Pentagon chief criticises Beijing's South China Sea moves

[Lite Beer]

Pentagon chief criticises Beijing's South China Sea moves
LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press
MATTHEW PENNINGTON, Associated Press

SINGAPORE (AP) — China's land reclamation in the South China Sea is out of step with international rules, and turning underwater land into airfields won't expand its sovereignty, Defense Secretary Ash Carter told an international security conference Saturday, stepping up America's condemnation of the communist giant as Beijing officials sat in the audience.

Carter told the room full of Asia-Pacific leaders and experts that the U.S. opposes "any further militarization" of the disputed lands.

His remarks were immediately slammed as "groundless and not constructive" by a Chinese military officer in the audience.

Carter's comments came as defense officials revealed that China had put two large artillery vehicles on one of the artificial islands it is creating in the South China Sea. The discovery, made at least several weeks ago, fuels fears in the U.S and across the Asia-Pacific that China will try to use the land reclamation projects for military purposes.

The weaponry was discovered at least several weeks ago, and two U.S. officials who are familiar with intelligence about the vehicles say they have been removed. The officials weren't authorized to discuss the intelligence and spoke only on condition of anonymity.

The Pentagon would not release any photos to support its contention that the vehicles were there.

China's assertive behavior in the South China Sea has become an increasingly sore point in relations with the United States, even as President Barack Obama and China's President Xi Jinping have sought to deepen cooperation in other areas, such as climate change.

Pentagon spokesman Brent Colburn said the U.S. was aware of the artillery, but he declined to provide other details. Defense officials described the weapons as self-propelled artillery vehicles and said they posed no threat to the U.S. or American territories.

While Carter did not refer directly to the weapons in his speech, he told the audience that now is the time for a diplomatic solution to the territorial disputes because "we all know there is no military solution."

"Turning an underwater rock into an airfield simply does not afford the rights of sovereignty or permit restrictions on international air or maritime transit," Carter told the audience at the International Institute for Strategic Studies summit.

China's actions have been "reasonable and justified," said Senior Col. Zhao Xiaozhuo, deputy director of the Center on China-America Defense Relations at the People's Liberation Army's Academy of Military Science.

Zhao challenged Carter, asking whether America's criticism of China and its military reconnaissance activities in the South China Sea "help to resolve the disputes" and maintain peace and stability in the region.

Carter responded that China's expanding land reclamation projects are unprecedented in scale. He said the U.S. has been flying and operating ships in the region for decades and has no intention of stopping.

While Carter's criticism was aimed largely at China, he made it clear that other nations who are doing smaller land reclamation projects also must stop.

One of those countries is Vietnam, which Carter is scheduled to visit during this 11-day trip across Asia. Others are Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan.

Asked about images of weapons on the islands, China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she was "not aware of the situation you mention."

She also scolded Carter, saying the U.S. should be "rational and calm and stop making any provocative remarks, because such remarks not only do not help ease the controversies in the South China Sea, but they also will aggravate the regional peace and stability."

Carter appeared to strike back in his speech, saying that the U.S. is concerned about "the prospect of further militarization, as well as the potential for these activities to increase the risk of miscalculation or conflict." And he said the U.S. "has every right to be involved and be concerned."

But while Carter stood in China's backyard and added to the persistent drumbeat of U.S. opposition to Beijing's activities, he did little to give Asia-Pacific nations a glimpse into what America is willing to do to achieve a solution.

He said the U.S. will continue to sail, fly and operate in the region, and warned that the Pentagon will be sending its "best platforms and people" to the Asia-Pacific. Those would include, he said, new high-tech submarines, surveillance aircraft, the stealth destroyer and new aircraft carrier-based early-warning aircraft.

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who also is attending the Singapore conference, told reporters that the U.S. needs to recognize that China will continue its activities in the South China Sea until it perceives that the costs of doing so outweigh the benefits.

He said he agreed with Carter's assertion that America will continue flights and operations near the building projects, but "now we want to see it translated into action."

