Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) faces a dilemma on how to respond to a US vessel’s patrol close to two artifical islands built by China in the disputed South China Sea, National Chengchi University’s Institute of International Relations director Shuh-fan Ding (丁樹範) said.
The USS Lassen on Tuesday sailed within the 12 nautical mile (22.2km) territorial limit claimed by China around Subi Reef (Jhubi Reef, 渚碧礁) and Mischief Reef (Meiji Reef, 美濟礁) in the in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島), which Taiwan also claims.
Ding said China and the US would maintain their “fight without breaking” strategy, which he said entails the use of self-constraint to avoid further escalation of tensions while continuing to compete.
Ding said the US’ action is fully justified under the UN’s Convention on the Law of the Sea, which states that foreign vessels, both military and civilian, are allowed innocent passage through territorial waters.
By deploying a vessel within 12 nautical miles of the two reefs, the US means to “deny China’s claim of sovereignty over the waters,” Ding said, adding that Washington would accuse Beijing of violating international law if China makes any move to intercept a US vessel.
If Beijing fails to react strongly, it would imply Xi accepts the rule of international law, which would raise doubts about Xi’s foreign affairs policy among Chinese hawks, such as People’s Liberation Army Major General Luo Yuan (羅援), who has said that China must deal severe blows to any foreign power acting against China’s national interests.
The rise in Chinese nationalism could spell trouble for China and the rest of the world, Ding said, adding that it would substantiate the “China threat thesis” if Chinese vessels were sent to confront — or collide with — a US ship.
The USS Lassen, a guided-missile destroyer based in Yokosuka, Japan, left the waters near the reefs without encountering any Chinese military action.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lu Kang (陸慷) said the USS Lassen illegally entered the waters of China’s Spratly Islands, and Chinese authorities have “monitored, followed and warned” the vessel and lodged a protest against what he described as an “irresponsible US action.”
The South China Sea island chain — reportedly rich in natural resources — is the subject of competing claims by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.
Taiwan is to commence mass production of the Tien Kung (天弓, “Sky Bow”) III, IV and V missiles by the second quarter of this year if the legislature approves the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.78 billion) special defense budget, an official said yesterday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said that the advanced systems are expected to provide crucial capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles for the proposed “T-Dome,” an advanced, multi-layered air defense network. The Tien Kung III is an air defense missile with a maximum interception altitude of 35km. The Tien Kung IV and V
The disruption of 941 flights in and out of Taiwan due to China’s large-scale military exercises was no accident, but rather the result of a “quasi-blockade” used to simulate creating the air and sea routes needed for an amphibious landing, a military expert said. The disruptions occurred on Tuesday and lasted about 10 hours as China conducted live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said the exercises affected 857 international flights and 84 domestic flights, affecting more than 100,000 travelers. Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the government-sponsored Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the air
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
RSS