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US-China Relations - 87. page

U.S. Aircraft Carrier Shows Its Muscle with Allies in the East China Sea

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that several frigates from the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force joined the U.S. Carl Vinson aircraft carrier battle group, which has been conducting the U.S.-South Korean military exercises. The Japanese participation lasted four days. It is very rare for Japanese military vessels to join forces with U.S. aircraft in the East China Sea. Apparently, Japan is gaming its luck to threaten China again. According to Japanese media, this joint exercise was a temporary arrangement instead of a planned event. Japan just completed a joint exercise with the U.S. Navy near Guam. The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force also had a joint exercise with the U.S. Marines at the same time. To add to the picture, the U.S. invited the Philippine Defense Secretary on-board the Carl Vinson aircraft carrier a few days back. All these happened a week before the new U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will start his trip to visit China, Japan, and South Korea.

Source: Sina, March 11, 2017
http://dailynews.sina.com/bg/news/int/int/chinesedaily/20170311/09597767293.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend US-China Relations

China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs: Both North Korea and the U.S. Need to Apply the Brakes

At a press conference held on March 8 for the Fifth Plenary Session of the 12th National People’s Congress, Wan Yi, China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, answered news reporters’ questions.

A Reuters reporter asked him if China thinks a war will break out on the Korean Peninsula and asked how it could be prevented.

Wan answered, “On the one hand, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), insists on its nuclear missile development. While ignoring international objections and violating the United Nations’ resolution, it recently fired four Ballistic missiles. On the other hand, the U.S. and South Korea held super-large scale military exercises and continually increase their military pressure over the DPRK. This is like two trains that keep accelerating, with no intention of avoiding each other. Are the two sides really ready for a head-on collision? The top priority at this moment is to flash the red lights and apply the brakes.”

Wan said China’s suggestion is that North Korea stops nuclear missile activity and the U.S. and South Korea stop large-scale military exercises, and then both sides come back to the negotiating table.

Source: Xinhua, March 8, 2017
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2017lh/2017-03/08/c_129504192.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend US-China Relations

Duowei: Why The World Looks to China Now?

A Duowei commentary stated that, as the Western countries are getting into more trouble, the world is looking to China for its leadership.

The article gave several reasons. First, China has become the second largest economy in the world. Second, China has made progress in improving its discourse power in the world economy. “It seems that China has sent a positive message to the world: ‘When the Western world, led by the U.S., no longer wants to uphold the banner of free trade, China will take over the banner.’” Third, China’s plans for world and regional economic development, such as its proposal of “one belt, one road” and the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, are attractive.

“To China, the world has placed a huge responsibility and pressure on it; but it also gives (China) a historical opportunity. When the Western world started to have a management crisis and lost its ability to circumvent China and when globalization ran into problems and needed some big countries to provide global offerings, China got the opportunity to expedite its peaceful rise.”

Source: Duowei, February 25, 2017
http://opinion.dwnews.com/news/2017-02-25/59802160.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Global Times: Posting Marine Guards at New AIT Compound in Taipei Reveals U.S. Hegemonic Nature

Global Times, a subsidiary of the Chinese Communist Party official newspaper People’s Daily, reported that a spokesperson from the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council referred, on February 22, to the China foreign ministry spokesperson’s position regarding U.S. marines to be posted at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) in Taipei. The AIT is the U.S. de facto diplomatic mission on the island in the absence of official ties. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang, when answering a question on the AIT on February 17, stated, “China has always objected to U.S.-Taiwan connections through official and military channels.”

In an earlier commentary on February 17, Global Times reported that Stephen Young, a former director of the AIT, said Washington would send marines soon to guard the new compound.

Wang Jianmin, a research fellow with the Institute of Taiwan Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said this move from Washington is a critical part of enhancing U.S.-Taiwan relations, but it would cause significant harm to Sino-U.S. relations. It would also negatively impact the already impaired relations across the Taiwan Strait.

On February 16, Wang told Global Times that the current Taiwan administration has been pushing pro-Japan and pro-U.S. policies. The U.S. takes this opportunity to enhance its military exchanges with Taiwan, so as to solidify its political commitment to Taipei. However, such a political commitment is itself a mistake. Offering special protection from one sovereign country on land within another sovereign country highlights U.S. hegemony.

Sources: Global Times, February 23, 2017
http://taiwan.huanqiu.com/article/2017-02/10183997.html
Global Times, February 17, 2017
http://taiwan.huanqiu.com/article/2017-02/10144486.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military US-China Relations

People’s Daily Online: Washington Expected to Gauge China’s Response to U.S. Aircraft Carrier Entering South China Sea

Global Times, a subsidiary of People’s Daily Online published an analysis of the U.S. aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyer deployed over the weekend to patrol the South China Sea. The analysis appeared on February 20 in the military section of the website of the Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper.

It cited the U.S. Navy’s press release issued on February 18 that the USS Carl Vinson carrier entered the South China Sea on Saturday.

The analysis cited an article from Japan Times that China watchers believe Washington intends to gauge the Chinese response and then conduct a more beefed up freedom of navigation operation.

Analysts told Global Times reporters that U.S. warships’ patrolling in the South China Sea is different in nature from their entering the adjacent waters of islands in the area. China’s navy has maintained a normalized patrol in the waters of the Nansha Islands, also known as the Spratly Islands. It is paying minute to minute attention to see whether US warships will make any risky moves.

The analysis mentioned an earlier report from U.S.-based Navy Times, that, according to several Navy officials, the U.S. Navy is planning fresh challenges to China’s claims in the South China Sea. It is sailing more warships near the increasingly militarized man-made islands that China claims as its sovereign territory in order to ratchet up potentially provocative operations in the South China Sea. The military’s plans also likely call for sailing within 12 nautical miles of China’s newly built islands in the Spratly and/or Paracel islands.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said in the routine press conference on February 15, “China always respects the freedom of navigation and overflight of all countries in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, but we oppose those who threaten and harm China’s sovereignty and security under the pretext of freedom of navigation and overflight.”

Global Times reporters noted that China’s Ministry of Defense has made no official response regarding this latest development. Global Times‘ interpretation is that China is more at ease when confronting U.S. military intimidation coupled with media hype.

Source: People’s Daily Online, February 20, 2017
http://military.people.com.cn/n1/2017/0220/c1011-29092651.html
Japan Times, February 19, 2017
http:// www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/02/19/asia-pacific/u-s-carrier-group-begins-routine-patrol-tense-south-china-sea/#.WK4rrW8rL3g

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military US-China Relations