Trump White House vows to stop China taking South China Sea islands

The new U.S. administration of President Donald Trump vowed on Monday that the United States would prevent China from taking over territory in international waters in the South China Sea, something Chinese state media has warned would require Washington to "wage war."

"The U.S. is going to make sure that we protect our interests there," Spicer said when asked if Trump agreed with comments by his secretary of state nominee, Rex Tillerson, on Jan. 11 that China should not be allowed access to islands it has built in the contested South China Sea.

Trump White House vows to stop China taking South China Sea islands

The comments at a briefing from White House spokesman Sean Spicer signaled a sharp departure from years of cautious U.S. handling of China's assertive pursuit of territory claims in Asia, just days after Trump took office on Friday.

Well, it seems there is no question that China is going to get pretty damn mad. Between the ignoring of the "One China policy" and the olive branch extended to Taiwan, and now this apparent, heavier and more direct threat to deny China access to the new sand islands they built- this may not end well at all. Add to that the new administration's inflammatory rhetoric about China stealing American jobs, and look out- China is going to be on a war path.

I guess they are just going to have to refuse to make any more "Make America Great Again" hats, huh?

China already has military installations on those islands. Denying them access to those may get a couple of Sunbird missiles flying. But wait. One of our Generals said recently that "We will beat you harder than you've ever been beat," referring to any potential adversaries of the USA.

Oh well, so much for bringing the troops home. A nope. But who else is going to contain China's expansion in the South China Sea? The UN?

Ha. Puhleease. No chance.

We talk a lot about Russia, but keep an eye on China, because that might be the next sleeping giant to awake and yawn real loud.

This spat is none of our damn business, we need to stay out of it. We don't need more wars, and we need to let others learn to do their own self defense, lest they forget how. We're not everybody's bodyguard.

And so it begins. Some countries have been claiming ownership of certain aread through finding ancient shipwrecks as proof of discovery to claim the area as their own. Look it up. Big oil field out there so I read,wonder what the fuss is about?

tell you what....

the Chinese built the Spratly Islands

I back Trump on most other things but not trying to take their defense platforms against their will....

I don't think the idea of stopping China from 'taking' the islands holds water

a reply to: TrueAmerican

I don't get your twist on this why I would have to watch China? The aggression could be seen coming from a world police which isn't unbiased, like an ideal UN would be.
But besides that why is he making this the exception from his "America first/best/only" protectionism? Does he want a war with China?

a reply to: TrueAmerican

Excerpt from your post:

""The U.S. is going to make sure that we protect our interests there," Spicer said when asked if Trump agreed with comments by his secretary of state nominee, Rex Tillerson, on Jan. 11 that China should not be allowed access to islands it has built in the contested South China Sea.""

FACTS?

1. The USA has "interests" in/on these islands?
2. China BUILT these islands?

If China Built these islands, why would the USA have interest there?

Can someone provide a link that describes these islands. Are they resorts?

Tricky situation. First, does the US have any effin business whatsoever in singlehandedly preventing China from doing anything?
Once China starts threatening places like Japan or SK, then sure, but until then..thats a international thing..meaning UN, not US. US is not world police.

I think going into a actual war with China would be highly unpopular. First and foremost, people dont dislike chinese people here. we love their food, their products, most of their history and culture, etc etc. Yeah, their government sucks, but they are just our competitor who makes stuff cheap for us and loans us money now and then.

This is exceptionally tricky. Too much invested in each other to even become light enemies.

a reply to: carewemust
There's a strong potential for large oil & gas deposits there. That's what we'd be interested in protecting, not people.

originally posted by: carewemust
Can someone provide a link that describes these islands. Are they resorts?

I will take a look,but I heard about this sometime back..they are basically frozen island wastes that nobody would want, with the exception of some very high value minerals located there for mining purposes

I think they actually belong to Japan though
This is some disupted islands

Its a mess..but thar be gold in them their hills type situation..so it may get hot.

a reply to: TrueAmerican

I fully agree that China has no rights there, and I have sailed through the SCS for the past decade, it's north of Bali and South of Singapore - uckin miles from the Chinese mainland so I was going to be outraged until I realised the islands are 'made in China'.

NOW, in saying all that, we are talking Maritime Law which is about as archaic as the US governments ability to not be hacked - it needs serious attention because said laws actually allow for pirates to exist. I sh!t you not!!! So if pirates can operate on the high seas then China can create land there too, it's no where near as black and white as folks may think.
the world exists in its current state BECAUSE of the maritime industry.

