US Navy: Beijing creating a 'great wall of sand' in South China Sea

[jimmy olsen]

Fucking bastards

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/31/china-great-wall-sand-spratlys-us-navy

US Navy: Beijing creating a 'great wall of sand' in South China Sea

Commander of US Pacific fleet says China is building artificial land in disputed waters by pumping sand on to live coral reefs and paving them with concrete

Associated Press in Canberra
Tuesday 31 March 2015 18.41 BST 

China is "creating a great wall of sand" through land reclamation in the South China Sea, causing serious concerns about its territorial intentions, the commander of the US Pacific fleet said on Tuesday.

Admiral Harry Harris Jr told a naval conference in Australia that competing territorial claims by several nations in the South China Sea are "increasing regional tensions and the potential for miscalculation".

"But what's really drawing a lot of concern in the here and now is the unprecedented land reclamation currently being conducted by China," he said.

"China is building artificial land by pumping sand on to live coral reefs – some of them submerged – and paving over them with concrete. China has now created over 4 square kilometers (1.5 square miles) of artificial landmass," he said.

Harris said the region is known for its beautiful natural islands, but "in sharp contrast, China is creating a great wall of sand with dredges and bulldozers over the course of months".

China claims virtually all of the South China Sea. The Philippines and other countries that have territorial disputes with China in the busy sea have been particularly concerned by the land reclamation projects, which have turned  a number of previously submerged reefs in the Spratlys archipelago into artificial islands with buildings, runways and wharves. The islands could be used for military and other facilities to bolster China's territorial claims.

Harris said the pace of China's construction of artificial islands "raises serious questions about Chinese intentions".

He said the United States continues to urge all claimants to conform to the 2002 China-Asean Declaration of Conduct, in which the parties committed to "exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability".

"How China proceeds will be a key indicator of whether the region is heading toward confrontation or cooperation," he said.

The US says it has a national interest in the peaceful resolution of the disputes in a region crucial for world trade. China says its territorial claims have a historical basis and objects to what it considers US meddling.

Harris said the United States is on track to reposition 60% of its navy to the Pacific fleet by 2020.

"By maintaining a capable and credible forward presence in the region, we're able to improve our ability to maintain stability and security," he said. "If any crisis does break out, we're better positioned to quickly respond."

[The Brain]

Nuclear combat with the ChiComs over some reefs seems reasonable.

[Eddie Teach]

No blood for coral?

[KRonn]

China is just displacing those ocean areas to create more living space for their huge and growing population.   

[Syt]

[grumbler]

Again, this is the sort of ostentatious and completely cost-ineffective project that are undertaken by shaky governments to impress domestic audiences.  Four square kilometers is a tiny size of a base of any size; a few cruise missiles will wipe out anything there except bunkers.  This is symbolism, pure and simple, and any bases constructed will be at the mercy of any potential adversary.

[derspiess]

China is just displacing those ocean areas to create more living space for their huge and growing population.   

Actually, it would be awesome if they built another uninhabited city there. 

[Eddie Teach]

This is symbolism, pure and simple,

And a pretext for claiming ownership of thousands of square miles of ocean.

[Ed Anger]

FUCKING NUTRAGEOUS

[grumbler]

This is symbolism, pure and simple,

And a pretext for claiming ownership of thousands of square miles of ocean.

What additional territorial claims have they made since creating the islands?

[Barrister]

This is symbolism, pure and simple,

And a pretext for claiming ownership of thousands of square miles of ocean.

What additional territorial claims have they made since creating the islands?

It's not that they are making additional claims, but that this might be seen as strengthening their claim.

[Siege]

I say lets drop the bomb.
Oh better yet, lets build a bioweapon that only targets chinese DNA.
Then we can go and colonize their territory.

[Ed Anger]

The bar is open.

[Barrister]

I say lets drop the bomb.
Oh better yet, lets build a bioweapon that only targets chinese DNA.
Then we can go and colonize their territory.

There are over three million American citizens of Chinese heritage.

[grumbler]

It's not that they are making additional claims, but that this might be seen as strengthening their claim.

I don't believe that it is possible under the Law of the Sea Convention to take actions that strengthen a claim to ownership of the seas.  The borders of the EEZ are the borders, and not subject to change by the actions of any party.