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The Great Game Changer: Belt and Road Intiative (BRI; OBOR)

China stolen Paracel Islands of Vietnam in cold war 1974 after normalisation diplomacy with USA 1972, and stolen with force our Reefs in Spratly in Sino Vietnam war 1988.

in reality China was not our ally, China is untrusted partner.
When China get back the island and reefs in WW2 from japan,you were still a colony:pop:
 
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When China get back the island and reefs in WW2 from japan,you were still a colony:pop:

What you said is just propaganda of China.

In the past there was Cochin sea is recognized by Chinese from Ming Dynasty China's. Paracel and Spratly is under official administration of Nguyen Dynasty from 1670s in the past.

Japan occupation in WW II is illegal.
 
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Russian fleet arrives in China for joint drill
Xinhua, September 13, 2016


Officers and soldiers of Chinese Navy hold a welcome ceremony as a Russian fleet arrive at a port in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 12, 2016. A Russian fleet arrived in Zhanjiang on Monday, with Chinese naval forces gathering for a joint drill. The "Joint Sea 2016" drill will go ahead between September 12 and 19 in the South China Sea, off Guangdong. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)



A Russian navy ship arrives at a port in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 12, 2016. A Russian fleet arrived in Zhanjiang on Monday, with Chinese naval forces gathering for a joint drill. The "Joint Sea 2016" drill will go ahead between September 12 and 19 in the South China Sea, off Guangdong. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)



A Russian navy ship arrives at a port in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 12, 2016. A Russian fleet arrived in Zhanjiang on Monday, with Chinese naval forces gathering for a joint drill. The "Joint Sea 2016" drill will go ahead between September 12 and 19 in the South China Sea, off Guangdong. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)



A Russian navy ship arrives at a port in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 12, 2016. A Russian fleet arrived in Zhanjiang on Monday, with Chinese naval forces gathering for a joint drill. The "Joint Sea 2016" drill will go ahead between September 12 and 19 in the South China Sea, off Guangdong. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)



A Russian navy ship arrives at a port in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 12, 2016. A Russian fleet arrived in Zhanjiang on Monday, with Chinese naval forces gathering for a joint drill. The "Joint Sea 2016" drill will go ahead between September 12 and 19 in the South China Sea, off Guangdong. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)



A band of Chinese Navy perform at a welcome ceremony as a Russian fleet arrive at a port in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 12, 2016. A Russian fleet arrived in Zhanjiang on Monday, with Chinese naval forces gathering for a joint drill. The "Joint Sea 2016" drill will go ahead between September 12 and 19 in the South China Sea, off Guangdong. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)



A band of Chinese Navy perform at a welcome ceremony as a Russian fleet arrive at a port in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 12, 2016. A Russian fleet arrived in Zhanjiang on Monday, with Chinese naval forces gathering for a joint drill. The "Joint Sea 2016" drill will go ahead between September 12 and 19 in the South China Sea, off Guangdong. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)
 
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Sri Lanka becomes first South Asian participant at powerful Sino-ASEAN expo

  • 15 Chinese and ASEAN leaders at Nanning’s CAEXPO 13
  • Sri Lanka honoured, pleased about China’s interest in Sri Lanka: Rishad
  • Says pleased of China’s interest in Sri Lanka
  • ASEAN bloc is future destiny of China
  • 2015 China-SL trade tops $ 4 b
Sri Lanka received a rare honour on 11 September of being the third economy ever in the world and the first South Asian economy to join the dominant China-ASEAN bloc’s high profile annual trade and investment event in Nanning, the modern capital of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, China.

“Under the One Belt, One Road framework, China’s ‘Go Global Strategy’ emphasised a greater importance to enhance trade, investment and economic cooperation with Sri Lanka,” said Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen, addressing the launch event of CAEXPO 13 at the Osmanthus Hall of Nanning International Convention & Exhibition Centre in Nanning.

Sri Lanka was among the 15 Chinese and ASEAN high profile leaders joining the CAEXPO 13. The opening session widely featured aspects of China-ASEAN FTA, China’s 21st Century Maritime Silk Road plans, as well as aspects of ‘China-ASEAN Advanced Technology Cooperation’ including Beidou satellite navigation, aerospace technology, high-speed modern railway, and unmanned auto manufacturing.

