US Navy to guard "freedom of navigation" in Asia

[tunguska]

MANILA — The captain of a US supercarrier said Thursday the US Navy's presence in Asia would help safeguard "freedom of navigation", amid China's claims to sovereignty over vast waters in the region.

The commander of the USS George Washington, which is on a port call to the Philippine capital, said the United States was not taking sides in territorial disputes but stood firmly for keeping sea lanes open.

"One of the reasons we deploy throughout the region is so we can carry forth the banner of freedom of navigation. It is very important to us given the trade that travels throughout the region on the seas," Captain Gregory Fenton said.

However Fenton emphasised his ship's visit to Manila was a routine event and not related to the recent tensions between the Philippines, a close US ally, and China over rival claims to parts of the South China Sea.

He told reporters aboard the Japan-based carrier that the United States took no sides and hoped the countries involved would settle the disputes diplomatically.

The Philippines has been moving closer to the United States, its main defence ally, since a stand-off began in April with China over the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

China claims the shoal as well as nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters close to the coasts of neighbouring countries. The Philippines says the shoal is well within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

The South China Sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans, giving it enormous trade and military value.

Most of the seaborne trade, including of oil and gas, between Europe and the Middle East and East Asia passes through the sea.

Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims to the parts of the sea.

The USS George Washington's public affairs officer, Lieutenant Commander James Stockman, said the vessel had passed through the South China Sea on its way to the Philippines.

AFP: US Navy to guard "freedom of navigation" in Asia

 

[Tshering22]

Well it is needed. The US presence would save a bloodbath in east Asia.

If this situation is allowed to escalate, it will be a devastating war between China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines.

And to make it worse if the situation escalated in the far east, even Japan and South Korea would get involved.


It may sound funny but we have to accept that on rare occasions a US intervention has prevented the worst from happening.

 

[gambit]

Well it is needed. The US presence would save a bloodbath in east Asia.

If this situation is allowed to escalate, it will be a devastating war between China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines.

And to make it worse if the situation escalated in the far east, even Japan and South Korea would get involved.


It may sound funny but we have to accept that on rare occasions a US intervention has prevented the worst from happening.

Here is one interesting way of looking at China's behavior...

China's Assertive Behavior Makes Neighbors Wary : NPR

Others argue that China is suffering from a lack of coherent foreign policy.

"The basic reason for this foreign policy vacuum is that China is rising very quickly," says Wang Zheng, an expert on Chinese foreign policy at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. "It's not really ready for playing a role as a global power. That's totally different from being a regional power. You must have a strong foreign policy, and Beijing needs more time to prepare itself."

Shirk argues that in such disputes, China's position has been determined not by central decision-making but by "puny bureaucratic actors" able to push their own agenda because of a lack of internal coordination.

Speaking of tensions in the South China Sea over a small group of islets known as the Scarborough Shoal by the Philippines and Huangyan Island by China, she says, "This was manufactured, stirred up by agencies like the fishing agency, the marine surveillance people, who wanted to use nationalism to get more power and influence for themselves. China's leaders are not managing their collective leadership particularly well, so they're not able to exercise effective restraint over these bureaucratic interests."

 

[Fanling Monk]

LOL if the Mighty One wants to come this part of Pacific, just come. Why all these boloney excuses.

 

[USAHawk785]

The Mighty One never left the area.