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U.S. stands by Japan on island dispute with China

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As the Pentagon well knows, a war unfolding in the Asia-Pacific region would most likely be fought at sea and in the air, which may not require the US to act since Japan is highly capable in these two areas -- in fact, far more advanced than China which will take another generation to catch up to Japanese capabilities.

While Japan may want to deal with Chinese aggression on its own, even if only to demonstrate its dominance in such an arena, the US is committed and determined to act with overwhelming force in the protection of the islands of Japan against any invasion.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Displease China and we'll have riots in the iPhone factory. Still, America had better stick by her close ally of 68 years. China needs to realize that.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Tamarama

CCP is evil as Zenpun agreed with your post. I have no idea why are you bashing someone agreed your post. Did he or she has to say CCP is saint who has clean of blood from Hands like west. His post is PRC and Australia has no conflict. If Australia is too biased, it will hurt the Australia interest too. Australia can not behave like Veto power nation of UN security council. Australia interest is peace between US and PRC. Not provocation or inflammation as PRC is coming soon. It has no credibility about pleasing right wing propaganda.

The Clinton speech is ABOUT Chinese aggression, my friend. She says so explicitly.

I sadly have to repeat my old post for Clinton confusion. Clinton was discharged from hospital from blood clot of her brain. She is becoming demented too. She may confuse China as Japan. When did China invade Japan? Japan was an aggressor. Although it is becoming peaceful since end of WWII, there are some elements of extreme nationalism. Where did you get the evidence China will use the force for dispute? It is true China made so much noise. However some posts like you are pretty exaggerated.

so it's wierd that you site them at all in a conversation about Chinese aggression. Where do you hear all this stuff? Media? TV? Seems to be a common response from you guys.

Actually China was very cruel to their country men and women. However it is fair to say that Media or TV or some of your posts have exaggeration too. If Australia do not like the criticism and negative publicity, so am PRC. It is reasonable for their sensitivity for portraying them as aggressor. Reality is Clinton own nation is a bully, cold blooded and aggressor. She is a incompetent secretary of states and achieved nothing in her term. She repeated her same speech countless times. No wonder media got bored with her and wish for her happy retirement.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Zenpun

I'm struggling to follow that you are trying to say, but if you don't think the death of 80 million people is a form of genocide, you probably need to check either your history, or definitions.

I don't know why you keep banging on about China as evil and aggressor for everything. It is not relevant with Cliton speech.

The Clinton speech is ABOUT Chinese aggression, my friend. She says so explicitly.

It's interesting to see the kind of nationalist propaganda you guys are sprouting. Why are we talking about Australia at all - it's not relevent. But Australians are perfectly aware of the crimes commited against the Indigenous peoples of Australia, it's well known and one of the darkest chapters of the country's history. The Prime Minister apologised in Parliament for it. As they are aware of the racism that existed during the Gold Rush. The people of the US are the same - those historical facts are not whitewashed at all, so it's wierd that you site them at all in a conversation about Chinese aggression. Where do you hear all this stuff? Media? TV? Seems to be a common response from you guys.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The Chinese Communist Party is reponsible for the deaths of possibly 80 million Chinese people from 1949 through war, persecution during the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap forward and severe starvation through incompetent mismanagement in the pusuit of Russian Nuclear Technology.

It is true CCP is evil. However you posted about past 100 years history. There were many years before CCP ruled China. It is fair to say that China was sick and punch bag of western powers. Mao rule is between 1949 to 1976. You could not wipe out the 100 yrs history with China failure. Unlike US and Australians, they have no genocide or slavery policy for that 100 yrs.

I don't know why you keep banging on about Australia and the US - it's not relevent!

I don't know why you keep banging on about China as evil and aggressor for everything. It is not relevant with Cliton speech.

The Chinese Communist Part has been very active in killing it's own people, as well as the funding of madmen like Pol Pot who followed Chinas lead and killed millions of his own people in Cambodia in the 70's.

CCP killed many own people with extreme ideology. It was barbaric. Western power killed many Chinese with opium and war too. Unlike US or Australia, Chinese were not settlers who wiped out the almost entire population of natives. West have no moral high ground for double standard and hypocrisy.

These are just historical facts.