12SEP2.jpg
Head of Mission of Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Guangzhou, Consul General Shanika Dissanayake joins Minister Rishard Bathiudeen at the Nanning opening session



More importantly the large scale multi-country CAEXPO event also gave a glimpse of the future destiny and an eye-opener as to what lies ahead for the China-ASEAN bloc.

Launching China’s ASEAN connectivity initiative, leaders of China and 10 ASEAN countries also signed their names on the tickets for high-speed trains running between China and ASEAN, which is the proposed China-ASEAN direct connectivity strategy. Representing China, the event was attended by Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli.

According to CAEXPO Secretariat, ‘CAEXPO Special Guest Country’ mechanism invites a country outside of the China-ASEAN region to join the CAEXPO as a Guest and is considered to be a strategic way for China to open to the (rest of) the globe.

So far only Australia and South Korea had been invited by China as CAEXPO Special Guest Countries and with its 11 September presence at the CAEXPO grand opening, Sri Lanka become the third country ever in the world and the first South Asian nation to be a CAEXPO Special Guest Country.

“Sri Lanka is honoured to join CAEXPO as a Special Guest Country and I thank the people of China for this invitation,” said Bathiudeen. “We welcome this initiative and we are here to invite Chinese business enterprises to explore more opportunities of economic cooperation and trade development in Sri Lanka. I believe that this Forum could play a pivotal role in strengthening existing relations between China and Sri Lanka.

“The ‘Social Market Economic Model’ as envisioned by the new Unity Government of Sri Lanka will propel and nuance the dynamics of Sri Lanka’s next stage of the economic development trajectory. These initiatives and consistency in our economic and trade liberalisation policies have brought Sri Lanka much closer with the global partners and in particular with China as a key development partner. Sri Lanka is placed at 68th rank in the Global Competitiveness Index 2015-2016 and the Sri Lankan Government has ambitious plans, to improve and advance this position it further.”

He noted that Sri Lanka’s strategic location as a connecting point of sea and air transport between east and west had been complimentary to the expansion in the trade with the world, pointing out that the Free Trade Agreements that Sri Lanka entered into with India and Pakistan have already become the key gateway platform for manufacturers and investors in Sri Lanka in accessing a sub-regional market with over 1.6 billion people.

“I invite Chinese and ASEAN investors to explore the opportunities presented by these key agreements, particularly into the diverse basket of value-added exports for which Sri Lanka obtains duty-free market access in the South Asia region. Sri Lanka’s strategic location, skilled labour force, business infrastructure, common law based legal system, highly-modernised sea port operations, recreational facilities and living standards have provided many opportunities for foreign investments. Sri Lanka is progressing towards becoming Asia’s hub for businesses, naval operations, commercial activities, knowledge based industries, aviation and energy developments. I am pleased that China continues to show interest in Sri Lanka as a dynamic and exciting investment destination, and would like to encourage further partnerships in this direction.”

Bathiudeen met Senior Official of Guangzhou Autonomous Province Liu Xin Wen on the sidelines. He was welcomed by awaiting Lankan exhibitors at Nanning Convention Centre for his soft-launch of CAEXPO Sri Lanka Pavilion and exports portfolio and he was interviewed by the Guanxi TV channel. He also addressed the afternoon Sri Lanka Investment Promotion Seminar organised by the Department of Commerce for keen Chinese investors.

The Sri Lankan official in China facilitating Bathiudeen’s delegation to CAEXPO13, Consul General Shanika Dissanayake (Head of Mission of Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Guangzhou who clinched the Special Guest Country status for Sri Lanka) and Bathiudeen’s Senior Advisor Himali Jinadasa also joined him at the Nanning opening session where Fortune 500 companies such as China Railway Engineering Corporation, China Railway Construction Corporation and Aluminium Corporation of China also were present.

Total bilateral trade between China and Sri Lanka topped $ 4 billion in 2015, with a steady growth of 14% from 2014’s $ 3.5 billion.

- See more at: http://www.ft.lk/article/567457/Sri...powerful-Sino-ASEAN-expo#sthash.s8jp5Q5W.dpuf
 
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Big boys are playing together and the drills last 8 days. Hope they can provide us a series of awesome photos. @Daniel808

The drills include anti sub stimulation that is the signal for strong bilateral trust in the cooperation. And the forces attended could even destroy some little countries. But drill is drill. Let's watch and just ignore some little friends' noise please.

