Self-Fulfilled Prophecy? China deploys fighter jets to disputed South China Sea Island

[Dungeness]

China deploys fighter jets to disputed South China Sea Island: US officials
CNBC with Reuters
2 Hours AgoCNBC.com

China has sent fighter jets to a disputed island in the South China Sea, where it deployed surface-to-air missiles earlier this month, U.S. government sources told Reuters on Tuesday.

One U.S. official, however, noted that China regularly sent jets to Woody Island, part of the Paracel archipelago controlled by Beijing. The deployment was first reported by Fox News.

This follows several "militarization" actions by China in the region, which it claims control of, in competition with several other Asian nations including Vietnam and the Philippines. The Philippines last October won the right to have its territorial claims over the disputed area heard by an arbitration court in the Hague, infuriating China.

Control of the region is valuable because more than $5 trillion worth of global trade passes through the South China Sea each year, and China has been accused of ramping up tensions over control in recent yearsby building artificial islands on reefs, on which it has added airstrips and other military-style installations.

The U.S. regularly exercises its right to "freedom of navigation" by sending naval vessels through the South China Sea, including within 12 nautical miles of islands claimed by China. Beijing has responded by calling these actions "provocations" that risked a military response.

A U.S. think tank reported on Monday that China may be installing a high-frequency radar system on the Cuarteron Reef in the Spratly Islands that could significantly boost its ability to control the strategic sea.

And last Thursday, the U.S. accused China of inflaming the issue by itsapparent deployment of surface-to-air missiles on Woody Island.

The apparent move to also send fighter jets to the islands came as Chinese Foreign Minister Wan Yi met with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington.

China's Foreign Ministry set a defiant tone said ahead of Wang's visit, saying that Beijing's military deployments in the South China Sea wereno different from U.S. deployments on Hawaii.

At a joint news conference with Kerry following their meeting, Wang said there had been no problems with freedom of navigation and China and countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations - several of which have competing claims with China - "have the capability to maintain stability in the South China Sea."

He said militarization was not the responsibility of one party alone and added in apparent reference to U.S. patrols: "We don't hope to see any more close-up military reconnaissance, or the dispatch of missile destroyers or strategic bombers to the South China Sea."

Kerry said steps by China, Vietnam and others that had created an "escalatory cycle."

"What we are trying to do it break that cycle," he said. "Regrettably there are missiles and fighter aircraft and guns and other things that have been placed into the South China Sea and this if of great concern to everyone who transits and relies on the South China Sea for peaceful trade," he added.

China deploys fighter jets to disputed South China Sea Island: US officials

 

[Dungeness]

Here is what China said last Oct:

"In fact, if relevant parties insist on creating tensions in the region and making trouble out of nothing, it may force China to draw the conclusion that we need to strengthen and hasten the buildup of our relevant capabilities. I advise the U.S. not to create such a self-fulfilling prophecy."

 

[Pangu]

SAMs & jets on Yongxing is nothing new. Considering the island's proximity to Yulin Naval Base on Hainan, it would be strategic short-sightedness if the planners do not utilize the limited geographical extension to increase surveillance/detection coverage.

 

[Dungeness]

SAMs & jets on Yongxing is nothing new. Considering the island's proximity to Yulin Naval Base on Hainan, it would be strategic short-sightedness if the planners do not utilize the limited geographical extension to increase surveillance/detection mileage.

Is it possible that US just woke up yesterday and found out PLA had deployed SAMs and fighters on Woody Island while it was asleep whole last year?

The timing of all these headlines is intriguing.

 

[Oldman1]

Here is what China said last Oct:

"In fact, if relevant parties insist on creating tensions in the region and making trouble out of nothing, it may force China to draw the conclusion that we need to strengthen and hasten the buildup of our relevant capabilities. I advise the U.S. not to create such a self-fulfilling prophecy."

China Defends Expansion of Islands in South China Sea
“Building and maintaining necessary military facilities, this is what is required for China’s national defense and for the protection of those islands and reefs,” Bloomberg quoted Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin as saying during a briefing on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, where global leaders had gathered for the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

However, he also said: “One should never link such military facilities with efforts to militarize the islands and reefs and militarize the South China Sea.”


Liu’s comments echo those of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who, at a meeting with Obama in late September, publicly pledged to not “militarize” the islands.


China plan to militarize it even before building the islands.
What China’s ‘Militarization’ of the South China Sea Would Actually Look Like | The Diplomat
What China's 'Militarization' of the South China Sea Would Actually Look Like
A closer look at the specific military concerns posed by China’s artificial islands.

