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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014.China warns Japan to stay out of dispute in South China Sea
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zaldaus
@ramesh Russia - a failed state? Hahahahahaha! You've made my day with that joke there my Indian friend. I think India is a great country, but your education system needs major improvement!
ramesh.j7458
China do not have any friends, except Russia , Pakistan, Iran and N Korea (Somaila might be).These so called friends are the failed states and this shows that those countries which are ruled out by the world, are closer to China. ( ha-ha no other choice) . ~~~ We should stop buying Chinese products, then only China will realize how important we are to their growth on which Chinese are proud off and hostile to others.
Love & Support from India.
25psot
Maybe China planing to partition Japan between China and Russia after defeating America in 3 World War so in this case domineering behavior of Chinese army can't be tolerated.
Fox Cloud Lelean
Funny thing about the facts of history: They change. It was once a "fact" that the world was flat. It was once a "fact" that women who could solve math problems were witches. It was once a "fact" that the sun revolved around the Earth. Facts of history are unreliable at best.
Fun fact about histroy #2: Maps are redrawn almost constantly. Therefore, historical maps cannot count as a reliable source of evidence. With many old maps, it is up to interpretation. There have been several ancient maps alleging to show Atlantis, yet we have never found it. Ancient maps tend to use the stars as guides, but stars don't stay in the same position in the night sky. The constellation of Orion is only visible in the Northern Hemisphere for half of the year. There are many constellations that seem to do this as well. Even the Pole Star. That won't remain as a marker for North forever, due to the Earth's tilting. In about 14,000 years, it'll no longer point north.
The "facts" that you have presented, Spokesperson, are all contestable in one form or another. Be it the usage of ancient maps as evidence, the case of Clipperton Island, or your analogy about the watch. In this day and age, there are too many people who would simply take it upon seeing it. China is like that finder, particularly with the Senkaku Islands.
If you still feel the need to present irrelevant names, random dates and questionable facts, go right ahead. Just know that you will not be taken seriously. China is in the wrong here. They are wrong on so many issues. They are trying to change the status quo by force, and they are trying to stop other nations from interfering, from protecting these nations that are being bullied. That is a fact. It is abundantly clear to everyone not blinded by China's propaganda.
Tom Webb
Countries claiming shoals, reefs, and small islands in the South China Sea should just built light houses and helo pads to counter China. They should permanent manned coast guard outposts on these shoals. The other countries should join to drill for oil in the South China Sea.
avigator
Yes, Japan is trying to bite more than it can chew. Not that I mean China is justified in all the territory hoarding. When China encroaches into other countries reasonable territorial and EEZ waters, it has a lot to say. As far as Senkakus, this one belongs to China.
Julian Garrett
The only rule that applies when thinking of China is simple - they do not respect any rule, they respect only strength. You can see this in everything they do, in every aspect of their foreign policy.
They try to divide their opposition, for instance the SCS and each territorial claim.
It is now more important than ever for each country join together to oppose them, this is the only way you have of surviving.
Noliving
Spokesman you are ignoring the fact that the island was contested until 1931 when international arbitration ruled that France had jurisdiction over the islands. Since 1931 every nation has respected the arbitration ruling and France has continuously since 1931 claimed ownership over it.
OssanAmerica
The answer is even easier. Let these issues be settled in the proper international court of jurisdiction. Any country that refuses and prefers to settle such disputes through intimidation and force should be censured on a global scale. And most certainly kicked off the UNPSC.
M3M3M3
@The Spokesman
I have no great answers for you. I will be the first to admit that. This has become an international dispute precisely because there are no easy answers when it comes to balancing all of the human interests and state claims. The need for black and white legal solutions seems to be why some people such as yourself find China's historical claims attractive since China's claims are basically plausible and easy to understand. However, I could just as easily ask 'why should the Philippines and other countries lose anywhere from 40% up to 90% of its fishing grounds?' I suspect you don't have such a confident answer to this question. Any solution is going to involve balacing all the claims and rethinking the entire EEZ system especially now that we are going to start mining the seabed.
By aggresively pursuing these EEZ claims in an unprecedented way, China has forced us all to rethink the EEZ system. They are attempting to use the rules to acheive something that was never contemplated by those who drew up the convention. If we do change the rules as a result of China's behaviour, you can call this racism or China bashing if you like, or you can just call it overreach on China's part. If China had stuck with claiming the Paracels, we probably wouldn't be talking about this or questioning the legitimacy of the entire EEZ system.
