China's SCS Strategy Thread

[Jeff Head]

nfgc, SD forum and its Moderation is not Pro-Chinese in terms of ideology or politics. Of course the forum is about Chinese military and defense matters...the name reveals that much.

READ SD RULES.

SD is not about ideology or politics.

You and every member here has a right to your own thoughts on ideology. I respect the you say you lived in China and say you are speaking from experience. But this is the internet and none of us have a way of verifying any such thing here.

Either way, SD IS NOT ABOUT those issues. The bottom line is SD rules forbid ideological and political rants and posts. We try and enforce that no matter what side it is coming from.

All of the posts related to the political/ideological rants are deleted.

You are being warned because yours started it in this case.

DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS MODERATION.

 

[Jeff Head]

SD IS NOT POLITICAL OR IDEOLOGICAL.

Those posts deleted (Again)!

This Thread Closed.

I am leaving for two weeks at the end of the coming week for my annual cancer Check-up Trip to MD Anderson in Houston.

I am inclined to keep it closed until I get back, but will reconsider before leaving. I will be checking in when I can while I am gone.

DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS MODERATION.

 

[Jeff Head]

I have opened this thread back up.

Please follow the Rules.

I have also created a specific thread about all the news associated with the US Navy and PLAN in the South China Sea.


US Navy & PLAN - South China Sea Situation News

Read the intro and post news about these vents, and specifics about the vessels there. Leave this page for general information about the various PRC islands and bases specifically.

 

[Jeff Head]

I just cleaned up older political posts and responses to them.

Also, political jokes, not going to happen on this thread.

This Thread is about CHINA'S STRATEGY IN THE SCS.

Talk about that...what the PRC is doing with its military and defense posture. How it is planning to develop those Islands, etc., etc.

Leave descriptions of Pax Americana and Pax-other nations out of it.

Leave politics/ideology out of it.

Guys, I have had to close this thread in the past because of the heated political rhetoric. it can happen again.

There is plenty that the Chinese are doing from a pure defense/military strategy to discuss without all of that.

That is all.

DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS MODERATIONB

 

[Jeff Head]

Here's an example...

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​

China has started operating two lighthouses on a reef on the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea - stressing the move is out of concern for civilian safety - even as the United States sends its warships close to China's artificial islands in the region.

The 50-metre-tall Huayang and Chigua lighthouses on Huayang Reef would improve navigational safety for ships, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

The structures would address a severe shortage in navigational aids and maritime emergency and oil-spill response forces that had "immensely hindered the navigational safety and economic and social development" in the South China Sea, Xinhua reported yesterday.

Beijing would "continue to build other civil facilities on occupied island reefs in the Nansha Islands", Hua said, using the Chinese name for the Spratlys.

The Spratlys - mostly barren islands believed to be atop oil and natural gas deposits - straddle one of the world's busiest sea lanes. They are also claimed by Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei.

"Beijing's move is aimed at safeguarding navigational safety," said Professor Wang Hanling, marine affairs and international law expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "It's an international service for fisheries, rescue missions and commercial ships."

Shanghai-based naval expert Ni Lexiong agreed: "China is sending a message of peace amid heightened tensions … The lighthouses are purely for civilian use; they have no military value in modern wars."

Tensions have been rising as the US and China's neighbours grow increasingly concerned about Beijing's maritime ambitions. Beijing lays claim to virtually the entire South China Sea.

The US and the Philippines - worried that China's land reclamation around reefs and atolls could be used to base military equipment to intimidate other claimants and threaten freedom of navigation - have called for a freeze on such activity.

China bristles at what it sees as US interference and says it is within its sovereign rights to develop islands made from sand piled on top of reefs and atolls.

The PRC has recently completed and activated several lighthouses in the SCS.





As I have said elsewhere. The PRC is going to continue to develop these islands. All of the US FON exercise will not stop it.

The US will continue to do FON exercises.

Short of conflict (which neither side wants, and which we will not discuss here on SD), both sides will continue doing what they are doing and the other, despite its protests to the contrary, will not be able to stop them.

