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kurutoga said:

But the media story where Jeff got his information was misleading its readers into believing the picture was Scarborough Shoal.

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kurutoga said:

What he said is very clear. ...

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Jeff Head said:

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Jura said:

Yesterday at 11:42 AM
now noticed there's a USN statement inside
China says US warship violated sovereignty near Scarborough

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:
“The United States conducts routine and regular FONOPs, as we have done in the past and will continue to do so in the future,” Lt. Cmdr. Nicole Schwegman, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet, said after China’s claim. FONOP is the military’s term for freedom of navigation operations.

She said such operations are “not about any one country, nor are they about making political statements.” Instead they aim to “demonstrate our commitment to uphold the rights, freedoms and lawful uses of the sea and airspace guaranteed to all nations under international law.”

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US destroyer USS Hopper sailed within 12 miles of the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea under what the US Navy refers to as a freedom of navigation operation.

Hopper sailed near the China-claimed island on January 17 as part of its Western Pacific deployment.

China’s foreign ministry protested the move saying the destroyer sailed near Huangyan Dao, as the shoal is called in China, without permission from the Chinese government.

According to the ministry, the Chinese Navy carried out identification and verification procedures in accordance with law and warned the US vessel to leave.

“What the US vessel did violated China’s sovereignty and security interests, put the safety of Chinese vessels and personnel who were in the relevant waters for official duties under grave threat, and contravened the basic norms for international relations. China is strongly dissatisfied with that and will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its sovereignty,” foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said on Saturday.

This is the fifth freedom of operation the US Navy has carried out under president Donald Trump and the first in 2018.

The previous four freedom of navigation operations of 2017 were conducted by USS Dewey, USS Stethem, USS John S McCain and USS Chafee.

Freedom of navigation operations are conducted by the US to challenge whatever excessive claims countries might have in disputed regions.

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Jura said:

I didn't get the most recent tweet

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Exercice de confrontation entre deux flottilles amphibies de la marine chinoise en mer de Chine méridionale.

Translated from French by

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Exercise of confrontation between two amphibious fleets of Navy Chinese in South China Sea.

(I mean wouldn't an amphibious fleet be ESCORTED? it'd be unlikely it ever clashed with Opfor amphibious fleet if you know what I'm saying)

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Jura said:

at first I noticed as it became News of [this] Hour at gazeta.ru (

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):
China vows 'necessary measures' after US warship nears Huangyan Island
Updated 2018-01-20 17:16 GMT+8

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On January 17, the U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer the USS Hopper sailed near China’s Huangyan Island without permission from the Chinese government. The Chinese Navy immediately indentified the trespassing U.S. warship and warned it leave Chinese waters. The reckless provocation ended in disgrace for the U.S. Navy.

The provocative move comes on the heels of the release of the U.S. National Defense Strategy for 2018, which laid out an aggressive strategy against “strategic competitors” and “revisionist powers.”

Some US officials had pointed an accusing finger at China for the “militarization” of the South China Sea.

China’s sovereignty over Huangyan Island and its adjacent waters is indisputable. Aggressive acts by U.S. warships in the South China Sea undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests, and threaten the safety of Chinese vessels and personnel engaged in normal activities, violating the basic norms of international relations and harming relations between the two countries and their militaries.

Shows of strength in the name of “freedom of navigation” operations go against the common interests of all parties in the South China Sea to enhance peaceful cooperation. In fact, the situation in the South China Sea is not as bad as some make it out to be. For example, China and ASEAN have adopted the framework of the “Code of Conduct for the South China Sea,” and China is working with ASEAN to make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation for the benefit of all.

The U.S. decision to stir up trouble reveals who is behind the “militarization” of the South China Sea. For its part, China has established a consultation mechanism with the Philippines, and the two countries are discussing ways to foster maritime cooperation. In addition, China and ASEAN are expected to further expand maritime cooperation, and the two have already agreed to conduct a joint maritime exercise in 2018. It is against this backdrop of peace and cooperation that a U.S. warship ran rampant through Chinese waters.

Such reckless behavior will only hit a brick wall.

As a commentary in the People’s Daily newspaper on January 22 pointed out, if the U.S. keeps stirring up trouble and creating tension in the South China Sea, China will be forced to come to the conclusion that it is indeed necessary to strengthen and speed up the building of its capabilities in the South China Sea so as to safeguard regional peace and stability.

While the anti-China theme does grab attention, the reality of the situation is that China plays a positive role in regional cooperation, and the rapid growth of China has benefited all of ASEAN. If the United States hopes to have a long-term role in East Asia, then it should get with the program and participate in regional affairs in a constructive manner and work for the benefit of common interests rather than its own selfish interests.

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Hendrik_2000 said:

It mean accelerated deployment of J11B, KQ200, KJ 500, Type 56 patrol boat, and thousand of personel to those island soon!

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