JoeBigs
We've made it easy for you to reply to a host of questions, but all you do is duck and roll. But, in an effort to play a tit for tat game I'll bit if you do the same....
1974 Communist China took and secured a section of the islands by force.
As to the ownership of the islands that has yet to be resolved and who knows the next battle might swing control of the islands to someone else.
My turn, since it appears that you're claiming that Communist China owns the Paracel Islands because they have it, does this mean that Senkaku belongs to japan?
Who owns the Islands, that's easy, just about everyone.
Communist China 6, Malaysia 7, Philippines 8, ROC 2 and Vietnam 6. If we were to use the owner by the amount of islands owned well then the Philippines is the winner.
But, the more oil and other natural resources are found the more and more Communist China will be sending it's invasion forces to take what they can. The harder they push the closer the world heads to another world war.
My turn, do you think that the use of force is better than taking these spats to the ICJ?
Pot shots, come on, your calling my page long rebuttals pot-shots?
Now, my last question, do you think that Communist China has the right to invade the Senkaku Islands?
I don't think that you will answer a single one of my questions, but don't worry, I am used to that. Folks put their hands over their eyes and avoid answering my questions all the time. Facts always debunk the propaganda and TPMs brought here by the 50-cent Army.
BTW, my position is as open as you can get. If you don't know it just look at my past posts on this topic and you will see it clear as day.
sf2k
Impound the rig and sue China. It can't just do whatever it wants because it will just claim ownership of the whole planet
heynong
It is possible if there are ethnic cleansing of Russians in Alaska and the residents will make the referendum for leaving from US. It is similar with Crimea residents referendum. However US will not allow it will happen and using the force for wiping out the separatists as civil war of North and South. Interestingly Alaska has become the Yankee of North and US mainland has become South.
Russia has been generous for giving a Crimea as gift to Ukraine in 1957. However it has taken back with referendum in 2014. There is nothing impossible for Putin as Obama's favorite slogan " Yes! we can!" Hope it will not happen during our lifetime. Russia empire has coming back!
anbinh
China is mad . Because of greed, it fails to see that under current law and order of the world it has gained enormously ; now it wants to steal everything from everyone to satisfy its greed . Imagine one day the world decides to take back all things stolen by China ! For example , America claims that the damage caused by Chinese espionage to American industries, universities is about 300 billions dollars a year. That is about 1,000 dollars per person per year. It means that a family of 4 in US is entitled to 4,000 dollars of compensation a year. It can mean that they just walk into shops and take 4000 dollars worth of merchandises Made in China, without paying anything ! Illogical ? Chaos?..Yes , but China must be very careful of what it has wished for.
KevinPhilipsBong
China is in for a big shock.
Kato_Koshiro
People comes up with so many theories about the Chinese matters (mostly over Japan's wartime blablabla and these fictitious territorial disputes) but forgets the most basic: All of these are not but the communist way of doing things. All written on the senseless works by Marx, Engels et caterva. So, while people tries to figure Japan's, Phillipine's Vietnam's etcetera cons, China goes inching untill they get what they want and setting their lies as truth by telling them a thousand times.
The Spokesman
I will make this easy.
Who owns the Paracels and why?
Who owns the Spratleys and why?
I will address the ramblings as soon as you guys show the courage to flesh out your own positions rather than take pathetic pot shots at mine.
Octagon
Interestingly Paracel Island has been under controlled by PRC since 1979. However there were no oil rig before. Just recently Obama toured S E Asian nations and reassured them, US will stand up for them. They had to be more assertive with PRC. If PRC is more provocative, a good guy will give the lesson to the bad guy. I guess PRC is testing the water how far US will go for S E Asia.
When the bad guy got drunk with digging the oil, a good guy did not demonstrate according the Asia pivot theory. I have sympathy for Vietnam and Philippines who has been deceived by Obama sweet talks.
Obama likes unfaithful boyfriend who has given the girl with sweet promise "I will definitely marry you". When naive and honest girl has bought wedding dress, he ran away with other girl. Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan are smart girls enough not to take that seductive boy seriously.
