The U.S. will carry out a series of naval and air exercises with South Korea in the Sea of Japan, located on the east side of the Korean peninsula, and the Yellow Sea, on the west side of the peninsula, near China. The exercises are meant to send a clear message of “deterrence” to North Korea, said Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell yesterday, who wouldn’t give a specific date for the exercises, only that they would take place in the “near future.”
Beijing has already voiced their opposition to any joint U.S.-South Korean exercises near their territorial waters. Morrell’s response (prompted by a reporter’s question about Chinese complaints) was basically: Look, once you’re beyond the 12-mile territorial waters you’re in the high seas and “we or anybody else” can do whatever we want.
The aircraft carrier George Washington carried out exercises in the Yellow Sea in October, Morrell said, and, as part of a strengthening of U.S.-South Korean security relations, he fully expects more such exercises, on a regular basis.
“I’m sure the George Washington will operate again in the Yellow Sea. But we’re not in a position yet to announce which assets are going where and when. Suffice it to say we are going to operate in both the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea as a part of these exercises.”
Below is a Google translation of a Liberation Army Daily (Jiefangjun Bao) story from Beijing on July 8. The original story can be found here.
China is opposed to foreign military vessels and planes to China’s coastal waters
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 8 — ( Hou Lijun , Zhu Shuang ) Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang at a regular press conference said that China is resolutely opposed to foreign military vessels and planes to the Yellow Sea and other coastal waters of China affect China’s security interests in the activities of.
Qin Gang answered journalists questions about the Korea-US joint military exercise , said the Chinese side has expressed serious concern to the parties concerned.
“We firmly oppose the foreign military vessels and planes to the Yellow Sea and other coastal waters of China affect China’s security interests in the activities, I hope the parties concerned to keep calm, exercise restraint, do not do things that aggravate regional tensions.” Qin Gang said.
South Korean military Joint Staff official Li Peng rain on the 6th at a regular press conference that South Korea and the United States in the Council on the ” Tian “was decided after the incident warning ships to conduct joint military exercises.
– Greg Grant
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
This should get interesting.
I'm guessing more Chiniese diesel subs trying to sneak in?
Funny coming from China, considering what they've been doing to Japan lately.
I'd say it is partly them trying to assert themselves, and partly knowing how goofy and unpredictable Kim Jung 'mentally' Il is. They probably have no idea how the Norks will react and that worries them.
If they want to do something useful they should reign in the NK idiot and not worry about their no. 1 trading partner.
Well, I think the Chinese have the right to be pissed. Pretty sure the US wouldn't be all to happy if the Russians or Chinese decided to have a major naval and air exercises with Venezuela or Cuba a couple miles off our coastline.
Like STemplar said, I'm more interested in the Nork response. China probably won't do anything too rash; some say they might want to sneak a sub in there, but I'm not sure that would be such a wise move considering the S.Ks just got their corvette sunk by a sneaky sub.
Well if they did have a exercise "a couple of miles off our coastline" like you suggest, we would be pissed and they would be a response, But if they were 12 or more miles off of our coast then I don't think we give give a hoot about what they do (but we'd get our kicks watching them).
well good news is that america wont ever need to worry about gulf of mexico exercises because russia/china has limited/no power projection… and america has ALOT…
Yeah, I can't really blame them. I mean, some people were freaking out when it was revealed that Russian attack submarines were prowling around off the east coast and that Russian warships were using the Panama Canal and Tu-160s were being flown to Venezuela for joint exercises, and when it was announced that Tu-95 patrols would resume, etc. etc. etc.
If a US neighbor whose economy relied on US foreign aid for survival sank a warship of a mutual neighbor for no good reason, the US would not let it go unpunished. If the victim was a Cuba or Venezuela, there would be a lot of sympathy for them in spite of our adversarial relationships. If the Chinese want to be treated like a major power, they have to behave like 1 on their part. That includes keeping their clients under control.
No doubt, I'm just saying, you can't really fault them for being unhappy about it, as we're not very happy when others do something similar (and mind you the panama canal is a lot farther from CONUS than the Yellow Sea/Sea of Japan is from China.
The NK torpedoed the SK warship close to the NK coast not near SK . it makes a difference , that and the fact the 2 countries are still at war and therefore it was a legal act .
SK still has not signed a peace treaty , a armistice , or even a cease fire . ( which is one reason why the US will not hand over control )
last year the SK were boasting how they shot up a NK patrol boat that was in NK territorial water , again close to NK and know where near the south , so it was obvious there would be a military response from the north .
imagine it was the other way around
The SK ship was in SK waters, NK does not have a excuse. We have every right to ingage in any activity we deem fitting behond the 12 mile limit off NK coast. Just let NK Korea try something, they will get the full force of our military. That my friends is beyond what NK can even contemplate.
