliberately stirring up tensions in the South China Sea.

China claims sovereignty over almost the whole of the South China Sea, which is also claimed in part by Taiwan, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. The waters are believed to sit atop vast reserves of oil and gas.

PressTV-‘US won’t dare challenge China in SC Sea’

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

They had plenty of chances already.

America has a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines, which is the highest possible promise in international relations.

Yet what happened when China seized the Scarborough shoal from the Philippines in 2012? Nothing, they simply abandoned their ally and their mutual defense treaty, while they were actively losing territory.

Same story with Georgia in 2008. And the Ukraine in 2014. America has a history of abandoning their allies.

@Hamartia Antidote knows what I mean.

Now it seems they have moved on to crying about our island-building in the SCS. What they are basically saying is that: There is absolutely nothing they can do about our island-building in the SCS, but they are just going to keep crying about it anyway.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

said Dennis Etler, a professor of Anthropology at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California.

PressTV-‘US won’t dare challenge China in SC Sea’

Cabrillo College - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Cabrillo College is a public community college offering associate degrees and certificates in more than 70 fields of study."

An Anthropology professor at a Community College....

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Cabrillo College - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Cabrillo College is a public community college offering associate degrees and certificates in more than 70 fields of study."

An Anthropology professor at a Community College....

Tell me how did Georgia, the Philippines and the Ukraine end up losing territory in the last 5 years, and America (while crying constantly) never actually did anything, despite promising to do so?

You might expect this behavior from a developing country, or a regional power. But the "sole superpower" USA running away and crying constantly about regional powers? Is that some kind of joke?

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

I know right?
He has more brains and sense than your Defense Secretary and President combined!

Maybe they are smarter than they appear, since they are crying day and night about China/Russia but never actually doing anything about it.

Basically they are an adult (superpower) crying that a kid (regional power) stole their candy. And running away too.

 

[TaiShang]

Tell me how did Georgia, the Philippines and the Ukraine end up losing territory in the last 5 years, and America (while crying constantly) never actually did anything, despite promising to do so?

You might expect this behavior from a developing country, or a regional power. But the "sole superpower" USA running away and crying constantly about regional powers? Is that some kind of joke?

Obama turned and twisted so much on the Syrian issue from day one (December 2011) that one almost gets dizzy from the sight so one has to wear special glasses and take some medicine to ensure peace in the magical realm called stomach.

And you look at Mr. Putin; he says what he means and does what he says. Look whose strategy is winning on the ground. And look who looks weaker now.

It certainly ain't Putin. Putin is the Man in upper case.

What makes one think that the US will do more than it did for Ukraine or Syria when it comes to some islands that are to be eventually taken by China as they belong to China? Especially when China guarantees that freedom of navigation is ensured?

It is not entirely bad to see the US staging stunts like well-seasoned Hollywood co-actors in SCS. It gives China extra room for speeder, larger build-up. The US is ensuring that China gets the required capability established. Just as the downing of the Russian plane by the NATO-led Turkey enabled Russia to establish and increase capability over Syrian airspace.

For that, we can temporarily tolerate US incursions into our maritime waters.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Tell me how did Georgia, the Philippines and the Ukraine end up losing territory in the last 5 years, and America (while crying constantly) never actually did anything, despite promising to do so?

You might expect this behavior from a developing country, or a regional power. But the "sole superpower" USA running away and crying constantly about regional powers? Is that some kind of joke?

@Oldman1 can you respond to this one?

 

[Oldman1]

@Oldman1 can you respond to this one?

You can take on little countries but can't take on superpowers like the U.S. Hence why you didn't stop American flights over your islands.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

You can take on little countries but can't take on superpowers like the U.S. Hence why you didn't stop American flights over your islands.

Is that a joke?

So why did America abandon their "mutual defense treaty" with the Philippines in 2012 when they were actively losing territory to China? Why didn't they come to help, as was their duty?

And why can't they stop a regional power like China from sailing ships through American waters?

Chinese navy ships entered U.S. waters off Alaska - CNN

America is like an adult (superpower) that runs away crying from kids (regional powers). As pathetic as anything.

And let's not even start talking about Georgia or Ukraine. Or the USA's constant crying about Chinese hacking and/or currency manipulation and/or island building, etc. etc. America is the crying superpower.

 

[Oldman1]

Is that a joke?

So why did America abandon their "mutual defense treaty" with the Philippines in 2012 when they were actively losing territory to China? Why didn't they come to help, as was their duty?

And why can't they stop a regional power like China from sailing ships through American waters?

Chinese navy ships entered U.S. waters off Alaska - CNN

America is like an adult (superpower) that runs away crying from kids (regional powers). As pathetic as anything.

And let's not even start talking about Georgia or Ukraine. Or the USA's constant crying about Chinese hacking and/or currency manipulation and/or island building, etc. etc.

