US navy to challenge Chinese claims in South China Sea

[unhappycamper]

http://atimes.com/2015/10/us-navy-to-challenge-chinese-claims-in-south-china-sea/

US navy to challenge Chinese claims in South China Sea
By AT Editor on October 8, 2015

The US navy is preparing to send a surface ship inside the 12-nautical-mile territorial limit China claims for its man-made island chain, an action that could take place within days but awaits final approval from the Obama administration, according to military officials who spoke to Navy Times.

Plans to send a warship through the contested space have been rumored since May, but three Pentagon officials who spoke to Navy Times on background to discuss future operations say Navy officials believe approval of the mission is imminent.

If approved, it would be the first time since 2012 that the US navy has directly challenged China’s claims to the islands’ territorial limits.

The land reclamation projects in the vicinity of the Spratly Islands have been the focus of increasing tensions between China and the United States along with its regional allies, including the Philippines, since reports of the land reclamation project began surfacing in 2013. However, the US and other nations have disputed the legitimacy of the islands built by China in what is viewed as an act of regional aggression.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Looking on google maps, I can see why.

Those islands are nowhere near China, way down by Malaysia, Vietnam and the Phillipines. It's an obvious ploy to expand the range of naval vessels, missiles, and airstrips. If they can do that there, they can keep doing it to expand their military reach without having to ask other countries to host their bases, like the US does.

[newfie11]

2. Yep

Just doing what our military has done for many many years.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

3. We've been building artificial islands in international waters and claiming them and

expanding territorial limits? That's a new one on me, I hadn't heard it.

The US has bases everywhere, but they're on land leased from other countries. We have their acceptance, albeit sometimes begrudgingly. China is not making deals with other countries to place bases, they're building them outside of other countries. That seems a whole lot more threatening to me. If they wanted, those other countries could just kick the US out, tell us to vacate our bases. Nobody can do that to China with this sort of strategy.

[newfie11]

4. Hasn't Japan been trying to get US bases closed?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

5. I don't know. I'd be surprised, but more power to them if they are.

If they want us out, we should leave.

[bemildred]

6. Okinawa has been, the Japanese Gov't prevents it. nt