China’s assertiveness at sea: Choppy waters | The Economist

Posted by Matt in January 22nd, 2010 | no comment

Published in China, Assertiveness, China, Choppy Waters, Countries, Economist, Japan, Muscles, Neighbours, Oceans, Oil And Gas, Oil Gas, Peace, Perception, rivalry, Sovereignty, Squabbles, Vietnam

“SEA of peace” is the title China has bestowed on its adjacent oceans. But sovereignty disputes between China and its neighbours still roil the waters. In recent weeks, Japan and Vietnam have complained about what they allege to be Chinese encroachments. Attaching blame is difficult. But at a time of a growing perception in the [...]

Weapons seizure hits North Korea hard

Posted by Matt in December 21st, 2009 | no comment

Published in Koreas, American Officials, Arms Sales, Asia News, Asia Times, Blow, Cargo Plane, Indonesia, Mystery, North-Korea, northkorea, Philippines, seizure, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Vietnam, weapons

The detention in Thailand of a cargo plane transporting weapons and the arrest of its crew remain shrouded in mystery. The destination of the weapons and identity of their buyers is uncertain. American officials and analysts believe, however, that the intervention dealt a blow to North Korea’s arms sales.
Asia Times Online :: Southeast Asia news [...]

Weakness as a shortcut to war – Washington Times

Posted by Matt in September 22nd, 2009 | no comment

Published in War, Conclusion, Cuban Missile Crisis, Hungarian Freedom Fighters, Job, Led, Mr Kennedy, Nikita, Nuclear War, Osama Bin Laden, President Kennedy, Reason, Soviet Dictator, Soviets, tanks, Terrorist War, Vienna, Vietnam, Washington Times

In 1956, Hungarian freedom fighters believed the United States would come to their aid against the occupying Soviets. When we didn’t, the tanks rolled in and many were killed. When President Kennedy met Soviet dictator Nikita Khruschchev in Vienna in 1961, Mr. Khruschchev concluded Mr. Kennedy was weak.
This conclusion precipitated the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, [...]

Crouching dragon- Hindustan Times

Posted by Matt in July 30th, 2009 | no comment

Published in China, Conflict, Amphibious Assault, Armed Forces, Crouching Dragon, Dragon, Exercise, India, invasion, Military Manoeuvres, Oil Exploration, Oil Field, Radical Change, South China Sea, Spratley Islands, Taiwan, Target, Vietnam

Later this year, the Chinese armed forces are to launch their largest round of military manoeuvres in recent years. Code-named Kuayue (stride), for two months, 60,000 vehicles will be mobilised over some 50,000 sq km. For the last 20 years, the Chinese have been holding massive manoeuvres each year to rehearse their projected invasion of [...]

US sounds alarm on China seapower – Yahoo! News

Posted by Matt in July 16th, 2009 | no comment

Published in China, Beijing China, Blogged, China News, China Yahoo, Chinese Ships, Flock Browser, Military Experts, Posture, Seapower, Senate Hearing, South China Sea, Tension, United States, Vietnam, Yahoo, Yahoo News

The United States voiced concern Wednesday about rising tension between China and Vietnam in the South China Sea as a senator led calls to boost US seapower faced with Beijing’s growing military.
Experts at a Senate hearing pointed to a string of incidents — including standoffs this year between US and Chinese ships — as evidence [...]

The scramble for the seabed

Posted by Matt in May 15th, 2009 | no comment

Published in general, Argentina, Climax, Coastal States, Continental Shelf, Denmark, Five Cents, Hectare, Law Of The Sea, Lodging Claims, Norway, Philippines, Principle, Rush, Russia Sold Alaska, Seabed, Seafloor, Seychelles, Sorts, South-Korea, Tanzania, Two Cents, Vietnam

Coastal states have now made their bids for vast new areas of continental shelf. And trouble is now brewing:
1. Britain vs. Argentina.
2. China vs. South Korea.
3. China vs. Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.
4. Tanzania and the Seychelles.
5. France vs. Canada.
6. Russia, Canada, United States, Denmark and Norway making claims for the Arctic.
YOU never know what [...]

China’s prime potential enemies

Posted by Matt in October 25th, 2008 | no comment

Published in China, Army Documents, China Military, China S Military, Deployment, Enemies, India, Japan, Likelihood, Military Engagement, Military Preparedness, NATO, People S Liberation Army, Russia, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, United States, Vietnam, Weaponry

China’s military preparedness and strategic deployment of weaponry take into consideration a whole range of potential enemies, an analysis of internal People’s Liberation Army documents has revealed.
In order of importance – that is, the likelihood of actual military engagement – those enemies are Taiwan, the United States and Japan (as potential defenders of Taiwan), India, [...]

China stirs over offshore oil pact

Posted by Matt in July 22nd, 2008 | no comment

Published in China, Oil, Breach, Chains, China Morning Post, China Post, Chinese Sovereignty, Exxon, Exxonmobil, Exxonmobil Corporation, Offshore Oil, Pact, Paracel, Petrovietnam, Skirmish, South China Morning, South China Morning Post, South China Sea, Spratly, Unnamed Sources, Vietnam

In yet another skirmish over oil rights in the South China Sea, China has fired a stern warning shot across the bow of ExxonMobil Corporation. China is miffed that Exxon is seeking to enter into a deal with PetroVietnam to explore for oil in waters surrounding the disputed Spratly and Paracel island chains.
China has warned [...]

Air Force Purge Stemmed From Future War Fights

Posted by Matt in June 23rd, 2008 | no comment

Published in Military, U.S., Air Force Chief, Air Force Chief Of Staff, Brother, Buzz, Chief Of Staff, China, Doubts, Future War, Gates, Interchange, Moseley, North Vietnamese, Outgoing Air, Peer Competitor, Purge, Russia, Sentiments, Surface To Air, Surface To Air Missile, Vietnam

Gates expressed doubts that the United States will get into a shooting war with a “peer competitor” like Russia or China any time soon. After he was fired, the outgoing Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. “Buzz” Moseley, echoed those sentiments. Not Wynne.
“My response to Secretary Gates in that interchange was my brother was shot [...]

Mysterious Collapse of Angkor could hold Key to Civilisation’s Success

Posted by Matt in June 9th, 2008 | no comment

Published in Asia, History, 12th Century, 15th Century, Angkor, Burma, Collapse, God King, Hindu, Jayavarman Ii, Khmer Empire, King Of Cambodia, Laos, Monarch, Phnom Penh, Population, Rulers, Sanskrit, Thailand, Vietnam

At its peak in the 12th century, the Angkor kingdom spread across Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Laos and Vietnam. Angkor is the largest pre-industrial city known to man. So how did Angkor mysteriously disappear?
As archaeologist Damien Evans explains, the team’s findings give a stark warning to Cambodia’s corrupt and greedy rulers, and to modern societies worldwide. [...]