Xinhua published an editorial critical of U.S. Secretary of State Clinton’s remarks at the ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting about U.S. interests regarding the disputed South China Sea Islands.
The editorial warns that whenever there are territorial disputes, western forces will first incite discord in the region and then pose as arbitrators to divide and rule the disputing countries.
Source: Xinhua, July 27, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-07/27/c_12379898.htm
Huanqiu published that the United States is “quietly moving” to solidify its influence in Southeast Asia using different tactics. The activities, Huanqiu speculated, include trips to Asia by U.S. officials and U.S. scholars, conferences in Asia on economic partnerships and maritime law, as well as visits to China by U.S. scholars. These covert activities provide the base for future actions as well as intelligence support to its policies and open actions, aiming to cut into East Asia for control when the time is ripe. Professor Su Hao, China Foreign Affairs University, affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wrote the article.
Source: Huanqiu, July 21, 2010
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/roll/2010-07/945457.html
After China’s unusual repeated protests, the U.S. “George Washington” aircraft carrier will not enter the Yellow Sea, but will perform joint exercises with South Korea in the Japanese Sea. China and the US have entered an “aircraft carrier dilemma” era, International Herald reported on July 22. The article listed three strategies for China to deal with the US:
1. Best strategy: A political solution: Define China’s core interest areas along China’s coastal areas and use political and diplomatic approaches to block U.S. carriers from entering it.
2. Mediocre strategy: A political approach plus military preparation such as anti-surveillance preparation, monitoring the U.S. carrier, conducting China’s exercises in certain water areas, etc.
3. Military strategy: If the U.S. carrier arrives at China’s coast despite China’s strong protests, then send a nuclear submarine carrying strategic missiles to the ocean war locations, increase the combat readiness level of the land-based long-range missiles, and apply military pressure against the U.S. carriers battle group, etc.
Source: International Herald, July 22, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2010-07/22/content_13897790.htm
On July 19, 2010, Xinhua published an article by Wang Yusheng, Executive Director of the Strategic Research Center at the Chinese Foundation for International Studies (CFIS), in which Wang blamed the U.S., saying that it is trying to take advantage of the “Cheonan” Corvette incident (the sinking of a South Korean naval ship) to damage China-DPRK (North Korea) relations and China-ROK (South Korea) relations.
Source: Xinhua, July 19, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-07/19/content_13881433.htm
PLA Major General Luo Yuan states that three U.S. ships have formed a full moon blockade against China, the USS Michigan in South Korea, the USS Ohio in India and the USS Florida in the Philippines. He further stated that the US-Korean military exercises have created a new crisis and obstacles and China should counter tit-for-tat for the hostility against China. “The assertion of sovereignty over the South China Seas must be supported by a military presence. Some countries have repeatedly violated the South China Sea code of conduct. They have a one-sided understanding of our proposal to ‘table the dispute and jointly develop the area.’ They thought we had tabled sovereignty, rather than the dispute. Joint development has now become an anti-China one way development.”
Source: People’s Daily, July 19, 2010.
http://gs.people.com.cn/GB/188868/12183498.html
On July 12, 2010, www.chinanews.com.cn reported that the U.S. State Department recently published its 2010 “Promoting Freedom and Democracy Report” accusing China of (its negative) democracy, and human rights situation. In response, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang accused Washington of interfering in its internal affairs. Qin stated, “The Chinese Government protects the citizens’ basic rights and freedoms, and upholds people-oriented principles and governs for the people.”
Source: www.chinanews.com.cn, July 12, 2010
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/2010/07-12/2397054.shtml
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang reiterated on the 15th that China firmly opposes any foreign military vessels and aircraft engaging in activities affecting its security interests in the Yellow Sea and other Chinese coastal waters. In response to a reporter’s hypothetic question, "If the US-ROK hold military exercises in July, will China and the DPRK plan to hold military exercises in the western waters of the Korean Peninsula?" Qin said it was a typical Cold War mentality to divide the Northeast Asia and Asia-Pacific regions into different military alliances, and to view the region’s security issues with a Cold War style confrontation perspective. “Times have changed now. No single country or single military alliance can resolve the issue of regional security and stability.”
On July 6, the editorial of China’s official paper Huanqiu warned the U.S. against sending its aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. George Washington to participate in a joint military exercise with South Korea in the waters of the Yellow Sea.
“By doing this, the U.S. will pose a threat to China’s security and provoke huge anger in Chinese society. There is no way that the U.S. and Korea will not pay for that.”
The editorial stated that its online survey showed that 92% of Chinese netizens viewed the action as an enormous threat.
“Chinese people have realized that it is still possible that this country will be bullied by military powers at any time. There will be powerful voices for increased armaments and strengthened naval forces.”
“The key issue in maintaining long lasting peace in this region is how the U.S. gets along with China. Washington must understand what it really wants here? If the U.S. does not treasure its strategic influence and forces China to become an anti-American power, the U.S. strategy in East Asia will return to its starting point 30 years ago. Then, that will be a great tragedy for the U.S. global strategy.”
Source: Huanqiu, July 6, 2010
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/roll/2010-07/906175.html