One senior defense official has said the U.S. is considering more military flights and patrols closer to the projects in the South China Sea, to emphasize reclaimed lands are not China's territorial waters. Officials also are looking at ways to adjust the military exercises in the region to increase U.S. presence if needed. That official was not authorized to discuss the options publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

One possibility would be for U.S. ships to travel within 12 miles of the artificial islands, to further make the point that they are not sovereign Chinese land. McCain said it would be a critical mistake to recognize any 12-mile zone around the reclamation projects.

The U.S. has been flying surveillance aircraft in the region, prompting China to file a formal protest.

U.S. and other regional officials have expressed concerns about the island building, including worries that it may be a prelude to navigation restrictions or the enforcement of a possible air defense identification zone over the South China Sea. China declared such a zone over disputed Japanese-held islands in the East China Sea in 2013.

China has said the islands are its territory and that the buildings and other infrastructure are for public service use and to support fishermen.

___

Pennington reported from Washington. AP news assistant Liu Zheng in Beijing contributed to this report.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-05-31

[Publicus]

The Boyz in Beijing have no support in the region for their arbitrary claims in the South China Sea and for the expected military bases that would appear there.

Last week Australia PM Tony Abbott confirmed USAF B-1 stealth bombers will be stationed on Australian soil, outside of Darwin. Yet the CCP Boyz continue to believe they can manipulate and intimidate Australia over to their side, which indicates the delusions the Boyz have in Beijing.

The CCP Boyz also think they can take control of the South China Sea and do it without ever firing a shot, which are yet more delusions.

Edited May 31, 2015 by Publicus

[impulse]

I wonder if "Give a Mouse a Cookie" has been translated into Mandarin.

[Loptr]

The Pentagon BoyZ seem to be stretched a bit thin in the region... Think I'll make some popcorn and wait for the fireworks...

http://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-naval-abilities-test-asias-insecurities-1432724142

China’s Naval Abilities Test Asia’s InsecuritiesBeijing plans to expand naval operations at a time of rising regional tension

By

TREFOR MOSS

Updated May 27, 2015 11:14 a.m. ET

China’s promise to beef up its navy to prevent further “meddling” and “provocative actions” by rivals in the South China Sea is a daunting prospect for many of its neighbors, which already view Beijing’s fast-improving armed forces with trepidations.

Edited May 31, 2015 by Loptr

[NeverSure]

The Pentagon BoyZ seem to be stretched a bit thin in the region... Think I'll make some popcorn and wait for the fireworks...

http://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-naval-abilities-test-asias-insecurities-1432724142

China’s Naval Abilities Test Asia’s InsecuritiesBeijing plans to expand naval operations at a time of rising regional tension

By

TREFOR MOSS

Updated May 27, 2015 11:14 a.m. ET

China’s promise to beef up its navy to prevent further “meddling” and “provocative actions” by rivals in the South China Sea is a daunting prospect for many of its neighbors, which already view Beijing’s fast-improving armed forces with trepidations.

Could this be just what's deployed in Asia? For instance the US has 11 nuclear carrier groups - Nimitz Class. One is stationed in Japan. LINK

Edited May 31, 2015 by NeverSure

[lovetotravel]

I've read there are 20 carriers. This is an interesting comparison.

http://www.globalfirepower.com/countries-comparison-detail.asp?form=form&country1=china&country2=united-states-of-america&Submit=COMPARE

Now reading there are 10! LOL

http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/compare/China/United-States/Military

Edited May 31, 2015 by lovetotravel

[impulse]

May want to read this before comparing numbers...

(2012) China announced Sunday that it had landed a fighter jet on the deck of an aircraft carrier for the first time, but it may be years before the ship is fully operational.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/25/world/asia/china-aircraft-carrier-landing/

Only about 90 years behind the USA in carrier experience.

[harryfrompattaya]

the South China sea is big problem and the UN is taking about Israel

America will do nothing folks

They could care less and can not win

Remember Obama got a so kind of Peace Prize

America really remembers Vietnam we lost and this one is not our fight

Let Vietnam and the Japanese solve this or be taken over by China to bad for them

Edited May 31, 2015 by harryfrompattaya

[harryfrompattaya]

The Boyz in Beijing have no support in the region for their arbitrary claims in the South China Sea and for the expected military bases that would appear there.

