China’s “Global Times” advocates sailing Chinese warships into US territorial waters

China has claimed much of the South China Sea, specifically the disputed islands in that sea. The United States and other nations do not recognize China’s claim to these islands. The United States Navy demonstrates this by sailing within 12 nautical miles of these disputed islands. Under international law, the US Navy, and others, can do this.

Not according to the Chinese. To them, these islands are Chinese territory. Sailing within 12 nautical miles of these islands is “a violation of China’s territorial integrity”. The Global Times recently made statements about sailing Chinese military ships within 12 nautical miles of US (Guam) and allied nation coasts.

From The Global Times:

The US warship came from afar to make provocations nearby the Chinese reef. It was in fact a declaration of the US hegemony. The conditions for such an action are that only Washington has the strength to do so, and even if other countries are upset, they can do nothing but bear the US’ abuse of its hegemony. However, China has become stronger, which has undermined the abovementioned conditions. Therefore, the US provocations in the South China Sea are not only a hegemony declaration but also aim at strategically suppressing China. With China’s approaches and abilities to resist such pressure growing, the risks that such US provocations will spark a maritime friction between China and the US will become higher and higher.

If Chinese warships go to US military bases in the Asia-Pacific and the US allies’ coastlines to conduct close-in reconnaissance operations and declare freedom of navigation, and if South China Sea claimant countries also conduct such operations around islands and reefs occupied by other parties, will the world’s maritime order be better or more chaotic?

Simply telling the truth to the US is not enough for China. China needs to take active actions and speed up the establishment of its ability to conduct close-in reconnaissance operations on the above-mentioned bases and coastlines. The rapid development of China’s blue-water navy has made this possible. Only by making the US have a taste of its own medicine can we touch the nerves of the US and its allies, and reshape the Western world’s understanding of US bullying in the South China Sea.

The US has deliberately provoked disputes in the South China Sea, and it must in turn endure the PLA’s increasingly strong countermeasures against it. The game between the two sides will continue to go to an extreme. The US will definitely see the PLA show up at its doorstep in the not-too-distant future. And together with China, the US will face the uncertainty which is increasingly difficult to control – the two sides’ warships and aircraft on the seas will carry huge mutual strategic hostility, and the two countries will not yield to each other.

The Global Times is a Chinese publication that trends towards publishing Chinese Communist Party views as “articles” and opinion pieces.

Category: China