As anyone who follows Virtual Mirage knows, the Chinese continue to build out military bases in the Spratley and Parcels Islands in the South China Sea.
This video gives a deeper explanation including the infamous 9 dash line and Cabbage Strategy…
IMHO, this is really about TWO things. Primarily it’s about oil and mineral rights, secondarily, control of 30% of the world’s shipping moving through the SCS…
Now that a new administration is in control, the Chinese are finding out that the US is no longer rolling over and ignoring their actions. Stennis and WEM have already done a FON (Freedom Of Navigation within 12nm of land) through that very area and the Chinese had more sense than to try to block them.
It will be interesting to see where this goes next…
Thanks for the plug. I wonder what the Chinese would do if the USA decided to drop a million tons of rock onto a reef in the South China Sea? Do a treaty with Vietnam, Malaysia or the P. I. and lease it from them.
I like that.
They will test us. When, where, and how may not be predictable.
LL- THAT would definitely throw a monkey wrench into the mix…
WSF- I think it will be in the air/sea area. They will either bump a ship (a la the Russians), or try to thump another P-3/P-8 and end up crashing both of them…
It’s heartening to see the U.S. standing firm (or at least, firmer) on the seas again. Confrontation will come, and the new President’s response – whatever it is – will be telling. Somehow, I don’t think he’ll roll over like the pretender did.
And the Russian planes buzzing U.S. ships in the Black Sea reminds me of the same thing happening in ’74 to my tin can, there. They fired a couple of warning shots, too. Made the lookouts rather nervous.
We’re standing firm, for now. But this is going to be a long, drawn out affair. The Chinese aren’t quite ready to confront us at sea, yet. They can afford to wait 5 or 10 years, build up equipment and expertise, and wait for a time when we don’t have the will.
We need to build alliances and arrangements with other folks in the area to make sure that no matter who is in the White House or what they think is important, the Chinese have to think twice before getting frisky.
The ChiComs are a bit rattled.
They knew how Teh 0ne would (not) react.
They were sure how Hillary would react (to bribes).
They have no idea how Trump will react.
And the ChiComs HATE uncertainty.
Rev- True, but sadly we’re so undermanned/shipped it’s not fun!
DB- That it is…
Stretch- That they do!
Hey Old NFO;
LL has a good idea, with several countries claiming the Spratley islands there is possibility of conflict. The funny thing is that we fought a war with the Vietnamese now they might be our staunchest allies along with the Japanese, the Present president of the Philippines is making overtures to the Mainland Chinese and dumping the United States, it will be murky and the Chinese are building their weapons and skills and I can see them challenging us in the next 10-20 years for the south Chinese sea and the Pacific then you throw the Taiwanese in the mix…oh vey