Southeast Asian defense chiefs discuss regional security with Japan, China, other nations

We just need countries to abide by international law - that's what it's there for. The problems are caused by countries -- mainly China, of course -- acting in flagrant violation of international law.

As China has grown more assertive in pushing its territorial claims in recent years, it and ASEAN have been negotiating a code of conduct to govern behavior in the sea, but progress has been slow.

"Progress has been slow" because China is purposely destroying the negotiations. It's been like this for years:

https://thediplomat.com/2023/11/a-south-china-sea-code-of-conduct-cannot-be-built-on-a-foundation-of-bad-faith/

It is difficult to get anything done with China involved. China is the main agitator in the region, causing confrontations in other nations territory, then blaming the victim for it.

Perhaps if they want real progress they should exclude China from these meetings all together.

Meanwhile, Vietnam ramps up South China Sea island expansion, researchers say

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/vietnam-ramps-up-south-china-sea-island-expansion-researchers-say-2023-11-17/

VOA bot is extra busy tonight.

"China created more than 3,200 acres of land from 2013 to 2016 in the area",

> "Vietnam has been ramping up its dredging and landfill work in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, creating another 330 acres of land since December last year, a U.S. think tank said in a report.The expansion, much larger than 120 acres it had created between 2012 and 2022, made Vietnam second only to China in terms of island buildup in the Spratly Islands,"

Vietnam one tenth of what China has done and

"Vietnam's efforts have remained focused on dredging and landfill, with construction of infrastructure yet to begin."

So China still the main agitator and the reason others are "following the leader".

China is the elephant in the room❗

A quick recap in history class: China has not been engaged in military activity for the past forty years. In that time, Washington apparatus has overthrown numerous governments and illegally invaded many countries. We don’t need to go over the list again of coups and wars orchestrated by the previous US administrations, and you don’t need to be reminded of the ongoing mass killing in the Middle East, 90% of which is supported by American weapons, benefiting the current record rise of Wall Street (go figure: the top 5 arms manufactures are all from US). 

Asia will be much better off without the warmongering spirit of United States of America. Asia welcomes China, that is the starting point of any conversation, since Washington is a guest in this continent. And not always welcome.

A quick recap in history class

History is irrelevant, while China continues to cause hostile encounters in other nations recognized territory today, yesterday and tomorrow.

And for the record Chinese military has been engaged in hostile acts against Indian troops, outside Chinese territory in the last couple of years, and navy and maritime forces have engaged Philippines navy and fishermen, as well as Vietnamese fishermen again outside Chinese territory. That recent/current behavior is what counts.

Fos:

A quick recap in history class: China has not been engaged in military activity for the past forty years...

Freedom for Tibet now!

FosNov. 21 11:21 pm JST

A quick recap in history class: China has not been engaged in military activity for the past forty years.

A carefully selected date.

illegally invaded many countries. 

One is not many.

you don’t need to be reminded of the ongoing mass killing in the Middle East, 90% of which is supported by American weapons, benefiting the current record rise of Wall Street (go figure: the top 5 arms manufactures are all from US). 

Just because Iran's terrorists are ineffective don't make them not a problem. Also still 1% of gdp and next 5 are Chinese.

Asia will be much better off without the warmongering spirit of United States of America. Asia welcomes China, that is the starting point of any conversation, since Washington is a guest in this continent. And not always welcome.

Almost all of the countries in Asia welcome the US because it is only the counterweight to bully China.

deanzaZZRNov. 21 05:32 pm JST

Meanwhile, Vietnam ramps up South China Sea island expansion, researchers say

That's great, does that excuse the PRC's actions or do you have to hide behind a legitimate country like Taiwan for that?

The People's Republic of China and the Republic of China/Taiwan's claims in the SCS are exactly the same. The PRC is the internationally recognized legitimate government of China of which Taiwan is one small part.

@Peter14 Meanwhile Bong Bong is considering the next dilapidated ship in the PI navy to run aground on some atoll. 笑

Please add some detail here. I am curious to see your sources.

History is irrelevant, while China continues to cause hostile encounters *in *other nations recognized territory today

deanzaZZRToday 03:51 am JST

The People's Republic of China and the Republic of China/Taiwan's claims in the SCS are exactly the same.

So hiding behind more legitimate Taiwan, I got it.

@Peter14 Meanwhile Bong Bong is considering the next dilapidated ship in the PI navy to run aground on some atoll. 笑

And rightly so as there is a lot of piracy in the area.

Please add some detail here. I am curious to see your sources.

Well they are causing hostile encounters in recognized international waters for one. And Japan's airspace if you don't believe the excuse.

> History is irrelevant

That’s a good one, in Washington’s world perhaps :) 

I can tell it is unconnected for somebody, but not for a continent who does not want to see a repeat of what is happening in the Middle East or Eastern Europe because of the dangerous meddling of the US administration. 

India and China showed the world in Kazan at the Brics that they are talking on different issues. That is relevant. 

Mentioning skirmishes wth Filipino fishermen, or (unheard) Vietnamese’s vessels is the perfect pretext for the Wall Street lobbies and their hedge funds, who are profiting from these ongoing conflicts. 

