THE puzzle about the intrusion on October 27th by an American warship into what China regards as its waters in the South China Sea is not that it took place. Rather it is that the patrol, which the American navy keeps insisting is “routine” practice, had not happened much earlier.
The ship, USS Lassen, sailed closer than 12 nautical miles from Subi Reef, one of seven tiny specks in the Spratly archipelago where China has been engaged in frenetic construction over the past two years—in effect creating artificial islands. America fears they are military bases in the making, which would greatly extend China’s military reach. It has called on China to halt all construction.
America called USS Lassen’s sail-by a routine “freedom of navigation” operation (FONOP in the jargon), of a type it conducts all over the world “in accordance with international law”. China reacted furiously, accusing America of having “illegally entered” its waters, threatening “China’s sovereignty and security interests”.
Each side’s position is a bit odd. America insists it is upholding international law, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea...Continue reading
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