LOL! The U.S. was kicked out by the Filipinos because they want Americans out, not exactly the kind of defense agreement you want. Ironically China's actions practically got the Filipinos to invite Americans back in.

China can't do anything against American warships and planes flying over your so called territorial waters.

And China can come near American waters of the EEZ.

But for some reason Americans can't?

China needs to stop complaining or crying whenever an American warship or plane flies into SCS.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

LOL! The U.S. was kicked out by the Filipinos because they want Americans out, not exactly the kind of defense agreement you want. Ironically China's actions practically got the Filipinos to invite Americans back in.

China can't do anything against American warships and planes flying over your so called territorial waters.

And China can come near American waters of the EEZ.

But for some reason Americans can't?

China needs to stop complaining or crying whenever an American warship or plane flies into SCS.

America needs to stop crying about hacking, currency, island building, etc. when they have ZERO intention on doing anything about it.

A superpower scared of regional powers, now that is hilarious. Like an adult crying that a kid is bullying them.

Georgia, the Philippines, the Ukraine. They look at their maps (missing chunks of territory) and wonder, why did America betray us?

Why is new land appearing out of nowhere in the South China Sea? Why are China and Russia gaining territory?

 

[Oldman1]

Is that a joke?

So why did America abandon their "mutual defense treaty" with the Philippines in 2012 when they were actively losing territory to China? Why didn't they come to help, as was their duty?

And why can't they stop a regional power like China from sailing ships through American waters?

Chinese navy ships entered U.S. waters off Alaska - CNN

America is like an adult (superpower) that runs away crying from kids (regional powers). As pathetic as anything.

And let's not even start talking about Georgia or Ukraine. Or the USA's constant crying about Chinese hacking and/or currency manipulation and/or island building, etc. etc. America is the crying superpower.

Another example...
US Welcomes China’s RIMPAC Spying | The Diplomat

US Welcomes China’s RIMPAC Spying
The top U.S. military leader in the Pacific sees a silver lining in China’s military surveillance of RIMPAC.


The top U.S. commander in the Pacific said he welcomes China’s spying on the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) maritime exercises.

As The Diplomat previously noted, China sent an uninvited Dongdiao-class auxiliary general intelligence (AGI) ship to the 22-nation maritime exercise off the coast of Hawaii this month. The ship, which is operating inside Hawaii’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), is “designed to gather electronic and communication data from surrounding vessels and aircraft,” according to USNI News. Although China sent a similar vessel to observe the RIMPAC exercise in 2012, this year China is actually participating in the exercise for the first time.

But Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM)– which leads RIMPAC– is not only unconcerned about China’s surveillance, he appears to actually welcome it in some regards. When asked about the AGI ship’s presence at RIMPAC during a press conference on Tuesday, the admiral began by responding:

“The good news about this is that it’s a recognition, I think, or an acceptance by the Chinese of what we’ve been saying to them for some time, [which] is that military operations and survey operations in another country’s EEZs, where you have national — your own national security interest, are within international law and are acceptable. And this is a fundamental right that nations have.”

Locklear appeared to be referring to China’s long-standing opposition to the U.S. and other foreign navies operating in its own EEZ, which stretch out 200 nautical miles from a country’s coast. Although the UN Convention on the Law of Seas guarantees free navigation for peaceful vessels in other countries’ EEZ, Beijing has long maintained that surveillance does not meet this peaceful standard.

This disagreement has led Chinese vessels to repeatedly harass U.S. Navy ships operating in China’s EEZ. At times, Beijing has formally called on the U.S. Navy to cease its operations in China’s EEZ. For example, in 2009 China’s Defense Ministry released a statement saying that:

“China believes the constant U.S. military air and sea surveillance and survey operations in China’s exclusive economic zone had led to military confrontations between the two sides. The way to resolve China-U.S. maritime incidents is for the U.S. to change its surveillance and survey operations policies against China, decrease and eventually stop such operations.”

However, after reports surfaced of the AGI’s surveillance of RIMPAC, China’s Defense Ministry resolutely defended the operation, stating: “The People’s Liberation Army naval ships’ operation in waters outside the territorial seas of other countries is in line with international law and international practice.”


Thus, Locklear’s comments on Tuesday appear to be aimed at seizing this opportunity to reinforce America’s right to have U.S. naval vessels survey China from within its EEZ.

Nonetheless, Locklear did remark that it was odd for a country participating in a maritime exercise for the first time to also send a surveillance vessel to spy on that exercise. He began by saying that he believes the Chinese recognize their participation at RIMPAC is “an opportunity for them to interact on a broad scale with 22 nations, some of them that they have disagreements with in other areas. And it’s an opportunity to build trust and confidence.” The PACOM commander then added: “The introduction of the AGI kind of made it look a little odd, but it hasn’t stopped the exercise and it hasn’t created any difficulties in the exercise. And I guess on the other good side, it gives the Chinese the opportunity to see how their own ships are doing… which I understand is pretty good.”