One thing is very interesting that the painting work of both navies are stylish. A stable stimulus to SCS and also a big feast for military fans.

:cheers:
 
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Nice Pictures, bro @TaiShang Thanks.

I cannot wait to see Photos of China-Russia Navy drill in South China Sea @jkroo
That would be awesome !

I think the most Important thing in this drill is "Combined Amphibious Landing Operation in Islands"
That's mean Chinese and Russian Amphibious Troops is ready to Cooperate between each other to retake all Chinese Islands in South China Sea sometime in the Future against those Pirates :-)
 
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I have deleted an offensive and racist post and issued a warning to the member concerned.

I am disgusted at this sort of behaviour.

Members have a right to express their opinion, but debate properly without insulting or racist remarks.

I allow freedom of speech if it is factual and the language is appropriate.
 
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China, Russia start joint navy drill in South China Sea
September 14, 2016
Xinhua


Marines take part in a joint naval drill in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 13, 2016. China and Russiastarted "Joint Sea 2016" drill off Guangdong Province in the South China Seaon Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)


Chinese and Russian marines pose for photos during a joint naval drill in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 13, 2016. China and Russia started "Joint Sea 2016" drill off Guangdong Province in the South China Sea on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)


Wang Hai, Chinese chief director of the exercise and deputy commander of the Chinese Navy, and his Russian counterpart Alexander Fedotenkov issue orders as a joint naval drill starts in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 13, 2016. China and Russia started "Joint Sea 2016" drill off Guangdong Province in the South China Sea on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)


Wang Hai (R), Chinese chief director of the exercise and deputy commander of the Chinese Navy, and his Russian counterpart Alexander Fedotenkov declare the start of a joint naval drill in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 13, 2016. China and Russia started "Joint Sea 2016" drill off Guangdong Province in the South China Sea on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)


Chinese and Russian marines take part in a joint naval drill in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 13, 2016. China and Russia started "Joint Sea 2016" drill off Guangdong Province in the South China Sea on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)


Marines take part in a joint naval drill in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 13, 2016. China and Russia started "Joint Sea 2016" drill off Guangdong Province in the South China Sea on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)


Wang Hai, Chinese chief director of the exercise and deputy commander of the Chinese Navy, and his Russian counterpart Alexander Fedotenkov declare the start of a joint naval drill in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 13, 2016. China and Russia started "Joint Sea 2016" drill off Guangdong Province in the South China Sea on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)

@vostok , @BRICSFTW
 
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Continued from above. Images: Xinhua


Marines take part in a joint naval drill in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 13, 2016. China and Russia started "Joint Sea 2016" drill off Guangdong Province in the South China Sea on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)


Marines take part in a joint naval drill in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 13, 2016. China and Russia started "Joint Sea 2016" drill off Guangdong Province in the South China Sea on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)

9703765385486003642.jpg

Chinese and Russian navy officers participate a joint naval drill in Zhanjiang, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 13, 2016. China and Russia started "Joint Sea 2016" drill off Guangdong Province in the South China Sea on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zha Chunming)

@Daniel808
 
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Call it gunboat diplomacy from 35,000 feet.

Three times in the last two months, the United States has flown B-1 bombers, equipped with the latest non-nuclear cruise missiles, on missions in Europe and Asia meant to show adversaries as well as allies what one U.S. commander called "an unshakable commitment."

The flights are part of strategic missions aimed at sending explicit messages to Russia, China and North Korea. Each of the B-1's is equipped with two dozen non-nuclear cruise missiles with highly accurate, bunker-busting warheads, a new capability.

"Deployment follows capability," said Hans M. Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists, who tracks the missions. He explained that with the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), a cruise missile, the U.S. believes it has an intimidating, even if non-nuclear, capability.

The latest mission took place Monday night Eastern Time over the Korean peninsula, when two B-1 bombers flew within a few miles of the DMZ between North and South Korea, accompanied by U.S. F-16's and South Korean F-15's. Earlier in the mission, which was flown out of Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, the B-1's were escorted by Japanese F-15's.

The U.S. left no doubt that the flyover was related to North Korea's latest nuclear weapons test, which took place four days ago.

"North Korea's nuclear test is a dangerous escalation and poses an unacceptable threat," Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, U.S. Forces Korea commander, said in a statement Tuesday. "The United States has an unshakable commitment to defend allies in the region and will take necessary steps to do so, including operations like this one today."

