naturalfeature:south china sea

Indonesia and Australia discuss joint naval patrols in the South China Sea - World Socialist Web Site
▻http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2016/11/02/auin-n02.html

Indonesia and Australia discuss joint naval patrols in the South China Sea
By Peter Symonds
2 November 2016

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop yesterday confirmed that Australia and Indonesia are considering joint naval patrols in the South China Sea. Her comments followed a four-day visit to Indonesia last week, during which she met with Indonesian President Joko Widido and senior Indonesian ministers.

Speaking to Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio, Bishop sought to portray the mooted patrols as a routine part of the Australian navy’s operations. “This is a regular part of what our navy does,” she said. “This is part of our engagement in the region and this is in accordance with Australia’s right of freedom of navigation, including in the South China Sea.”

#mer_de_chine_méridionale

U.S. warship challenges China’s claims in South China Sea | Reuters
▻http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-usa-exclusive-idUSKCN12L1O9

A U.S. navy destroyer sailed near islands claimed by China in the South China Sea on Friday, drawing a warning from Chinese warships to leave the area.

The U.S. action was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing’s efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, U.S. officials said.

The Chinese Defense Ministry called the move “illegal” and “provocative,” saying that two Chinese warships had warned the U.S. destroyer to leave.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur challenged “excessive maritime claims” near the Paracel Islands, among a string of islets, reefs and shoals over which China has territorial disputes with its neighbors, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The latest U.S. patrol, first reported by Reuters, is expected to anger Beijing and could further escalate tensions over the South China Sea. The destroyer sailed within waters claimed by China, close to but not within the 12-nautical-mile territorial limits of the islands, the officials said.

The Pentagon said the Decatur “conducted this transit in a routine, lawful manner without ship escorts and without incident.” One official said the ship, which sailed near Triton and Woody Islands, was shadowed by three Chinese vessels and that all interactions were safe.

The White House confirmed the Reuters report.

“This operation demonstrated that coastal states may not unlawfully restrict the navigation rights, freedoms and lawful uses of the sea that the United States and all states are entitled to exercise under international law,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at a news briefing.

It was the fourth challenge that the United States has made to what it considers overreaching maritime claims by China in the South China Sea in the past year, and the first since May.

Vietnam bases long-range rocket launchers in South China Sea - World Socialist Web Site
▻http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2016/08/11/scse-a11.html

Vietnam bases long-range rocket launchers in South China Sea
By Peter Symonds
11 August 2016

Reuters revealed yesterday that Vietnam has in recent months secretly fortified several of its islands in the Spratly group in the South China Sea with mobile long-range rocket launchers. While the launchers are reportedly yet to be armed, it would take only days to make them operational with rockets capable of striking Chinese-held islets.

Hanoi’s move is certain to further accelerate the arms race that is already underway and to heighten the risk that an incident or provocation could lead to military conflict. That danger has escalated in the wake of the ruling last month by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in favour of a US-backed case brought by the Philippines to challenge China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea.

#vietnam #mer_de_chine_méridionale #chine

If Beijing can claim South China Sea, US can call Pacific ‘American Sea’, says Clinton in leaked speech | South China Morning Post
▻http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2027728/if-beijing-can-claim-south-china-sea-us-can-call

In a speech the Democratic candidate gave to bankers from Goldman Sachs in October 2013, she said the Chinese “have a right to assert themselves” in the South China Sea but the US needed to “push back” to keep Beijing from getting a “chokehold over world trade”.

#Etats-Unis #Chine

America’s Pacific pivot is sinking
▻http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/2073259-America’s-Pacific-pivot-is-sinking

Source: ▻https://www.ft.com/content/12473188-...0-8ec15fb462f4

Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, caused shock and sniggers around the world when he called Barack Obama the “son of a whore”. But the Duterte comment that will have really hurt the White House came a few days later. Announcing that he was ending joint naval patrols with the US in the South China Sea, the Philippines’ president stated: “China is now in power and they have military superiority in the region.”

