South China Sea - Conduct of Parties Involved

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Wei hosted a regular press conference on June 28, 2018, where he answered questions on the implementation of the "High-Level Officials' Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea".



6月25日至27日，中国与东盟国家在中国湖南省长沙市举行落实《南海各方行为宣言》 第十五次高官会和第二十四次联合工作组会。外交部副部长孔铉佑作为中方高官率团 出席。

From June 25 to June 27, China and ASEAN countries held the 15th Senior Officials' Meeting and the 24th Joint Working Party Meeting of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in Changsha, Hunan Province, China. Vice Foreign Minister Kong Yuyou attended the delegation headed by senior Chinese officials.

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我们对会议取得的积极成果感到高兴。从会议成果也可以看出，本地区国家珍惜和平稳定、 合作发展的大好局面。从自身利益出发，中国和本地区国家也比任何域外国家都更加珍视 南海地区的和平以及航行自由与安全。个别域外势力不断地通过各种方式、包括炒作所谓 航行自由与安全受到影响的伪命题来搅动南海局势，地区国家对此保持着应有的高度警惕。 我们希望域外国家尊重本地区国家共同维护地区和平与稳定、致力于地区合作发展繁荣的 良好局面，不要无事生非。

We are pleased with the positive results achieved by the meeting. From the results of the conference, it can also be seen that the countries in the region cherish the excellent situation of peace, stability, and cooperation. Starting from their own interests, China and the countries in the region have also cherished the peace in the South China Sea and freedom of navigation and security more than any other country.

Some of the extraterritorial forces have constantly stirred up the situation in the South China Sea by various means, including speculating on the false proposition that the so-called freedom of navigation and security have been affected. Regional countries have maintained their due vigilance.

We hope that countries outside the region will respect the good situation in which the regional countries maintain peace and stability in the region and commit themselves to the development and prosperity of regional cooperation. There is no need to put the blame on anything.

[SINA Finance 新浪财经 on June 28, 2018, slightly modified excerpt of some pre-translated text version]




中国驻英大使英媒撰文:不容美国在南海"秀肌肉"

China's ambassador to Britain wrote for the British media: America
won't be tolerated to "put forth its muscles" in the South China Sea.

[Handy Net - Easy Net 手机网易网 on June 29, 2018]

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US visitor to "blueprint news" coming from San Diego
and who is interested in China's aircraft carriers.

US - Trump Ruins Local Industries

- Latest News on US Economy under the Trump Administration -
- June 30: Update added on US Diplomats Leaving their Posts -







On June 26 USA Today published an evaluation of US president Trump's Trade Wars written by an opinion contributor. Here an excerpt from the original text:

An obscure provision in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, intended to be used to address specific national security concerns, has been invoked by the White House to push through sweeping import taxes on American consumers. Given how these powers have been abused, it’s time for Congress to look at ways that it can restore some oversight powers to the Constitutional powers it delegated away.

Congress has delegated too much power to the President in recent decades. Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act gives the President the power to impose restrictions on foreign trade should the Department of Commerce determine that imports pose a threat to national security. Section 232, unlike other discretionary trade powers, requires only a report by the Secretary of Commerce, which the President can choose to agree with or ignore. This can be used to bypass the normal safeguards Congress set up when delegating away its power to regulate trade.


The situation on the stock markets is none better as a brandnew article is suggesting and which has been published on June 27 by the New York Post. Here an excerpt from that article in order to hint at the driving force that is behind the current rollercoaster behaviour of equity markets:



Reading the tea leaves on President Trump’s ever-changing views on trade with China has proven to be a major headache for US equity markets.

Look no further than the wild ride the Dow Jones industrial average took Wednesday.

The blue-chip index soared 285.91 points in early trading on news that the Trump administration’s restrictions on Chinese investment in US firms wouldn’t be as tough as initially feared. But by midday the Dow reversed course sharply to end the day down 165.52 points at 24,117.59.

“Investors don’t think that this trade war tension is over, and they’re concerned that something is going to come and bite them later on,” Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA, told The Post.

The schizophrenic nature of the equity markets can be attributed to differing headlines coming out of the White House.

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US visitors to "blueprint news" coming from New Jersey and Virginia.

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US Diplomats That Recently Resigned :

The US ambassador to Estonia is resigning, reportedly in frustration at remarks made by US president Donald Trump about America's European allies. He wishes to retire from the Foreign Service effective July 29 after 33 years of public service.