Both sides, for political and to address the desires of certain factions and groups "back home," will continue to protest.

But there is a big difference in the outcomes, and I believe this is the PRC's ultimate strategy.

The PRC is gaining more influence in the SCS as it proceeds. There is no getting around it.

The US, through its FON exercises is only maintaining a certain amount of influence there...and those exercises cannot increase it...only maintain it.

Big difference...and both sides know it. so the PRC will protest...but they will also keep right on developing, improving, setting up those islands and the facilities they put there.

 

[Jeff Head]

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US Navy’s Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson and his Chinese counterpart, People’s Liberation Army (Navy) Commander Adm. Wu Shengli took part in a video teleconference to discuss ongoing engagements between the two navies and recent operations in the South China Sea.

The talks held on Oct. 29 were in light of the US Navy’s USS Lassen sailing within 12 nautical miles of China’s man-made island in the Spratly Islands territory, most of which is claimed by China.

The sail-by took place Oct. 27 and

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in China. As Reuters reports, Admiral Wu Shengli confirmed China’s stern stance that a minor incident could spark war if the US repeated similar actions in the future.

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on the latest call reports Richardson and Wu discussing U.S. freedom of navigation operations; the relationship between the two navies, including pending port visits and senior leader engagement; and the importance of maintaining an ongoing dialogue.

Admiral John Richardson stated that U.S. freedom of navigation operations serve to protect the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea and airspace guaranteed to all nations under international law. He further added that these operations were not a challenge to the sovereignty of land features and that United States takes no position on competing sovereignty claims to land features in the South China Sea.

This is very good and indicative that both sides are ensuiring that no one makes a foolish mistake.

 

[ahojunk]

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2015-10-31 08:14 | China Daily | Editor: Yao Lan

The Foreign Ministry on Friday dismissed a ruling by the Arbitral Tribunal on the jurisdiction and admissibility of the South China Sea issue, saying it is null and void.

The ministry said in a statement released on its website that the result has no binding effect on China.

"The result of the ruling will by no means affect China's sovereignty and rights on the South China Sea," Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said on Friday at a media briefing.

The tribunal, established at the request of the Philippines, ruled on Thursday that it has jurisdiction over the South China Sea dispute.

China's sovereignty and rights in the South China Sea are grounded in history and protected under international laws, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), according to the statement.

"With regard to territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, China will not accept any solution imposed on it or any unilateral resort to a third-party dispute settlement," it said.

The statement also said that the Philippines' decision to seek arbitration was "a political provocation under the cloak of law".

"The motivation behind the arbitration is not to settle disputes, but an attempt to negate China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea for its own sake," Liu said.

Chen Xiangyang, an expert on South China Sea studies with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, noted that the decision made by the Arbitral Tribunal came just two days after a US Navy ship sailed within 12 nautical miles of Chinese islands.

"In my view, it is related, and that explains why the Philippines was vocal in its support for Washington's sailing," he said.

"The US ship and the legal battle made by the Philippines made the problem in the South China Sea even more complicated."

Chen Qinghong, another researcher with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the issue in the South China Sea is far more complicated than something international law could solve.

"For instance, you have to take sovereignty, national emotions, public activities in history and traditional fishing grounds into consideration. So I think the best way to solve it is bilateral negotiations, in which the international law could be used."

 

[siegecrossbow]

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2015-10-31 08:14 | China Daily | Editor: Yao Lan

The Foreign Ministry on Friday dismissed a ruling by the Arbitral Tribunal on the jurisdiction and admissibility of the South China Sea issue, saying it is null and void.

The ministry said in a statement released on its website that the result has no binding effect on China.

"The result of the ruling will by no means affect China's sovereignty and rights on the South China Sea," Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said on Friday at a media briefing.

The tribunal, established at the request of the Philippines, ruled on Thursday that it has jurisdiction over the South China Sea dispute.

China's sovereignty and rights in the South China Sea are grounded in history and protected under international laws, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), according to the statement.

