Remember a few things about China and what it has previously said:
- In Febuary of 2010, China warned there will be hand-to-hand combat with the United States within 10 years.
- It doesn’t care about Taiwan. Preparations for war with Taiwan are actually preparations for war with America:
- “The central committee believes, as long as we resolve the United States problem at one blow, our domestic problems will all be readily solved. Therefore, our military battle preparation appears to aim at Taiwan, but in fact is aimed at the United States, and the preparation is far beyond the scope of attacking aircraft carriers or satellites.” – Chi Haotian, Minster of Defense and vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission
- China’s main goal: The extermination of America.
The CCP has mastered the art of provocation while creating the perception it’s the victim.
Rex Tillerson during the confirmation hearing [Getty]
Follows Rex Tillerson’s South China Sea comments during confirmation hearing
The US should “prepare for a military clash”, a state run Chinese tabloid newspaper has warned.
Less than 24 hours after US Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson appeared to call for a blockade of South China Sea islands, a strongly-worded English editorial in the Global Times accused the former Exxon Mobil chief executive of “rabble-rousing”.
He “had better bone up on nuclear power strategies if he wants to force a big nuclear power to withdraw from its own territories”, the paper, which is known for writing hawkish editorials, said. However, despite being state run, it does not necessarily reflect government policy.
In its first response to Mr Tillerson’s comments, China’s foreign ministry stressed the importance of mutual respect and cooperation with the US.
At a daily briefing spokesman Lu Kang Lu said relations between the two countries were based on “non-confrontation, non-conflict, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.”
The energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion (£4 trillion) in ship-borne trade passes every year has nonetheless been a source of tension in the region.
Despite competing claims from other countries, including the Philippines and Vietnam, China has built seven artificial islands on reefs and rocks, outfitting them with military length airstrips and anti-aircraft guns.
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Seeking to blockade China’s man-made islands would be a major step that Washington has never raised as an option
The Global Times editorial said: “The US has no absolute power to dominate the South China Sea. Tillerson had better bone up on nuclear power strategies if he wants to force a big nuclear power to withdraw from its own territories.”
“If Trump’s diplomatic team shapes future Sino-US ties as it is doing now, the two sides had better prepare for a military clash.”
“China has enough determination and strength to make sure that his rabble rousing will not succeed. Unless Washington plans to wage a large-scale war in the South China Sea, any other approaches to prevent Chinese access to the islands will be foolish.”
“It is hoped that Tillerson will desire a productive partnership with China more and his harsh words are just coaxing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.”
At his confirmation hearing, Mr Tillerson had accused Beijing of “declaring control of territories that are not rightfully China’s,” comparing its island-building efforts and deployment of military assets to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea—an action that ended up prompting tough US and European sanctions.
He said: “You’re going to have to send China a clear signal that first the island building stops, and second your access to those islands is also not going to be allowed.”
The Global Times article followed an opinion piece in the state-run China Daily’s US edition that strongly criticised Mr Tillerson, accusing him of “undisguised animosity toward China.”
It added: “As many have observed, it would set a course for devastating confrontation between China and the US. After all, how can the U.S. deny China access to its own territories without inviting the latter’s legitimate, defensive responses?”
However, some analysts believed Tillerson misspoke.
Blocking Chinese access to the islands “could spark armed conflict,” said Mark Fitzpatrick, at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. “I can’t help but think that he did not mean it this way.”
He added: “The muted Chinese reaction gives him the benefit of the doubt.”
Full article: Chinese state media tells Donald Trump’s team to ‘prepare for military clash’ (The Independent)
Global Geopolitics 