Sam Liu
Power=Land. you want it? u take it
M3M3M3
@The Spokesman
Regarding China, I see your point in bringing up the double standards that have existed throughout history. I don't think you are wrong to point this out. However I think what is somewhat different about the China situation is that the scope of the attempted land (or water) grab by China is unprecedented in recent modern history (although not historically unprecedented as you point out). The general feeling being that, regardless of the actual validity of China's claims, perhaps we, the international community should change the basis for how we have assessed the validity of historic claims so that no nation can change the statua quo as dramatically as China is attempting to do. Provided that the international community is working for the benefit of all nations as a whole, I would expect China to accept this even though China could get more by playing by 18th century rules. Unless we set clear rules now limiting the ability of nations to make such claims, these problems will just fester.
Regarding the lost property:
Yes, you report that you have taken possession of the property so that the owner with superior title may come forward within a limited time to claim it. The point you have to realise is that decendants have no superior claim to property by virtue of their being decendants (at least in Japan they don't). Neither do close friends or relatives. Only if a will has been drafted to explicitly grant you rights to the watch if it is ever found (which is unlikely), you might have a chance, but this will probably be ineffective in your example since the land on which it was found will likely have changed hands and your claim will be defeated by the sale. The law will see you as a third party with no special rights or title.
For further clarification, see the landmark case of 'Keepers v. Weepers (1916)' :)
JoeBigs
The reason no one takes you seriously is that your claims are based on the opinion that "what used to be is still" and that is just baseless.
Communist China wants was once part of those long dead kingdoms and that is just as insane as Nazis Germany demanding Austria, the Rhineland, Sudetenland and anywhere where folks spoke German. The Nazis didn't have a leg on and Communist China really doesn't have a leg either.
So, do you think that East Turkestan and Tibet deserve to be free from Communist control? Those two areas were never ever ruled by any ancient Chinese Communist. They were invaded and conquered by Communist China is the 20th century.
So what do you think?
So, using your analogy since Karl von Habsburg and Juan Carlos of Spain's ancestors ruled as kings of Jerusalem they have every right to claim Jerusalem and no one should object.
So, let's continue, Russia at one time owned Alaska and sold it. Using your analogy and logic If Russia wishes they could demand Alaska back because it was once theirs.
Okay, wait this is getting good.....Using more of your logic Mongolian actor Batdorj-in Baasanjab is the rightful heir to China and so the Communist Party should just hand it all over to him.
Okay one last one, since the Roman empire ruled Egypt the Italian Government has the right to force it's claim against the Egyptian nation!
I wonder if anyone will object and fight back against anyone trying to use your irrational logic? Nah, they would just say, "okay you can rule us"!
It's not that we haven't bothered to explain anything, the problem is that you haven't taken the time to read what anyone has said.
Most, if not all here have said the same thing, if Communist China thinks it has a real case then they should take their case before the ICJ and not use force to take what they think is theirs.
But, everyone here knows that Communist China won't do that because they know they will lose, so they will continue using force to take what isn't theirs.
There is a world for what they are doing, Imperialism.
Logic and reality are always cast aside when natural resources, money and food are in the mix.
The Spokesman
Sentiments, my purpose is fairness and consistency. Happy?
M3M3M3, LOL. You really ought to read your own links.
Not summarily and unilaterally take if for themselves you see. And in these cases its obvious who would dispute ownership, as if there were an inscription on the watch. No authority in the world would hand over such an item to the finder before checking with the person named or descendants.
But BAH. Enough of this. I have presented reasons why China has valid claims (but not necessarily the better claims) and all I have gotten is grief. None of you keyboard judges has bothered to explain who else should own these South China Sea islands or why. Its pretty sad your litany of "Just NOT China!" I am so glad none of you have any judicial powers.
Tohka
China says they "require". Last time the entire world checked, Japan is its own sovereign nation and not subject to the whimsical dark fantasies of the CCP, and entitled to form their own opinions, alliances and friendships.
Sentiments
Well some of things you state with certainty I have to agree with although I think its not really established as facts. I also find "anti-china" ranting a bit boring, and anti-japan ranting even more boring. But I think you have to admit that the situation with disputes in east and south china sea has escalated to a much more dangerous level by Chinas actions. The war mongering rhetorics is mainly coming from China. By the way names, dates and facts of history in a post does not make a rational argument. It is the purpose and context of meaning that make tools like names, dates and historical facts rational.
hatsoff
China wants to apply ancient history to the modern day. Essentially, this is a revisionist position and it's causing a problem because most other countries are not revisionist in the same sense. Otherwise in Europe we would have the Romans staking a claim on England, and the Celts counter-claiming, with the descendants of Angles and Saxons throwing in their claims for good measure - in fact, not just staking a claim but going to war over it.
