10/8/2015 U.S. Deploys Warships In South China Sea To Show Its Might

http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/u­s­deploys­warships­in­south­china­sea/ 1/5

(http://stocktwits.com/valuewalk)(https://twitter.com/valuewalk)(https://www.facebook.com/valuewalk)

ValueWalk (http://www.valuewalk.com)

(http://www.valuewalk.com)

Posted By: Polina Tikhonova (http://www.valuewalk.com/author/polina-tikhonova/)Posted date: October 08, 2015 05:05:45 PM In: Politics (http://www.valuewalk.com/category/politics/)No Comments (http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/u-s-deploys-warships-in-south-china-sea/#comments)

U.S. Deploys Warships In South ChinaSea To Show Its Might

The U.S. is poised to deploy its warships close to China’s disputed islands

(http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/us­again­warns­china­over­south­china­sea/)

in the South China Sea in what it appears to be a signal to Beijing that Washington

does not recognize Chinese territorial claims over the disputed islands.

(http://www.valuewalk.com/wp­content/uploads/2015/07/South­China­Sean.jpg)

The U.S. warships would sail inside the 12­nautical mile zones that China claims its

territory around some of the disputed islands in the Spratly chain, according to a

senior U.S. official.

(http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/asian-venture-capital-deal-flow-quadruples-in-two-years/) Market News: Polycom, Hertz Global Holdings, eBay (http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/market-news-polycom-hertz-global-holdings-ebay/)BREAKING NEWS

Home (http://www.valuewalk.com/) News

About

Books

VALUE INVESTING (http://www.valuewalk.com/sign-email/) Stock Screeners

Value Investors

Videos (http://www.valuewalk.com/category/videos/) Links (http://www.valuewalk.com/links/) Timeless Reading

Register (http://www.valuewalk.com/register)

10/8/2015 U.S. Deploys Warships In South China Sea To Show Its Might

http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/u­s­deploys­warships­in­south­china­sea/ 2/5

The ships will be deployed within the next two weeks, the official who spoke on

condition of anonymity told the Financial Times

(http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/868ab0d2­6d6c­11e5­aca9­

d87542bf8673.html#axzz3nyjby6Hr).

The move is likely to escalate tensions between Washington and Beijing and comes at

a time when the U.S. accuses China of cyber espionage against Washington’s

government networks, including an attack that compromised personal data of 21

million individuals in a database maintained by the Office Of Personnel Management.

China has been increasing its military presence in the South China Sea over recent

years, while conducting naval activities

(http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/09/militarizing­south­china­sea/) that

Washington claims to be threatening to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea,

through which $5 trillion in ship­borne trade passes every year.

Since 2013, Beijing has boosted its maritime activities, reclaiming vast areas of land

for airstrips and other military facilities in order to show off its might in the Pacific.

According to U.S. military experts, by claiming the disputed islands, China is aimed at

building a blue­water navy that can operate far away from the shore, with a particular

interest to operating beyond the so­called ‘first island chain’ that encloses the South

China, Yellow Seas, and East China and divides them from the Pacific.

No progress in Xi-Obama talks leads to warshipmaneuversThe move to deploy the U.S. warships comes as a response to Chinese warships

operating in waters close to the U.S. soil last month.

At the beginning of September, as many as five Chinese vessels sailed off the coast of

Alaska while U.S. President Barack Obama

(http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/09/south­china­sea­a­hot­debate­on­the­

horizon/) was visiting the arctic region, becoming the first U.S. President to enter the

Arctic. It was the closest the Chines navy had ever come to the U.S. soil.

(http://www.valuewalk.com/wp­content/uploads/2015/07/South­China­Sea­

Fleet.jpg)

10/8/2015 U.S. Deploys Warships In South China Sea To Show Its Might

http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/u­s­deploys­warships­in­south­china­sea/ 3/5

U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has been repeatedly requesting the White House

to take bolder maritime actions to deter the Chinese expansion in the South China

Sea. But the Obama administration had refused to listen to Mr. Carter, explaining that

such moves would only escalate the tensions between the countries.

However, now that the talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping during his recent

visit to the U.S. failed to bring any progress on the issue, the White House has agreed

to make a move.

During the press conference with the Chinese President last month, Obama said he

had “significant concerns over land reclamation

(http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/09/chinas­land­reclamation­activities­in­the­

south­china­sea/), construction and the militarization of disputed areas,” and pointed

out that the U.S. would “continue to sail, fly and operate anywhere that international

law allows.”

Even though the U.S. has routinely deployed its ships through international waters in

the South China Sea, it has not sent them inside the 12­nautical mile zone claimed by

China since 2012. But ever since China stepped up its construction activities around

the disputed islands, the possibility of deploying warships to the area were widely

discussed in Washington.

By deploying its ships to the disputed area, the U.S. shows that China’s claims do not

comply with international law, including the United Nations Law of the Sea

(UNCLOS).

U.S. vs China: New Cold War?Admiral Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, referred to China by saying

that “some nations view freedom of the seas as up for grabs” as well as something that

could be “redefined by domestic law or by reinterpreting international law.”

“Some nations in this region continue to impose superfluous warnings and restrictions

on freedom of the seas in their exclusive economic zones and claim territorial water

rights that are inconsistent with UNCLOS,” Adm. Swift said, speaking in Australia this

week. “This trend is particularly egregious in contested waters.”