"With regard to territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, China will not accept any solution imposed on it or any unilateral resort to a third-party dispute settlement," it said.

The statement also said that the Philippines' decision to seek arbitration was "a political provocation under the cloak of law".

"The motivation behind the arbitration is not to settle disputes, but an attempt to negate China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea for its own sake," Liu said.

Chen Xiangyang, an expert on South China Sea studies with the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, noted that the decision made by the Arbitral Tribunal came just two days after a US Navy ship sailed within 12 nautical miles of Chinese islands.

"In my view, it is related, and that explains why the Philippines was vocal in its support for Washington's sailing," he said.

"The US ship and the legal battle made by the Philippines made the problem in the South China Sea even more complicated."

Chen Qinghong, another researcher with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the issue in the South China Sea is far more complicated than something international law could solve.

"For instance, you have to take sovereignty, national emotions, public activities in history and traditional fishing grounds into consideration. So I think the best way to solve it is bilateral negotiations, in which the international law could be used."

Well what do you expect them to say.

 

[a1a2a3a4a5a6a]

From HK newspaper, MingPao, on 11/ 01/ 2015

"解放軍戰機攜實彈降永興島"

PLA fighters carrying missiles landing on Yongxing (Woody) Island.

"解放軍海軍航空兵前日派遣多架戰鬥機攜帶實彈在南海上空實戰訓練，相關圖片更首次公開展示攜彈戰機進駐西沙群島永興島機場。"

PLANAF, a couple of days ago, sent several fighters carrying missiles conducting exercise over the airspace of the South China Sea. Related photos publicly displayed for the first time, fighters carrying missiles stationing at Yongxing (Woody) Island Airport, Xisha (Paracel Islands).

"今次「殲-11B」攜帶「霹靂-12」及「霹靂-8」導彈訓練，可能是演練在南海長時間巡邏。"

For this occasion, the J-11B carried PL-12 and PL-8 missiles for exercise, maybe practicing long-interval patrol at the South China Sea.

"另據中央社報道，台灣外交部對荷蘭海牙常設仲裁庭宣布對菲律賓提出的南海仲裁案具管轄權一事，表示既不承認，也不接受，與大陸官方表態一致。"

Also according to the report of CNA News, the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has offered its position on the decision of the Hague Permanent Court of Arbitration, on the issue proposed by the Philippines regarding the jurisdiction over the South China Sea, (the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs) neither acknowledges nor accepts (the decision), in-line with the official statement of China.

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[siegecrossbow]

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Did Chinese flankers really land on Yongxing Island on the 30th?

中国海军网今天报道，我海军航空兵30日派遣多架战斗机携带实弹在南海上空进行实战训练。配发的照片中可能首次公开展示了我海军航空兵战斗机于10月30 日带弹进驻西沙群岛永兴岛机场场面。从照片上战斗机的编号看，这些战斗机隶属于海空英雄王伟生前所在部队。西沙永兴岛是我国三沙市西沙群岛行政中心，岛上 的机场经过2014年最近一次扩建后跑道长度达到3000米，可起降包括大型运输机在内的各种飞机，成为我国南海重要的军民两用机场。

中国海军网报道，10月30日，在南海某机场，该部三代新型战机进行实战化科目训练。南海舰队航空兵某部严格落实战斗力标准，克服复杂多样气象条件，挑战陌生海空环境，挖掘装备极限性能，提升履行使命任务的能力。（摄影记者：范江怀）

报道中“南海某机场”值得注意，这可能是我国官方报道中对永兴岛机场的代称，因为我国在南海地区唯一已经投入实用的大型机场只有永兴岛机场。而海军航空兵部队陵水机场等一般会被称为“海南某机场”。

此外，30日《解放军报》法人微博“@军报记者”发表了一条微信：美丽的西沙，我可爱的家乡！（解放军报记者范江怀 摄于10月30日）。这表示拍摄海航战斗机在南海某机场着陆的摄影记者在10月30日在西沙永兴岛。

此外，从海军网发布的照片中可以看到一组库房，其外形特征与西沙永兴岛机场的飞机库房相似。