Last week Australia PM Tony Abbott confirmed USAF B-1 stealth bombers will be stationed on Australian soil, outside of Darwin. Yet the CCP Boyz continue to believe they can manipulate and intimidate Australia over to their side, which indicates the delusions the Boyz have in Beijing.

The CCP Boyz also think they can take control of the South China Sea and do it without ever firing a shot, which are yet more delusions.

I say let Japan and Vietnam solve this problem alone this will teach them to love us Americans even more

[boomerangutang]

His remarks were immediately slammed as "groundless and not constructive" by a Chinese military officer in the audience.

Here's what's 'groundless', according to the Chinese: dredging up sand and ground to dump on the rocks to make military airstrips and barracks.

Here's what's 'not constructive' for the Chinese: construction.

Actually, what China wants the US to do is smile, stand aside, and keep buying hundreds of tons of plastic stuff.

Zhao challenged Carter, asking whether America's criticism of China and its military reconnaissance activities in the South China Sea "help to resolve the disputes" and maintain peace and stability in the region.

'resolve disputes'. Right. If I have a dispute with someone about ownership of a vacant parcel of land, I just pay a contractor to sneak in there and start building a big building. That will resolve it. Uh huh.

China's actions have been "reasonable and justified," said Senior Col. Zhao Xiaozhuo, deputy director of the Center on China-America Defense Relations at the People's Liberation Army's Academy of Military Science.

Perhaps the good Senior Colonel would deem it reasonable and justified if I went to Tienamen Square and started constructing a brick cabin in its center, and put my family crest flag to fly over it.

Asked about images of weapons on the islands, China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she was "not aware of the situation you mention."

Perhaps she's not aware that birds fly and water is wet.

[boomerangutang]

I'll say it again: the US should do pre-emptive landings on those Philippine islands, along with Fil military support - to take possession.

The longer this is put off, the bigger the stakes, because it will eventually have to happen. If the non-Chinese world keeps wringing its hands, the Chinese will keep terra-forming the islands - longer airstrips, bigger docks, more barracks for soldiers, etc.

ASEAN is completely worthless on this issue. One would hope Australia or NZ might take a dynamic stand, but they'd rather slink in the shadows - and have the US do the heavy lifting.

[Publicus]

The Boyz in Beijing have no support in the region for their arbitrary claims in the South China Sea and for the expected military bases that would appear there.

Last week Australia PM Tony Abbott confirmed USAF B-1 stealth bombers will be stationed on Australian soil, outside of Darwin. Yet the CCP Boyz continue to believe they can manipulate and intimidate Australia over to their side, which indicates the delusions the Boyz have in Beijing.

The CCP Boyz also think they can take control of the South China Sea and do it without ever firing a shot, which are yet more delusions.

I say let Japan and Vietnam solve this problem alone this will teach them to love us Americans even more

Too late cause it's already begun. Vietnam is anyway too small and Japan has its own CCP-created headaches in the East Sea over the Senakaku Islands. So it's game on.

The PLA has been unsuccessful trying to crash USAF Global Hawk surveillance drones over the Paracels Islands by electronic jamming. The Boyz in Beijing wanted to bring down one or more Global Hawks in shallow waters to recover it. Still empty handed however.

Beijing is now saying it can sever communications between the Global Hawks and their satellites but there's no evidence this has occurred.

The Boyz say they can use high tech cyber warfare to take control of Global Hawks away from the US military but there's no evidence of this occurring either. Don't know if the Hawks are still operating over the CCP's new islands but we do know last week the Pentagon sent the P8-A Poseidon Navy surveillance craft to start cruising the area.

The Pentagon also last week sent the new and high tech USS Fort Worth littoral combat ship past the islands which led to some cat and mouse in the area involving the PLANavy and the PLA Air Force, USN, USAF, but also a lot of countiries' navies and air forces tracking and looking in.

Beijing has no friends in this, no allies, no support. None. No one.

