Did You Know

[EternalOptimist]

Not many people know this. But its worth knowing, maybe not worrying about...yet.

The Chinese have been building new islands. That's right

complete new territory, in international waters, that then becomes Chinese territory with sovereignty and exclusion zones etc.

see the difference between the Chinese and us

we occupied places, caused resentment and then have to deal with the fall out for a century.

The Chinese throw down a load of sand and rocks, build a port and an airfield, then we have to deal with the fallout for a century.

[Pondlife]

that then becomes Chinese territory with sovereignty and exclusion zones etc.

From the linky;

China is bound by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which it has ratified. The law states that sub-sea structures, such as reefs, cannot be claimed as sovereign coastline, and that building artificial structures on top of them does not turn them in to sovereign territory either.
A country that owns a natural island can claim a 12-nautical-mile territorial limit around it, both on the sea and in the air. But artificial structures do not confer any such right. In other words, we would be able to fly our aircraft right up to China's new islands without breaking any international laws, and China should not interfere with our flight.


Obviously they are going to argue differently but currently international law says it doesn't count. Hence the US flying and sailing past as often as poss.

Edit: Your point that this will be totally different when they've finished their build is probably right.

[EternalOptimist]

From the linky;

China is bound by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which it has ratified. The law states that sub-sea structures, such as reefs, cannot be claimed as sovereign coastline, and that building artificial structures on top of them does not turn them in to sovereign territory either.
A country that owns a natural island can claim a 12-nautical-mile territorial limit around it, both on the sea and in the air. But artificial structures do not confer any such right. In other words, we would be able to fly our aircraft right up to China's new islands without breaking any international laws, and China should not interfere with our flight.


Obviously they are going to argue differently but currently international law says it doesn't count. Hence the US flying and sailing past as often as poss.

Edit: Your point that this will be totally different when they've finished their build is probably right.

It's like one of those sim-city games

where we have to occupy all the blanks before the AI does

[greenlake]

Hence the US flying and sailing past as often as poss.

Innocent Passage: Did the U.S. Just Fumble Its South China Sea Strategy? | The National Interest Blog

[greenlake]

Australia is also keeping a close eye on things....

South China Sea: Audio reveals RAAF plane issuing warning to Chinese Navy during 'freedom of navigation' flight - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

[BrilloPad]

Australia is also keeping a close eye on things....

South China Sea: Audio reveals RAAF plane issuing warning to Chinese Navy during 'freedom of navigation' flight - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

The greenlake sockie is broken! A post without a picture!

[greenlake]

BEIJING (AP) -- China's Defense Ministry said Saturday that the U.S. committed "a serious military provocation" by recently flying two Air Force B-52 bombers over a Chinese-controlled man-made island in the South China Sea, a mission that the U.S. appeared to indicate had strayed off course.

The Defense Ministry accused the U.S. of deliberately raising tensions in the disputed region, where China has been aggressively asserting its claims to virtually all islands, reefs and their surrounding seas. It also reiterated that it would do whatever is necessary to protect China's sovereignty.

China accuses US of serious provocation by flying bombers - The Associated Press

[SueEllen]

China accuses US of serious provocation by flying bombers - The Associated Press

So basically all countries with military aircraft should fly over the man made islands to make a point.

[_V_]

So basically all countries with military aircraft should fly over the man made islands to make a point.

Russians do that to our natural island all the time, so I just think it's the super powers sticking two fingers up to each other like power crazed idiots.

[PurpleGorilla]

Russians do that to our natural island all the time, so I just think it's the super powers sticking two fingers up to each other like power crazed idiots.