Mattis accuses China of intimidation and coercion in South China Sea

That's rich, the US accusing China of intimidation and coercion, its like the saying "people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" this is hypocrisy at its best.

It's time to USA and China cooperate each other and offer those territories in conflict a free zone to all countries around could join, and with prospective agreements to produce fruitful industry/ business there.

China will (logically) continue trying to expand its influence in the region. The TPP was one way the US and other states could have balanced Beijing's rising regional influence without risking a rise in military tensions.

But now that DT has withdrawn from the TPP, the US has little leverage left. Trump doesn't actually have a plan (or even many viable options) to balance China's rising regional influence.

TPP has nothing to do with China's military occupation of islets.

Why are south eastern countries, that have claim to some of the islets, standing by and letting this happen? Occupying islets, not now occupied by China, would give them access for open seas.

He also called out Chinese President Xi Jinping for reneging on a 2015 promise made at the White House that Beijing would not militarise the island features in the South China Sea.

Xi lied. "Peaceful Rise" my rear end.

I am curious what would happen if China decides to conduct military drills in the Gulf of Mexico?

"Only WE are allowed to do that!"

I am curious what would happen if China decides to conduct military drills in the Gulf of Mexico?

I'm not a military expert but I would imagine exercises like that would require ports and airstrips and other facilities to make it possible. China doesn't invest time in forging allies so that limits their ability to operate so far away from home. In addition, they don't have security pacts with countries around the Gulf of Mexico to join them in the drills.

If they had all of those things in place then yeah, they'd be doing drills.

The US has 800 military bases around the world and conduct military exercises around the word, including the recent exercise off the coast of North Korea. The UN is nonfictional because of the coercion, intimidation and threats on the members of the UN. It is time the nations of the world took back their sovereignty and pushed back against US aggression and domination. The US need to be sent the message that it is part, a member of the globe, not its dictator, not its ruler.

If they had all of those things in place then yeah, they'd be doing drills.

And thus my question, what do you think would happen then? How do you think America would react? Dare to venture a guess?

IloveCoffeeToday  07:19 am JST

If they had all of those things in place then yeah, they'd be doing drills.

And thus my question, what do you think would happen then? How do you think America would react? Dare to venture a guess?

I don't think that's a very good question. Because as has been pointed out, China would have to have the facilities within geographical proximity to carry out such an exercise. Which in turn means that China would need to build alliances on such a level. So the question should be "How would the US react" to China building such alliances in the region of the Gulf of Mexico. I think it's obvious that the U.S. would act to obstruct such an outcome. The biggest concerns in this area have been and continue to be Cuba and Venezuela. If, hypothetically, China should establish such alliances and security agreements such they could carry out joint exercises with their allies in the Gulf of Mexico in International Waters, I would think the U.S. would be left with no course of action besides what China is left with when the U.S. carries out exercises with it's allies in the East and South China Seas, which is to watch from a safe distance. However,  I consider it very unlikely that China. an entirely Pacific nation would even want to carry out exercises in the Gulf of Mexico. Even Russia which, like he U.S. is Atlantic and Pacific nation can not do so.

Beijing will surely stop militarizing the Southeast Asia Sea when it first started years ago if the US sent a clearer and stronger message. Considering the nature of China's relentless expansionism and aggression, the US has no other option than developing a new kind of bombs that would destroy the underground bunkers that China has built in its artificial islands (please refer to https://www.businessinsider.com.au/trumps-mini-nuke-posture-review-make-war-more-likely-2017-10?r=US&IR=T). Also, Beijing should be more wary of Mattis's hawkish mind (and also hawkish features according to the Chinese art of reading face).

But now that DT has withdrawn from the TPP, the US has little leverage left. Trump doesn't actually have a plan (or even many viable options) to balance China's rising regional influence

No, but Mattis and Bolton do.

Kind of ironic, coming from a country that has and will bomb you and your families into submission if you are deemed unsuitable.

All Asian countries need to be on good terms with each other in order to counter the threat coming from the US.

and what is their plan then?

They know, I don't have that kind of security clearance, I have no way of knowing, but Mattis and Bolton aren't sitting around watching reruns of 90210 that's for sure.

Kind of ironic, coming from a country that has and will bomb you and your families into submission if you are deemed unsuitable.

No, if you are deemed a threat that wants to harm or destroy us or our allies.

All Asian countries need to be on good terms with each other in order to counter the threat coming from the US.

ROFL!! Never going to happen.

No, if you are deemed a threat that wants to harm or destroy us or our allies.

Kind of ironic, seeing as you're doing a good job of harming yourselves and your allies.

ROFL!! Never going to happen.

Chinese influence as the world's number one superpower might prove you wrong.

At any rate, all empires crumble. Intimidation can only yield negative results.

Kind of ironic, seeing as you're doing a good job of harming yourselves and your allies.

You think so? Hmmm....lol

Chinese influence as the world's number one superpower might prove you wrong.

Not yet, they still have 18 years to catch up and with over 100 years of fighting wars....when was the last time China fought a war? Their skills are more important than their cheap toys and if you’ve never used them...well....

At any rate, all empires crumble. Intimidation can only yield negative results.

The US is a country, not an empire.