Asia welcomes China because China is part of Asia, that would be the starting point of any conversation. United States is a destabilizing entity in this continent. Always have been

FosToday 08:22 am JST

Mentioning skirmishes wth Filipino fishermen,

Skirmishes that are entirely the fault of the China Pirates

or (unheard) Vietnamese’s vessels is the perfect pretext for the Wall Street lobbies and their hedge funds, who are profiting from these ongoing conflicts. 

I don't even know how much less than 1% the US is profiting off of conflict in the SCS.

United States is a destabilizing entity in this continent. Always have been

Considered less destabilizing than China by essentially all of the non-Muslim countries.

https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2024/06/11/views-of-the-u-s/

CPowell

A broken record, ever and ever again.

The bottom line is that United States does not belong to the Asian continent, unlike China, and never will.

Washington does not have a moral authority to tell other governments to side with a country who is sponsoring a genocide in the Middle East and creating havoc in Eastern Europe with the constants supply of lethal weapons.

China does not have a history of military aggression beyond the defence of its own borders.

The United States has repeatedly embarked on military interventions across the globe, and here we have these lectures on the “concepts of Bullying" or "Threats".

A reminder that in 2023 the White House contributed 68% of Nato's total expenditure with $ 860 billion.

China spent less than one third.

Data is from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

Full of SomethingToday 05:25 pm JST

Washington does not have a moral authority to tell other governments to side with a country who is sponsoring a genocide in the Middle East and creating havoc in Eastern Europe with the constants supply of lethal weapons.

The US did not start the war in Ukraine. China fanbois have no moral authority to tell others to avoid the US.

The United States has repeatedly embarked on military interventions across the globe, and here we have these lectures on the “concepts of Bullying" or "Threats".

The US has to go across the world to throw China and its poodles back.

A reminder that in 2023 the White House contributed 68% of Nato's total expenditure with $ 860 billion.

And that's a good thing.

China spent less than one third.

No one can know what China really spends.

Data is from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

As is the fact that the US only spends 3.4% of gdp on defense.

CPowell

As is the fact that the US only spends 3.4% of gdp on defense.

Yesterday US GDP on defense was 1%, today is 3,4%. That's really what the US prop is about, using very possible channel.

As we all know is the United States played a key role in generating and perpetuating the terrible conflict in Eastern Europe. And everyone is watching the mass killing unfolding committed by the IDF Israel, and backed by US administration with the sending of over $20 billions in weapons.

And here we are, using few fishermen in the Pacific and all sort of made up stories on China to wage another war in a different continent. This ain't another Hollywood movie, and the whole world knows what the US administration is about. Wall Street record is evidence of the greed and lack of moral values of United Stated of America.

Washington has no moral standing to forge stories against China.

Full of SomethingNov. 22 06:49 pm JST

Yesterday US GDP on defense was 1%, today is 3,4%. That's really what the US prop is about, using very possible channel.

There is a difference between the defense industry, 1% and the defense department budget, 3.4%. People and facilities are expensive.

As we all know is the United States played a key role in generating and perpetuating the terrible conflict in Eastern Europe.

Still not the country that launched an illegal invasion.

And here we are, using few fishermen in the Pacific and all sort of made up stories on China to wage another war in a different continent. This ain't another Hollywood movie, and the whole world knows what the US administration is about. Wall Street record is evidence of the greed and lack of moral values of United Stated of America.

Washington has no moral standing to forge stories against China.

As long as Philippine coast guard and navy are being assaulted and mutilated by China pirates, Washington has every right to call out China's disgusting behavior.

The only country we know is launching aggressions and has a tendency to destabilize countries, governments and entire regions is United States of America.

Japan is clearly being led anti-Beijing hysteria by the greed of Washington, which is not concerned that China will attack other countries, but is worried that its world hegemony is being challenged.

FosNov. 21  11:21 pm JST

A quick recap in history class: China has not been engaged in military activity for the past forty years.

Chinese history I guess.

Fact Check:

Battle of Laoshan 1984-1989 with Vietnam.

Battle of Johnson South Reef, Spratlys 1988 with Vietnam.

Doklam Standoff 2017 with India.

Galwan Valley skirmish 2020 with India.

Scarborogh Shoal Standoff 2012 onwards with the Phillipines.

deanzaZZRNov. 22  03:51 am JST

The People's Republic of China and the Republic of China/Taiwan's claims in the SCS are exactly the same.

Taiwan is not militarizing and attempting to establish territorial control over the SCS. Therein lies the huge difference.

The PRC is the internationally recognized legitimate government of China of which Taiwan is one small part.

You constantly confuse other nations' recognizing the PRC as the sole government of "China: (one China policy) with recognizing Taiwan as part of the PRC.

ROC/Taiwan was a founding member of the United Nations since 1945, 4 years before the PRC was established. And remained a UNSC member until 1971. Today some 170 nations recognize the PRC as the sole legitimate government of "China". However only 51 nations recognize Taiwan as being part of the PRC.

OssanAmerica

Chinese history I guess.

There you are again, the hilarious US prop :)

Were are comparing full scale wars and conflicts to, you name it, “stand-off” and “skirmishes”

I admit my ignorance, had to to Google “The Johnson South Reef”: it came out as a skirmish which lasted one day on 14 March 1988. As opposed to the 20 years of Afghanistan, just to name one devastating war made in USA. And look at the devastation!

Just a quick recap about the over hundreds years history of coups backed by United State of America. 

A good watch over the weekend:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wIOqHSsV9c