James D Melville had held senior diplomatic posts in several European countries before he was nominated ambassador to Estonia by former US President Barack Obama. He speaks Russian, German and French according to his biography on the US State Department website.

Mr Melville revealed in a Facebook post that Mr Trump's comments had brought forward his decision to retire, Foreign Policy magazine reported.

In the private Facebook post seen by Foreign Policy, Mr Melville reportedly told friends: "For the president to say the EU was 'set up to take advantage of the United States, to attack our piggy bank', or that 'Nato is as bad as Nafta [the North American Free Trade Agreement]' is not only factually wrong, but proves to me that it's time to go."

Other US diplomats have also left their posts early in recent months.

In January, US ambassador to Panama John Feeley resigned saying he was no longer able to serve under President Trump.

A month earlier, Elizabeth Shackelford resigned from her post in Nairobi where she worked for the US mission to Somalia.

In her letter of resignation to then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, she said she was quitting because the US had abandoned human rights as a priority, Foreign Policy reported.

[BBC on June 30, 2018]

South China Sea - Official Report

Last Update: June 23




《2017年南海航行状况研究报告》正式出炉

The "2017 South China Sea Navigation Research Report"
was officially released.

The Research Report on the Navigation Status in the South China Sea in 2017 was issued by the China Institute of Navigation and Shanghai Maritime University (SMU).

研究表明，除渔业活动外，南海水域内推荐航路主要适用于通往中国沿海、日韩、 东南亚各国港口之间以及欧美等的商船，航路以西南/东北向为主，总体上根据 季节可分为东线、中线和西线，其中中线是主要航路。“在上述三类商船推荐航线中， 不同季节的航线选择与分布，均远离岛礁区或与岛礁区保持有足够的安全距离。” 黄有方说。[上海海事大学校长黄有方]

Studies have shown that except for fishing activities, the recommended routes in the South China Sea area are mainly suiting merchant ships connecting the ports of China's coastal area, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asian countries with each other and, as well, with Europe and the United States.

The routes are mainly in the southwestern/northeastern direction, and are generally classified according to the season of the year as the eastern line, the central line, and the western line, where the central line is the main route.

“Among the above mentioned three recommended types of merchant shipping routes, choice and distribution of any route during different seasons ensures distance from island reef areas or maintains a sufficient safety distance from the island reef area,” said Huang You Fang. [Huang You Fang is President of Shanghai Maritime University and co-author of the quoted report]

船位数据统计与分析表明，2017年3月和6月南海水域的船舶总数分别为7909艘次和 7502艘次，以大于3万吨级的船舶为主，月船舶数量与2016年基本保持平衡。除天气 (热带风暴)影响和节能控速外，船舶在该水域航行是自由、顺畅的。南海水域商船 推荐航路被过往船舶反复自由选用，水域中船舶的流量、船长、船宽和吃水总体上较大， 船舶平均航速稳定；过往南海船舶的船籍港遍布世界近70个主要航运国家或地区， 航经南海的国家或地区的船舶总运力匹配全球189个国家或地区前50船队总吨位的 92%以上。

The statistics and analysis of the ship's position data show that the total number of ships in the South China Sea waters in March and June 2017 was 7,909 and 7,502, respectively. Ships with a size greater than 30,000 tons were mainly used. The number of ships per month remained basically balanced with that of 2016.

Except from weather related effects (tropical storms) and energy-saving speed control, ships are freely and smoothly sailing in these waters. The recommended merchant shipping routes for the South China Sea have been repeatedly and freely selected by ships coming and going. Flow, length, width and water draught of ships in these waters is comparatively large, and the average speed of the ship is stable.

In the past, the shipping ports of the South China Sea were reached by 70 major shipping countries in the world. The total shipping capacity of national or regional sailing through the South China Sea matched more than 92% of the total tonnage of the top 50 fleets in 189 countries or regions.

[Chinanews 中国新闻网 June 20, 2018]




【中国无人艇南海演练】无人舰队加持AI，厉害了我的国

[China testing unmanned boats in the South China Sea]
The unit of unmanned ships has adopted the artificial
intelligence (AI) that seriously damaged our country.



Formation of unmanned boats showing the Chinese characters
军民 meaning "the army and the people".

Recently and in the vicinity of the Wanshan Island group that belongs to the South China Sea, a unit of 56 unmanned ships has conducted large-scale "multi-boat synergy" technical tests. These unmanned naval vessels use artificial intelligence technology to control and communicate with each other. This test was intended to demonstrate the potential of Chinese "sea drones" in their future maritime military operations.

