US relations with China are being called the worst in 40 years, and there are an ever-growing litany of reasons why. From the US blaming China for coronavirus to US hostility toward Chinese telecom company Huawei, there are a lot of issues on which the two nations don’t see eye to eye.
One of the most dangerous divides is on territorial claims, where the US has been challenging Chinese maritime claims in the South China Sea, usually doing so with deliberate naval confrontation by sending warships close to China-claimed islands.
The maritime challenges usually resulted in harsh rhetoric in the past. As ties worsen, there is a growing risk of matters getting out of hand. On Thursday, the USS Mustin, a guided-missile destroyer, sailed near two Chinese-claimed Paracel Islands, Woody Island and Pyramid Rock.
There was no direct confrontation, but Chinese officials say their warships and planes followed the US ship, and issued warnings advising them to leave the area, which China views as part of its territorial waters.
US Naval spokesmen are claiming victory on that, saying the ship “demonstrated that these waters are beyond what China can lawfully claim.” The legal question is a complicated one, as the US rejects claims to both the islands and the sea itself, even though valid Chinese ownership of islands does not automatically confer maritime rights to the surrounding sea.
The US wants to take a hardline position on China, even without international support, and in the South China Sea that has meant backing all nations who have conflicting claims with China’s in the area, even though some of these nations openly reject the US position on the grounds that they don’t want to be dragged into a US conflict.
USA should go back, dont come near China territory. EVERY country sovereignty should be respected; doesn’t matter if its has oil or rubber. The so called freedom of navigation operations for spreading the fake demcoracy (hypocrisy) should end. The world must STOP USA and its protege Isreal expansionism and imperialism. Otherwise it will be too late. From the rutheless genocide of red Indians, Mexicans, black Americans till now, USA has been a bully. KARMA came back with 100,000 Americans dead but still the PAROAH USA is bullying others instead of focussing on its problems and social evils.
On the other hand, do the Chinese respect the sovereignty of their neighbors? Have you seen their ridiculous territorial claims in the S China Sea? Almost all their neighbors hate their guts.
And you know that how? Because the US installed puppet ‘administrations’ say it?
If USA can install fake democracy (hypocrisy) all over the world, China has the right to defend its territory. If USA can invade Iraq, Vietnam for getting oil or rubber, china has the right for south CHINA sea. If neighbors hate China, its NONE of USA buisness as USA land is far from China. USA has no right to be the leader of the world. BUT I forgot, the country built on the graves of red indians, mexicans and black Americans is more thirsty and greedy for world resources just like their predecessors the so called British empire. HOW MANY wars China has waged as compared to USA? Hongkong and Twain are integral part of China. USA has no right to bully others. Karma came back with at least 100,000 USA people dead with more to come. China manpower is double than USA plus Russia combine with China can annihilate the USA within 24 hrs….All US aitcraft carriers will sink in deep depths of the ocean never tobe found again. Millions people died in Iraq war for the fictitious weapons of mass destruction. Yankees, the white supremacists have no shame, remorse or regret. Indeed God is the greates killing more Americans with virus…. just like US killed Iraqis, Americans will be killed.
Vietnam was probably invaded over opium, just like Afghanistan was.
Maybe they are following our example in this hemisphere?
Not the best example to be following…
I am not sure about the statement in this article about ownership if islands and conferring maritime rights. What is a maritime right? According to international law, UN convention on the Laws of the Seas (UNCLOS), confers in addition to territorial waters — an exclusive economic zone (EEZ). US is not a signatory to UNCLOS, which means that US cannot solve dispute in UNCLOS arbitration court, nor can it be party to a dispute. Since the law is the law — not being a signatory does not mean that you can deny rights to signatories. Thus — islands do matter in determining EEZ,. While EEZ confers rights on economic activity —it allows free, unencumbered commercial shipping, and INNOCENT right passage for military vehicles — with notification. US is playing word games — calling its sailing in “international waters”, when in fact it is crossing EZZ without notification.
Same we have in Persian Gulf, Where are these fabled international waters — even though I am not sure there is even a sliver of international waters there. Straits of Hormuz are about 30 miles, fully covered by territorial waters and EEZ belonging to either Iran or UAE. Then inside the Gulf — Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuweit on one side and Iran on the other — share EEZ. Look at Qatar and Iran. Within their respective EZZ which connect — they share between them one of the largest gas fields.
So where are the international waters in the Gulf? There is a sliver if it somewhere in the middle. Sure, US can get access through Gulf states EEZs — but that means getting permission for INNOCENT PASSAGE FOR NAVY.
None of the sailings could be deemed innocent, and none in international waters.
Freedom of navigation would become an issue only if passage to commercial shipping is denied. That has never been an issue. States have often unresolved EEZ issues — but UNCLOS requires that states must show evidence of bilateral effort at conflict resolution before being admitted to UNCLOS court.
And this is main reason no Asian countries will partake in China bashing. They have EEZ issues, but many countries in the world are still working on it.
Return the favor? Shandong for a cruise in the gulf of mexico would be pleasant.
God this is getting old. It’s called the SOUTH CHINA SEA! South CHINA Sea. Say it with me now. There is a reason it’s not called the South America Sea. The neighbors can bitch. The got points to be made. But this is clearly not our f**king lane.
True; the South China Seas are only useful for blockading Chinese maritime traffic (39.5%). Or Indian (30.6%). The Three P’s summary of the dispute are politics, petroleum, and proteins.
Such a blockade would barely affect America’s maritime trade. At 5.72% of all U.S. maritime trade, the South China Seas traffic is pretty insignificant. Most of that trade would be with China anyway.
https://chinapower.csis.org/much-trade-transits-south-china-sea/
Oil and natural gas are non-factors; there isn’t much relative to what’s available elsewhere. Chinese shipments of oil from the Middle East transit through the South China Seas, though.
https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/spratly-oil.htm
The local fish stocks are acknowledged as collapsing and won’t be a factor for long.
https://thediplomat.com/2016/07/the-south-china-sea-is-really-a-fishery-dispute/.
Politics remains the most charged and varied. The South China Seas are a gateway into the Pacific for India, Africa, and Europe. Also, the gateway from China to the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf; more waters likewise with no U.S. connection.
… Well China has claimed the territory, but the U.S. seems intent on claiming it back…
Sooner or later many Asian waters claimed by the West as ‘international waters’ are going to face claims of belonging more to the people who live near those waters and need them for reasons other than enforcing Western hegemony.