China's SCS Strategy Thread

[Jeff Head]

Okay guys...again...this back and forth can go on forever.

This thread is about the Chinese Strategy so lets keep on topic about their strategy.

Take discussion about other nations (like the US) to the other thread.

I believe everyone has pretty much had their say about the various EEZ, Territorial limits, and various claims under UNCLOS. Now we are just seeing rehashes of those same arguments.

Any more of that will be deleted to avoid endless argument and back and forth.

Let's get back to the Chinese Strategy in the SCS and leave the countering of it with other nation's strategy out of this thread. As I say, take those strategies to the other thread where will do the same...avoiding countering with Chinese strategies there.

DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS MODERATION

 

[joshuatree]

Luconia Breakers (Feb. 12, 2015) - China Coast Guard Haijing 1123 patrol boat is marked by a small circle

China Coast Guard Haijing 1123 patrol boat

China Coast Guard Haijing 1123 patrol boat (June 2, 2015)

The Google earth pic of the ship does not match the pic from a patrol plane. GE pic, one can make out a helo pad but the pic of 1123 clearly shows this vessel doesn't have a helo pad. Perhaps different CCG vessels have patrolled through the area but I find it odd to claim 1123 was stationed there for 2 years. The logistics of resupplying the vessel would simply make swapping vessels out much easier.

 

[Zetageist]

The Google earth pic of the ship does not match the pic from a patrol plane. GE pic, one can make out a helo pad but the pic of 1123 clearly shows this vessel doesn't have a helo pad. Perhaps different CCG vessels have patrolled through the area but I find it odd to claim 1123 was stationed there for 2 years. The logistics of resupplying the vessel would simply make swapping vessels out much easier.

You are right! My bad!

The original captions of those photos didn't actually say they are from Haijing 1123 patrol boat, only Chinese Coast Guard ship. I shouldn't assume whatever the news reported are 100% correct and then copy-n-paste.

 

[plawolf]

I think it should be noted that one of the primary reasons China is developing these islands on the SCS is to establish monitoring stations to allow it to effective keep track of what is going on in that current monitoring blind spot,

The disappearance of MH370 would be a major reason for China wanting to plug that gap in coverage, and that is not something Beijing is going to tolerate happening again.

 

[Ultra]

I think it should be noted that one of the primary reasons China is developing these islands on the SCS is to establish monitoring stations to allow it to effective keep track of what is going on in that current monitoring blind spot,

The disappearance of MH370 would be a major reason for China wanting to plug that gap in coverage, and that is not something Beijing is going to tolerate happening again.

Or to stop US from blockading its major submarine base at Hainan.

 

[plawolf]

Or to stop US from blockading its major submarine base at Hainan.

Just how are those island bases supposed to do that exactly?

The suggestion that China wants to build the so-called "wall of sand" is just plain scaremongering and smearing to give the west some pretext to complain.

These islands are not about limiting freedom of navigation.

They give China monitoring stations and home ports for coast guard patrol ships, and if needs be, bases for naval vessels and air force fighters.

What they will not give China is a means to stop other nation's ships and subs from operating in the region.

What China will probably build in the SCS is a sophisticated and comprehensive network of underwater monitoring stations and assets, so that if America wants to send SSNs in to tail Chinese subs to sneak record signatures, the PLAN will know they are coming, and maybe set up a welcoming committing to record the USN sub's signatures instead.

 

[PanAsian]

Adding infrastructure on its own holdings will obviously strengthen China's position in the SCS and it is clear that China intends to be the dominant force within the First Island Chain. But that does not eliminate vulnerabilities in China's position nor does it offer China complete control of the area.

 

[SamuraiBlue]

I guess this belongs here.

China says it lodged repeated complaints with Japan over South China Sea
BEIJING —China’s Foreign Ministry says it has lodged repeated complaints with Japan over Tokyo’s criticism of Chinese behavior in the disputed South China Sea, warning Japan not to undermine improving relations between the two Asian rivals.

Last week, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he agreed with Philippine President Benigno Aquino to oppose unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the South China Sea.

China has become increasingly assertive in the South China Sea, building artificial islands in areas over which the Philippines and other countries have rival claims........ to read more

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Really don't know what they mean by "not to undermine improving relations between the two Asian rivals" when many Japanese corporations are moving out of mainland China as their based of production to other nations leaving only sales for PRC domestic consumption.

As for this comment, “seriously damaged the mutual political trust between China and Japan” what are they talking about?

 

[Blitzo]

I guess this belongs here.



Really don't know what they mean by "not to undermine improving relations between the two Asian rivals" when many Japanese corporations are moving out of mainland China as their based of production to other nations leaving only sales for PRC domestic consumption.

As for this comment, “seriously damaged the mutual political trust between China and Japan” what are they talking about?

Well PRC relations with Japan are a bit better than a few years ago (explaining the word "improving").
As for mutual political trust, the idea is that Chinese political trust of Japan is somewhat dependent on restriction of its military activities and by interacting more with rivals in a territorial dispute it causes China to be more wary of Japan's intentions on where it may seek to confront China militarily (thus impacting political trust).

It's the standard pot calling kettle black we see in geopolitics and politics... Everyone does it to each other, no surprises here.

 

[nfgc]

These islands are not about limiting freedom of navigation.

They give China monitoring stations and home ports for coast guard patrol ships, and if needs be, bases for naval vessels and air force fighters.

What they will not give China is a means to stop other nation's ships and subs from operating in the region.

Plot the 7 reclaimed structures and then place 200nm/370.4km rings around each.

This results in nearly blanket coverage of the entire SCS continental shelf "lobe" as seen in underwater topos. Some of the coverage extends almost to the Malay-Indo border, could encompass some Indonesian islands, extends right up to the coastline of much of Vietnam, and extends PAST the Philippines Island of Palawan, to it's east.

Include Scarborough and the Paracels and you get coverage from nearly Strait of Malacca to Okinawa.

Place various assets on each and then plotting defence rings of coastal, midrange and longrange, gives PLAN coverage of most of SE Asia and nearly all of Indonesia, depending on the asset.

I won't speculate why - trying to keep my nose clean with the mods.