[SOHU 搜狐 on June 18, 2018]




US opinion on China's military build-up in the South China Sea.



A brandnew Chinese video from June 23 dealing with planned British and French
navy drills in the South China Sea. It's mostly about an evaluation of naval power
in the frame of "punishing" China for militarizing its maritime zone of influence.

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Chinese visitor and his requested site: US Tariffs - China Strikes Back.



Another brandnew Chinese video from June 23 is dealing with countermeasures
against US tariffs. This time it's about American soy beans and cotton. It should
be noted that North America is the most important provider of cotton worldwide.
特朗普总统疯狂引起美农业的没落。



Australian visitor and his requested site: China's Aircraft Carrier - Latest News.



US visitor and his requested site: 70 Years ago End of World War II.



Spanish visitor and his requested site: Israel - German Submarine Delivery.

South China Sea - Military Build-Up

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:




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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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Singapore - Two Buddies Meeting

Last Update: June 14

The Trump - Kim Summit Presented by North Korean State TV 特朗普金正恩高峰会谈在朝鲜的国家电视

First meeting between US president Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
[ABC Action News, Tampa / Florida, quoting CNN.]




[Straits Times, Singapore]

The " Turbo Agreement ":

Mr Trump and Mr Kim signed a document pledging to work toward complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

But the broad agreement was light on specifics, largely reiterating previous public statements and past commitments.

The statement details the two leaders' plans to cooperate on denuclearisation and peace on the Peninsula. It also reaffirmed the Panmunjom Declaration, signed after the North and South Korean leaders met on April 27, which stated the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) committed to work towards complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

When asked by a reporter what made this time different, Mr Trump said America had a different administration and a different president.

"The sanctions will come off when we are sure that the nukes are no longer a factor," Mr Trump said.

In exchange for Mr Kim handing over his nukes, Mr Trump has committed to providing security for America's old enemy.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korean officials are due to hold follow-up negotiations "at the earliest possible date".

After the meeting, Mr Trump said he had formed a "special bond" with Mr Kim and the relationship with North Korea would be very different.

"This is going to lead to more and more and more.

[ABC News, headquarters Sydney / Australia, on June 12, 2018]




Read the complete document !




美朝就无核化细节没谈拢特朗普金正恩还要“再碰面”

America and North Korea didn't approach details of denuclearization in the
talks between Trump and Kim Jong-un; it is necessary to "meet again".

长期关注朝鲜半岛无核化的学者和前官员对此次会谈结果看法有不小的分歧。 乐观者认为美朝领导人会晤是历史性突破，悲观者认为会谈并未带来实质性 无核化路线图，与美国之前和朝鲜的任何谈判结果相比更加空泛。

Scholars and former officials occupied with the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula are showing a greater difference of views when confronted with the results of the actual talks.

Optimists consider the meeting of the US and North Korean leaders as a historic breakthrough, while pessimists consider that the talks don't bring with them a substantial roadmap to denuclearization, and negotiation results are even more vague in comparison with any results reached before between the US and North Korea.

[CaiJing 财经 "Finance and Economics", China, published on June 12, 2018]




美国共和党议员敦促特朗普对朝鲜要谨慎行事

US Republican lawmakers urge Trump to act cautiously toward North Korea.

Quotations from the English version of the article:

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Unlike Trump’s exultant attitude toward the summit, Republican lawmakers used a much more discreet tone to urge Trump to proceed with caution.

“We should not overlook the fact that Kim Jong-un was a butcher and slaughtered his own people. This is very important,” US Senator John Kennedy told reporters.

"Trying to talk to such a person is like hand-feeding a shark. It's not that you can't do this, but that you must be very, very careful," he said.

Although it cannot be immediately determined whether Trump’s performance in Singapore will affect the ongoing mid-term Congressional elections, it is clear that the Republican Party has not fully accepted Trump’s enthusiasm for Kim Jong Eun.

Bob Corker, chairman of the United States Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee, told Reuters: “It's hard to tell if something substantial happened.”

[Reuters, Chinese / English language service on June 13]

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Spotlight on two controversial characters:



June 11 Tweet by Le Monde Diplomatique, Paris, showing an example of London street art.




