China Plans Naval Expansion Amid South China Sea Tensions

[Purveyor]

Source: Reuters

By Megha Rajagopalan

BEIJING, May 26 (Reuters) - China outlined a strategy to boost its naval reach on Tuesday and announced plans for the construction of two lighthouses in disputed waters, developments likely to escalate tensions in a region already jittery about Beijing's maritime ambitions.

In a policy document issued by the State Council, the Communist-ruled country's cabinet, China vowed to increase its "open seas protection," switching from air defense to both offense and defense, and criticized neighbors who take "provocative actions" on its reefs and islands.

China has been taking an increasingly assertive posture over recent years in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, where it has engaged in extensive land reclamation in the Spratly archipelago.

China claims most of the South China Sea and criticized Washington last week after a U.S. spy plane flew over areas near the reefs. Both sides accused each other of stoking instability.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/26/china-naval-expansion_n_7441430.html

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US-China War 'Inevitable' Unless Washington Drops Demands Over South China Sea

Warning from state-run China newspaper as Beijing reveals plans for development of disputed South China Sea islands

By Julian Ryall, Tokyo
3:35PM BST 26 May 2015

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Global Times, a tabloid newspaper run by the Communist Party, said that China might have to “accept” there would be conflict with the United States.

“If the United States’ bottom line is that China has to halt its activities, then a US-China war is inevitable in the South China Sea”, said the paper, which is often seen as a mouth-piece of hardline nationalists in the government in Beijing.

State media reported on Tuesday that Beijing had begun building two lighthouses on reefs in the Spratly Islands, a smattering of outcrops that are claimed by an array of countries including not only China but also Vietnam and the Philippines.

Last month, satellite imagery revealed the Chinese had almost completed an air strip on another reef - Fiery Cross - while they are turning another rock, Mischief Reef, into a full island through land reclamation.

The Global Times article described the construction of runways, harbour facilities and buildings on the disputed Spratly Islands as the nation’s “most important bottom line”.

more...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/11630185/US-China-war-inevitable-unless-Washington-drops-demands-over-South-China-Sea.html

[newfie11]

1. Did I miss something

Why are we dictating what goes on in the South China Sea? Are we the worlds police now!

[GGJohn]

2. The Chinese are attempting to claim the S. China Sea as their territorial waters

and restrict free passage in international waters, it's not just the US raising a stink about this, there are other nations challenging China on this.

[cstanleytech]

3. We aren't China is. Check where they are stating these BS claims on a map

and you will see how full of it they are.

[davidpdx]

5. China is essentially claiming the whole sea between China and Korea

down to the Philippines and Malaysia and over to Vietnam.

There are two main reasons. The most obvious is oil underneath the sea bed. The second one is not as obvious, they want to control the freedom of sea traffic going through the area. We are talking about thousands of miles off their coast they are doing this, not close by their territorial land. If they can control the traffic going through the region, then they could potentially halt trade between countries. Don't underestimate what China is up to.

[lovuian]

4. Russia has expanded its territory and so has China

and America is stuck in the middle