That statement will sting in Washington. Throughout the Obama years, the US has attempted to reassure all its Asian allies that America has both the means and the will to remain the dominant military power in the Asia-Pacific region. President Obama set the tone in a landmark speech in 2011, when he firmly asserted that “the United States is a Pacific power and we are here to stay”. Since then America has transferred more of its navy to the region and Mr Obama has regularly made the long journey from Washington to East Asia.

But Mr Duterte has now directly challenged the idea that America is still the hegemon in the Pacific. If others take his view, power could drain away from Washington, as more countries in the region begin to defer to Beijing.

#Pacifique #Chine #Asie #mer_de_Chine_méridionale #mer_de_Chine_du_Sud

What China Has Been Building in the South China Sea - The New York Times

▻http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/07/30/world/asia/what-china-has-been-building-in-the-south-china-sea.html?_r=1

Pas mal les chinois.

What China Has Been Building
in the South China Sea

By DEREK WATKINS
UPDATED October 27, 2015

China has been rapidly piling sand onto reefs in the South China Sea, creating seven new islets in the region. It is straining geopolitical tensions that were already taut.

The speed and scale of China’s island-building spree have alarmed other countries with interests in the region. China announced in June that the creation of islands — moving sediment from the seafloor to a reef — would soon be completed. Since then, China has focused its efforts on construction. So far it has constructed port facilities, military buildings and an airstrip on the islands, with recent imagery showing evidence of two more airstrips under construction. The installations bolster China’s foothold in the Spratly Islands, a disputed scattering of reefs and islands in the South China Sea more than 500 miles from the Chinese mainland.

#mer_de_chine_méridionale #chine #frontières

Recent Developments Surrounding the South China Sea Dispute - The New York Times
▻http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/08/22/world/asia/ap-as-south-china-sea-watch.html

DUTERTE TAKES LOW-KEY APPROACH TO DISPUTE WITH CHINA

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said last week that he would not raise maritime disputes with China at a meeting of Southeast Asian nations in Laos next month, preferring to talk quietly with Chinese officials.

“I will only bring the issue when we are together face to face,” he told reporters. “Because if you quarrel with them now and you claim sovereignty, make noise here and there, they might not just even want to talk.”
[…]
PHILIPPINES RECEIVES COAST GUARD SHIP FROM JAPAN

The Philippine coast guard took possession last week of the first of nine multi-role response vessels being provided by Japan in an effort to boost a chronic shortage of maritime assets amid Manila’s territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea.

The 44-meter (144-foot) BRP Tubbataha was formally received at the port in the capital, Manila, after having left Japan on Aug. 11 with a dozen officers and sailors on board. The ships are being built by the Japan Marine United Corporation’s Yokohama shipyard.

Why China’s Plan to Build a New Silk Road Runs Through Singapore - Bloomberg
▻http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-14/why-china-s-plan-to-build-a-new-silk-road-runs-through-singapore

https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/igvuAELJ21aQ/v3/1200x-1.png

The venture underscores Singapore’s potential as a gateway to Southeast Asia for China as President Xi Jinping seeks to export excess industrial capacity while building influence overseas. Lured by shared cultural bonds and the former British colony’s legal and financial systems, the number of Chinese companies registered locally has almost doubled in the past five years to more than 7,500.

Exploiting Singapore’s regional familiarity could help Chinese companies navigate local politics complicated by tensions over China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea. It could also help them avoid pitfalls from prior investment in Africa and Latin America, where China has faced criticism at times for a heavy-handed approach, insisting for example its companies and laborers carry out the bulk of a contract.

https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/i9Z_Ef2VRCfA/v2/-999x-999.gif

(l’animation est un peu trop rapide, hélas…)

Spyware Deluge Hits Vietnam Sites Amid South China Sea Spat - Bloomberg
▻http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-09/spyware-deluge-attacks-vietnam-sites-amid-south-china-sea-spat

The spyware used in cyber attacks on Vietnam’s major airports and national carrier last month is now suspected of having bombarded many more official sites, amid tensions with China over territory in the disputed South China Sea.

A malicious code disguised as anti-virus software found lurking in everything from government offices to banks, major companies and universities was the same as that used in “politically-colored” attacks on two of the country’s biggest airports and Vietnam Airlines, said Ngo Tuan Anh, vice chairman of Hanoi-based network security company Bkav Corp.