By John Chen and Bonnie Glaser
November 05, 2015

The Impact of Chinese Militarization

The nature and type of Chinese militarization would visibly illustrate China relative military superiority over other South China Sea claimants. Rival claimant states possess neither the advanced standoff strike capability nor the robust ISR assets required to challenge a hypothetical Chinese missile buildup on its new islands. The Vietnamese Navy’s most capable anti-ship cruise missile has a maximum range of 300km – still within the 280-400km range of a land-based Chinese YJ-62. Air-launched air-to-surface missiles such as the U.S.-supplied AGM-84 Harpoon would be similarly outranged by Chinese anti-aircraft systems, forcing non-stealthy aircraft to fire their missiles well inside the kill radius of Chinese S-300 series SAMs.

 

[Dungeness]

China Defends Expansion of Islands in South China Sea
“Building and maintaining necessary military facilities, this is what is required for China’s national defense and for the protection of those islands and reefs,” Bloomberg quoted Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin as saying during a briefing on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, where global leaders had gathered for the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

However, he also said: “One should never link such military facilities with efforts to militarize the islands and reefs and militarize the South China Sea.”


Liu’s comments echo those of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who, at a meeting with Obama in late September, publicly pledged to not “militarize” the islands.


China plan to militarize it even before building the islands.
What China’s ‘Militarization’ of the South China Sea Would Actually Look Like | The Diplomat
What China's 'Militarization' of the South China Sea Would Actually Look Like
A closer look at the specific military concerns posed by China’s artificial islands.

By John Chen and Bonnie Glaser
November 05, 2015

The Impact of Chinese Militarization

The nature and type of Chinese militarization would visibly illustrate China relative military superiority over other South China Sea claimants. Rival claimant states possess neither the advanced standoff strike capability nor the robust ISR assets required to challenge a hypothetical Chinese missile buildup on its new islands. The Vietnamese Navy’s most capable anti-ship cruise missile has a maximum range of 300km – still within the 280-400km range of a land-based Chinese YJ-62. Air-launched air-to-surface missiles such as the U.S.-supplied AGM-84 Harpoon would be similarly outranged by Chinese anti-aircraft systems, forcing non-stealthy aircraft to fire their missiles well inside the kill radius of Chinese S-300 series SAMs.

China can just say we did not want to, but you made me.

 

[Oldman1]

China can just say we did not want to, but you made me.

They can, but it be like saying the U.S. was sending warships because you made them do it.

 

[Dungeness]

They can, but it be like saying the U.S. was sending warships because you made them do it.

It is on their door steps. Be nice. China is not a push over anymore.

 

[Oldman1]

It is on their door steps. Be nice. China is not a push over anymore.

Indeed be nice, the U.S. is not someone to push with on its own doorsteps.

 

[Dungeness]

Indeed be nice, the U.S. is not someone to push with on its own doorsteps.

Well, it really depends. U.S used to send planes deep into China in 60s and 70s, they don't do it anymore.

 

[Kiss_of_the_Dragon]

Here is what China said last Oct:

"In fact, if relevant parties insist on creating tensions in the region and making trouble out of nothing, it may force China to draw the conclusion that we need to strengthen and hasten the buildup of our relevant capabilities. I advise the U.S. not to create such a self-fulfilling prophecy."

Crisis = opportunity , when US came patrol with their B-52, we add H9 sam, radar and aircraft, when they sent warship, we will add anti-ship cruise missile, when their send sub, we will add AWS helicopter, if the send the aircraft carrier battle group, we will add DF-21D we will gradually add weapon as respond to provocation....and to add insult to injury, all these US patrol will go back empty handed while what ever we put on the islands will remain there for future defense ...and finally we will declare ADIZ...thank you US

 

[Oldman1]

Well, it really depends. U.S used to send planes deep into China in 60s and 70s, they don't do it anymore.

Indeed since satellites have been more useful and safer, it wasn't necessary.

Crisis = opportunity , when US came patrol with their B-52, we add H9 sam, radar and aircraft, when they sent warship, we will add anti-ship cruise missile, when their send sub, we will add AWS helicopter, if the send the aircraft carrier battle group, we will add DF-21D we will gradually add weapon as respond to provocation....and to add insult to injury, all these US patrol will go back empty handed while what ever we put on the islands will remain there for future defense ...and finally we will declare ADIZ

I thought China already declared their ADIZ.

 

[Kiss_of_the_Dragon]

I thought China already declared their ADIZ.

Not in SCS yet but we're just waiting for US provocations to officialize it

 

[Oldman1]

Not in SCS yet but we're just waiting for US provocations to officialize it

One warship passing through wasn't enough?

 

[Abacin]

Thanks for the pivotal to Asia policy. This gave China solid reasons to establish military base chains in South China Sea. US foreign policy has become more and more short sighted. Strategically US is over extended while China is expanding. The reckless US expansion policy just brought about Chinese expansion. Just several years ago China needed to explain to neighbors every year about increasing military budgets. Now no need at all to be understood to most neighbors.