Your historical facts are about 1970s. It is not the one you posted past 100 years. 1970s and 2010s are less than half century. You have to add more previous years for Chinese horrific crimes. However you can not wash the history like right wing politicians. West treated their domestic dogs better than long tail and inferior Chinese in history. Example was Victorian gold rush.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Nathaw

The Chinese Communist Party is reponsible for the deaths of possibly 80 million Chinese people from 1949 through war, persecution during the Cultural Revolution and the Great Leap forward and severe starvation through incompetent mismanagement in the pusuit of Russian Nuclear Technology.

I don't know why you keep banging on about Australia and the US - it's not relevent!

The Chinese Communist Part has been very active in killing it's own people, as well as the funding of madmen like Pol Pot who followed Chinas lead and killed millions of his own people in Cambodia in the 70's.

These are just historical facts.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Tamarama

Past 100 years, China was a opium addicted and bullied and humiliated by western powers and Japan. If you have been Shanghai concession area, some parks and building were restricted to Chinese as No Dog and Chinese are allowed. During that period, Domestic dogs were well fed and treated better by Westerners. In Australia, during the gold rush, many Chinese labors were abused, canned and tortured. Some were killed by racists miners and hungry farmers. Both US and Australia has genocide policy for natives. They treated imported labors as slaves and they were very cruel to poor immigrants.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Im happy that USA will help us in any event of chinese miscalculation.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

In fact people republic is a peaceful nation who is free of genocide to native or free of slaving neighboring nations.

Wow. You musn't know much about the past 100 years of Chinese history my friend.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

In fact people republic is a peaceful nation who is free of genocide to native or free of slaving neighboring nations. Both US and Japan grabbed plenty of lands since their settlement. Both Japan and US natives have been kicked off from their soil.US had slavery system until civil war. Both US and Japan invaded and bullied other nations. US force killed a lot of innocent civilians and they blamed intelligence error or friendly fire or software malfunction. No one such as Bush or Cheney is accountable for unreasonable war crime.

Whatever Clinton said Taiwan or PRC will not concern or lose the sleeps at nights. She even could not protect her ambassador from terrorist attack. She has been discharged from hospital recently due to life threatening blood clot. No wonder she is disoriented and aggressive.

For PRC and Taiwan the course of Diaoyu is not depending on others. They will wish her happy retirement in 2013.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

China, this is the chance for your reflection and repent! Chose the path of peace ,peace for tibet, peace for xinjiang peace for your neighbors...and you will see the world will smile at you ,again. you already have a very vast ,beautiful country with tremendous mountains rivers, fertile soil huge ocean...stop there and let others live.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Here we go again.. The Americans sticking their noses where it does not belong.. It is time to mind their own business at home, before the whole thing comes crashing down around their ears. The American Party is over so it is time to clean up your BIG MESS.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

I think that what is new is the last paragraph mentioning Algeria, because I believe it can be ascertained that Japan built the gas field in Algeria and China is financing developments projects and has sent many workers for road construction in Algeria and Mali. Could Clinton's hope for a new dialogue between Japan and China be viewed in regard to this attack by a disgruntled group of religious extremists -- of whatever creed or national origin -- making investments vulnerable in southern Algeria's gas fields?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

"rescinding apologies and white-washing history? by visiting shrines that honor class A war criminals and/or appeal to the right-wingers? by buttering up the US and other Asian nations to 'surround China'? by increasing the defense budget? by claiming sexual slavery never happened? by claiming there is no dispute on the island issue?"

Has China apologized for Mao's mass slaughter of his own people? (You say he did not, I say he did). Do Chinese visit Mao shrine and honor him, a class A killer in our eyes? Do China angered Southeastern nations through territorial contentions or is it caused by Japan? Does Chinese KMT set up "Military Paradise" everywhere that hired thousands of sex slaves? Who increases defense budget? Who to decide which island belong to which nation?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Quite frankly Smith, any country is free to write its history however it wishes and to say otherwise is a serious infringement of sovereignty. To link historical interpretation to territorial dispute (excepting of course the parts SPECIFICALLY related to the disputed area) is specious and America is partially at fault for letting China get that much rope for it.

As for the defense budget, don't forget which country it is that is expanding it at 10% or so every year (hint: it is not Japan).

