Important Update added on June 18 !
The South China Sea Conflict simmering between China, its neighbours and the US has come again into the focus of US government and media after China stepped up militarizing that region by allegedly deploying advanced missile systems on the disputed Spratly Islands, according to the Pentagon.
Defense officials disclosed to the Washington Free Beacon that the militarization has raised alarm bells about China's creeping takeover of the strategic waterway used for some $5 trillion annually in international trade.
It is said that the "Pentagon is planning a major response to Chinese hegemony".
[The Washington Free Beacon on June 14, 2018]
Video from a US based military site reporting on China's military build-up in the South China Sea.
美国军事网站报告有军事化在南海【2018年6月16日】
西沙島礁浮潛釣魚超夯 軍事設施敏感排除台港澳遊客
The floating fishing [ platform ] of a Paracel Island reef ... is a military facility
that is sensible to get rid of tourists from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia.
[ET Today 大陸—新聞雲, a Taiwanese TV station represented as
well in Hong Kong, Singapore and Mainland China, on May 28, 2018]
Western media recently reported that France and Britain intend to participate in navy drills to be held in the South China Sea later this year in August. This prompted observers in Russia to ask what would be the use of such military drills for European nations and who are not only far away from China and with little influence in the region but are, as well, subject to US pressure when it comes to US protective import tariffs and the consequences of president Trump's abandoning the nuclear treaty with Iran, both US measures threatening Europe's national economies.
These Russians come to the conclusion that France and Britain actually react out of fear to loose the rest of US respect and of transatlantic cooperation. This opinion is being shared by two Chinese sources I found on the internet. Here is one of them:
欧洲为何突然在南海动作频频？俄媒：因为他们弱小
Why is Europe suddenly repeatedly acting in the South China Sea ?
Russian media say: Because they are small and weak !
[SINA Military 新浪军事 on June 16, 2018]
On June 18 the Philippine Daily Inquirer referred to the Philippine politician Roilo Golez, security adviser to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and who had urged an aggressive diplomatic campaign to counter China’s increasing encroachment on Philippine territory in the South China Sea. Here an excerpt from the original article:
Further information related to the region:
الرئيس روحاني: نسعى لمواصلة التعاون من اجل الحفاظ على الاتفاق النووي
President Rouhani - We take care to continue the
cooperation intended to maintain the nuclear treaty.
Rouhani referred to Iran's intentions with respect to the nuclear treaty in a telephone conversation on Thursday when he congratulated Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on his election as prime minister.
[Al-Manar المنار, Hezbollah TV, Lebanon, on June 14, 2018]
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