US destroyer sails near artificial Chinese island in South China Sea

[F-22Raptor]

With all eyes on North Korea, and President Trump promising "fire and fury" for Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile programs, the U.S. Navy quietly dispatched a warship to sail by one of China's artificial islands in the South China Sea on Thursday, a Navy official confirmed to Fox News.

USS John S. McCain, a guided-missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical miles from Mischief Reef, one of three man-made islands that contain a runway and military fortifications constructed during the past few years.

It's the third time the Pentagon has conducted a "freedom of navigation" challenging China's claims in the region since President Trump took office. Fox News first reported the previous incident in July.

A US Navy P-8 reconnaissance plane flew nearby to monitor Thursday's operation, according to a separate defense official. It did not take part in the operation

USS Dewey, another guided-missile destroyer, sailed by Mischief Reef in May.

12 nautical miles from shore marks the territorial boundary for all nations. Since the U.S. and international community reject China's claim to the island and the surrounding sea, the passage of a U.S. destroyer close by the island amounts to a protest of sort, known as a "freedom of navigation" operation in Pentagon argot.

China has built seven artificial islands in the region in the past few years.

Reuters first reported the Thursday operation.

The warship is named after Sen. John McCain's father and grandfather, both U.S. Navy admirals. The senator visited the warship in Vietnam back in June.

The official said this latest freedom of navigation operation was planned in the past few weeks. They have been occurring roughly each month since May.

China has long protested these operations.

President Trump has been calling on China to do more to rein in North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, but with little success.

The Trump administration did manage to get China and Russia's support for a unanimous 15-0 UN Security Council resolution last weekend which aimed to take a billion dollars in exports away from the rogue communist regime.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/08/1...ficial-chinese-island-in-south-china-sea.html

 

[StraightShooter]

The act of cutting the Chinese melon has started...

USA, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, Vietnam, South Korea & Japan have come to an agreement on this.

 

[shadows888]

The act of cutting the Chinese melon has started...

USA, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, Vietnam, South Korea & Japan have come to an agreement on this.

Lol just a bunch of headless chickens. The Game in SCS is over.

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

Lol just a bunch of headless chickens. The Game in SCS is over.

Yes.
China is not defending a 12 mile territorial zone around these artificial islands.
This is implicitly admitting that it not part of China's territorial waters.

 

[StraightShooter]

Lol just a bunch of headless chickens. The Game in SCS is over.

Let's see how China reacts when each of these countries would poke China from different directions.

 

[Dotachin]

Calling bluffs on all front could be dangerous. Its not a good idea to corner a dog, as it becomes most dangerous at that moment. An embarrassed and frustrated China could do something reckless either in SCS, at Indo-China border or in Afghanistan.

 

[Raphael]

Yes.
China is not defending a 12 mile territorial zone around these artificial islands.
This is implicitly admitting that it not part of China's territorial waters.

A country's sovereign rights are not affected by how they or others react to infringements of those rights.

Otherwise, by your logic, the US already recognized at least Scarborough Shore as Chinese when it refused to provide military support to the Philippines in 2012 despite being a treaty ally.

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

A country's sovereign rights are not affected by how they or others react to infringements of those rights.

Otherwise, by your logic, the US already recognized at least Scarborough Shore as Chinese when it refused to provide military support to the Philippines in 2012 despite being a treaty ally.

The original territorial waters were based on the range of coastal artillery.
Any claims, not recognized, not defended, are useless.

As for Scarborough Shore, there are multiple explanations.

 

[maximuswarrior]

The original territorial waters was based on the range of coastal artillery.
Any claims, not recognized, not defended, are useless.

As for Scarborough Shore, there are multiple explanations.

He schooled you there. Your explanation doesn't suffice.

As for China not defending the coastline LOL The last time I checked China was not only building the island, but inhabiting it the to the fullest. Stop being delusional.

LOL at these Indian fools. They can't prevent mass rape, but are obsessed with China. Talk about priorities.

 

[Raphael]

The original territorial waters was based on the range of coastal artillery.
Any claims, not recognized, not defended, are useless.

As for Scarborough Shore, there are multiple explanations.

This is a farcical explanation that only works during 19th century gunboat diplomacy. Your 'implicit' inference is more than negated by China's explicit position that it considers SCS islands its own territory and its explicit stationing of civilian and military infrastructure there.

LOL at these Indian fools. They can't prevent mass rape, but are obsessed with China. Talk about priorities.

I suspected he was a false flagger. Real Swedes have virtually native-level English; this guy's is odd and non-standard.

 

[Viet]

A country's sovereign rights are not affected by how they or others react to infringements of those rights.

Otherwise, by your logic, the US already recognized at least Scarborough Shore as Chinese when it refused to provide military support to the Philippines in 2012 despite being a treaty ally.

First. Chinese claim is not recognized by anybody. And as such, Chinese sovereignty does not exist in the sc sea.

Second. US defense treaty only covers the mainland of the Philippines. That stands in contrast to the Japanese islands which are covered by the bilateral US/JP treaty.

So you can push the "like" button on my post.

 

[Raphael]

First. Chinese claim is not recognized by anybody. And as such, Chinese sovereignty does not exist in the sc sea.

Second. US defense treaty only covers the mainland of the Philippines. That stands in contrast to the Japanese islands which are covered by the bilateral US/JP treaty.

1. China's territory is delimited by the Mandate of Heaven. It's totally irrelevant what other countries think because in rejecting China's territorial integrity, they are transgressing the will of Heaven.

2. There's no such thing as mainland and non-mainland of the PH. There is no mention of such a concept in the text of the Mutual Defense Treaty. PH is all one big archipelago.

 

[Suriya]

First. Chinese claim is not recognized by anybody. And as such, Chinese sovereignty does not exist in the sc sea.

Second. US defense treaty only covers the mainland of the Philippines. That stands in contrast to the Japanese islands which are covered by the bilateral US/JP treaty.

So you can push the "like" button on my post.

As far as i see China clearly intends to buy out the ASIAN countries with money one hand and military threat on the other hand to gain full control in SCS . Classic carrot and stick approach by china which ASIAN will fall in line sooner or later though it's violation of international norms .

Philipines has already given up to China while Vietnam is the most strident opposition . As long as there would be balancing combined interests of US , Japan , India , Australia resolved to taken on China the ASIAN countries would have to have heart to fight for their claims over SCS , otherwise china will usurp SCS for herself.

 

[Viet]

1. China's territory is delimited by the Mandate of Heaven. It's totally irrelevant what other countries think because in rejecting China's territorial integrity, they are transgressing the will of Heaven.

2. There's no such thing as mainland and non-mainland of the PH. There is no mention of such a concept in the text of the Mutual Defense Treaty. PH is all one big archipelago.

Senkakus is covered by defense treaty, while that of PN not.

As far as i see China clearly intends to buy out the ASIAN countries with money one hand and military threat on the other hand to gain full control in SCS . Classic carrot and stick approach by china which ASIAN will fall in line sooner or later though it's violation of international norms .

Philipines has already given up to China while Vietnam is the most strident opposition . As long as there would be balancing combined interests of US , Japan , India , Australia resolved to taken on China the ASIAN countries would have to have heart to fight for their claims over SCS , otherwise china will usurp SCS for herself.

How much are the Chinese willing to pay for buying out VN?

Remember this: if we are within the range of artillery of our enemy then they are in ours.

 

[oprih]

Another one of america's useless warning? Lol. How many times did they gave warnings, i'm guessing at least a hundred times already. Impressive, they truly are the sole superpower when it comes to giving warnings.