Power game decides post-arbitration order

Global Times (China) ^ | July 5th, 2016 | Unattributed (Politburo)

[Mariner]

As the result of the international arbitration over the South China Sea dispute approaches, China is undertaking a military drill from July 5 to 11 in the waters around the Xisha Islands. In Western media reports, this exercise is happening "at a sensitive time," because the arbitral result will be announced on July 12. Beijing has announced its position of neither participation in nor recognition of the arbitration.

The South China Sea dispute has been greatly complicated after heavy US intervention. Now an international tribunal has also been included, posing more threat to the integrity of China's maritime and territorial sovereignty.

Regardless of the principle that the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) shall not arbitrate on territorial disputes, the arbitration becomes nothing but a farce. But the US could use it to impose more pressure on China, causing more tensions in the South China Sea.

Washington has deployed two carrier battle groups around the South China Sea, and it wants to send a signal by flexing its muscles: As the biggest powerhouse in the region, it awaits China's obedience.

The US will probably project more military power to the West Pacific in a bid to press China militarily and politically.

As long as all parties are still reasonable, the situation in the South China Sea will be controllable. China's refusal to cooperate with the tribunal is legitimate based on UNCLOS. All hyperbole and distortion of China's stance will not make a real difference.

If the US is taking advantage of the mess to deploy more military forces to the South China Sea, which are a direct threat to China's national security, China's military exercises could be regarded as a countermeasure.

[Mariner]

They concede they cannot defeat the US Navy in the South China Sea.