On July 29, the flight screens at the airports displayed messages critical of Vietnam’s claims to the South China Sea, according to the VnExpress news website. Vietnam and the Philippines have been the most vocal in criticizing China for its increased assertiveness over the area.

While more evidence is needed to pinpoint the likely origin, the attacks were clearly political in nature, Anh said. The spyware aimed at Vietnam was from one group or several actors working together that has made assaults on institutions in the Southeast Asian country since 2012, he added. Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment.

#Mer_de_Chine_méridionale

Photos suggest China built reinforced hangars on disputed islands: CSIS | Reuters
▻http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-china-images-idUKKCN10K08P

▻http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160809&t=2&i=1148970661&w=&fh=&fw=&ll=644&pl=429&sq=&r=LY
Construction are seen on Subi Reef in the Spratly islands, in the disputed South China Sea in this July 24, 2016 satellite image released by the Asian Maritime Transparency Initiative at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to Reuters on August 9, 2016.
CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe/Handout via REUTERS

Satellite photographs taken in late July show China appears to have built reinforced aircraft hangars on its holdings in disputed South China Sea islands, a Washington-based research group said.

The hangars on Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief Reefs in the Spratly islands have room for any fighter jet in the Chinese air force, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in a report on the photographs.

Fiery Cross

https://i0.wp.com/gcaptain.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2016-08-09T165527Z_1143250266_S1BETUMDATAB_RTRMADP_3_SOUTHCHINASEA-CHINA-IMAGES.jpg

Subi Reef
(note que l’alignement (impressionnant !) d’avions est parfaitement fictif, c’est juste pour faire joli…)

https://i0.wp.com/gcaptain.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2016-08-09T163756Z_2100240560_S1BETUMBMIAA_RTRMADP_3_SOUTHCHINASEA-CHINA-IMAGES.jpg

Mischief Reef
(idem pour les avions fictifs)

https://i1.wp.com/gcaptain.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2016-08-09T162345Z_1765763692_S1BETUMAFPAA_RTRMADP_3_SOUTHCHINASEA-CHINA-IMAGES.jpg

#Mer_de_Chine_méridionale

Say hello to Southeast Asia’s New Silk Roads — Pepe Escobar
▻https://www.rt.com/op-edge/354485-hello-southeast-asias-silk-road

One thing is the real high-stakes game being played in the South China Sea. Another thing entirely is Southeast Asian economic integration, via the ASEAN Economic Community – which implies a central strategic role for ASEAN.

The key problem is a real disconnect between mainland and maritime ASEAN. The Philippines and Indonesia are very much focused on South China Sea issues. Cambodia, Laos, Thailand – but also Brunei - lean towards accommodation with China. The others tend to sit on the fence. And then there’s Vietnam as a pivot; with an interest in the South China Sea but not keen on antagonizing China - a next-door neighbor and major trade partner.

It’s mainland Southeast Asia, not maritime Southeast Asia that should be the key driver for regional development in the near future. Some figures tell the story. The Greater Mekong sub-region – which includes the southern Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Guangxi – has more than 400 million people with half of ASEAN’s GDP of $2.5 trillion. Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam bear a market of 250 million people and a GDP of $700 billion; even without Vietnam, that’s a GDP of around $500 billion and a market of 150 million people.

They are all expanding like crazy; the Mekong mainland is growing as much as six percent a year.

[…]

So watch Southeast Asia. The whole show is not only about maritime Southeast Asia – which is a hostage of the complex, conflicting big power China-US relationship; quite a few key geopolitical implications will derive from the development push of the Greater Mekong sub-region - and the progressive integration of mainland Southeast Asia.

La bagarre juridique pour la #Mer_de_Chine_méridionale pourrait avoir des retombées désastreuses pour les É.-U. …

U.S., Japan, and Other Nations Could Lose Exclusive Economic Zones - Bloomberg
▻http://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2016-07-28/u-s-japan-and-other-nations-could-lose-exclusive-economic-zones

The U.S. and other coastal nations could lose millions of square nautical miles of ocean that are now in their exclusive economic zones. The loss would be an indirect result of an arbitration panel’s ruling on China’s dispute with the Philippines in the South China Sea.

