South China Sea Strategies for other nations (Not China)

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Pacific Sentinel said:

SOUTH CHINA SEA - The littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) partnered with the guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82) to complete their first combined South China Sea presence operations July 9.

"Our presence operations with USS Lassen demonstrates the U.S Navy's commitment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and emphasizes our ability to conduct maritime operations freely on the high seas," said Cmdr. Rich Jarrett, commanding officer of Fort Worth. "The 16-month deployment rotation for littoral combat ships like USS Fort Worth provides persistent presence that contributes to maritime stability throughout the region."

"LCSs are accustomed to independent steaming so sailing with Lassen was a welcomed change to our daily routine at sea," said Cmdr. Christopher Brown, prospective commanding officer of Fort Worth. "The operating picture shared between both ships proved invaluable in increasing our situational awareness."

Presence operations also provide U.S. Navy ships the opportunity to practice the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) with other nations' ships operating in the region. Since the CUES agreement was established in April 2014, Fort Worth, Lassen and other U.S. Navy ships have been using CUES to formally communicate maneuvering intentions with ships from other navies to minimize the risk of miscalculations at sea.

"Codified formal communications really do help eliminate miscommunications and clarify intentions between units," said Brown. "We use both CUES and plain voice on the marine VHF (very high frequency) radio to communicate with other ships operating in this region."
The U.S. 7th Fleet conducts forward-deployed naval operations in support of U.S. national interests in the Indo-Asia-Pacific area of operations. As the U.S. Navy's largest numbered fleet, U.S. 7th Fleet interacts with 35 other maritime nations to build partnerships that foster maritime security, promote stability and prevent conflict.

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TerraN_EmpirE said:

If a Typhoon that powerful wrecked the Philippines ship on the reef my money is that it would probably also wipe out the Chinese artificial islands as well. It takes decades for soil to solidify properly and even when it does soil liquefaction is a issue that pops up often. A strong Typhoon of Tsunami could clean slate the whole thing in a instant.

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China warns of ‘further actions’ over Ayungin ship

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2 DAYS AGO



“China strongly protests and firmly opposes such an act”, Hua said in a statement on Wednesday.


The Philippines said Tuesday it would fix the Sierra Madre which is at a shoal also claimed by China.

“The Chinese government is really confused because of their incessant twisting of the truth in their efforts [to mislead] the good Chinese people”. “But the Philippines have not only failed to deliver on its promise to tow away the ship but is increasing illegal activities on the reef in an attempt to occupy it forever”, she said.

China has undertaken massive reclamation projects on islands in the region, including the construction of airstrips and military facilities, which has led to worldwide condemnation from countries with competing claims including the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia. It was acquired by the Philippine Navy in the 1970s.

Security experts reportedly said that using Subic Bay would allow the Philippines to respond more quickly to territorial aggression in the disputed region, of which Beijing has claimed large swaths under its so-called “nine-dash” line that is not recognized by global bodies.

Earlier, Philippine Navy spokesman Colonel Edgard Arevalo confirmed that the Philippines is doing “minor repairs” on the Ayungin vessel.

The Philippines sent a high-level team to The Hague, Netherlands last week to present arguments for its arbitration case against China’s expansive territorial claim.

A decision on whether the United Nations court has jurisdiction over the issue is expected within the year.

China maintains the right to take further measures, Hua warned.

“I think they are the troublemakers and not us”, DND public affairs chief Arsenio Andolong said. It is being guarded by Marines stationed in BRP Sierra Madre, the remaining symbol of Philippine sovereignty in the area. It is well within its right to conduct simple repairs.

Later, the Philippines’ Department of National Defense (DND) hit China for calling the Philippines a “trouble-maker”.

“You have to remember that the Sierra Madre is a vessel”.


In a related development, military officials denied reports that they are planning to construct a helipad on the BRP Sierra Madre. “But no helipad at the bow”, Western Command chief Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez said in a text message to reporters.

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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) " As China builds artificial islands in a vast resource-rich South China Sea and neighbors in Southeast Asia brace for possible conflict, Taiwan is cutting carbon emissions and offering a hospital for humanitarian aid on the sea's largest natural islet to seek international approval for easing tension.

Taiwan's unusual use of Taiping Island in the heavily contested Spratly archipelago may appeal particularly to the United States, a staunch, long-time informal ally that has at least scrutinized the legal basis for Taiwan's maritime claims. Washington, seeking stable relations with China as well, has also urged the six claimants to cooperate rather than fight.

Taiwan, which lacks the diplomatic ties to negotiate with the other five governments with claims in the South China Sea, has installed $1.29 million worth of solar panels on Taiping Island since 2011 to light a cluster of buildings and provide power for construction of a 200-meter (yard) pier due for completion by year's end, the head of the island's coast guard said Friday.

Panels covering 1,570 square meters (16,890 square feet), enough to save about 32,000 liters (8,450 gallons) of diesel fuel last year, also will supply electricity to a five-bed hospital and living quarters that accept seafarers of any nationality, Coast Guard Administration Minister Wang Chung-yi said.

Taiping receives about 10 foreign boats a year from China or Vietnam, usually during storms. The pier will make it easier for coast guard vessels or - if needed someday -- naval ships to dock, allowing more medical supplies to reach the five-bed hospital with a rotating staff as well as a surgery ward. Taiwan also has built a military airstrip on the coast guard-controlled Island......

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gCaptain said:

MANILA, July 20 (Reuters) – An Australian-Filipino consortium led by Otto Energy Ltd is set to drill a deep-water exploratory well in the South China Sea, a company director said on Monday, in the hope of discovering commercially viable oil reserves.

Australia’s Otto, operator of Service Contract 55 (SC55) with a 78.18 percent interest in the permit issued by the Philippines’ Department of Energy, will start drilling operations sometime in July or August, Rufino Bomasang told Reuters.

The Philippines’ Armed Forces is assuring the security of the consortium that includes Red Emperor Resources NL of Australia with 15 percent interest and Palawan 55 Exploration and Production Co, a unit of the Philippines’ Trans-Asia Petroleum Corp, with 6.82 percent.

SC55 covers Hawkeye-1 well located in the southwest Palawan Basin in southwestern Philippines, an area believed to be rich in hydrocarbon deposits.

“That area is outside China’s Nine Dash Line, so we’re not really concerned about security issues,” Bomasang said. “It’s well within Philippine territory.”

At a media briefing on Monday, military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Noel Detoyato, said the Philippine Navy would be in charge of security but declined to give the specific assets to be deployed for security reasons.

“We have to guarantee (their safety) because they are within the Philippine waters … As long as its (drilling) within the Philippine waters, the Philippine Navy will secure those who are involved in economic activities,” said Detoyato.

A lawmaker, LPG Marketers Association party list Rep. Arnel Ty, said in a statement the super deep-water drill ship Maersk Venturer would start the drilling on Aug. 1, immediately upon arrival of the foreign ship.

In March 2011, Chinese ships harassed a Department of Energy ship conducting oil exploration at the Reed Bank or Recto Bank in the South China Sea. The ships left after the military’s Western Command deployed bomber aircraft.

At that time, the Chinese ships told the DOE ship to stop their activity and leave the area which they claimed to be part of China. Reed Bank is well within the county’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone.

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joshuatree said:

Taiwan's approach leans more on the role of eco friendly and humanitarian assistance. Wonder how well equipped is the hospital, it can be small in terms of bed count but advanced.

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