REPORT
Why China’s Land Grab Is Backfiring on Beijing
Beijing is alarming its neighbors by building artificial islands in the South China Sea. From Tokyo to Jakarta, countries in the region are pushing back hard.
BY
DAN DE LUCE,
C.K. HICKEY,
KEITH JOHNSON | DECEMBER 7, 2015, 4:29 PM
Japan is jettisoning decades of World War II pacifism. Communist Vietnam is buying arms from the United States, its old enemy. The Philippines is inviting U.S. forces back 25 years after kicking them out. Even tiny Singapore is getting in on the action, allowing U.S. Navy surveillance
aircraft to use bases on its territory.
The culprit? China, whose expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea are triggering a wary and at times angry response by neighbors from Tokyo to Jakarta. Alarmed at what they see as Beijing’s bid to dominate the strategic waterway, nations there are spending billions on ships, submarines, planes, and other military hardware and actively seeking closer defense ties with Washington and with each other.
That’s good news for the Obama administration, whose vaunted “rebalance to Asia” has been hampered by upheaval in the Middle East. Now, China’s land grab is rejuvenating the American effort, clearing the way for the United States to sell billions of advanced weaponry to China’s neighbors, while spending $250 million of its own money on new hardware like patrol ships, better surveillance, and communications gear.
Here is an interactive map that illustrates why so many countries are worried about China’s actions in the South China Sea. From Hainan Island just off the Chinese coast to militarized outposts in the Spratly and Paracel island groups, China has sketched a triangle of potential domination which could enable air defense zones, aggressive naval patrols, and radar and air defense stations.
why-chinas-land-grab-is-backfiring-on-beijing (I can't post interactive maps, apologies)
This second interactive map shows what China’s neighbors are doing in response to Beijing’s land grab.
(See above)
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Old article, but I believe it is relevant reading. While it does make spurious claims* it outlines the problem with China's approach.
*(Indonesian defence pact with Vietnam and Japan is bullishit, it's not a self-defence pact, just cooperation in training and arms trade.)
As Indonesian, I tend to be supportive of most of the stuff China does, the SCS drama isn't one of them.
Yes, Maritime borders are a pain in the ***, as a citizen of an archipelagic nation, I'm well aware of that. Problem is, there are certain absolutes when it comes to squabbling.
One of them being: "Do not extend your claim into another nation's EEZ, unless said sea area can be rightfully claimed as part of your EEZ as well."
See image:
And no. "Building artificial islands to extend your EEZ" is blatant cheating.
It becomes especially grating when we have to deal with China claiming that our EEZ is "Traditional Chinese Fishing Grounds". Prior to this, Indonesia was more than willing to sit on the bylines since we have repeatedly stressed that we are not a claimant of the South China Sea.
Problem is, the 9-dash line is...
excessive and even claims Indonesian EEZ, which extends from Natuna, an
inhabited island.
Indonesia doesn't want trouble, but China knocked in such a way that even a non-claimant nation had its sovereignty infringed.
Which resulted in:
China is making its own problems, and any headache it gets from the SCS is one it clearly deserves.