Posted on 07/02/2020 9:50:18 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Vietnam and the Philippines on Thursday criticised China’s holding of military drills in a disputed part of the South China Sea, warning it could create tension in the region and impact Beijing’s relationship with its neighbours.
Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said China’s exercises in the waters near the Paracel Islands were “highly provocative”, while Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry called them a violation of sovereignty that could be “detrimental” to Beijing’s relationship with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
China scheduled five days of drills from Wednesday near the Paracels according to a June 27 announcement by the Hainan’s Maritime Safety Administration. Vietnam has overlapping claims with China over the Paracels.
Vietnam and the Philippines have been the most vocal regional opponents to what they see as Chinese overreach in the South China Sea and its disregard for boundaries outlined in international maritime law.
China claims historical jurisdiction over about 80 per cent of the sea.
Hanoi and Manila warned of growing insecurity in Southeast Asia at an Asean summit last Friday, amid concern, including from the United States, that China was using the cover of the coronavirus pandemic to step up naval activities and advance its territorial claims.
Even though the Philippines has no claim to the Paracels, Lorenzana said China holding exercises beyond its own waters was not acceptable.
“That is very concerning, we view that with alarm,” he told a security forum.
“Doing it in the contested areas then that will, you know, sound the alarm bells for all the claimants,” he said. “That’s highly provocative.”
(Excerpt) Read more at scmp.com ...
How bad has it gotten that even Vietnam was willing to be openly critical of the Chinese?
Didn’t the Vietnamese offer to lease us a port?.................
Cam Ranh Bay, if I recall correctly.
"I'd rather smell French sh.. for five years, than Chinese sh.. for a thousand years." - Ho Chi Minh
RE: China is getting desperate and Heading for big trouble Because there a one party state they’re going to make some giant mistake and most likely end up getting nuked
They’re now headed on a collision course with the islands south and east of their border — with the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan and even South Korea.
And in their western border, they have a dispute which turned bloody over a week ago with India.
And of course, with their National Security Law, which in effect, withdrew their promise of autonomy for Hong Kong, even the UK, Australia and other EU countries are not angered.
They also fought a war in 1979.
They are basically turning the tables and want the “Great Eastern-Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere” that the Japs wanted during WWII.
Was a flight crew member back in the 60’s flying in P-5M Sea Planes out on Cam Rahn Bay. Mostly over the waters checking out junks but we occasionally was tasked to go inland.
Has two M-60 machine guns fore and aft for entertainment. God, do I love how those guns sound.
Viet Nam and China have had many disputes sometimes in a military way.
Hard to believe Id ever root for the Congs.
GO Viet Nam bloody them Chinese noses.
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