It is clear that the appeasement policy has uttered failed with the Chinese and Koreans anyway. There IS something to the uyoku's characterization of those two countries as the "Special Asia".

@The Article Itself Good, Hilary, but when will Americans realize that there is really no negotiation when it comes to territorial sovereignty? It is a ONE or ZERO affair in the end.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

As you say, there's nothing new in what she says. HOWEVER... since China keeps pressing and pressing, and hoping that "a lie repeated often enough becomes the truth", the U.S. likewise needs to keep reiterating, "Look, we know what you're doing, and we will still be standing here no matter how long you push against the door."

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Another misleading headline: they back Japan's ADMINISTRATION of the islands. Nowhere did the US say they are Japan's sovereign territory; in fact, they intentionally stay away from stating one way or the other whom the islands belong to.

“While Japan will not concede and will uphold our fundamental positions that the Senkaku islands are an inherent territory of Japan, we intend to respond calmly so as not to provoke China,”

Yeah, right. By rescinding apologies and white-washing history? by visiting shrines that honor class A war criminals and/or appeal to the right-wingers? by buttering up the US and other Asian nations to 'surround China'? by increasing the defense budget? by claiming sexual slavery never happened? by claiming there is no dispute on the island issue?

Nah.... not provoking anything at all while hiding behind the legs of Uncle Sam.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Some vou China supporters are really living in a dream world. -The United States is NEVER going to back RED CHINA, a one party authoritarian dictatorship against a democratic allied Japan. -The United States is NEVER going to allow China to take any part of a Japanese prefecture that is home to the largest U.S. Military presence in Asia.

The U.S. is fully aware of China's intent to challenge U.S. strategic dominance in the region and that their attempts to take the Senkakus, an attempt to break the First Island Chain, is challenge to the U.S. as well as Japan. And that China's expansion agenda encompasses the Eat and South China Seas, violating the territorial sovereignty of Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam. Finally hold US treasuries does not permit China to "own" or "control" the United States. Those assests will be seized and frozen the moment any hostilities break out.
5 ( +7 / -2 )

With deepest sorrow for the Japanese, I inform you now of the close economic relationship as International Plutocrats, the very rich Chinese and very rich Americans are. Please realize that is not by miscalculation that the riches industrial, manufacturing, Scientific, have been transferred to China these past three decades, (after Nixon went off the Gold Standard) Fact is: The Uber Rich of this world, who wield the American military machine as their personal tool of suppression of the masses (Sunni/Shia in Iraq and Saddam who would challenge the U.S. "Petro-Dollar) have granted controlling shares in the U.S. Economy to China, not Japan and are proceeding in building a Pan Eurasian Empire. Even the miraculous Thorium LFTR reactor technologies were transferred, when Japan needs this just to survive in this 21st Century economic reality. Japan will do as these plutocrats see fit, even at the hand of the U.S. military. multi-national corporate investments have spoken.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

China and U.S. cant have an armed confrontation it would be bad for all parties invovled. True U.S. has debt to china but war means that debt is thrown out the window and thats important income china wont get. Remember china was i guess you could say under developed. Withe The help of the west china was built into what it is today. Take those western corporations looking for cheap labor out of china that could be a blow too.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

It's pretty sad that in other articles we have posters bitching about the USA even being here and here we have people condoning USA action against china if they get aggressive ...even touting the fact that there is a agreement with Japan. Japanese people only one the USA here when it suits their needs other than that they have absolutely no use for the navy or military.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

To even think of war is pathetically stupid!

Let's remember that Cina is a nuclear power and That Japan is full of nuclear reactors-the US is downwind of Japan!!!!

Think about it.....

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Do you think Hillary Clinton's timing for this support goes hand in hand with Japan saying it will support and sign the child abduction laws? This is all public relations smoke and mirrors.

China has become a very powerful nation, militarily and financially. The dislike that China and Japan have for each other goes back a long time. This is well known. America and Japan have been allies since the end of WW II. China's exports to Japan and America are enormous, as well as to the rest of the world.

This dispute over the islands is now world news and going to take a long and slow process to resolve. Using international diplomacy that all the world can witness. To say a military conflict is going to happen and America is going to join in, I think is the crazy thing here.

