Posted on 04/14/2010 4:52:44 PM PDT by Shaun_MD
TOKYO —
Two Chinese submarines and eight destroyers were spotted by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force on Saturday in the high seas between the main island of Okinawa and Miyako Island in the southernmost prefecture, Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa said Tuesday.
The defense chief said the Chinese submarines and destroyers were navigating southeastward, adding that Tokyo has never before confirmed such a large number of Chinese vessels near Japan.
The Joint Staff Office of the Self-Defense Forces later said that Chinese submarines were seen on the sea surface near Japan for the first time and that Beijing had not notified Tokyo of the fleet navigation in the East China Sea toward the Pacific Ocean.
Two MSDF destroyers Choukai and Suzunami spotted the fleet of Chinese combatant craft in the sea near the Nansei Islands about 140 kilometers west-southwest of the Okinawa main island around 8 p.m. Saturday. Those Chinese vessels conducted refueling on the sea on Sunday, according to the office.
Flight training of helicopters aboard some of the Chinese destroyers was conducted between last Wednesday and Friday in the East China Sea and one of the choppers flew some 90 meters away from the MSDF destroyer Suzunami, the office said.
Japan has made an inquiry to China through diplomatic channels about the submarine navigation and lodged a protest over the helicopter’s proximate flight, which it deems dangerous, according to the office.
The US Navy has had a tremendous run at being dominant on the world’s oceans - and we as a country have benefited from that militarily and through implied pressures. It’s naive to think that other countries are not envious and working diligently to build their own naval powers to suit their own aims. If we want to stay ahead, it’ll be through foreward thought, determination and innovation. Be smarter, work harder, and play the ‘game’ better. I’m still optimistic that we have the grit, but make no mistake, the game has been elevated.
The big bear is just flexing his muscles a little bit....we’ll see a whole lot more....pushing more limits in the future. There can be no doubt that eventually we will go to war with China, perhaps allied with the EU, Japan and Australia. How Russia plays their cards I’m not so sure.
I take a different view. I’m thinking we’ll be at war with Russia and China will be content to sit it out until it sees a clear winner.
I think is name is TigerLikesRooster
No doubt that will be a big factor.
Jeff Head but he is ailing right now (prayers for Jeff).
That is what I find interesting. They are testing the limits.
Just speculation on my part, but here goes. China and Russia are waiting for the Middle East to go up, and when we are tangled up there, China will go for Taiwan and possibly Japan while North Korea makes its moves toward South Korea and Japan. Russia will no doubt attempt to reclaim it’s former satellites. This incident with the Chinese Navy, the Polish plane crash, Kyrgyzstan, it’s all pieces of a larger puzzle.
It’s polite to ping them when you mention them.
Just thought I’d mention that
Don’t leave out the Spratley’s and Philippines. They want to whack the Philipines and Japan, I don’t think they want to occupy them.
I bet they’d love to have Okinawa
I’d be interested in knowing just what we have on Okinawa but I don’t want it posted here. Loose lips and all that.
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