China on the South China Seas

[Randy W]

 

"A senior PLA Navy officer then called for the sinking of two U.S. Navy aircraft carriers to “frighten” the U.S. away from the SCS. In a speech on December 20, 2018, Rear Admiral Luo Yuan, the deputy head of the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences, asserted that the key for Chinese domination of the SCS lies in using ballistic missiles to sink the two carriers, killing as many American sailors as possible.

“What the United States fears the most is taking casualties,” Luo said in his call to kill upwards of 10,000 U.S. sailors. “We’ll see how frightened America is,” he said."

 

 

 

Individual PLA officers will occasionally fly off at the handle, unauthorized by the CCP. This is often done in the Global Times, but generally not so militaristicly.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

from Inkstone

 

US Navy launches live-fire missiles in ‘warning to China’

The US Navy was targeting China with live-fire missile tests in the Philippine Sea last week, sending a message that it was up to the challenge of the Chinese military’s new advanced systems, military analysts said.

 

In the drill in waters east of the Philippines on Thursday, the guided-missile destroyer USS Barry launched a medium-range Standard Missile-2, the US Seventh Fleet said on its Facebook page.

 

It was accompanied by the guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh, which also launched an SM-2 during the drill.

 

 

[Greg.D.]

Yeah, but they did that because China has now been flying into Taiwan airspace at night they say to show off their night time capabilities and generally threaten them with their ability to steal technology from other countries.

 

They do this you map the perimeter and gauge their willingness to respond. They also learned that, for now, the U. S. will respond, too, despite the dear friendship of the two leaders.

 

I have wondered if they were planning to go in to Taiwan after the Olympics and before/during the election.

[amberjack1234]

Greg that would be the 64,000 dollar question.

[Randy W]

. . . and in the Global Times

 

US Navy's deployment of 3 aircraft carriers to Pacific a mere show of vanity

 

USS Theodore Roosevelt transits the Pacific Ocean on April 7, 2017. Photo: US Navy

 

Editor's Note:

The US mobilized three aircraft carriers - USS Theodore Roosevelt, USS Nimitz and the USS Ronald Reagan - to patrol the Indo-Pacific waters, an act seen as a "warning" to China. The strike group warships were spread out on Thursday, of which USS Theodore Roosevelt and its strike group are operating near Guam, USS Nimitz strike group is in the Pacific off the US West Coast, and USS Ronald Reagan is operating in the Philippine Sea. How to interpret this move? How can China move to counteract? Global Times reporters talked to two Chinese experts on the issues.

Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute

The last time the US Navy sent three aircraft carriers to this region at the same time was 2017.

Although it's not a common practice to deploy three US aircraft carriers in the West Pacific, it happened before - so this is not fresh news.

 

 

 

[Allon]

But it's more than the 3 carriers. If the Chinese are following the build up in Okinawa, they would say otherwise. I have known Air Force guys that flew there since the early 60's. C-130's carried 9 (each) nuclear weapons there. Camp Naha where I took jungle training is a huge Marine base now, as are most smaller installations I knew. Kadena is back and operational. I am sure the targeting plans are for China and/or NK.

 

So the carriers will be the frontline but the secondary attack is what will be interesting aside from the long range targeting of our land missiles. I hope it never happens. Every time I hear sword rattling, I hear the sound of a loser.

[Randy W]

from the SCMP

 

US and Chinese naval exercises overlap in South China Sea

• Two carriers and four warships head to disputed waters as PLA Navy holds five days of drills near Paracels
• Operation commander says move is part of general response to Beijing assertiveness

The USS Ronald Reagan, the USS Nimitz and four other warships will hold large-scale exercises in the South China Sea starting on Saturday, according to the report, which cited Rear Admiral George Wikoff, commander of the operation. The exact location was not disclosed.

 

“The purpose [of the planned exercises] is to show an unambiguous signal to our partners and allies that we are committed to regional security and stability,” Wikoff said, according to the report, which also said the operation would include “round-the-clock flights testing the striking ability of carrier-based aircraft”.

 

The US Navy operation takes place at the same time as five days of drills by China’s military near the Paracel Islands, which started on Wednesday.

 

 

[Randy W]

from the SCMP on Facebook

Quote

The US issued one of its strongest challenges yet to Beijing's claims in the South China Sea, saying many of them are "unlawful".

https://www.facebook.com/355665009819/posts/624741058396249/

Edited June 3, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

from the Global Times

The plane pictured is an American U-2 in the Military Museum

https://www.facebook.com/115591005188475/posts/3371145992966277/

Quote

The US should not regret it when its warships sink, warplanes crash and soldiers are buried in an alien land, Chinese experts warned after the US sent a U-2 spy plane trespassing into a PLA exercise no-fly zone https://bit.ly/2YxEDLA

 

 

Wreckage of a US-made U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft is on display at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in Beijing. The military on the island of Taiwan used U-2s to conduct reconnaissance missions on the Chinese mainland since January 1962, and the PLA Air Force shot down the first U-2 on September 9, 1962 in the suburbs of Nanchang, East China's Jiangxi Province. Photo: Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution

Edited June 3, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

PLA warships have crossed at least 3 straits near Japan recently for drills. While routine in nature, transits could serve as warnings to Japan, which has been hostile toward China by hyping topics like Diaoyu Islands, Taiwan question: observers
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202106/1225229.shtml

from the Global Times on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/115591005188475/posts/4163043163776552/

Drill by PLA warships in Pacific via Osumi Strait 'indicates far sea capability boost, warning to Japan'

Quote

 

These operations are normal and reflect the PLA Navy's increasing far sea operational capability, as the service aims to become a blue-water navy while also sending a warning to Japan on its recent hostility toward China, the expert said. The straits in question are all international waters, and no Japanese territorial waters or airspace were violated, the expert added.