And to ensure that no one missed the point, the Defense Department released both still images and video of the mission.

The mission was one of three in recent weeks intended by the U.S. to act as deterrence, but which its adversaries claim are provocations.

On Tuesday, a B-1 bomber from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas landed at Ostrava Air Force Base in the Czech Republic, part of the deployment of a non-nuclear bomber strike group to Europe for exercise Ample Strike, according to official Pentagon reports. The B-1 joined a B-52 that flew to Ostrava two weeks ago.

Kristensen said that while the U.S. had deployed a B-1 to the Czech Republic "on a good will mission" in the past, this is different. "It's part of a strike package of bombers deployed as part of a NATO exercise," he said, and as such is more likely to attract Russian attention.


Kristensen also noted that last month, as part of the same NATO exercise, a B-52 was deployed to neighboring Slovakia, also a first as part of an exercise.

Earlier this summer, a B-1 and a B-2 stealth bomber were deployed to Andersen AFB in Guam, from which the Air Force's venerable B-52 still flies. It marked the first time all three U.S. strategic bombers have been deployed to Asia simultaneously. The Pentagon again left little to the imagination, calling the deployment "Continuous Bomber Presence."

Then, on August 17, again working with regional allies, the U.S. flew all three bomber types on a mission over the disputed South China Sea, where the People's Republic of China is trying to assert dominance over islands and sea lanes that U.S. allies like Japan and Philippines also claim.

On Tuesday, the response from North Korea to Monday's exercise came in a statement from KCNA, the North's official news agency.

"Any sanction, provocation and pressure cannot ruin our status as a nuclear state and evil political and military provocations will only result in a flood of reckless nuclear attacks that will bring a final destruction," KCNA said.

Meanwhile, U.S. military officials tell NBC News that flights by Chinese bombers on Monday were meant as a counter to last month's U.S. bomber overflights of the South China Sea.

According to a Defense Ministry statement on one of its blogs, on Monday China carried out an exercise in the Bashi Channel, between the Philippines' northernmost island of Luzon and Taiwan. Both countries dispute China's claims in the South China Sea.

"Bombers, fighters, and early warning and aerial refueling aircraft" flew through the channel on Monday, Reuters reported, based on the blog statement. "This move is to raise the air force's abilities via training, to meet the needs to maintaining national sovereignty, protecting national security and guaranteeing peaceful development."

In fact, according to a senior Air Force official, this might be the first time in history when the United States, China and Russia are all employing long-range bombers in conventional warfare tasks and deterrence missions.

Russia has repeatedly bombed targets in Syria using long-range bombers, its first combat experience since the war in Chechnya. China has been flying regular patrols in the South China Sea as part of its demonstration of greater military muscle.

All of these aircraft are potentially capable of carrying nuclear weapons, the official said, but this is "conventional deterrence and signaling." Long-range assets — bombers and missiles — are now on par with nuclear and cyber weapons as elements of the new strategic triad.

Kristensen says much of the U.S. strategy is driven by its recent deployment of the extended-range JASSM missile. Each B-1 can carry up to 24 for them, each with a 1,000-pound penetrating warhead. It reportedly can hit a target 600 miles away with an accuracy of eight feet.

"It's a significant but little noticed shift," he said.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/u-s-bombers-send-china-russia-north-korea-message-n647616
 
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US militarist jingoism is now taken as a sign of weakness, not strength.

A country that fails to implement a mere three-country Silk Road Initiative is not to be taken seriously.

Besides, according to Trump, half of the US generals are rubbish.
 
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China's Upping the Ante in the South China Sea

Pepe Escobar



Originally appeared at Sputnik

The Joint Sea-2016 started this Monday; that’s the fifth annual China-Russia naval drill, featuring stalwarts from both navies in action at the eastern waters of Zhanjiang, in Guangdong province, the HQ of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy Nanhai Fleet.

Considering this is the first time that the Joint Sea is happening in the South China Sea, apocalyptic alarms from the usual suspects could not be more predictable – and thoroughly dismissed by the Beijing leadership.

The Joint Sea-2016 intervenes just after a quite significant holding hand moment last week in Laos. Hand holders were no less than China’s premier Li Keqiang and Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte, a.k.a. The Punisher, clad for a change in full suit and tie regalia.