Anything is possible, but right off the bat to start talking about military conflicts between all involved. Is jumping way ahead of the whole process, that should take place in order to make final agreement.

I have seen any information about, trading freezes, financial sanctions or assets being seized as possible solutions in the discussions. Right away to military conflict as the topic.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Really, don't underestimate the Chinese. They fought the US and her allies to a standstill in Korea and they were much further behind, in technological terms, to their enemies then, than they are now

And don't overestimate the USA. All great/superpowers have that one war too far moment, from the Romans in the forest of Teuteborg to the USSR in Afghanistan. <

Really, don't overestimate the Chinese. If it comes to full-out, WWII level war, where both sides use all of the weapons that they have to kill as many of the other side as possible, China will lose, and, odds are, the Chinese will be able to kill enough Americans on native soil to fire a reaction analogous to WWII. Comparing this conflict to the essentially regional conflicts such as Korea or Afghanistan where the gloves were/are on is myopic in the extreme. Many Americans and Japanese already quietly see China as an existential threat. The common folks are hoping for the best but are prepared for the worst. It wouldn't take very many deaths to change that to active "all-in" resistance.

China has demographic and supply issues that would be quite easy to exploit during a global conflict. Having a ton of people to feed provides a short-term military advantage, but when a country has done so much for so long to threaten its neighbors, I find it quite difficult to see how those long supply lines could be turned into an advantage...

5 ( +5 / -0 )

We oppose any unilateral actions that would seek to undermine Japanese administration.

Is there anything about the use of the word "administration" that leaves things unclear? There is? Good - this is diplomacy.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

"We oppose any unilateral actions that would seek to undermine Japanese administration," Clinton told a joint news conference with Kishida.

This is a no-brainer. The United States doesn't want to see a repeat of Woody Island happening to the Senkaku Islands. The U.S. does not want to be in a position where they would be facing down Chinese fighter aircraft taking off from Uotsuri-jima.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

With Chinese descendants ruling Taiwan, China will take possession of the strategically important island nation soon. What's left to counter Chinese advances are Japan and the Philippines. Both are Chinese haters; both own world class deep sea naval bases as well as air force bases which, possibly, will be available USA.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

hidingoutJan. 19, 2013 - 06:02PM JST

Hey Dog - you make it sound like on their craziest day ever the communist chinese would dare risk an open fight with the USA. That's never going to happen.

Really, don't underestimate the Chinese. They fought the US and her allies to a standstill in Korea and they were much further behind, in technological terms, to their enemies then, than they are now

And don't overestimate the USA. All great/superpowers have that one war too far moment, from the Romans in the forest of Teuteborg to the USSR in Afghanistan.

Both the USA and China have an inflated sense of selve, which is a very dangerous situation to be in. Add this to Japan's misguided intransigence about what is or isn't sovereign Japanese soil and you have a very dangerous situation.

Only last week the Japanese hinted that they might fire warning shots on planes that infringe the Senkaku airspace and the Chinese have stated that such an act would be interpreted as an act of military aggression and be met with military action by China The Economist this week has some good articles on this.

If you get a chance, try to watch some Chinese TV, it's quite frightening, they are really talking of the question of conflict with japan as being one of when, rather than if.

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

Hey Dog - you make it sound like on their craziest day ever the communist chinese would dare risk an open fight with the USA. That's never going to happen.

3 ( +7 / -3 )

TamaramaJan. 19, 2013 - 03:53PM JST

At the end of the day, I think China will make a huge blunder and will lose out badly if they press ahead with this. Japan are playing this calmly and very tolerantly - imagine if the roles were reversed. The US and Japanese Navies will school the Chinese. There is nothing to gain at all here for China.

You forget that it is America that needs a deep sea fleet of carriers to project its military will over the China seas. China can operate from airbases on the mainland and I'm not sure of the ratio but an estimate done by the Royal Navy during the Falklands, calculated that a carrier based attack needs a 3:1 supremecy to be effective against a land based enemy.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

The United States insists it is neutral on the ultimate sovereignty of the islands—known as the Senkaku in Japanese and the Diaoyu in Chinese—but that they are under the de facto administration of Japan.

