Beijing’s self-sabotage in the South China Sea
jAN. 29 -...In March, the Philippines reported more than 220 Chinese maritime militia vessels gathered at Whitsun Reef in the disputed Union Banks. The Philippine Coast Guard conducted several patrols to the reef and the government released photos and video of the militia flotilla. Vietnam soon did the same. The embarrassment and diplomatic tension got Beijing’s attention and it temporarily dispersed the fleet to other nearby reefs. But the militia boats returnedand by October their numbers were approaching 200.
The oil and gas standoffs that have been routine since 2019 also continue. In June 2021, CCG vessels began patrolling around Malaysian drilling operations in the Kasawari gas field off Sarawak, targeting offshore supply vessels. Chinese military planes simultaneously patrolled near Malaysian air space, prompting Kuala Lumpur to scramble jets and issue a diplomatic protest. In September, China seemed to retaliate against a drilling operation by conducting a seabed survey on Malaysia’s continental shelf.
In July, China and Indonesia got into their first real spat over hydrocarbons when an Indonesian-licensed rig began drilling two appraisal wells in the country’s Tuna block at the southern edge of the South China Sea. CCG vessels patrolled around the rig for the next four months. China also deployed a survey ship with a CCG escort to conduct a seabed survey of Indonesia’s continental shelf — carefully tracing the edge of China’s ‘nine-dash line’ — as Indonesian Navy vessels shadowed it... quoted from EAST ASIA FORM
China discovers major gas field in South China Sea
Sep 16, 2014
Sep 16, 2014
China’s South China Sea actions faces counter reactions from international community
Feb.2. - China’s shift from the so-called ‘nine-dash line’ toward a new legal theory based on Four-Sha to bolster its claims in the South China Sea (SCS) region could create new challenges for the countries in the region and international community. The Four-Sha is an attempt to develop an UNCLOS-like justification for control over the South China Sea, with some sort of legal basis.
This shift has been noticed by member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and “is even more serious” than the old claim, according to Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.
“Four Sha” (four sands archipelagos) are the four island groups in the SCS region over which Beijing claims it has “historical rights”. The Chinese call them Dongsha Qundao, Xisha Qundao, Zhongsha Qundao and Nansha Qundao. Internationally they are known as Pratas Islands, Paracel Islands, the Macclesfield Bank area and Spratly Islands.
Amid the Chinese designs two U.S. aircraft carrier groups have entered the SCS region for training to reassure allies and demonstrate resolve to "counter malign influence". The carrier groups will carry out exercises including anti-submarine warfare operations, air warfare operations and maritime interdiction operations to strengthen combat readiness. The training will be conducted in accordance with international law in international waters... more
Feb.2. - China’s shift from the so-called ‘nine-dash line’ toward a new legal theory based on Four-Sha to bolster its claims in the South China Sea (SCS) region could create new challenges for the countries in the region and international community. The Four-Sha is an attempt to develop an UNCLOS-like justification for control over the South China Sea, with some sort of legal basis.
This shift has been noticed by member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and “is even more serious” than the old claim, according to Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.
“Four Sha” (four sands archipelagos) are the four island groups in the SCS region over which Beijing claims it has “historical rights”. The Chinese call them Dongsha Qundao, Xisha Qundao, Zhongsha Qundao and Nansha Qundao. Internationally they are known as Pratas Islands, Paracel Islands, the Macclesfield Bank area and Spratly Islands.
Amid the Chinese designs two U.S. aircraft carrier groups have entered the SCS region for training to reassure allies and demonstrate resolve to "counter malign influence". The carrier groups will carry out exercises including anti-submarine warfare operations, air warfare operations and maritime interdiction operations to strengthen combat readiness. The training will be conducted in accordance with international law in international waters... more
Abdul Nasser Qardash
(Arabic: عبد الناصر قرداش[2]) (sometimes identified as Abdel Nasser Qirdash or Kardesh, also known as Hajji Abdullah al-Afari) is an Iraqi militant who in 2019 was wrongly reported as the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). He was also nicknamed "The Professor" and "Destroyer".[3] Qardash was a high-ranking and very influential member of ISIL with close connections to its first Caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and tipped as a potential candidate for ISIL leadership succession. However days after the death of al-Baghdadi, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi was ultimately chosen as the new declared leader of ISIL. Qardash was captured by Iraqi security forces in 2020. quoted from Wikipedia
(Arabic: عبد الناصر قرداش[2]) (sometimes identified as Abdel Nasser Qirdash or Kardesh, also known as Hajji Abdullah al-Afari) is an Iraqi militant who in 2019 was wrongly reported as the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). He was also nicknamed "The Professor" and "Destroyer".[3] Qardash was a high-ranking and very influential member of ISIL with close connections to its first Caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and tipped as a potential candidate for ISIL leadership succession. However days after the death of al-Baghdadi, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi was ultimately chosen as the new declared leader of ISIL. Qardash was captured by Iraqi security forces in 2020. quoted from Wikipedia
【2022国际观察】美强化战略威慑 全球核冲突风险仍在加剧？20220203 |《今日关注》CCTV中文国际
Feb 4, 2022
Feb 4, 2022
Ukraine tensions: Russia condemns destructive US troop increase in Europe
Russia has condemned a US decision to send extra troops to Europe to support its allies amid continuing fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Feb. 3 - Moscow said it was a "destructive" step which heightened tension and reduced the scope for a political solution.
The Pentagon said 2,000 US troops would be sent from North Carolina to Poland and Germany, and a further 1,000 already in Germany would go to Romania.
has some 100,000 troops near Ukraine. It denies planning to invade.
The tensions come eight years after Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula and backed a bloody rebellion in the eastern Donbas region.
Moscow accuses the Ukrainian government of failing to implement the Minsk agreement - an international deal to restore peace to the east, where Russian-backed rebels control swathes of territory and at least 14,000 people have been killed since 2014... more
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