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Tensions in the potentially resource-rich South China Sea flared as Vietnam accused China of sabotaging a seismic survey boat while China warned its neighbors to stop looking for oil in the disputed territory without its permission. Beijing's efforts to extend the reach and influence of its military, alongside its hunger for natural resources, have contributed to mounting worries in recent months over the stability of the South China Sea. The conflict has escalated into a series of clashes between Vietnamese exploration craft and Chinese patrol boats and a worsening war of words with the Philippines.
The territorial disputes were a focus of a regional security conference in Singapore on Saturday, where Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the U.S. was committed to defending its Southeast Asian allies. Mr. Gates predicted more clashes could occur unless rival claimants find a way to peacefully settle their disputes. Yet Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's move to offer Washington's assistance in facilitating multiparty talks over the waters while visiting Vietnam last year infuriated China. In the latest incident, Vietnam's Foreign Ministry on Thursday said a Chinese fishing boat supported by two Chinese naval patrol craft cut a cable being used by a seismic survey craft operated by state-run energy company PetroVietnam.
Ministry spokeswoman Nguyen Phuong Nga said the Chinese boat's actions were "completely premeditated" and "seriously violated Vietnam's sovereign rights." China's ambassador to the Philippines, Liu Jianchao, denied any wrongdoing in the area while also urging South China Sea claimants to stop drilling for oil and gas. Security analysts say the incident reflects a pattern of Chinese muscle-flexing in the disputed waters, which are claimed in whole or in part by Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia in addition to China, which considers the entire South China Sea as its sovereign territory.
The trigger for the worsening disputes is largely economic, says Carlyle Thayer, a professor at Australian Defence Force Academy at the University of New South Wales. The semi-submerged islands and reefs of the South China Seaespecially the Spratly Islands and the Paracelsare believed to lie atop significant reserves of oil and natural gas. Vietnam and the Philippines are already tapping some fields in the region. China "seeks to control these resources because they are abundant and closer to home than oil from the Middle East,"
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The Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Carl Levin of Michigan, said the fake electronic components include counterfeit microprocessors purchased by the U.S. Air Force for flight control computers, and counterfeit microcircuits in missile defense hardware. Appearing at a news conference at the Capitol, Levin said the problem must be thoroughly investigated and promptly corrected. Counterfeit electronic parts pose a risk to our national security, pose a risk to the reliability of our weapons systems," he said. "The proliferation of counterfeit goods also damages our economy and costs American jobs."
The allegations of counterfeit parts surfaced in a report last year by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Levin said inquiries by his committee and the U.S. Commerce Department yielded strong indications that the fake components originated in Chinas southern Guangdong province. Levin said he and the ranking Republican on the Committee, Senator John McCain of Arizona, want to dispatch members of their staff to Guangdong to conduct interviews with electronics suppliers there.
Senator McCain and I have tried for the last many weeks to get the Chinese embassy here and the consulate here to issue visas to our staff, without success," he said. 'The Chinese have said, Well, even if this could be arranged, there would have to be a Chinese official present during the interviews.' That is a non-starter. We do not have [to allow] somebody looking at our staff while they are interviewing people who are relevant to an investigation. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to VOA requests for comment on the matter.
Appearing alongside Levin, McCain argued that Chinese intransigence on the matter is unwise for both nations. The United States and China are not destined to be adversaries," said McCain. "We have overlapping interests, and this is actually one of them. It should be in Chinese interests not to have counterfeiting of these electronic parts going on, because it would harm legitimate Chinese companies as well. Levin said staff investigators are in Hong Kong, and will make another attempt Wednesday to secure visas for travel to Guangdong.
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Trade was a centerpiece of Secretary Clinton's trip to Africa this week as she met with business leaders to discuss continuing duty-free access to U.S. markets under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. So it is no surprise that everywhere she went - in Zambia, in Tanzania and in Ethiopia - Clinton was asked about the country that has overtaken the United States as Africa's top trading partner: China. "China's presence in Africa reflects the reality that it has important and growing interests here on the continent including access to resources and markets as well as developing closer diplomatic ties. The United States does not see these Chinese interests as inherently incompatible with our own interests, she said.
Chinese-African trade rose more than 40 percent, last year, to nearly $127 billion. Much of that was centered on mineral and oil exports, as Beijing looks to fuel its massive economy. Secretary Clinton says the Obama administration hopes that China will be successful in its economic efforts on behalf of the Chinese people and that it will assume a greater, and more responsible role in addressing challenges in Africa. "We are, however, concerned that China's foreign assistance and investment practices in Africa have not always been consistent with generally accepted international norms of transparency and good governance. And, that it has not always utilized the talents of the African people in pursuing its business interests, he said.