@TamaramaJan. :

The islands are Japanese territory and the US are obliged to honor their part of the Mutual Cooperation Treaty.

If you support the US's position then you can't neglect the US only recognize JP's administration, because even the US is JP's best friend, he knew the fact that it's sovereignty belongs to Taiwan(ROC), It's simple the US can't lie for JP.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Elbuda MexicanoJan. 19, 2013 - 03:40PM JST

China needs to make problems with Japan, so as to get their masses angry at Japan and focus their anger at Japan and so they will not have time nor energy to be angry at Beijing, with all the corruption going on in Beijing who are screwing the average Chang and Lee in China, IMHO

You could substitute Japan for China and Beijing for Tokyo, and it would be equally true. Both are failed political systems domestically.

-9 ( +3 / -11 )

wakawaka225Jan. 19, 2013 - 03:36PM JST

What are the chances that China will back down now from this?

You obviously don't know the Chinese. They never backed down against the old Soviet Union in 1968 - 1969 and fought them to a stalemate, even though they were outgunned.

The US is getting itself involved in something which is way out of its league. China isn't Iraq or Afghanistan.

The USA should be pressing Japan to seek a territorial comprimise with China, rather than this, 'we've got your back' approach.

-7 ( +8 / -15 )

Because it will help a belligerent China keep a little perspective on their movements and hopefully, prevent any further escalation.

I am not sure you haver already born in 1972 after changing administrator back to Japan.. China and Taiwan ships have been come and go as they please since 1968. Although it is undesirable, US is pretty reluctant to involve in that conflict. If US is willing and committed, why did they have to wait until 2013?

I

f Japan don't want to give it to China, they don't have to, regardless of the noise and posturing of the Chinese.

It is true in conventional theory. However China is very touch with Japan not like Russia. When China had border dispute with Russia, they made some compromise and concession with Russia. However they will not surrender according you or I wished. The more pressure from foreign nations, they more counter productive. Australia is not willing to choose as friend or foe between US and China.

-12 ( +3 / -15 )

Redcliff

Why do you think I said; 'This is exactly what the US needed to say'?

Huh?

Because it will help a belligerent China keep a little perspective on their movements and hopefully, prevent any further escalation.

A war will be an absolute disaster. But that land is Japanese and China can't just say 'We want it', either by crook or by hook. If Japan don't want to give it to China, they don't have to, regardless of the noise and posturing of the Chinese.

11 ( +12 / -2 )

@ Tamarama

Why don't you get over this sort of Jargon and wished that both countries can sit down and resolve this dispute to enable both side citizens and the business communities to move forward.

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

There is nothing new in what Clinton has said. She is just repeating the same old lines that we already know.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

This is no surprise and exactly what the US needed to say.

The islands are Japanese territory and the US are obliged to honor their part of the Mutual Cooperation Treaty. The Chinese movements around the Senkakus has been a challenge not only to Japan, but to the US as well and as such the US needs to make it's position crystal clear to China.

At the end of the day, I think China will make a huge blunder and will lose out badly if they press ahead with this. Japan are playing this calmly and very tolerantly - imagine if the roles were reversed. The US and Japanese Navies will school the Chinese. There is nothing to gain at all here for China.

Back in your box, chocolate.

13 ( +17 / -4 )

The US must always have an "evil nation" or group to reaffirm its union and sell weapons. It a sad story that keeps repeating itself leading to a trail of death and destruction around the world. Now they turn to China and this island conflict is the kind of situation that hardliners can use to spark an incident. The only saving grace this time is that China holds a big chunk of US debt, so restraint might be a necessity and we are more likely to see small proxy wars in other places.

-15 ( +5 / -19 )

As if there was ever any doubt ..... in the minds of the sane I mean.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

China needs to make problems with Japan, so as to get their masses angry at Japan and focus their anger at Japan and so they will not have time nor energy to be angry at Beijing, with all the corruption going on in Beijing who are screwing the average Chang and Lee in China, IMHO

15 ( +18 / -5 )

clinton, can you keep your mouth shut!

-25 ( +5 / -29 )

The USA supporting Japan against China????? What a surprise!!! Not!

10 ( +14 / -4 )

What are the chances that China will back down now from this?

9 ( +9 / -0 )

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