Comments on: Sea folly and US-China relations

By: allatatime

allatatime — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 10:13:12 +0000

Isn’t it amazing that USA is enforcing UNCLOS when it is refusing to be a signatory. Like many other international conventions that it refuses to be part of, and the right of first strike in nuclear weapons, USA’s moral high ground is flawed. Its support of Israel, despite numerous international outcry, will propagate further pain in humanity.

By: dufung

dufung — Sat, 31 Oct 2015 09:09:17 +0000

China’s unilateral, aggressive and unprecedented actions in staking its claims has shackled all diplomatic overtures in solving the south china sea territorial dispute. Thus, the US recent decision to subtly test Chinese resolve in defending their legally questionable artificial-island territory is a well-thought-of diplomatic master stroke. It is a necessary show of force in support of the weaker claimant being bullied by China’s might. Otherwise, the US will lose its clout among its ally claimants and increases the danger of their succumbing to China’s offer of bilateral dialogue and developing cozier relations.

By: Truthseeker

Truthseeker — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 13:34:28 +0000

The author’s suggestion that the authoritarian regime in Beijing permit
a You Tube video expressing multiple points of view on the South China Sea to be aired behind the Great Firewall strikes me as wildly quixotic. The regime believes it must ride the tide of rising Chinese nationalism, or risk losing power. It needs the US as an external threat. What better way to justify its existence? Mainland masses brainwashed to believe the South China Sea is China’s “blue water soil” would probably only be confused by giving other interpretations equal time.

That said, I agree FON exercises are risky. Interlinked economies won’t prevent China and the US from going to war over what is to China a highly emotional issue.

I don’t know the answer, but I do know the author doesn’t have it either.