[konying]

The Boyz in Beijing have no support in the region for their arbitrary claims in the South China Sea and for the expected military bases that would appear there.

Last week Australia PM Tony Abbott confirmed USAF B-1 stealth bombers will be stationed on Australian soil, outside of Darwin. Yet the CCP Boyz continue to believe they can manipulate and intimidate Australia over to their side, which indicates the delusions the Boyz have in Beijing.

The CCP Boyz also think they can take control of the South China Sea and do it without ever firing a shot, which are yet more delusions.

Australia said- lol

Tony Abbott- lmao

And who is going to stop China? Mighty US of A?

As usual we have "evidence" but will not show it

Just like Iraq , and the rest of US bombing playgrounds.

[smedly]

Numbers mean nothing in modern warfare - Technology rules every time, like shooting fish in a barrel, the more fish the harder it is to miss

[harryfrompattaya]

People seem to Forget John Kerry and President Obama and women Generals and Admirals

and even the Farm Boys who father fought in World War II will not fight for Japan Vietnam Korea again

Let China have them

Remember Eastern Europe after World War II Russia control them and loss them

You cannot control other countries

[Publicus]

I'll say it again: the US should do pre-emptive landings on those Philippine islands, along with Fil military support - to take possession.

The longer this is put off, the bigger the stakes, because it will eventually have to happen. If the non-Chinese world keeps wringing its hands, the Chinese will keep terra-forming the islands - longer airstrips, bigger docks, more barracks for soldiers, etc.

ASEAN is completely worthless on this issue. One would hope Australia or NZ might take a dynamic stand, but they'd rather slink in the shadows - and have the US do the heavy lifting.

Only the US can deal with this in every respect, from the diplomatic, to economics to the military, and everyone in this region has cleared the decks for this to develop and happen because....

The CCP Boyz in Beijing are absolutely firm on this while Washington and the Pentagon are, well, absolutely firm on this. Neither side is going to give on this and everyone knows it.

So it's for Beijing and Washington to deal with because the fact is this is a contest between the two of 'em whilst all the others are bystanders who themselves need to know who's running the show in this region.

All the while a lotta high tech military systems on each side will get low intensity tested to find out how they might actually work in the real kind of thing....or if they work at all. .

[Loptr]

The Pentagon BoyZ seem to be stretched a bit thin in the region... Think I'll make some popcorn and wait for the fireworks...

http://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-naval-abilities-test-asias-insecurities-1432724142

China’s Naval Abilities Test Asia’s InsecuritiesBeijing plans to expand naval operations at a time of rising regional tension

By

TREFOR MOSS

Updated May 27, 2015 11:14 a.m. ET

China’s promise to beef up its navy to prevent further “meddling” and “provocative actions” by rivals in the South China Sea is a daunting prospect for many of its neighbors, which already view Beijing’s fast-improving armed forces with trepidations.

Could this be just what's deployed in Asia? For instance the US has 11 nuclear carrier groups - Nimitz Class. One is stationed in Japan. LINK

Yes, this is just the US Pacific Fleet deployed to the region, as I stated... If the US pulls assets from other theaters, then who is going to intimidate protect the Mediterranean, Gulf of Hormuz, Suez Canal, Atlantic, etc?

[Credo]

It is up to the Philippines to make the initial attack. The US will back them, and back them in a big way, but it is not a US problem until one of the alliance members has been attacked.

[smedly]

what the other countries in the region need to do is form a partnership with the US and establish a presence off their own shores for something like oil exploration then see if China has the (deleted) to do anything about it - they won't, but then that would be almost as bad as what China are doing

The solution is to create a zone round each of the involved countries coast and label that as territorial water then the rest is international - seems pretty simple, the already established UNCOLS zone seems to be pretty fair to me

It is easy to see from the map just how ridiculous the Chinese claim is - jump of a pier in the Philippines or Malaysia and you'd need a Passport and visa

Edited May 31, 2015 by smedly

[Publicus]

No one is going to attack anyone.

The Boyz are throwing their weight around in the neighborhood and they are trying to be as intimidating as they can be, which is how they operate to include keeping Asean divided so that Beijing has to deal only with this country or that country rather than anything called Asean.