China is prepared to go to war over these revisionist claims. It doesn't matter if the land was lost or given away way back in the (say) Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). For China, what matters is that it belonged to them back then so therefore it should belong to them now (though they will conveniently ignore any history that might show the land didn't belong to them before that).
The American pivot and a Japan that is interactive with other Asian nations could well be essential to keeping the peace in the years to come, albeit a peace marred by skirmishes and tensions. Still, that's better than outright war.
M3M3M3
@The Spokesman
Of course everyone might say that, but they (and you) would be wrong. See Art. 153 of the Chinese Civil Code on lost and abandoned property & Art. 240 of the Japanese Civil Code on finding lost property.
http://united-china.org/code_civil/article_1530.htm
http://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/Civil_Code_of_Japan/Part_II
The Spokesman
And I would love to talk to Martin de Chassiron and Michel Du Bocage who discovered and claimed Clipperton Island for France in 1711. But they died in the 18th century. Is France's claim now invalid? After all, when they discovered and claimed the island, France was a monarchy. Where is the monarchy now?
China is widely recognized to be an ancient country with a continuous history, right up until some people want to paint China as the Great Satan. Then suddenly whatever words said against China are deemed justice, every truth right along with every lie and everything invented on the spot, just so long as its anti-China.
And I don't even mind people calling China the Devil. I think we should be wary of China as well. But you got to give even the Devil his due. If we treat China unfairly, we hand China very real reasons to be defensive and warlike. That is stupid!
I am sure you want to believe that, but my posts are full of names, dates and facts of history. The emotion you seem to be detecting might be eminating from yourself.
Gaijin Desi
and JAPAN left the region, infact JAPAN shifted 500 miles toward USA in the pacific ocean
WilliB
To the contrary --- all the countries suffering from China`s aggression should cooperate to counter the threat. The Chinese polibureau wants to "divide and conquer".
Sentiments
JoeBigs is right. Spokesman's arguments are emotional and not very rational. The present is hopefully quite different from ancient times. Thus time matters when considering what is a reasonable claim or not. However much of Chinas rhetorics seem to be based on an ancient principal: Im big and strong and you are small and weak - therefore this is now mine. When we saw the same kind of logic coming from pre-war Germany, Italy and Japan we didn't react and that turned out to be a costly mistake. Now China is showing similar tendencies and we all better react in time.
paulinusa
"reality" and "realistic" are anything but when the Chinese government speaks.
trinklets2
With the recent conflict with the phils, Iam prone to believe that the missing Malaysian airline is a part of Chinese drama to reclaim what is not theirs.
JoeBigs
China warned Japan on Friday to stay out of a growing dispute with its neighbors over the South China Sea, as the Philippines implicitly accused Beijing of delaying talks aimed at a solution.
Communist China also wants the world press not to enter into this row. Propaganda works best when you control what is being reported and that is why Communist China wants everyone out of this row.
Ever wonder why thieves almost always commit crimes in darkness? Well, the same reason Communist China wants the world not to know what they are up to.
S, you're claiming that Communist China has a direct link to the Song, Ming, Tang, etc Dynasties? Can you provide a single official that lived during those dynasties that lives today. I would love to talk to them.
BTW, just because you send a trade ship to a nation doesn't mean you own that nation. It just means you are doing business.
Communist can't ever understand what trade between trade and oppression. In their world they mean the same thing.
Caesar was a real person who lived over 2000 years, all that is left of what he did are ancient texts. maps and statues. other than that there is nothing.
Same as with ancient China, it's past deeds were great, but that doesn't mean present Communist China can claim what has long passed.
Last time nations did this was in the 1930's and those illegal claims led to the worst war the war has ever known.
Communist china's greed is leading the world to the same point, another great war.
China may not, but the Communist Party that controls China does.
So, how is Document Number 9 treating you?
So if we follow your assertion that Communist China is asserting it's ancient rights to these waters, then Communist China (which has zero rights to those long dead empires claims) has the right to control all the seas except the Atlantic.