America needs to stop crying about hacking, currency, island building, etc. when they have ZERO intention on doing anything about it.

A superpower scared of regional powers, now that is hilarious. Like an adult crying that a kid is bullying them.

Georgia, the Philippines, the Ukraine. They look at their maps (missing chunks of territory) and wonder, why did America betray us?

China still has not able to defend its own islands even with a B-52 flying over. Do we need to hear China say "You Go"

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Another example...
US Welcomes China’s RIMPAC Spying | The Diplomat

US Welcomes China’s RIMPAC Spying
The top U.S. military leader in the Pacific sees a silver lining in China’s military surveillance of RIMPAC.


The top U.S. commander in the Pacific said he welcomes China’s spying on the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) maritime exercises.

As The Diplomat previously noted, China sent an uninvited Dongdiao-class auxiliary general intelligence (AGI) ship to the 22-nation maritime exercise off the coast of Hawaii this month. The ship, which is operating inside Hawaii’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), is “designed to gather electronic and communication data from surrounding vessels and aircraft,” according to USNI News. Although China sent a similar vessel to observe the RIMPAC exercise in 2012, this year China is actually participating in the exercise for the first time.

But Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM)– which leads RIMPAC– is not only unconcerned about China’s surveillance, he appears to actually welcome it in some regards. When asked about the AGI ship’s presence at RIMPAC during a press conference on Tuesday, the admiral began by responding:

“The good news about this is that it’s a recognition, I think, or an acceptance by the Chinese of what we’ve been saying to them for some time, [which] is that military operations and survey operations in another country’s EEZs, where you have national — your own national security interest, are within international law and are acceptable. And this is a fundamental right that nations have.”

Locklear appeared to be referring to China’s long-standing opposition to the U.S. and other foreign navies operating in its own EEZ, which stretch out 200 nautical miles from a country’s coast. Although the UN Convention on the Law of Seas guarantees free navigation for peaceful vessels in other countries’ EEZ, Beijing has long maintained that surveillance does not meet this peaceful standard.

This disagreement has led Chinese vessels to repeatedly harass U.S. Navy ships operating in China’s EEZ. At times, Beijing has formally called on the U.S. Navy to cease its operations in China’s EEZ. For example, in 2009 China’s Defense Ministry released a statement saying that:

“China believes the constant U.S. military air and sea surveillance and survey operations in China’s exclusive economic zone had led to military confrontations between the two sides. The way to resolve China-U.S. maritime incidents is for the U.S. to change its surveillance and survey operations policies against China, decrease and eventually stop such operations.”

However, after reports surfaced of the AGI’s surveillance of RIMPAC, China’s Defense Ministry resolutely defended the operation, stating: “The People’s Liberation Army naval ships’ operation in waters outside the territorial seas of other countries is in line with international law and international practice.”


Thus, Locklear’s comments on Tuesday appear to be aimed at seizing this opportunity to reinforce America’s right to have U.S. naval vessels survey China from within its EEZ.

Nonetheless, Locklear did remark that it was odd for a country participating in a maritime exercise for the first time to also send a surveillance vessel to spy on that exercise. He began by saying that he believes the Chinese recognize their participation at RIMPAC is “an opportunity for them to interact on a broad scale with 22 nations, some of them that they have disagreements with in other areas. And it’s an opportunity to build trust and confidence.” The PACOM commander then added: “The introduction of the AGI kind of made it look a little odd, but it hasn’t stopped the exercise and it hasn’t created any difficulties in the exercise. And I guess on the other good side, it gives the Chinese the opportunity to see how their own ships are doing… which I understand is pretty good.”



China still has not able to defend its own islands even with a B-52 flying over. Do we need to hear China say "You Go"

Let's simplify this.

China is gaining territory in the SCS. And from American "mutual defense treaty" allies. So is Russia.

Territory is being GAINED.

Now, America is crying, but that doesn't change the fact that territory is moving from US allies to China and Russia.

 

[oproh]

Obama is already being spanked by Putin in Syria and Ukraine, he won't be able to handle additional spanking from China.

 

[Oldman1]

Let's simplify this.

China is gaining territory in the SCS. And from American "mutual defense treaty" allies. So is Russia.

Territory is being GAINED.

Now, America is crying, but that doesn't change the fact that territory is moving from US allies to China and Russia.

Gaining doesn't get you anything. Listen to yourself you gained territory yet you let Americans flying over them. An American warship goes next to your island that China keeps complaining about. A P-8 aircraft that you guys keep telling to get out. A B-52 that flies 2 miles within your territory. Thats not gaining anything if you can't deter them from getting near. Understand? What is the point of building islands if you can't even keep American warships and planes from getting next to them.