They have been stirring it up with the PI, India, Japan, Vietnam, and can't overlook North Korea cause who knows what they actually told NK to do. For all we know they encouraged fat boy in order to keep the region off balance and distract from chinas own actions.
http://news.yahoo.com/taiwan-gives-philippines-ultimatum-fatal-shooting-fisherman-031338922.html Tensions keep building in the region....
A bump thanks to http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/the-9-dash-line-the-disputed-s-china-sea.2030936/#post-33885058 Regarding Taiwan, we are selling them weapons and China bitches about it. http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/16/politics/u-s-taiwan-arms-sales/ A Pro independence party wins the election in Taiwan http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b1375b14-bc45-11e5-846f-79b0e3d20eaf.html#axzz46CajHpvB China returns to the game of getting countries to not recognize Taiwan (We in the USA recognize big China as the legit government) http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21695563-china-resumes-old-diplomatic-game-gambia-gambit Japan changes its constitution to less pacifist. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-...asses-change-to-pacifist-constitution/6788456 Japan builds helicopter carrier, lets agree to not call it an aircraft carrier. https://news.usni.org/2015/08/27/japan-launches-second-helicopter-carrier Philippines still going on with their lawsuit, ruling by 2016 (China will ignore it) http://amti.csis.org/ArbitrationTL/index.html And the USA moving some troops to the Philippines http://www.militarytimes.com/story/...lans-use-five-new-bases-philippines/82072138/
Not about the build up, but it is East Esia election news (Is there a thread for that?) Philippines elect their own Donal Trump. http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/09/asia/philippines-election/index.html https://uk.news.yahoo.com/philippines-election-rodrigo-duterte-tipped-win-080347448.html
he is a colorful and controversial figure known for his inflammatory comments on a gang rape, his sexual conquests and tough stance on crime. So he's more like a Bill Clinton but more open about it.
So Pres. Obama is in Hanoi and will anounce the lifting of the weapons embargo on Vietnam. The USA military industrial complex is going to be a big winner in this conflict.
Is the Obama Administration purposefully trying to start a war with China and Russia? I do not like either government, but I fail to see why any of this is our problem.
The downside of being a superpower with the house on the hill mentality. Yes, it would be nice to just tell the Chinese, fvck it the world is now your problem, we are going home.
The International court ruled in favor of the Philippines. China obviously will not recognize the ruling (to be fair we wouldn't either). http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/211...d-the-south-china-sea/?sidebar=todaysheadline
Well it looks like we won't have the Philippines as an excuse to go to war with China. China can afford it, we can't/won't. http://www.economist.com/news/asia/...ican-ally-falling-chinese-camp-dutertes-pivot
I am sure many of you have seen this picture Here is a video explaining a little more about it and how it happened. Geographically, this is why this military build up is important.
I suspect this thread will become more active within a year or two. Below is just a small but concerning piece with China and Solomon Islands. China is getting a good view of how sanctions work along with weaponry in Ukraine. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...-if-china-establishes-base-in-solomon-islands
Let's not be hypocrites, China and the Salomon Islands should be free to come to any agreement regarding bases in their territory. Australia should not have veto power on what the Salomon Islands what to do, just like Russia should not have veto power on what Ukraine wants to do. This sentence starts well, but there is a but, and people say, nothing you say before the "but" matters. I hope that the 'natural response' is not a coup or other form of interference in their domestic politics.