- Fox News finally tells the truth and calls Trump a "dictator". -
In a Trump TV/Fox News broadcast the right-wing propagandist
Abby Huntsman referred to the upcoming summit as a meeting
between "two dictators", a qualified Freudian slip of the tongue.




Trump Kim: Impersonators buddy up in Singapore - BBC News.

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Visitor to "blueprint news" coming from Rwanda in East Africa.



Visitor from Novi Sad, Serbia, reminding Obama's Speech on Transatlantic Partnership
held in Berlin in July 2008 before he became President of the United States.

G7 Meeting - Tough Talks

Last Update: June 11
including news about the
upcoming talks between
Trump and Kim Jong-un.

US president Trump's recently decreed import tariffs, his withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal and his position in the climate change discussion have raised much displeasure and resistance among other global leaders especially those from China, Canada and France.

His proposal to reintegrate Russia in the group of leading industrialized nations - now known as the G7 - has even more isolated him on the current meeting.

Russia was suspended from the group - then known as the G8 - in 2014 after the majority of member countries allied against Russia's annexation of Crimea, which Russia continues to hold.

Here's a news video provided by the Canadian TV station CTV and which is giving an idea of the tensions that exist between Trump and his host, the Canadian prime minister Trudeau.




The original article on the CTV website is "enriched" with tweets from "the real" Donald Trump.





At least, Trump can leave the G7 summit earlier to meet with someone of his own breed:



A reminder of the German proverbe "Pack schlägt sich; Pack verträgt sich" .....




Could have been created by the Chinese who invented Global Climate Change .....







特朗普奔赴“鸿门宴”美元将遭致命一击？
下周三大央行携两大峰会来袭！

While Trump is hurrying to a "Feast at Hong Gate", could
the US Dollar meet with its death from a single blow ?

Next Wednesday the [US] Central Bank will have to shoulder
two great summits !

Editor's Note:
In Chinese culture, the term Hong Men Yan ("Feast at Hong Gate") is used figuratively to refer to a trap or a situation ostensibly joyous but in fact treacherous. The historic event was about two rebel leaders rivalling for supremacy over China. One of them was planned to be assassinated at a "banquet of friendship".

[JinRongJie / Financial World 金融界 on June 9, 2018]




While the Western Alliance of Industrialized Nations is crumbling at the current G7 summit, the Chinese-led Central Asian Bloc is even expanding with its new members India and Pakistan, both hailed at this weekend's summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the northern Chinese port of Qingdao. Furthermore, China's leader Xi Jin-Ping presented Russian President Vladimir Putin China's first Friendship Medal at an elaborate ceremony in Beijing.

The creation of the Central Asian Bloc is a result of China's One Belt One Road Initiative. The bloc was founded in 2001 and is dominated by China and Russia and also includes Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.

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Visitor to "blueprint news" coming from South Korea.

Israel - Trump Boosts Military Support

موقع ديبكا: خطة أمريكية لتقوية قدرات إسرائيل العسكرية

الرئيس ترامب أقر خطة شاملة لتعزيز القدرات العسكرية لإسرائيل
استعدادًا لمواجهة حاسمة محتملة مع إيران

DEBKA site: US plan to boost Israel's military potential.

President Trump appoved broad-based plannings for increasing Israel's military potential
to prepare it for a probably decisive confrontation with Iran.

[i24News, Israeli news service in Arabic on June 6, 2018]

The Arabic language article of i24News cited above is related to information from DEBKAfile, an Israeli source as well, and which was published the same day on June 6, 2018. Here the gist of the DEBKA publication:


US to boost its military presence in Israel, top up Israel’s advanced arsenal.

A broad-based US plan to fortify Israel’s armed forces against a potential military showdown with Iran has just been approved by President Donald Trump, DEBKAfile reports exclusively from its military and Washington sources.

It centers on the expansion of US military units based in Israel and the enhancement of Israel’s military capabilities to withstand a possible Iranian ballistic missile attack. The Israeli Air Force will also receive a large number of Boeing KC-46 refueling tanker craft for lengthening its range of operation and providing more flexibility.

President Obama withheld the new tanker craft so as to restrict Israel’s ability to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said last week, after meeting President Trump in Washington, that the alliance will not support Israel if it is attacked by Iran. He made a point of avoiding the impression that he subscribed to Trump’s campaign against Iran, so as not to put up the backs of the European members opposed to that campaign.

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A recent visitor from Cairo, Egypt, and who wants to be informed
about the military confrontation that is taking place in Syria.