Large Chinese construction projects in Africa often employ Chinese workers housed at the site. African trade unions have complained that those projects do not create jobs or job training for local workers. Clinton says U.S. diplomats in Africa are reaching out to Chinese colleagues to explore potential areas of cooperation while assessing China's overall role in Africa. "We want to work more closely with China and other countries to make sure that when we are engaged with Africa, we are doing it in a sustainable manner that will benefit the nations and people of Africa, she said.
Although Washington has been replaced as Africa's top trading partner, it is still Africa's largest aid donor. Clinton says U.S. investment and assistance programs in Africa are based on partnership, not patronage, unlike those who deal only with Africa's elites and often undermine good governance. "It is easy to come in, take out natural resources, pay off leaders and leave. And, when you leave, you don't leave much behind for the people who are there. You don't improve the standard of living. You don't create a ladder of opportunity. We don't want to see a new colonialism in Africa, said Clinton.
An editorial in the state-run English-language China Daily newspaper, responding to Clinton's comments, says China has never colonized any nation in Africa. The editorial says, on the contrary, it is well known to African people and the world that China has helped Africa build many schools and hospitals. The editorial says many African governments regard Chinese investment as an opportunity and welcome Beijing's consistent policy of noninterference in domestic affairs. It says the strategic partnership with Africa has nothing to do with neocolonialism and is instead based on principles of sincerity, friendship and mutual benefit on an equal footing. The state-run newspaper says the African people are wise enough to be able to identify who are their true friends. It says, They don't need lectures in this regard.
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Tensions between Vietnam and China over disputed claims to the resource-rich Spratly Islands in the South China Sea are threatening peace in the region. China sent its largest patrol ship Thursday on what it claimed was a routine trip through the area, but the deployment comes after a spate of other moves, including Vietnams staging of a live-fire exercise in the area and Chinas denouncement of it. Neither country is likely to back down easily, and if they did, neither population would see it in a favorable light. Because of this, some worry tensions could escalate to the point of exchange of fire.
At the moment, Vietnam is trying to show that it is not going to take [challenges to its claim in the sea] lying down, says Minxin Pei, a China expert at the Claremount McKenna College. Rationally, China should cool it a bit. Having a fight with Hanoi is not a good idea. But if Vietnam sends back survey ships China may have no choice but to respond. Since the latest spat in the South China Sea, known locally as the East Sea Vietnam accused Chinese vessels of cutting cables to their survey ships in May China has been a hot topic among Vietnamese. Both nations media has been full of sabre rattling, accusations, and avowal of rights to the area.
Protests in Vietnam
The escalating tension has fueled anti-Chinese sentiment across Vietnam, with hundreds taking to the streets in rare protests in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Last Thursday, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung called Vietnamese sovereignty incontestable.
The same day, Dung also announced a new military draft clarification, apparently the first announced since the 1979 border war between Vietnam and China, which China lost. And a big show was made of announcing the routine live fire drills in local media. Vietnams live fire drills were something of an anticlimax ... no anti-ship missiles were test fired. And they were conducted so close to land there was no possibility of any Chinese ships being involved, says Vietnam expert Professor Carl Thayer, at the Australian Defense Force Academy.
Complicated relationship
Hmm, the op is banned and cannot respond. I'm assuming that means why waste time and trouble, it will be locked.
I don't see any reason to lock it at this point.
The Global Times newspaper, in an editorial Tuesday, issued Beijing's sternest public warning yet to Vietnam as regional tensions rise over conflicting maritime claims to territories thought to be rich in oil and natural gas deposits. The newspaper said that failure to reach a peaceful solution to the disputed claims, which center on the Spratly island chain, will prompt Beijing to use maritime police and naval forces, if necessary, to protect Chinese claims.
The editorial comes as the Hong Kong Commercial Daily newspaper reports that Beijing has moved up the start date for sea trials of a new aircraft carrier to July 1 because of the rising tensions. The report says the carrier, a refurbished Russian vessel, will not be officially launched until October 2012. The Chinese military has not confirmed the sea trials. In Washington, U.S. Senator John McCain said the United States must help Southeast Asian nations boost their maritime forces to counter China's "unsubstantiated" claims in the South China Sea.
McCain, speaking late Monday, said he is troubled over Beijing's increasingly assertive maritime actions, especially in waters claimed by members of the regional block known as Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN. McCain, in remarks to the influential policy group the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Washington should assist ASEAN to develop and deploy maritime early warning radar, coastal security vessels and other basic maritime systems.
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Risks are growing that incidents at sea involving China could lead to war in Asia, potentially drawing in the United States and other powers, an Australian think tank warned on Tuesday.The Lowy Institute said in a report that the Chinese military's risk-taking behaviour in the South and East China Seas, along with the country's resource needs and greater assertiveness, had raised the chances of an armed conflict.