Largely overlooked in the tribunal’s July 12 decision was a strict interpretation of which dry land is entitled to a 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone—the surrounding ocean where a nation has sole rights to fish, drill for oil, and search for minerals. While not a legal precedent, the 479-page ruling could influence other judges and arbitrators because of its rigorous argument. “These arbitrators knew that this case was being watched around the world,” says Paul Reichler, a partner in law firm Foley Hoag and lead counsel for the Philippines. “They wanted it to be as close to perfect as possible.”

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea doesn’t allow nations to declare exclusive economic zones around “rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own.” What that’s meant has never been clear. Many countries, including the U.S. and Japan, have claimed exclusive economic zones around tiny atolls and outcroppings of rock. The U.S. hasn’t ratified the treaty because of opposition from congressional Republicans, who fear it would open the U.S. to lawsuits. But the U.S. “scrupulously” follows the treaty’s provisions anyway, says James Kraska, a law professor at the U.S. Naval War College. Push could come to shove if another nation seeks to fish or drill or mine in waters surrounding some dinky U.S. rock.

The tribunal concluded that having people live on an island doesn’t prove habitability if food and water comes from elsewhere. Countries will “now have a greatly reduced incentive” to fight over ownership of rocks if they no longer have exclusive zones, Kraska says. On the minus side, fisheries might be depleted quickly if countries lose the ability to curb fishing in these zones.

China eyes eight cruise ships to serve South China Sea | Reuters
▻http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-ruling-shipping-idUSKCN10107I

Up to eight Chinese ships will offer cruises to the South China Sea over the next five years, a state-run newspaper said on Thursday, as Beijing continues to promote tourism to the disputed waters.

http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160721&t=2&i=1146394968&w=644&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC6K04Y#.jpg

#Mer_de_Chine_méridionale

China media again touts plans to float nuclear reactors in disputed South China Sea | Reuters
▻http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-ruling-china-nuclear-idUSKCN0ZV0UH

China aims to launch a series of offshore nuclear power platforms to promote development in the South China Sea, state media said again on Friday, days after an international court ruled Beijing had no historic claims to most of the waters.
[…]
“China’s first floating nuclear reactor will be assembled by the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation’s (CSIC) subsidiary, Bohai Heavy Industry, and the company will build 20 such reactors in the future,” the newspaper said.

“The marine nuclear power platform will provide energy and freshwater to the Nansha Islands,” it said, referring to the disputed Spratly Islands.

The newspaper was citing a social media post by the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), which has since been deleted.

Beijing rejects tribunal’s ruling in South China Sea case

Xi Jinping says China’s ‘territorial sovereignty and marine rights’ in the seas will not be affected

▻https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/12/philippines-wins-south-china-sea-case-against-china?CMP=share_btn_tw
#mer_de_chine

Oil and shipping markets on edge after South China Sea ruling | Reuters
▻http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-ruling-shipping-idUSKCN0ZS1AJ

Deux points de vue sur la liberté de navigation en #Mer_de_Chine_méridionale, l’un « politique », l’autre (un assureur) « pragmatique »…

The ruling will be seen as a victory by other regional claimants such the Philippines and Vietnam, but with China rejecting the ruling and saying its military would defend its sovereign rights, nerves were on edge.

Although shippers and oil traders said they did not expect an immediate impact on shipping as a result of the ruling, oil prices jumped following the findings. Brent crude futures were up over $1, or more than 2 percent, to $47.60 per barrel at 1110 GMT.

“It is vital that merchant ships are allowed to go about their lawful business on the world’s oceans without diversion or delay. We will of course be monitoring for any interference in the coming weeks,” said Peter Hinchliffe, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping in London.
[…]
Neil Roberts, manager of marine underwriting at the Lloyd’s Market Association, said the South China Sea is not listed by the LMA’s joint war committee which highlights insurance hotspots.

“Unless it is there would be no prospect of premiums rising,” Roberts told Reuters. “The shallow waters and numerous reefs in the Spratly island region means that commercial shipping is unlikely to be sailing within the territorial waters of any of the islands.”