These new CCP islands being built in the EEZ of the Philippines won't be completed until 2017 at the earliest. One plan the Pentagon has is to equip the defense treaty ally the Phils with up to a thousand short range missiles that can reach the CCP outposts as well as to provide the Phils with a couple of dozen multi-purpose fighter aircraft. The US will anyway be opening new naval and air force facilities in the Phils who definitely want us back in their country now.

India and Vietnam have been working closely on the SCS stuff, while the US has been most involved with the Phils, Vietnam, Japan. India and Japan have worked out strategic SCS and East Sea agreements that include joint Indian-Japanese Naval exercises having already been held in the East Sea. Indian Naval ships have docked in Vietnam despite loud hollering against it from Beijing.

Cold War II so get used to it.

(The Brics have no mortar.)

[Credo]

They do have a partnership with the US and they do have territorial boundaries. China is invading them.

But it is not up to the US to wrestle the Chinese out of the area; it is up to the country whose territorial boundaries are being infringed upon. If China retaliates, then the US will step in as per the agreements to aid and protect them.

[Credo]

The Pentagon BoyZ seem to be stretched a bit thin in the region... Think I'll make some popcorn and wait for the fireworks...

http://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-naval-abilities-test-asias-insecurities-1432724142

Could this be just what's deployed in Asia? For instance the US has 11 nuclear carrier groups - Nimitz Class. One is stationed in Japan. LINK

Yes, this is just the US Pacific Fleet deployed to the region, as I stated... If the US pulls assets from other theaters, then who is going to intimidate protect the Mediterranean, Gulf of Hormuz, Suez Canal, Atlantic, etc?

European countries are quite capable and willing to assist, at least with the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal. They are already have to police the waters for refugees fleeing the area.

[gazzasore]

Just what we need another War to keep the Military Industrial Complex Going

Dont worry about the people starving always more money for War

[impulse]

Yes, this is just the US Pacific Fleet deployed to the region, as I stated... If the US pulls assets from other theaters, then who is going to intimidate protect the Mediterranean, Gulf of Hormuz, Suez Canal, Atlantic, etc?

The USA has naval assets in mothballs and tens of thousands of planes sitting pickled in the desert southwest that outnumber, and are more advanced than the vast majority of Chinese hardware. Heck, we've got museum pieces that are more advanced than all but the latest Chinese stuff.

[Publicus]

The Pentagon BoyZ seem to be stretched a bit thin in the region... Think I'll make some popcorn and wait for the fireworks...

http://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-naval-abilities-test-asias-insecurities-1432724142

China’s Naval Abilities Test Asia’s InsecuritiesBeijing plans to expand naval operations at a time of rising regional tension

By

TREFOR MOSS

Updated May 27, 2015 11:14 a.m. ET

China’s promise to beef up its navy to prevent further “meddling” and “provocative actions” by rivals in the South China Sea is a daunting prospect for many of its neighbors, which already view Beijing’s fast-improving armed forces with trepidations.

Could this be just what's deployed in Asia? For instance the US has 11 nuclear carrier groups - Nimitz Class. One is stationed in Japan. LINK

Yes, this is just the US Pacific Fleet deployed to the region, as I stated... If the US pulls assets from other theaters, then who is going to intimidate protect the Mediterranean, Gulf of Hormuz, Suez Canal, Atlantic, etc?

The assessment of the Pentagon, based on scenarios run at the U.S. Naval War College, is that presently the PLA Navy would need a good day to defeat the Japanese Navy in a full-out head to head war and even a good day might not be enough for the CCP.

The PLANavy outnumbers and outweighs the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Navy) however, the superiority stops there.

Japan's naval ships are superior in technology, firepower, maneuver, speed. Japan's air forces hunter craft should be able to cancel Beijing advantage in submarines.

Decisively, Japanese naval personnel train at sea regularly, the PLAN does not. Japan has a higher quality of personnel than does the PLAN and Japan's naval commanders are of a superior quality.