 . . .

PLA warships' frequent activities around Japan are routine training exercises that don't target any country. They aim to boost combat capability, which is the most important thing, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

But if a country shows malicious intentions against China, it is also natural that the Chinese military would see it as an imaginary opponent in exercises, Song said.

 

 

[Randy W]

Malaysia accuses China of airspace ‘intrusion’

The Royal Malaysian Air Force said its radar detected 16 Chinese
 aircraft near Malaysian-administered Luconia Shoals, a fishing ground
 in the disputed South China Sea.
 Read more: https://sc.mp/smvw

from the SCMP on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/294710442390393/

[Randy W]

China spells out wartime conscription plans for first time

• Draft regulations highlight veterans as targets for active service during a war
• Changes needed to bring process into line with current conditions, analyst says

from the SCMP

Quote

 

The proposed changes to the country’s conscription regulations spell out for the first time how authorities would enlist veterans and other conscripts while the country was on a war footing.
Under the regulations, the State Council or the Central Military Commission would issue mobilisation orders and hand responsibility for drafting soldiers to government and military agencies at various levels.
Military veterans would be a target group and could rejoin their original unit or be posted to a similar position elsewhere, according to the draft.

 . . .

The release of the draft comes as China’s ties with major Western countries and its neighbours decline over various issues, from territorial claims to human rights.
In January, Chinese President Xi Jinping, who also heads the Central Military Commission, stressed the need for “full-time combat readiness” and said the People’s Liberation Army must use frontline frictions to improve troops’ abilities.
And in March, Xi said the Chinese military must be “prepared to respond” to complex and difficult situations as the country grappled with security challenges.

 

 

Edited July 21, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

US Vice-President Kamala Harris arrived in Singapore on August 23,
 2021, at the start of her week-long visit to Southeast Asia. She met
 the city state's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on a range of issues
 including agreements on cybersecurity and climate.
 Read more: https://sc.mp/d4d7

from the SCMP on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/138801535098433/

US not seeking ‘zero sum’ engagement with Asia but will stand up against coercive China, Kamala Harris says

• Harris said the Biden administration’s vision for Indo-Pacific engagement takes into account regional countries’ disinterest in a ‘zero sum’ mentality
• US vice-president’s visit to Singapore and Vietnam was touted as a diplomatic charm offensive but has been overshadowed by chaos in Afghanistan

Quote

Like other Biden administration principals who visited Asia recently, Harris identified China’s territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea as a key regional threat.
“We know that Beijing continues to coerce, to intimidate and to make claims to the vast majority of the South China Sea,” Harris said.
“These unlawful claims have been rejected by the 2016 arbitral tribunal decision and Beijing’s actions continue to undermine the rules-based order and threaten the sovereignty of nations,” she added, referring to the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague after the Philippines brought a case against China.

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Hu shoots his mouth here.

【#HuSays】Washington’s attempt to play the Vietnamese as monkeys is an insult to Vietnam’s basic political wisdom. But Vietnam is clever in taking a kind of neutral stance between China and the US: Editor-in-Chief Hu Xijin

from the Global Times on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/globaltimesnews/posts/4408418732572326

Edited September 7, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Kevin Rudd, former prime minister of Australia, has some good answers for Yonden Lhatoo, regarding changes in the South China Sea situation, and also Hong Kong. Well worth a listen.

Talking Post: Kevin Rudd unpacks the risk of war between China and the US with . . .
Australia’s relations with China are at a new low after the formation of Aukus, a new security pact Canberra has made with the US and the UK – widely seen as an alliance to confront Beijing.
In the second episode of Talking Post, SCMP chief news editor Yonden Lhatoo speaks with Kevin Rudd, former Australian prime minister and now head of the Asia Society global think tank. They discuss what Aukus means for the region and how it factors into the risk of war between China and a US-led Western alliance.
Read more: https://sc.mp/zo08

from the SCMP on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/scmp/videos/1548056062210951/

 . . . and the SCMP's take on the interview -

Australia-China ties are frayed, but Canberra’s softening relations with Southeast Asia more of a worry: former PM Rudd

• Rudd says Canberra has put more emphasis on collaboration with the US amid Beijing’s rise than on engagement with its regional neighbours
• This needs to be stepped up, he says, noting that ‘the fulcrum of Australia’s long-term strategic interests in Southeast Asia’ is its relationship with Indonesia

Edited October 19, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)