U.S. destroyers sail close to Chinese-held features in South China Sea as court case looms | Reuters
▻http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-ruling-usa-idUSKCN0ZN0JK

U.S. destroyers have sailed close to Chinese-held reefs and islands in the disputed South China Sea in recent weeks, U.S. naval officials said on Thursday, patrols likely to fuel tension ahead of landmark ruling over Beijing’s maritime claims.

The destroyers Stethem, Spruance and Momsen have been patrolling near Chinese-held features in the #Spratlys archipelago and the #Scarborough_Shoal, which is near the Philippines, the officials said. The patrols were first reported by the Washington-based Navy Times newspaper.

Pressure has been rising in the region ahead of a July 12 ruling by an arbitration court hearing the dispute between China and the Philippines over the #South_China_Sea in the Dutch city of The Hague.

China has refused to participate in the case and vowed to ignore the rulings which the United States insists are binding and an important test of Beijing’s willingness to adhere to international law.

#Mer_de_Chine_méridionale
#Spratleys

Chinese military drills ahead of South China Sea court ruling - World Socialist Web Site

▻http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2016/07/06/chin-j06.html

Chinese military drills ahead of South China Sea court ruling
By Peter Symonds
6 July 2016

In the lead up to next Tuesday’s scheduled ruling by an international court on maritime disputes in the South China Sea, the Chinese military yesterday began a series of naval exercises in the area. While the Chinese defence ministry claimed the drills were routine, Beijing is clearly expressing its determination to defend its territorial claims.

#mer_de_chine_méridionale

Indonesian naval vessels clash with Chinese fishing boats - World Socialist Web Site

▻http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2016/06/24/icfs-j24.html

Indonesian naval vessels clash with Chinese fishing boats
By John Roberts
24 June 2016

Another clash between Chinese fishing trawlers and Indonesian navy vessels in the South China Sea near Indonesia’s Natuna Islands on June 17 has led to sharp diplomatic exchanges. The confrontation followed a similar incident last month.

According to spokesman Edi Sucipto, the Indonesian navy intercepted 12 foreign vessels fishing illegally inside the 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the Natunas. As Indonesian warships approached, the vessels fled. Warning shots were fired and eventually one Chinese flagged trawler was stopped and boarded. Its seven crew members were detained. No one was hurt.

#mer_de_chine_méridionale

Indonesian leader visits South China Sea islands on warship | Daily Mail Online
▻http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-3655749/Indonesian-leader-visits-islands-China-clashes.html

President Joko Widodo visited remote Indonesian islands on a warship Thursday in an apparent show of force after clashes with Chinese vessels and as fears grow Beijing is seeking to stake a claim in the area.

Widodo led a high-level delegation including the foreign minister and armed forces chief to Indonesia’s Natuna Islands in the South China Sea, arriving at a navy base before being escorted to the warship as fighter jets buzzed overhead and navy vessels performed manoeuvres off the coast.

He was due to host a cabinet meeting on the warship, which last week detained a Chinese trawler accused of operating illegally in Indonesian waters.

http://cimsec.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Natuna-Islands.jpg

Et en dehors d’une réserve naturelle splendide,
Îles Natuna — Wikipédia
▻https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%8Eles_Natuna

L’archipel possède le plus gros champ de gaz naturel du monde, mais qui comporte 70 % de CO2. Les réserves en sont estimées à 1,3 milliard de m3. Le gaz déjà exploité est exporté à Singapour par un gazoduc sous-marin. L’île de Matak sert de base d’exploitation offshore.

http://images.pennwellnet.com/ogj/images/off/55112901.gif

China state shipping line to launch cruise route in disputed South China Sea | Reuters
▻http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-cosco-idUSKCN0Z708X

State-owned China COSCO Shipping Corp plans to launch cruise trips in the South China Sea next month, with the first route to travel from Sanya city in the country’s southeast to the disputed Paracel Islands, state media reported on Tuesday.
[…]
In a statement sent to Reuters, China COSCO Shipping said developing tourism services in the South China Sea was part of China’s “One Belt, One Road” strategy and the responsibility of its state enterprises.
[…]
The inaugural COSCO route to the Xisha Islands will be followed by the development of other routes in the South China Sea and Taiwan Straits, with a gradual expansion to international routes, in a bid to build China’s first national cruise brand, the company said.