There were good reasons for such camaraderie. After all China and ASEAN had just agreed that the framework for a legally binding code of conduct in the South China Sea will be in effect before the end of the year. Singapore lobbied “vigorously” for this key development. Beijing regards Singapore as “a key partner for cooperation in the region”, as Li told Xinhua. The Punisher’s own press secretary, Martin Andanar, squared the circle; “Our president also expressed his approval of having a framework for a code of conduct.” The setting — Laos — could not be more strategically appropriate for China. For three years now China is Laos’s biggest investor – mostly in energy and mining, including the construction of the $868 million Nam Ngiep 1 hydropower project. Key planned projects include the $1.6 billion Luang Marsh Special Economic Zone (SEZ) near Vientiane, and — what else – a 472 km railway between Kunming in Yunnan province and Vientiane, with an extension to Thailand, to be completed by 2021. That will be part of the Southeast Asian branch of the New Silk Roads.

Bombing Laos with rhetoric

Laos was the setting for the first face to face meeting between a top Chinese leader – Prime Minister Li Keqiang — and the 10 heads of state from ASEAN, right before the East Asia summit – the annual gathering of the ASEAN 10 plus China, South Korea, Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand, US and Russia.

At the East Asia summit, US President Barack Obama, in his last – quite melancholic – visit to Asia, to where his administration allegedly pivoted, declared that The Hague’s ruling invalidating China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea is binding. That was not only false – but piled up on a Nobel Prize with a license to kill (list) visiting Laos decades after the nation was bombed to smithereens by the “indispensable nation” now saying with a straight face that everything’s gonna be alright. Asians, to say the least, were not impressed. The reason for Obama’s visit was to actually sell the pivot once again to Asia in tandem with its “NATO on trade” arm – the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). Obama insisted that, "TPP is a core pillar of America's rebalance to the Asia-Pacific. And the trade and the growth it supports will reinforce America's security alliances and regional partnerships." He added, "failure to move ahead with TPP will not just have economic consequences, but call into question America's leadership in this vital region." Beijing for its part privileged diplomacy over empty rhetoric when dealing with an in-flux ASEAN, crisscrossed by a stark diversity among its 10 member nations. Indonesia and Thailand, for instance, used to be bridge-builders, but now Jakarta is concentrated inward and Bangkok’s policies are in transition.

The White House was counting on Manila to press its – confrontation – case, as Manila is supposed to be a key cog in the pivot machine. Yet even when talking to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Duterte emphasized South China Sea problems should be resolved through peaceful means, and Manila would maintain dialogue with Beijing.

And then, to “celebrate” this pan-Asia meeting – and simultaneously the 68th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) — Pyongyang inflicted a dose of realism on all and sundry by conducting a fifth nuclear test. Exit TPP, enter high-speed rail China, meanwhile, keeps accumulating “facts on the sea” – with a lot of action, in the form of sea patrolling, originating from Sansha, a prefecture-level city set up in 2012 to administer the Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands and Macclesfield Bank (which the Chinese call Zongsha Islands). These “facts on the sea” are irreversible, as Sansha has made sure islands, atolls, reefs, rocks, shoals – whatever the terminology – all across the South China Sea are regarded as a matter of national security, politically and strategically, for Beijing. As far as in-flux ASEAN is concerned, Thailand may retain the status of strategic pivot for US interests. But now Washington must factor the delicate political equation before the looming – and extremely complex — royal succession, with the power of the Thai army solidified by a new constitution as it expands trade and political relations with both Russia and China.

Still, the only discourse emanating from Washington boils down to Pentagon obsession with confrontation in the South China Sea and White House obsession with TPP, the trade arm of the pivot.

Kishore Mahbubani, dean of Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, has been clever enough to propose a way out. What if Washington accepted a Chinese contribution in terms of high-speed rail technology – as a means to jump-start the US economy from the Pacific to the Atlantic. This China-US partnership in infrastructure would be, according to Mahbubani, a “match made in heaven”. The American Society of Civil Engineers has projected a $1.44 trillion investment funding gap in the US between 2016 and 2025 – generating a huge drag on business, exports and incomes. China would have the financial and institutional capacity to build that much-needed infrastructure. TPP is a dead end. Perhaps Mahbubani should send his proposal to Donald Trump.

@AndrewJin , the HSR part is interesting.

@Daniel808
 
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