**nods**
Whatever is exactly the right reply……………..
To quote Ronald Regan: "we begin bombing in 5 minutes".
Cool–the only question is who to bomb first–I can name three likely candidates.
I was thinking of "NUTS", but that's borderline plagiarism. But then, considering the situation concerning a certain country famous for total respect of intellectual property, the term plagiarism might be too close for comfort.
I thought the Chineese & Russian Subs frequent our waterways (Great Lakes) more often than is reported by our biased new services will report – at least without the approval of our government – in the interest of "NOT ALARMING THE CITIZENS!" I agree China has to chime in so as to not alarm their citizens publically! What does bother me now – it seems to be so publicized – either party could "Lite the Fuse of Hostilities" and claim to blame the others!!!
How the heck do they get into the great lakes? You think they can really sneak up the St Lawrence you idiot.
Try looking at a map or actually checking it out and say that again. OMG
wow, just wow…
I saw one in my neighbor's pool…..which is all the more disturbing….they made it to AZ….
As long as we are in International water, China should shut up!!!!!!!!!
South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are our best Allies in southeast Asia, and this is a good sign that our Military at least has their thinking caps on even if their Civilian bosses don't.
Osher Doctorow
You have to be able to look at both sides of the coin- this ones just has more on one side than the other:
1) We aren't a couple miles off, we are +12 (US favor)
2) As I recall, everyone was very upset when VZ said they would be holding training excercises with the Russians (even though they are much much farther away from US waters) (China favor)
3) China has no say since they won't do anything about NK, and this is one of their punishments (to see the stick that's going to whack their @$$es before it actually does) (US favor)
4) We've been doing these exercises with the South Koreans for years, decades even (US favor)
If China doesn't like it, let them put a leash on the Norks and then their wouldn't be a need for these exercises or at least negotiate something, such as "Don't do the excercises and we'll give you back majority share holdings in all your companies" or something
China can't do anything about the Norks. If they cut off aid, all china's gonna get is a bazillion starving Nork refugees running across the border.
Wow, I am surprised that Obama would okay something that looks like force. He better be careful, wouldn't want to loose that peace medal…
Haha. That's a whole 'nother can of worms, my friend. Why would he use force and risk pissing off the very Chinese from whom he takes his political philosophy? Communism is, after all, a transnational movement.
The Chinese want to maintain the status quo for a number of reasons.
If the Norks go away then a united Korea is an American client state right on their border, not good for them.
The US will have an enormous amount of military resources that were dedicated to countering North Korea freed up and available for other 'issues', not good for them.
The new Korea will be an American ally, and the considerable amount of resources that the South Koreans had to counter the North will now be freed up for other 'issues', not good for them.
The Japanese SDF will no longer have the Norks to be concerned with, they can focus on other 'issues', not good for the Chinese.
A collapse of the Norks would cause a refugee flood into China and all the associated headaches associated there with, not good for them.
The Chinese have absolutely no interest in seeing the North Korean issue move beyond endless 'diplomacy' and bribes to pry concessions from the North Koreans. Obama and company need to add a page to their hope n change diplomacy play book and stop running to the Chinese and Russians with our national security concerns.
STemplar,
Good points all, but if China wanted to do away with the Americans, they could just cash in their stock and finish collapsing the US Economy ;~)
But if we go to war with China, then by virtue of conflict, all our debts with the "enemy" are wiped clean… Hmm… Food for thought! :-)
Sometimes USA policy is gobsmakinly stupid. It flabberghasts me the lack of real diplomacy at work in the world. An action or 'test' like this serves no purpose. You cant 'threaten' a dictatorship already in seige mentality, only make them more scared and more conflict orientated.
What this DOES is mean than when the chinese decide they really want to test a carrier 12 miles off the USA easten coast, they can and theycant object.
If i were china, frankly, i would park a carrier off the USA coast and do 'exercises' to remind them what diplomacy and respect for other nations looks iike.
Last I checked, China's only version of a carrier is actually a concrete building sitting in a farm field somewhere in the mainland. It will be a while before they could move it to sea.
:-)
'unified Korea as an american client' : are you mad man?
North korea is not so slowly being pulled into Chinas economic influence – essentially colonisation by chinese entreprenours.
Within 20years North Korea will essentially be a vassal of china, like tibet.
Im not pro-china, but China got it 'right' where NATO got it wrong. North Korea will become more stable due to china, and every bloody yank warship off the cost unsettles them even more.