Let's see that means the Pacific and Indian oceans are also theirs not to mention any inlets, seas, lakes or rivers that those ancient Chinese traders visited.
So tell me, when should they demand all this?
So by your logic the Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Portugal and anyone else that has ever sent ancient ships anywhere in the world have a historical claim on all those seas and oceans, got it.
Wow, the world of illogical thinking is a grand place to live....
FizzBit
Breaking News!!
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei was heard off mic saying to Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung
The Spokesman
If France has a valid claim to Clipperton Island off Mexico and the U.K a valid claim to Gough Island off South Africa, then China has valid claims to Diaoyu, the Paracels, and the Spratleys. Anything else is just playing sides.
slumdog
A soon to be headline:
China warns the world that the world is China's.
oldman_13
Knowing Japanese politicians though, all bark no bite. They'll capitulate and bow down before their Chinese masters (despite all the supposed war mongering rhetoric).
The Spokesman
Fine by me if its uninhabited land. Why shouldn't each dynasty be considered the heir of the previous dynasty? If my grandfather dropped his watch in the woods, and it was found years after my father died, would you say it was up for grabs who could claim the watch, and say I had no other claim on it? Of course everyone would said I should get the watch. Well, at least everyone who did not simply despise me for nothing to do with the watch itself.
Fox Cloud Lelean
They are taking realistic actions to protect the region's peace and stability...from a tyrannical expansionist China that is trying to claim other territories as its own. China tries to pass itself off as the responsible adult, as it childish claims ownership of everything within sight. Bravo China. I seriously didn't think you could appear any more pathetic, but lo and behold; you've done it.
@Strangerland: You keep going on about how China isn't communist, despite the fact that that is of no importance in this or indeed any issue. They are still in the wrong here as they try to change the status quo by force, and warn their neighbours not to do just that. So they don't follow the tenets of Communism. So what? Point of interest: The ruling party is the Communist Party of China, the CPC. Whether they follow the tenets or not is their business. If you want to take the issue up with anyone, take it up with the CPC. None of us here want to hear about that time and again.
nath
China is not communist, as it does not follow the tenets of communism. Therefore 'this China' is not communist china.
The Spokesman
I see you have the internet. That just means you refuse to use it.
Tell me what part of Song and Tong dynasty era relics on the Paracels is "yet to be proven". I guess you can just refuse to believe anything if you want to. Even begin to claim Julius Caesar was not a real person if it suits your agenda.
What is silly is denying that the Unites States of America got to be so large for murdering its way from sea to shining sea, and then some. You think Hawaii was come by honestly or bloodlessly? Sure, there was that apology in 1993 but you will note that Hawaii was not returned to the native Hawaiians. Native Americans also got apologies but are confined to reservations.
You just relax knowing the dead cannot speak for themselves and the living claimants have no power and fear reprisal. The U.S. never failed to get all Wounded Knee or Remember the Alamo on anybody whose land it wanted and could not buy for cheap enough.
China is playing damned nice by comparison.
Mar044
setup harpoon anti ship batteries, japan should defend itself
Wyandotte Nation
Hiring a land surveying company is the only legally acceptable way of settling property disputes.... I haven't seen or heard anything like that...I think they all should use the land, and Island's for a limited period of time, like a time share...Why war, and lose life, limb or even loose face over it??? Share with your neighbors...
jerseyboy
The Spokesman -- that is just a silly comment, but then your whole line of thinking is silly:
Respectfully, it has yet to be proven that China's clains are "real and valid". It is just your opinion. That is what the whole argument is about. By the way, do you include the Senkaku's in that thinking? Because if you do, then it shows you are just making up a bunch of nonsense. And if you don't, then you are admitting that their claims are "contrived". So which is it?
Hashiriya714
It's the Chinese communist ruling party political leaders and its communist military are the problems in my opinion not the 98% of the everyday Chinese citizens ( men, women, and children ) trying to make a living. It's those greedy over zealous extreme nationalistic 2% in my opinion.
CrazyJoe
China's big stick (gunboat) diplomacy.
The Spokesman
It depends on how you count. If you count by the number of countries involved, its five.
Not true. None of China's claims are contrived. China's claims are real and valid, but maybe not the better claim in all cases. Where China can be called bully is in their recent actions, but not the claims. But hey, China has just taken note that such actions has won territory for everybody else. Nobody is doing anything to honor China's historical claims, so China has to take a new tack.
