12-18-2016, 11:02 PM
*** 19-Dec-16 World View -- Chinese bombers circling Taiwan raise talk of war during Trump's first term
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** China says it will back down over US military drone seizure in South China Sea
****
![[Image: g161218b.jpg]](http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g161218b.jpg)
A drone similar to the one that was seized
China's Defense Ministry said on Saturday that it will return to the
United States an American military drone it seized in international
waters in the South China Sea, near the Philippines. However, China
has not yet returned the drone, and says only that it will return the
drone "in an appropriate manner" at an unnamed time.
The Pentagon says that on Thursday, a Chinese naval ship approached
the USNS Bowditch, an oceanographic survey vessel with a mostly
civilian crew, which was trying to retrieve an American military drone
that had been collecting unclassified data for oceanic research. A
Chinese warship, a "submarine rescue vessel," that had been following
the Bowditch, send out a small boat and outran the Bowditch to capture
the drone.
According to the US Defense Department, China intentionally captured a
"sovereign immune vessel," which is an act of war. The Chinese rushed
to provide a laughable excuse, saying that the drone was captured "in
order to prevent the device from causing harm to the safety of
navigation and personnel of passing vessels."
The drone was captured in waters near the Philippines, far from China.
China has declared its intention to annex the entire South China Sea
as its sovereign territory, even though its claims have been shown to
be a hoax, and even though a judgment by the United Nations Permanent
Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague has made it clear that China
was violating international law.
Chinese state media made it clear that the seizure was intentional.
It quotes Li Jie, a Beijing-based naval expert:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"This is not the first time that we seized a US
> underwater drone in the South China Sea, but the one we seized on
> Thursday is new and more advanced than before and might carry
> valuable information just gathered in the South China
> Sea."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
According to one theory, China seized the US military drone to send a
threatening message to US president-elect Donald Trump, after he
accepted a phone call from Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen on December
2. Trump has also indicated that he is also reviewing America's
support for the "one China" policy, which says that Taiwan is a
province of China.
China was forced to back down and promise to return the drone because
not doing so could force a military response by the US. However,
until China fulfills its promise and actually returns the drone, a
military response remains a possibility. Washington Post and Xinhua and Global Times (Beijing) and Daily Beast
Related Articles
****
**** Chinese bombers circling Taiwan raise talk of war during Trump's first term
****
Anxieties about war have been raised in Taiwan after Chinese bombers
twice circled around Taiwan's periphery, though without entering the
countries air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
Some people have speculated that this is one more act from Beijing,
like the seizure of the US drone, to send a message in response to
Donald Trump's phone call with Taiwan's president. However, that
would seem an unlikely explanation, since the two actions by the
Chinese bomber occurred on November 25 and December 10, with the first
action occurring prior to the phone call.
However, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense on Sunday appealed for
calm, as further concerns were raised this weekend when China's air
published a photo on social media showing a bomber flying above clouds
with two mountain peaks in the distance, apparently depicting the
November 25 flight. Chinese military commentators said that the peaks
are of a mountain in Taiwan.
China's state media quoted a Chinese military analyst saying that
military action could occur in Donald Trump's first term:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"Military conflicts would occur between the Chinese
> mainland and Taiwan by 2020. It is quite possible that the
> mainland will take the island in one stroke."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
However, another Chinese analyst is quoted as saying that China's
leadership might not favor reunification by force, which would hurt
both sides' interests. China Post (Taipei) and Global Times (Beijing)
Related Articles
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, China, South China Sea, USNS Bowditch,
United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration, PCA,
Philippines, Li Jie, Donald Trump, Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- China says it will back down over US military drone seizure in South China Sea
- Chinese bombers circling Taiwan raise talk of war during Trump's first term
****
**** China says it will back down over US military drone seizure in South China Sea
****
A drone similar to the one that was seized
China's Defense Ministry said on Saturday that it will return to the
United States an American military drone it seized in international
waters in the South China Sea, near the Philippines. However, China
has not yet returned the drone, and says only that it will return the
drone "in an appropriate manner" at an unnamed time.
The Pentagon says that on Thursday, a Chinese naval ship approached
the USNS Bowditch, an oceanographic survey vessel with a mostly
civilian crew, which was trying to retrieve an American military drone
that had been collecting unclassified data for oceanic research. A
Chinese warship, a "submarine rescue vessel," that had been following
the Bowditch, send out a small boat and outran the Bowditch to capture
the drone.
According to the US Defense Department, China intentionally captured a
"sovereign immune vessel," which is an act of war. The Chinese rushed
to provide a laughable excuse, saying that the drone was captured "in
order to prevent the device from causing harm to the safety of
navigation and personnel of passing vessels."
The drone was captured in waters near the Philippines, far from China.
China has declared its intention to annex the entire South China Sea
as its sovereign territory, even though its claims have been shown to
be a hoax, and even though a judgment by the United Nations Permanent
Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague has made it clear that China
was violating international law.
Chinese state media made it clear that the seizure was intentional.
It quotes Li Jie, a Beijing-based naval expert:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"This is not the first time that we seized a US
> underwater drone in the South China Sea, but the one we seized on
> Thursday is new and more advanced than before and might carry
> valuable information just gathered in the South China
> Sea."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
According to one theory, China seized the US military drone to send a
threatening message to US president-elect Donald Trump, after he
accepted a phone call from Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen on December
2. Trump has also indicated that he is also reviewing America's
support for the "one China" policy, which says that Taiwan is a
province of China.
China was forced to back down and promise to return the drone because
not doing so could force a military response by the US. However,
until China fulfills its promise and actually returns the drone, a
military response remains a possibility. Washington Post and Xinhua and Global Times (Beijing) and Daily Beast
Related Articles
- China says its South China Sea military buildup is a boon to the world (09-Dec-2016)
- China's 'ironclad proof' of South China Sea claims revealed as hoax (22-Jun-2016)
- Philippines humiliates China in harsh Hague Tribunal ruling over South China Sea (13-Jul-2016)
****
**** Chinese bombers circling Taiwan raise talk of war during Trump's first term
****
Anxieties about war have been raised in Taiwan after Chinese bombers
twice circled around Taiwan's periphery, though without entering the
countries air defense identification zone (ADIZ).
Some people have speculated that this is one more act from Beijing,
like the seizure of the US drone, to send a message in response to
Donald Trump's phone call with Taiwan's president. However, that
would seem an unlikely explanation, since the two actions by the
Chinese bomber occurred on November 25 and December 10, with the first
action occurring prior to the phone call.
However, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense on Sunday appealed for
calm, as further concerns were raised this weekend when China's air
published a photo on social media showing a bomber flying above clouds
with two mountain peaks in the distance, apparently depicting the
November 25 flight. Chinese military commentators said that the peaks
are of a mountain in Taiwan.
China's state media quoted a Chinese military analyst saying that
military action could occur in Donald Trump's first term:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"Military conflicts would occur between the Chinese
> mainland and Taiwan by 2020. It is quite possible that the
> mainland will take the island in one stroke."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
However, another Chinese analyst is quoted as saying that China's
leadership might not favor reunification by force, which would hurt
both sides' interests. China Post (Taipei) and Global Times (Beijing)
Related Articles
- No war erupted from Trump's ten minute phone call with Taiwan's Tsai Ing-wen (05-Dec-2016)
- New Taiwan poll shows overwhelming support for independence from China (02-Jun-2016)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, China, South China Sea, USNS Bowditch,
United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration, PCA,
Philippines, Li Jie, Donald Trump, Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
