Editorials in Chinese state media have denounced the presence of a US warship in the South China Sea, and warned that Beijing is prepared to take action.
While urging calm from both sides, media outlets also said the US was "harassing China" and that Beijing is "not frightened to fight a war".
The USS Lassen sailed in the Spratly archipelago on Tuesday as a challenge to China's claim over the islands.
China condemned the move and summoned the US ambassador in a show of protest.
China claims sovereignty over much of the South and East China seas.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen breached the 12-nautical mile zone that China claims around the Subi and Mischief reefs in the Spratly archipelago.
'Not frightened'
The Global Times - which is owned by the Chinese Communist Party's newspaper People's Daily - published an English-language editorial titled "After the show, it's time for US destroyer to leave".
"We should stay calm. If we feel disgraced and utter some furious words, it will only make the US achieve its goal of irritating us," it said.
It added that Beijing should deal with Washington tactfully and "prepare for the worst".
"This can convince the White House that China, despite its unwillingness, is not frightened to fight a war with the US in the region, and is determined to safeguard its national interests and dignity."
It called on Beijing to track US warships and launch interventions if US vessels stopped in the South China Sea.
Global Times'Paper tiger'
The newspaper used stronger language in an editorial in Chinese, calling for China to "hold its temper" while pouring scorn on the US.
"It can't finish the situation in Iraq or Afghanistan; it dares only to make noise against Russia; it has failed to achieve anything in Syria; and it can't really take down Pyongyang. China really hasn't provoked it, but the US truly is only a 'paper tiger'," it said.
Xinhua state news agency similarly slammed "the lame-duck Obama administration" for trying to reassure allies in Asia "at a time when its so-called Asia Rebalance policy falters", and warned that China "will take whatever means at whatever cost to safeguard its sovereign interests".
People's Daily carried a commentary in Chinese by Su Xiaohui, the deputy head of the China Institute of International Studies, who noted that South East Asian countries "did not want to see the South China Sea's peace broken".
"Those who upset plans will be met with suspicion and condemnation," he wrote.
Reuters
Under maritime laws the 12-nautical mile zone cannot be claimed for features that were submerged and raised through human intervention.
The reefs, which were submerged, were turned into islands by China by a massive dredging project which began in late 2013.
China says its work is legal and for civilian purposes, but Washington believes Beijing is constructing military facilities to reinforce its disputed claim to most of the region - a major shipping zone.
The USS Lassen operation was part of America's Freedom of Navigation programme to challenge "excessive claims" in the world's oceans and airspace, and was welcomed by several countries in the region, including the Philippines and Japan.
Other countries in South East Asia have competing claims for the Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands and Scarborough Shoal, which are thought to have resource-rich waters around them.
I could not tell who is right or who is wrong. China says that they have restricted waters were the United States has passed. The United states is saying that those are international water and they should not be in trouble. So since I live in the U.S. I am going to say those are international.
ReplyDeleteThe United states is stating that no one should be punished. For the international water. China states that they have restricted waters that no one can enter. I am confused in who is either right or who is wrong. The people in the United States are have many arguments with China. The waters should international and not restricted.
ReplyDeleteHaving trouble trying to understand where a balance between the sides here can be met. I do think it is unfair that China has restricted areas where other countries cannot pass through. I think that is totally unfair for China to now start claiming water, instead of land. If this was the case, the US could feel free to claim the entire world's oceans, and not let China pass through. Although this would lead to most likely more escalated situations would could be bad, this is a comparison to what china is doing."This can convince the White House that China, despite its unwillingness, is not frightened to fight a war with the US in the region, and is determined to safeguard its national interests and dignity." (Current Events). I found this absurd that China would want to go to war over the US having a ship pass by waters. I think this is being handled poorly, to escalate this to war. Also, I do not see why the US has business being there, they are not doing anything other than irritating china. If anything, both sides are in the wrong here.
ReplyDelete-Muzamil Ahmad p.6
Having trouble trying to understand where a balance between the sides here can be met. I do think it is unfair that China has restricted areas where other countries cannot pass through. I think that is totally unfair for China to now start claiming water, instead of land. If this was the case, the US could feel free to claim the entire world's oceans, and not let China pass through. Although this would lead to most likely more escalated situations would could be bad, this is a comparison to what china is doing."This can convince the White House that China, despite its unwillingness, is not frightened to fight a war with the US in the region, and is determined to safeguard its national interests and dignity." (Current Events). I found this absurd that China would want to go to war over the US having a ship pass by waters. I think this is being handled poorly, to escalate this to war. Also, I do not see why the US has business being there, they are not doing anything other than irritating china. If anything, both sides are in the wrong here.
