The Latest Chia Sighting
Posted on 05/28/2009 10:20:25 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
(LEAD) Chinese ships shunning waters near Korea amid tensions
SEOUL, May 29 (Yonhap) -- Chinese fishing vessels are leaving the Yellow Sea, where tensions between the two Koreas have escalated after Pyongyang's threats of military clash, a defense source here said Friday.
"Chinese fishing ships operating near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) began withdrawing yesterday," the source said, adding the military authorities are trying to find out whether North Korea asked them to do so.
More than 280 Chinese vessels were fishing near the NLL for crab earlier this week but the number has dropped to about 140, according to the source.
Tensions are running high around the de-facto inter-Korean maritime border following North Korea's warning Tuesday of military action that came after South Korea announced its full participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative, a U.S.-led campaign to stop the trade of weapons of mass destruction and related materials.
There were two deadly skirmishes between the two sides near the sea border, in 1999 and 2002.
An official at Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, however, said the withdrawal did not appear to be a sign of an imminent provocation.
"All Chinese ships would have evacuated the area if that was the case," the official said, adding the crab-catching season was almost over.
"The government is closely following developments in the West Sea (Yellow Sea), but there are no imminent signs of hostilities," said the official, who spoke on customary condition of anonymity.
The two Koreas technically remain at war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. North Korea has said that it will no longer be bound by the armistice.
This year's crab season may see no bountiful catch, but fireworks on the surface.
Ping!
This really is the deadliest catch.
~~~Navy.mil~~~Today~~~ :
Ships and Submarines
Deployable Battle Force Ships: 283
Ships Underway (away from homeport): 134 ships (47 % of total)
On deployment: 115 ships (41 % of total)
Attack submarines underway (away from homeport): 32 submarines (59%)
On deployment: 22 submarines (40%)
Ships Underway
Carriers:
USS Nimitz (CVN 68) - Pacific Ocean
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) - 5th Fleet
USS George Washington (CVN 73) - East China Sea
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) - Pacific Ocean
USS George Bush (CVN 77) - Atlantic Ocean
Amphibious Warfare Ships:
USS Boxer (LHD 4) - 5th Fleet
USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) - Atlantic Ocean
~~~
Maybe,,,they got Chased out!?...CVN 73...;0)
Yeah, right.
Ask US sailors about catching crabs over there.
Three carriers in Pacific, one of which is in East China Sea. So they have fast naval reinforcement when needed.
~~~
I think these reports are a week or so old,,,(Smoke),,,
Sometimes they up-date with the MSM(news),,,(Mirrors),,,
I guess if China really did pull back,,,
Lil’kim is off his leash,,,?
China let him do it,,,?
What else ?...
Good info bump.
Nothing like a good, old-fashioned shunning!
SHUNED?
How many of these Chinese fishing boats are like the old Russian Trawlers that would shadow the US fleet?
Maybe the Chinese know something we don’t know. I would not be surprised to see China invade North Korea. I think the vaunted North Korean army isn’t that good and it a paper army with little will to fight. The south could take them and we could provide air support.
.......Ask US sailors about catching crabs over there....
Olongopo
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.