"The sea lanes of Indo-Pacific Asia are becoming more crowded, contested and vulnerable to armed strife. Naval and air forces are being strengthened amid shifting balances of economic strategic weight," report authors Rory Medcalf and Raoul Heinrichs wrote. "China's frictions with the United States, Japan and India are likely to persist and intensify. As the number and tempo of incidents increases, so does the likelihood that an episode will escalate to armed confrontation, diplomatic crisis or possibly even conflict," they said.
The study on major powers and maritime security in Indo-Pacific Asia was published as China prepares to unveil its first aircraft carrier, perhaps this week, a development that has added to worries in the region about China's military expansion and reach. This month, China sent its biggest civilian patrol ship to the South China Sea. That rattled the Philippines, which makes competing claims to some waters thought to hold vast oil and gas reserves.
On Monday, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution that deplored China's use of force against Vietnamese and Philippine ships in the South China Sea. Senator Jim Webb, chair of an east Asian and Pacific affairs subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said "a growing number of nations around the South China Sea are now voicing serious concerns about China's pattern of intimidation".
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, speaking at a regular news briefing in Beijing, said the U.S. resolution "did not hold water" and that countries not directly involved in the dispute should not interfere. "Countries not involved should respect the hard work of countries actually involved to peacefully resolve the dispute bilaterally through dialogue," Hong said.
"Danger Zone"
SoaringDragon, I'm sure you need to protect your sources but can you give me an idea of the types of sources you used to get this information? This is essential to establish if this is factual or just rumors or worse.
You say that USA companies Boeing, GE and Pratt & Whitney have no chance at China Eastern Airlines demonstrated by the 787 cancellation and engine selections which were manipulated. I thought China was careful to insist on open, fair procurement competitions - particularly those involving purchases of high value assets. If the situation is as you described, what should companies like Boeing, GE, P&W and others do to ensure there are reasonable opportunities for success in the future?Dirty Duo Damages China Eastern, Air China & Suppliers with Unprecedented Corruption
Aircraft particularly are used as "awards" by the China central government to balance relationships and to reward cooperation of the USA and Europe with China. It is amazing to think that an individual in place as the President of a major Chinese airline like Ma Xulun is would consider manipulating the aircraft selection process, hurting his own airline and accepting bribes while under the watchful eyes of the enterprise and government disciplinary organizations. There were too many people aware of his methods and who disagreed with the damage he inflicted. The Dirty Duo hurt too many and openly disregarded (a) their government's directives (on fair bidding processes & on supporting the launch of the Boeing 787); (b) their airline chairman's instruction to upgrade China Airlines fleet immediately; (c) analysis and opinions of long-time professionals charged with evaluating the merits and pluses/minuses of critically needed equipment, etc.BizQA said:I thought China was careful to insist on open, fair procurement competitions
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today praised China and the regional bloc ASEAN for reaching a draft agreement this week to ease tensions in the disputed South China Sea. China claims sovereignty over the entire sea, but the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei, and Malaysia also claim parts of it as their own. A third of the world's shipping passes through this body of water, which is also rich in oil and natural gas, the Associated Press reports.
China, which has been accused of trying to intimidate the Philippines and Vietnam into stopping their oil exploration in the sea, has long resisted signing any agreement that would require that disputes be resolved peacefully until now. China's acquiescence to the draft agreement which ends more than a decade of deadlock and brings the countries closer to a final, legally binding code of conduct was likely spurred by a desire to get the issue off the table before Clinton's arrival Thursday night at the ASEAN summit in Bali, Reuters reports.
At last year's meeting, Secretary Clinton announced that the US considered the South China Sea dispute a national security issue because of its obligation to guarantee freedom of navigation, according to AP. The US has since held joint naval drills in the area with both the Philippines and Vietnam, CNN reports. But China says the disputes are bilateral ones and perceives US involvement in the dispute as meddling and provocative. An editorial in China Daily today says that the dispute has been "heating up" since least year's ASEAN summit.
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I explained before that the President of China Eastern Airlines, Ma Xulun, was involved in a number of corrupt procurements involving aircraft and engines and that his most important assistant in this, Chen Qin, Director of Planning, was arrested in this matter. Other facts have come to light:New Information in the China Eastern Airlines Corruption Case
Corruption is a worldwide phenomena. So why is this case of corruption at China Eastern Airlines affecting cancellation of orders for Boeing 787aircraft, substitute orders for A350 aircraft, A330 engine selection, decisions on a joint venture to overhaul engines for the 737 aircraft, etc so special?SoaringDragon said:Corruption in Aircraft & Other Purchases at China Eastern Airlines