KariHaruka
Whats the matter China? Afraid that all your neighbours will make a pact with each other?
sfjp330
The SpokesmanMay. 24, 2014 - 08:01AM JSTI don't understand what is illogical with a historical claim. With the Spratleys you have the Philippines making claims based on their continental shelf. I guess Spain should claim Portugal then? Or Puerto Rico should claim the Virgin Islands? Obviously previous ownership trumps continental shelves. What I find illogical is the attempt to deny China's historical claims to small islands no one else is really using.
Those islands are subject to competing claims by other nations, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and Taiwan. In 1996, China ratified the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. That multilateral treaty includes detailed rules on the calculation of territorial waters, generally limiting territorial claims to waters no further than 12 nautical miles from shore and those rules were inconsistent with China’s assertion of sovereignty over the South China Sea. China, despite treaty obligations, has been laying the groundwork to close off the South China Sea to other nations. In 2011, China stated that they have “three million square kilometers of territorial waters.” It was impossible for the country to get to that figure without including its claim to most of the 2.6 million square kilometers of the South China Sea.
Moreover, China made it even clearer when it asserted that the islands in the South China Sea “and surrounding waters” were “part of China’s core interests.” By using “core interests,” China was signaling it could never compromise China’s sovereignty over either the islands or those waters. All islands and waters inside the line, therefore, are China’s, at least according to the Chinese. Last year, Beijing used force to seize Philippine territory, Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Why is this important? The world has prospered because of trade conducted freely over wide seas lanes and air routes. So China’s claim to the South China Sea, if permitted to stand, will mark the end of the open architecture of the Post-War world. On the China’s sea claims there can be no compromise. Either the South China Sea is Chinese or it is international water. The stakes for China and for the international community are hard to overstate.
presto345
China is doing a lot of warning. What is the secret purpose? I wonder who comes up with these ridiculous statements all the time. Probably a fiction writer doubling in a role for the commies.
Shinju_87
Technically, Japan only have 3 disputes, the Senkaku Islands, claimed by Japan, China and Taiwan, Takeshima/Dokdo, claim by Japan and South Korea, and the Northern Territories, claimed by Russia. in the South China Seas alone, China have at least 5 disputes in the area, in addition, China have 5 more disputes outside the South China Sea.
In reality, China is a huge bully that is just trying to get everything it can get it's hands on. Disgusting.
PnoyMafia7thFLT
China's territories are within the confines of Great Wall of China. ***Tianamen Square Uprising Democracy Movement a massacre against their own People of Repuplic of China" Anniversary coming up on JUNE 4th. Never Forget.
The Spokesman
I don't understand what is illogical with a historical claim. With the Spratleys you have the Philippines making claims based on their continental shelf. I guess Spain should claim Portugal then? Or Puerto Rico should claim the Virgin Islands? Obviously previous ownership trumps continental shelves.
What I find illogical is the attempt to deny China's historical claims to small islands no one else is really using.
Japan has disputes with 5 neighbors. The number of disputes does not help us understand anything.
America has no disputes that I know of because it tends to kill or jail claimants. Native Americans often consider reclaiming their territory but the threat of death and jail keeps them silent. With the exception of Tibet and other inhabited lands that don't want to be part of China, I will take China's historical claims any day to these pure opportunists.
overchan
There will never be an east asian alliance. China and Japan are by far very different countries.
Seiryuu_Dan
pathetic, China.
Steven C. Schulz
How about not? How about Japan becoming a core of a new East Asian alliance?
overchan
The axis has been always like that. But germany japan and italy are now with the allies.vhooe that france dont surrender this time
sfjp330
China is asserting its position by claiming historical rights to these waters. And the disputes are based on China's illogical principles that are unlikely to be resolved. China’s historical claims what its fleets did in the past, way before Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas more than 600 years ago. Ming Dynasty sent out a large fleet of trading ships to explore and trade with the rest of the world. If historical claims can define jurisdiction over waters and oceans, the Chinese can point to the fact that 600 years ago they sailed these waters unchallenged. Sure sounds like a strong evidence by China.
MarkG
I prefer China stay out of disputes in the South China Sea.
jerseyboy
If my math is correct, I count 6 countries that China has disputes with currently. Anyone NOT think the U.S. pivot is a good idea now?
Yuki Nomose
effect of "steel pact" with Russia, Third World War is coming.