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China is accusing the U.S. of deliberately raising tensions over the disputed territory China claimed as its own in the South China Sea. This comes after an American B-52 flew close to the Cuareron Reef in the Spratly Islands.
China demanded that Washington (read "Obama") take immediate measures to prevent such incidents from recurring, as it will damage relations between the two nations military and possibly result in China refusing to export cheap and flimsy lead-based goods to the U.S.
Instead of the president telling China that we are within our rights to fly in that area as it does not belong to China, the Pentagon said to the Wall Street Journal they are investigating the flight path of the bomber. They believe that the B-52 may have been blown off course.
In October of this year, a U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Lassen sailed within 12 nautical miles inside the disputed zone around the Subi Reef, and Chinese officials gave warning to the ship.
The Navy officials said that the path the destroyer took was necessary to make it clear to China that their man-made islands are not considered to be sovereign territory with territorial water rights surrounding it.
The Pentagon said the recent B-52 flights were unplanned. "For this mission, there was no intention of flying to within 12 nautical miles," said Cmdr. Bill Urban, a Pentagon spokesman.
But the China Defense Ministry said the flight and other U.S. military operations in the area of the artificial islands are "serious military provocations" that could cause militarization in the region. They have been trying to impose a 12-nautical mile limit around the islands, but international law says that such limits cannot be imposed around islands built on previously submerged reefs.
So to really make them angry at us, we approved a $1.83 billion arms sale to Taiwan this week and China had a hissy-fit.
This may mean that there will be no cheap lead-based toys to poison the kids with this Christmas.
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China demanded that Washington (read "Obama") take immediate measures to prevent such incidents from recurring, as it will damage relations between the two nations military and possibly result in China refusing to export cheap and flimsy lead-based goods to the U.S.
Instead of the president telling China that we are within our rights to fly in that area as it does not belong to China, the Pentagon said to the Wall Street Journal they are investigating the flight path of the bomber. They believe that the B-52 may have been blown off course.
In October of this year, a U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Lassen sailed within 12 nautical miles inside the disputed zone around the Subi Reef, and Chinese officials gave warning to the ship.
The Navy officials said that the path the destroyer took was necessary to make it clear to China that their man-made islands are not considered to be sovereign territory with territorial water rights surrounding it.
The Pentagon said the recent B-52 flights were unplanned. "For this mission, there was no intention of flying to within 12 nautical miles," said Cmdr. Bill Urban, a Pentagon spokesman.
But the China Defense Ministry said the flight and other U.S. military operations in the area of the artificial islands are "serious military provocations" that could cause militarization in the region. They have been trying to impose a 12-nautical mile limit around the islands, but international law says that such limits cannot be imposed around islands built on previously submerged reefs.
So to really make them angry at us, we approved a $1.83 billion arms sale to Taiwan this week and China had a hissy-fit.
This may mean that there will be no cheap lead-based toys to poison the kids with this Christmas.
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