#Paracels

What a Retracted Statement Says About China’s Growing Power in the South China Sea | TIME
▻http://time.com/4369660/asean-south-china-sea-statement

It was there—and then it wasn’t. On Tuesday evening, foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) performed a diplomatic magic trick. First, after a meeting with their Chinese counterpart in southwest China, they issued a statement on the rising tensions in the South China Sea, parts of which are claimed by six regional governments. The language, for a body that prides itself on consensus-making and group photos of grinning dignitaries, was stern: “We expressed our serious concerns over recent and ongoing developments, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and which may have the potential to undermine peace, security and stability in the South China Sea.”

The nation that was eroding “trust and confidence” in the strategic waterway was unnamed. But China, which has embarked on an ambitious island-building campaign in disputed waters, and has blamed the U.S. for masterminding any regional conflict, was mentioned elsewhere in the statement. “We also cannot ignore what is happening in the South China Sea,” the communiqué read, “as it is an important issue in the relations and cooperation between ASEAN and China.”
[…]
But, less than three hours after the ASEAN statement was released by the Malaysian Foreign Ministry, a spokeswoman retracted the document, saying that “urgent amendments” were needed.
[…]
“When the dragon roars, the little countries need to stay away from the fire coming out of its mouth,” says the diplomat. “We have no choice but to acknowledge this political reality.”

A day later, and no new ASEAN statement has been issued—and it isn’t clear whether one would be forthcoming at all.

China Is Planning a Massive Sea Lab 10,000 Feet Underwater - Bloomberg
▻http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-07/china-pushes-plan-for-oceanic-space-station-in-south-china-sea

China is speeding up efforts to design and build a manned deep-sea platform to help it hunt for minerals in the South China Sea, one that may also serve a military purpose in the disputed waters.

Such an oceanic “space station” would be located as much as 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) below the surface, according to a recent Science Ministry presentation viewed by Bloomberg. The project was mentioned in China’s current five-year economic plan released in March and ranked number two on a list of the top 100 science and technology priorities.
Authorities recently examined the implementation of the project and decided to accelerate the process, according to the presentation.

France to Push for Coordinated EU Patrols in South China Sea - Bloomberg
▻http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-05/france-to-push-for-coordinated-eu-patrols-in-south-china-sea

France will urge European Union nations to coordinate navy patrols to ensure a “regular and visible” presence in the disputed South China Sea, in the latest sign of international push back to China’s expanded military clout in the area.
The French government views the protection of freedom of the seas as critical from an economic standpoint and is concerned that a loss of such rights in the South China Sea may lead to similar problems in the Arctic Ocean or Mediterranean Sea, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told attendees at a global defense forum, including top Chinese officials.

Ah, tiens, un nouveau théâtre d’opérations pour occuper nos capacités militaires surnuméraires…

Newsletter de Foreign Policy (suite)

We see you, Pt. II. Satellite imagery obtained by Fox News shows that China has deployed a drone to the disputed Woody Island in the South China Sea. The pictures show a stealthy Harbin BZK-005 surveillance drone, which can stay aloft for up to 40 hours. The deployment follows similar sightings of other military equipment on the island, claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Over the past few months, China’s military has sent air defense missiles and fighter jets to Woody, much to the annoyance of the U.S. and China’s neighbors. American defense officials have repeatedly urged China not to “militarize” the region. Beijing denies the charges and instead accuses the U.S. of pursuing a militarization of the South China Sea. In other words, “you started it.”

L’info de Fox News
▻http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/05/26/new-satellite-imagery-shows-chinese-drone-on-contested-island.html
et la photo satellite

http://a57.foxnews.com/images.foxnews.com/content/fox-news/world/2016/05/26/new-satellite-imagery-shows-chinese-drone-on-contested-island/_jcr_content/par/featured_image/media-0.img.png/876/493/1464349902331.png