China’s military establishment assures us that their development of the offensive capability that inherently adheres to an aircraft carrier is for purely defensive purposes. Regional neighbors have nothing to fear. Or else:
Tensions in the potentially resource-rich South China Sea flared as Vietnam accused China of sabotaging a seismic survey boat while China warned its neighbors to stop looking for oil in the disputed territory without its permission.
Beijing’s efforts to extend the reach and influence of its military, alongside its hunger for natural resources, have contributed to mounting worries in recent months over the stability of the South China Sea.
The conflict has escalated into a series of clashes between Vietnamese exploration craft and Chinese patrol boats and a worsening war of words with the Philippines.
The coming resource wars will first be fought across the spectrum of conflict within reach of the second island chain. In time, they will extend through the strait of Malacca and into the Indian Ocean and beyond, to the so-called third island chain.
You watch.
Wow. 40 years ago, CHI-COMS and Vietnam were all buddy-buddy against the “Imperialist Running Dogs”…now it seems as Uncle Mao’s kids are the NEW Imperialist Running Dogs….that’s gotta bust a few rice bowls eh?
” The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand ” Sun Tzu
SK1:
Before the French took over Indochina, the Chinese had invaded and occupied Vietnam. The Vietnamese spent 1000 ( yes, three zeros ) years fighting them to recover their country. Fewer than 90 years later, here came the French. Followed by us (US).
When you read Vietnamese history, you can better understand why not all of them welcomed us to their land. Would that our “leaders” had a better knowledge of world history. US Presidents, from W. Wilson on made poor decisions in regards to the Vietnamese.
Paul
You left out the short border-war/major skirmishes they fought with China shortly after our departure as well, Paul. Yes, no love-loss there..
VX:
Yes, I did. Thought about including that, but figured that most of y’all would know about them. I don’t think as many know about the 1000 years of struggle between the Vietnamese and Chinese pre-1600s.
Thanks for your addition.
Paul
Cam Ranh Bay has a nice harbor I’ve been told…no small savage irony were we invited back as protectors..stranger things have happened…better hit google-earth to see if the twin runways at DaNang are in shape as well..we just might be going back again sometime in the near future–and not as tourists either.. At least we know the way..
Saayy, they STILL are Francophiles culturally, maybe I can become Barbancourt’s distributer for Vietnam. Better phone ahead and see if my old quarters at 31 Phan Boi Chau in DaNang are avail for rent..
The ComSta beach at Cam Ranh was especially nice with big coral heads for snorkeling, although you had to watch out for the sea snakes.
I would volunteer to be your Barbancourt Regional Manager (Beach Division).
Back to the topic at hand, I think you nailed it, Lex. We used to patrol around the Spratley Islands and if anyone has a claim I would think it would be the Philippines. Just a matter of time until…
How about a couple cold Ba-Moui-Ba?
“You watch”. Yep, we can all pretend to be our own government and watch all we want with little or no preventive action being taken. In fact, I think I’ll send some more technology over to China so they can make stuff for me and I’m sure their promises not to copy my techno know-how are trustworthy.
i wonder what effect China’s collapsing housing bubble and their male/female population imbalance is going to have on their drive for international power.
red, it puts an expiration date on what they can do. They’re already looking at a demographic crash that will make ours and the Japs look like a day in the park.
We’ll have to wait and watch what kind of carrier the Chinese build. If it’s a Russian style carrier, then I don’t think we have an much to worry about from the direction. If they Finlandize the region, then things could be dicey, as I think they will demand more than Ivan did in Finland. basing and other things come to mind.
The Philippines are going to regret throwing us out, assuming we are able to keep things together ourselves. I don’t see us getting an invite back to Vietnam either. However, the Barbancourt franchise may be available regardless.
Wasn’t this called the Greater South-East Asian Sphere of Co-Prosperity, last time around?
Shadow, that was the “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.” The Japanese grand plan for their Empire prior to getting their asses kicked in the Pacific War.
Lex: No offense, but I really hate it when a blogger links to an article that’s behind a paywall.
Wolfwalker, that’s a ‘pay-sieve’ rather than a paywall.
As with any WSJ article, just plunk “Tensions in the potentially resource-rich South China Sea flared as Vietnam accused” into Google, pick the first result, and you have the whole enchilada. ‘Cuz Google & WSJ have a ‘thing’ going.
China insists people ask permission to look for oil in “disputed territory… meanwhile, we offer drilling leases to them in the Gulf of Mexico.
Sounds like someone thought this out very well!?
So does this mean, since China objects to others drilling in their ‘gulf’, that they’d be willing to back off from drilling in ours?