Fact is, the PLANavy would need more than a good day if it had any thoughts about defeating the Japanese navy. Japan controls the Miyako Strait which is the only fast direct route to the open Pacific that the PLAN has or the PLAN must take a dangerous circuitous routing. If PLAN can't get through that strait then it's a sitting duck trapped in shallower coastal waters.

The fact is not lost on the US Navy.

[harryfrompattaya]

Yes, this is just the US Pacific Fleet deployed to the region, as I stated... If the US pulls assets from other theaters, then who is going to intimidate protect the Mediterranean, Gulf of Hormuz, Suez Canal, Atlantic, etc?

The USA has naval assets in mothballs and tens of thousands of planes sitting pickled in the desert southwest that outnumber, and are more advanced than the vast majority of Chinese hardware. Heck, we've got museum pieces that are more advanced than all but the latest Chinese stuff.

Who is going to fight Most of the Soldiers and Sailor in the today's Army and Navy will go AWOL

The Join for Paycheck not to fight

Are you going to fight is Pubicus going to fight

But my relatives in the Army are going AWOL

I bet you will not even try to catch them

[harryfrompattaya]

Please help me

Tell me why every liberal newspapers and anti war people want America th stand up to China and Russia

I will tell you the want United States to be destroyed America can not win and to fight for others is Stupid

[lovetotravel]

Yes, this is just the US Pacific Fleet deployed to the region, as I stated... If the US pulls assets from other theaters, then who is going to intimidate protect the Mediterranean, Gulf of Hormuz, Suez Canal, Atlantic, etc?

The USA has naval assets in mothballs and tens of thousands of planes sitting pickled in the desert southwest that outnumber, and are more advanced than the vast majority of Chinese hardware. Heck, we've got museum pieces that are more advanced than all but the latest Chinese stuff.

Who is going to fight Most of the Soldiers and Sailor in the today's Army and Navy will go AWOL

The Join for Paycheck not to fight

Are you going to fight is Pubicus going to fight

But my relatives in the Army are going AWOL

I bet you will not even try to catch them

I know quite a few in the military. Lived on military bases for many years. They are hardcore, and well trained. US military, that is. I can imagine the Chinese soldiers doing a runner kinda like Iraq's forces did in the "mother of all wars".

The younger ones joined to fight for freedom. Ones that would go AWOL at the first sound of trouble are weeded out quite quickly. Unless they are office types that wouldn't leave the US anyway.

[boomerangutang]

Numbers mean nothing in modern warfare - Technology rules every time, like shooting fish in a barrel, the more fish the harder it is to miss

Right, the Gulf War 1 was proof of that. The Iraqis had been digging in for months. They had hundreds of top-shelf Russian tanks. Once the Americans started turning tracks, the Iraqi forces evaporated. How many US tanks were hit? Zero.

It is up to the Philippines to make the initial attack. The US will back them, and back them in a big way, but it is not a US problem until one of the alliance members has been attacked.

Somewhat on the mark. I picture a US carrier group nearby, and the Phils doing the landings. It's doubtful the Chinese navy will do much in response, other than send out a few jets (and a lot of hot air rhetoric for the teeming masses). Speaking of Chinese fighter jets: the best they have are poor copies of 20 yr old American fighters. Their latest copies weren't even deemed good enough for the Chinese AF, and were instead sold to other countries.

I usually avoid saber-rattling, but the comandeering of those islands by China is so blatantly a land-grab, that the bullies must be put in their place. To me it's nearly akin to the Cuban missile crisis - in the sense that the US has to take dynamic action now. The longer the US and its allies procrastinate, the longer China will have to set up infrastructure on the little islands. Just in the past few years, the islands have gone from rock outcrops, to sand covered landing strips, to barracks, ports, lighthouses, bunkers with guns. What's next, a docking port for submarines? Normandy-type bunkers with 1.5 meter thick walls of hardened concrete? It's no joking matter. The Chinese need their butts spanked - the sooner the better.

[gazzasore]

Funny I see everyone saying we have more them They don't stand a chance Always blaming the other side

I dont see anyone coming up with ideas to defuse the situation