ReplyDelete-Muzamil Ahmad p.6
In my opinion, China is greatly wrong in this scenario. Firstly, China is violating international maritime rules, an offense that should be chastised severely in the international political scene. Secondly, China has no right to claim sovereign territory as the please, anywhere around the world. The United States is taking correct and proper action for the circumstances and was only sailing in international waters. According to The Golden Times Newspaper, "the US truly is only a 'paper tiger'" (BBC News). However, the United States is the number one importer of Chinese goods in the world. If the United States brought back manufacturing here and took it away from China their economy, country, and military funding/capacities would collapse in less than a year. With this in mind I feel China should use their words very wisely due to the consequences they entail.
ReplyDeleteJonPaul Lambert Period 1
China is not going to fight a war. To start with the South China Sea is rampant with pirates and cargo ships. Traditionally it has been patrolled by the Yamato family of Japanese warships. So lets start with the basics, why is China afraid. Up until recently there have been multiple severely more unstable countries on much lower terms with China *cough* North Korea *cough* and the Warships the US has there cannot carry enough men for a land invasion, nor do they have enough range to hit the mainland. This is a case of anti American propaganda gone wrong.
ReplyDeleteBen Weaver
Period 2
I believe that china has done a great wrong by committing this act. This is because the have challenged maritime laws along with challenging the great might of the U.S. calling us "''paper tiger'". They even go as far as saying that they are "'not afraid'" of going to war testing us along with everyone else in the southern Chinese seas. They have already began shoving us by interrupting our ships making them leave.
ReplyDeleteSoulius Jones
Period:1
I agree when you say China has done wrong by committing this act. They should not break the maritime law, but they did. On top of that challenging the United States because of this? If they "arnt afraid" then why don't they take action?
DeleteFor one China has overstepped its boundary, they are rapidly building islands in the south china sea, China is pulling our strings testing us, saying Beijing is ready to fight they are just itching to get there butts kicked. Fro man article i read China practices Invading Taiwan, China is making agave mistake.
ReplyDeleteKollin Swinney P4
China is doing wrong with this act. Breaking laws with the China Sea and building islands there is wrong. They say that there are restricted waters that the U.S. can't pass though. Overall China is doing wrong for this act.
ReplyDeletei believe no one is at fault because it all depends on your point of view. if you live in america you'll believe that its international mater but if your from china you'll believe that its private water
ReplyDeleteWil Thomas Per.5
For the SAT article i believe that it is unfair for the students upcoming, like myself to be having to take a harder test when the students before us did not have to. My brothers would tell me about how they would be sitting in a desk for a solid 4-5 hours taking the longest tests of their lives. If the incoming SAT test is supposed to be harder that just means people will be taking way longer to take the test and it will be too long at one time to take a test. So therefore, i think the SAT test upcoming should be changed or at least reverted to the original one everyone else was taking back then.
ReplyDeleteNico gardey p1
China has done a great wrong by committing this act. China is even trying to say that they are "'not afraid'" of going to war which is obviously not true because why would they try when they have a lot more obstacles then they can move around. China just says their not afraid to but know that if so they aren't ready.
ReplyDeleteJosh Leifker
per.1
After reading the article on the Russian commercial airplane crash in Egypt, I got a closer look at the story. Apparently, from news and media, the mid-air fallout of the plane was caused by an explosion onboard. Whether it was intentional or not, we don't know yet. I find it extremely terrible how ISIS claims it to be their doing. Like, I get that they obviously are crazy and out of their mind, but to claim such an action as one's own doing is a terrible and unfathomable thing to think of. I feel great sorrow for the poor innocent people on board, so I very much hope it was an accidental explosion as oppose to an intentional one. If it is proven to be intentional, we will have a much bigger problem on our hands.
ReplyDeleteChris Lamb
Per. 1
I believe that china has done a great wrong by committing this act. This is because the have challenged maritime laws along with challenging the great might of the U.S. calling us "''paper tiger'". They even go as far as saying that they are "'not afraid'" of going to war testing us along with everyone else in the southern Chinese seas. They have already began shoving us by interrupting our ships making them leave.
ReplyDelete