CHINA WARNS U.S. IT WILL MEAN WAR

CHINA HAS OPENLY AND QUITE BLUNTLY WARNED AMERICA THAT ONE MORE MINOR INCIDENT LIKE THE CONFRONTATION THE OTHER DAY IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA WILL MEAN WAR.

SHOULD WE BELIEVE THEM?

AS REUTERS REPORTED:
"China's naval commander told his U.S. counterpart that a minor incident could spark war in the South China Sea if the United States did not stop its "provocative acts" in the disputed waterway.

Admiral Wu Shengli made the comments to U.S. chief of naval operations Admiral John Richardson during a video teleconference on Thursday.   

China has rebuked Washington over the patrol, the most significant U.S. challenge yet to territorial limits China effectively claims around its seven artificial islands in one of the world's busiest sea lanes.

"If the United States continues with these kinds of dangerous, provocative acts, there could well be a seriously pressing situation between frontline forces from both sides on the sea and in the air, or even a minor incident that sparks war," the statement paraphrased Wu as saying.

"(I) hope the U.S. side cherishes the good situation between the Chinese and U.S. navies that has not come easily and avoids these kinds of incidents from happening again," Wu said.

Speaking earlier, a U.S. official said the naval chiefs agreed to maintain dialogue and follow protocols to avoid clashes.

A U.S. Navy spokesman stressed Washington's position that U.S. freedom of navigation operations were meant to "protect the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea and airspace guaranteed to all nations under international law".

Chinese warships followed the USS Lassen, a guided-missile destroyer, as it moved through the Spratlys on Tuesday. The U.S. Navy is operating in a maritime domain bristling with Chinese ships."

BUT IS CHINA SERIOUS?

MANY BELIEVE CHINA IS "DEADLY SERIOUS".

THE GUARDIAN U.K. WROTE:      "China is not afraid of fighting a war against the United States in the South China Sea, a state-run newspaper with links to the Communist party has claimed.

Twenty-four hours after Washington challenged Beijing’s territorial claims in the region by deploying a warship to waters around the disputed Spratly archipelago, the notoriously nationalistic Global Times accused the Pentagon of provoking China.

“In [the] face of the US harassment, Beijing should deal with Washington tactfully and prepare for the worst,” the newspaper argued in an editorial on Wednesday.

“This can convince the White House that China, despite its unwillingness, is not frightened to fight a war with the US in the region, and is determined to safeguard its national interests and dignity.”

The People’s Liberation Army Daily, China’s leading military newspaper, used a front-page editorial to accuse the US of sowing chaos in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq.

“Cast-iron facts show that time and again the United States recklessly uses force and starts wars, stirring things up where once there was stability, causing the bitterest of harm to those countries directly involved,” the newspaper said."  

AND HOW DID AMERICA RESPOND?
SABER-RATTLING...

"US defence secretary Ash Carter warned that further “freedom of navigation” operations in the region were planned. “We will fly, sail and operate wherever international law permits,” he told a congressional hearing.

Lu Kang, a foreign ministry spokesperson, said China would “resolutely respond” to any deliberate provocations but declined to be drawn on any potential military response.

“I advise the US not to make a fool out of themselves in trying to be smart,” Lu said."

Ashley Townshend, a South China Sea expert from the University of Sydney’s United States studies centre, warned that sending US warships to the South China Sea could have the opposite effect the U.S. intended.

“I think these freedom of navigation missions may play into the hands of the hardliners in the [Chinese] military or in the regime … It will be harder for moderates in the regime to say no to People’s Liberation Army hawks and others if the Americans are [seen as] being provocative.”

Townshend said the US mission may have temporarily strengthened Washington’s hand. “[But] there’s an element of you win the battle but you lose the war if actually these freedom of navigation missions make China more determined to militarise these islands,” he added."

CHINA HAS LAID CLAIM TO TERRITORY IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA THAT NOT ONLY INDONESIA, BUT ALSO THE PHILIPPINES, MALAYSIA, BRUNEI, TAIWAN AND VIETNAM HAVE CLAIMED FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

THE MAP BELOW BY GLOBAL SECURITY BARELY TOUCHES ON THOSE LONG-RUNNING CONFLICTS.

ONE MAY READ ALL ABOUT THIS ONGOING CONFLICT BETWEEN ALL CLAIMANT NATIONS  <HERE>.
IT IS, SUPPOSEDLY, AN OIL RICH SECTION OF THAT SEA.CHINA DESPERATELY NEEDS MORE OIL.

 " In 1909 CHINA seized some islands in Xisha (the Paracels). In 1946 it seized Itu Aba (in the Spratlys) and Phu Lan Island (in the Paracels). In 1950's China seized additional Hoang Sa (Paracels) islands, which it forcibly repeated in 1974. Vietnam claims that these acts were unlawful and that the United States in 1974 conspired with China for the takeover of the Paracels.

In January 1974, Chinese military units seized islands in the Paracels occupied by South Vietnamese armed forces, and Beijing claimed sovereignty over the Spratlys. Following their conquest of South Vietnam in the spring of 1975, units of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) nevertheless moved to occupy the Spratly Islands previously held by the Saigon regime. In 1978 Vietnam and the Philippines agreed to negotiate but failed to settle their conflicting claims to the Spratly Islands. "    

PREVIOUS CONFRONTATIONS WITH CHINA IS CITED AS THE REASON JAPAN HAS STARTED REBUILDING ITS MILITARY, HAS MENTIONED ACQUIRING NUCLEAR CAPABILITY, AND ALSO ASKED THE U.S. TO INTERVENE, AS THE TEA ROOM REPORTED EXTENSIVELY  <HERE>.

ISN'T IT VERY ODD THAT OUR POTUS, OBAMA, HAS DECIDED TO CONFRONT CHINA, SEND AMERICAN TROOPS, BOOTS-ON-THE-GROUND, INTO SYRIA AGAINST ISIS, HAS DEPLOYED MORE TROOPS TO IRAQ AND IS LEAVING AT LEAST 5,000 IN AFGHANISTAN, ALL CONTRARY TO WHAT HE HAS PREVIOUSLY STATED, ALL AT THE SAME TIME?   

ONE WONDERS WHAT HAS SUDDENLY CAUSED SUCH A WILD AND CRAZY SURGE IN MILITANCY AND AGGRESSION FROM OUR OUTGOING PREZ. 

BOTTOM LINE, NO MATTER WHAT OBAMA & COMPANY IS THINKING, CHINA SIMPLY DOESN'T CARE IF WE GO TO WAR OR NOT.

IT'S THE PROVERBIAL "SIX OF ONE, HALF A DOZEN OF THE OTHER" SCENARIO FOR CHINA.
WHAT'S A NUCLEAR WAR TO SUCH A NATION AS CHINA?

TO CHINESE LEADERS, IT MUST BE AKIN TO ORDERING PIZZA...WITH OR WITHOUT A STUFFED CRUST.

WAR WITH THE USA?
SURE...WHY NOT?

DO WE WANT ANCHOVIES WITH THAT?

OUR SABER-RATTLERS REALLY SHOULD STAND BACK AND APPRAISE THIS SITUATION BECAUSE CHINA REALLY DOESN'T CARE IF IT'S ALL-OUT WAR OR NOT.

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SEE ALSO:
~Asia's Greatest Fear - A U.S.-China War

~ 3 WAYS CHINA AND AMERICA COULD GO TO WAR

~ DEBATING A STRATEGY FOR WORLD WAR III