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Reuters reports:
Japan plans to dispatch its largest warship on a three-month tour through the South China Sea beginning in May, three sources said, in its biggest show of naval force in the region since World War Two. China claims almost all the disputed waters and its growing military presence has fueled concern in Japan and the West, with the United States holding regular air and naval patrols to ensure freedom of navigation.
The Izumo helicopter carrier, commissioned only two years ago, will make stops in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka before joining the Malabar joint naval exercise with Indian and U.S. naval vessels in the Indian Ocean in July.
President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte said he may visit the warship. The Chinese navy plans to "shadow" foreign military vessels and aircraft. The U.S. is deploying an attack drone to South Korea to respond to recent North Korean missile launches.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday March 15 2017, @11:29PM (1 child)
China doesn't just want the existing islands. China is building islands:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mischief_Reef [wikipedia.org]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiery_Cross_Reef [wikipedia.org]
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Wednesday March 15 2017, @11:48PM
"Islands" was almost hyperbolic for what was mostly inhospitable rocks and reefs ...
To achieve proper fait accompli, and guarantee that any competing claim (or international judgement) wouldn't be easily enforced, the Chinese needed enough room for a bunch of military equipment, including airstrips to conduct patrols.