The moves to deploy the U.S. warships indicate the failure of Xi­Obama talks during

Xi’s recent visit to Washington. On the contrary, not seeing progress with the

diplomatic approach to settle the conflict, the White House has opted out to use force.

There are growing concerns that if the Americans step up their naval patrolling in the

region, which is claimed by Beijing, the tensions could reach the level of the Cold War

between the USSR and the U.S.

China is unlikely to concede to the U.S.Seeing the growing global prestige of Russia for its ongoing military operation in

Syria, the Chinese will unlikely concede to the Americans.

The Chinese have already constructed artificial islands

(http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/china­playing­a­clever­game­in­south­china­

sea/) in the China South Sea and declared the area in the 12­mile radius around each

10/8/2015 U.S. Deploys Warships In South China Sea To Show Its Might

http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/u­s­deploys­warships­in­south­china­sea/ 4/5

What Happens When You Boost Testosterone(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/2062/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

Use This Simple Method To Recover Your 20/20 Vision(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/5398/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

Forget 'Googling' Your Name, Controversial Site Exposes The Truth(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/4943/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

American Man Turns $35 Into $2,000,000, Just By Watching NFL(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/5502/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

Shocking Secret Can 'Recover' A Full Head Of Hair(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/4531/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

Incredible Secret Makes Acne Disappear(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/4775/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

Ease Joint Discomfort With Amazing New Supplement(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/5081/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

Shocking Breakthrough Leads Scientists To Discover 'God Vitamin'(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/5217/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

(http://stocktwits.com/widgets/share)

of the island to be sovereign Chinese territory. Moreover, just a few days before Xi’s

visit to Washington, a Chinese fighter jet came close to an American surveillance

plane.

The U.S. feels the need to give a military response, or they will lose the remains of

their authority over their Asian allies. Not hoping for only the military response, the

White House wants to press on Beijing with economic measures as well. Especially

given the fact that the Americans could seize the moment now that the Chinese

economy experiences some difficulties.

On October 5, the U.S. and 11 Pacific countries agreed to create the Trans­Pacific

Partnership (http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/vietnam­tpp/) after 8 years of

negotiations. The agreement was signed by Australia, Brunei, Chili, Japan, Malaysia,

Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

Washington does not conceal the fact that the agreement is called to weaken China’s

economic expansion in the region.

Like this article? Sign up for our free newsletter to get articles delivered

to your inbox

(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/2062/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/5398/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/4943/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/5502/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/4531/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/4775/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/5081/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

(/2015/133/7NfAGxWb/5217/pro-golfer-were-exercising/2062,5398,4943,5502,4531,4775,5081,5217)

Previous

(http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/value-

investing-with-legends-lei-

zhangs-lecture-at-columbia-

business-school/)Value Investing WithLegends – Lei Zhang’sLecture At Columbia

Business School

Next

(http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/howard-

marks-liquidity-hurts-banks-

proprietary-positions/)Howard Marks: LiquidityHurts Banks’ Proprietary

Positions

(http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/howard-

(http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/value-investing-with-legends-lei-zhangs-lecture-at-

(http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/howard-marks-

liquidity-hurts-banks-proprietary-

10/8/2015 U.S. Deploys Warships In South China Sea To Show Its Might

http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/u­s­deploys­warships­in­south­china­sea/ 5/5

1 Comment ValueWalk  Login1

 Share⤤ Sort by Newest

Join the discussion…

• Reply •

RobRoyston  •  an hour ago

"Even though the U.S. has routinely deployed its ships through international waters in theSouth China Sea, it has not sent them inside the 12­nautical mile zone claimed by Chinasince 2012" ­ those artificial islands were built on low tide elevations. they were, are and stillwill be considered as INTERNATIONAL WATERS under INTERNATIONAL MARITIMELAW.

You cannot build an island on marine features of LTE and then claim a 12­NM zone aroundit (what more for a 200NM EEZ???). The world should not be hoodwinked by china drawingthem into a debate over the validity of sailing inside or outside the 12NM zone. This ischinas strategy for the world to unwittingly accept a spurious exclusion zone that isfabricated out of INTERNATIONAL WATERS.

The argument about this 12NM zone shouldn't even be entertained in the first place. Anynavy of any nation whatever the intent, is entitled to sail through international waters!

 △ ▽  

 Recommend

Share ›

Copyright © 2015 ValueWalk - Privacy Policy (http://www.valuewalk.com/legal-disclaimer-valuewalk/)

Business School(http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/value-investing-with-legends-lei-zhangs-lecture-at-columbia-business-school/)

(http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/10/howard-marks-liquidity-hurts-banks-

proprietary-positions/)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

(http://www.valuewalk.com)

Polina Tikhonova(http://www.valuewalk.com/author/polina-tikhonova/)Polina Tikhonova is a writer, journalist and a certified translator. Over thepast 7 years, she has worked for a wide variety of top European, American,Russian, and Ukrainian media outlets. Polina holds a Master's Degree inEnglish Philology from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor's Degree inJournalism from the Saint Petersburg State University. Her articles and newsreports have been published by many newspapers, magazines, journals,blogs and online media sources across the globe. Polina is fluent in English,German, Ukrainian and Russian.

columbia-business-school/)

positions/)