Yes, I'm bias but in this instance it's true, that is why China has continued to do its construction and the US and UN can do jack-sh!t about it - another fact.

extra, extra, read all about it:
en.wikipedia.org...

originally posted by: SaturnFX

originally posted by: carewemust
Can someone provide a link that describes these islands. Are they resorts?

I will take a look,but I heard about this sometime back..they are basically frozen island wastes that nobody would want, with the exception of some very high value minerals located there for mining purposes

I think they actually belong to Japan though
This is some disupted islands

Its a mess..but thar be gold in them their hills type situation..so it may get hot.

Different island group, but still, another in dispute. I'm pretty sure Trump is chest-thumping over the Spratly Islands, not Senkaku Islands. Or maybe he's killing 2 birds with one stone and hoping it'll extend to Senkaku.

build another wall around the islands hhah

thatll be the dankest meme ever.

The area may be rich in oil and natural gas deposits; however, the estimates are highly varied. The Ministry of Geological Resources and Mining of the People's Republic of China estimated that the South China Sea may contain 17.7 billion tons of crude oil[7] (compared to Kuwait with 13 billion tons). In the years following the announcement by the ministry, the claims regarding the South China Sea islands intensified. However, other sources claim that the proven reserve of oil in the South China Sea may only be 7.5 billion barrels, or about 1.1 billion tons.[8] According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA)'s profile of the South China Sea region, a US Geological Survey estimate puts the region's discovered and undiscovered oil reserves at 11 billion barrels, as opposed to a Chinese figure of 125 billion barrels.[9] The same EIA report also points to the wide variety of natural gas resource estimations, ranging from 190 trillion cubic feet to 500 trillion cubic feet, likely located in the contested Reed Bank".[9]

Oh looky. It's oil rearing its ugly head again.

originally posted by: TrueAmerican
Oh looky. It's oil rearing its ugly head again.

Looks like we're going to war, boys!

Time to liberate someone somewhere...surely they will welcome us with flowers.

a reply to: SaturnFX

I'd say the chances of us going to war with China at this point far exceed those of going to war with Russia. Notice. I said: "At THIS point". Meaning, with Trump in office.

originally posted by: TrueAmerican
a reply to: SaturnFX

I'd say the chances of us going to war with China at this point far exceed those of going to war with Russia. Notice. I said: "At THIS point". Meaning, with Trump in office.

Another interesting scenario. China and Russia have been working on an alliance.

The (conspiracy?) theory is that Russia has been trying to weaken for many years/decades now the US strength as the worlds main (only) superpower. a Trump presidency seems aimed at alienating our bank and manufacturing base..this would nuke our economy while not really touching China or Russias economy. we wouldn't be strong enough to patrol the east (especially now that our former long term ally, Philippines, is also moving towards Russia and China).

If I wanted to be all conspiratorial, I would say this is the long game being set in motion. Russia/China rises as America becomes contained.

a reply to: SaturnFX

This brings up a desire that I've expressed many times in this forum. If the LEADER(s) of a nation is the problem, take out the LEADER(s). Avoid thousands, or millions of casualties.

Surely USA covert technology and techniques have advanced to the point where we could do this, and make it seem like "natural causes", or a coupe, or some fanatical group was responsible. Trillions of dollars have been invested in our intelligence complexes since WWII.

originally posted by: carewemust
a reply to: SaturnFX

This brings up a desire that I've expressed many times in this forum. If the LEADER(s) of a nation is the problem, take out the LEADER(s). Avoid thousands, or millions of casualties.

Surely USA covert technology and techniques have advanced to the point where we could do this, and make it seem like "natural causes", or a coupe, or some fanatical group was responsible. Trillions of dollars have been invested in our intelligence complexes since WWII.

Well, take out the leader and you just get a new leader that may be even more crap than the previous one.

The current Chinese head is actually not too bad. pretty western and is opening up china to capitalism more and more..take him out and communist purists may install a hardliner. Look at all the lovely dictators thats been toppled in the last decade and consider if this made the suggested areas safer or worse

Also, its not our job..its nobodys job. its the citizens job to rise up and fight for more. Best other nations could do is send free internet easily accessable so if the chinese people want to overthrow..they can coordinate and do it themselves. I am in favor of a UN bill that would allow for a global initiative to have free and open wifi everywhere on earth..that will be the final nail in the coffin for any totalitarian regime..anyone with a smart phone will have access to the world of information.

originally posted by: TrueAmerican
extra, extra, read all about it:
en.wikipedia.org...

I think this is a military website that describes what China is doing to build and enhance the islands..primarily for military purposes. Impressive aerial photos compliment the assessment.

southfront.org...