China Playing A Dangerous Game At Sea

[cmotherofpirl]

PENTAGON: CHINESE SHIPS HARASSING U.S. VESSELS
ASSOCIATED PRESS


March 9, 2009 --
WASHINGTON - The Defense Department charged Monday that five Chinese ships shadowed and maneuvered dangerously close to a U.S. Navy vessel in an apparent attempt to harass the American crew.

Obama administration defense officials said the incident Sunday followed several days of "increasingly aggressive" acts by Chinese ships in the region.

U.S. officials said a protest was to be delivered to Beijing's military attache at a Pentagon meeting Monday.

The USNS Impeccable sprayed one ship with water from fire hoses to force it away. Despite the force of the water, Chinese crew members stripped to their underwear and continued closing within 25 feet (8 meters), the department said.

"On March 8, 2009, five Chinese vessels shadowed and aggressively maneuvered in dangerously close proximity to USNS Impeccable, in an apparent coordinated effort to harass the U.S. ocean surveillance ship while it was conducting routine operations in international waters," the Pentagon statement said.

The Chinese ships included a Chinese Navy intelligence collection ship, a Bureau of Maritime Fisheries Patrol Vessel, a State Oceanographic Administration patrol vessel, and two small Chinese-flagged trawlers, officials said.

"The Chinese vessels surrounded USNS Impeccable, two of them closing to within 50 feet (16 meters), waving Chinese flags and telling Impeccable to leave the area," defense officials said in the statement.

"Because the vessels' intentions were not known, Impeccable sprayed its fire hoses at one of the vessels in order to protect itself," the Defense statement said. "The Chinese crew members disrobed to their underwear and continued closing to within 25 feet(8 meters)."

Impeccable crew radioed to tell the Chinese ships that it was leaving the area and requested a safe path to navigate, the Pentagon said.

But shortly afterward, two of the Chinese shipped stopped directly ahead of the Impeccable, forcing it to an emergency stop in order to avoid collision because the Chinese had dropped pieces of wood in the water directly in front of Impeccable's path, the Pentagon said.

Defense officials said the incident took place in international waters in the South China Sea, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) south of Hainan Island.

"The unprofessional maneuvers by Chinese vessels violated the requirement under international law to operate with due regard for the rights and safety of other lawful users of the ocean," said Marine Maj. Stewart Upton, a Pentagon spokesman.

"We expect Chinese ships to act responsibly and refrain from provocative activities that could lead to miscalculation or a collision at sea, endangering vessels and the lives of U.S. and Chinese mariners," Upton added.

The incident came just a week after China and the U.S. resumed military-to-military consultations following a five-month suspension over American arms sales to Taiwan.

It also comes as Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi is due in Washington this week to meet with U.S. officials.

And it brings to mind the first foreign policy crisis that former President George Bush suffered with Beijing shortly after he took office - China's forced landing of a spy plane and seizure of the crew in April of 2001.

The Pentagon said the incident came after several other incidents involving the Impeccable and another U.S. vessel Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

It described those as the following:

- On Wednesday, a Chinese Bureau of Fisheries Patrol vessel used a high-intensity spotlight to illuminate the entire length of the ocean surveillance ship USNS Victorious several times as it was operating in the Yellow Sea, about 125 nautical miles (231 kilometers) from China's coast, the Pentagon said, adding that the Chinese ship Victorious' bow at a range of about 1400 yards (1,280 meters) in darkness without notice or warning. The next day, a Chinese Y-12 maritime surveillance aircraft conducted 12 fly-bys of Victorious at an altitude of about 400 feet and a range of 500 yards. (457 meters)

- On Thursday, a Chinese frigate approached USNS Impeccable without warning and crossed its bow at a range of approximately 100 yards (91 meters), the Pentagon said. This was followed less than two hours later by a Chinese Y-12 aircraft conducting 11 fly-bys of Impeccable at an altitude of 600 feet (183 meters) and a range from 100-300 feet. The frigate then crossed Impeccable's bow yet again, this time at a range of approximately 400-500 yards (366 meters-457 meters) without rendering courtesy or notice of her intentions.

- On Saturday, a Chinese intelligence collection ship challenged USNS Impeccable over bridge-to-bridge radio, calling her operations illegal and directing Impeccable to leave the area or "suffer the consequences."

[color="#0000FF"]I would have accidently "bumped" them.[/color]

[CatherineM]

Since the bail out is being financed by China, they are probably going to be allowed to bully us all they want to without real reprisal.

[Winchester]

Hey, baby, you rikey my hurr? You wantey semaphore?

[Matthew91]

Im not concerned with any conflict with China atm, why would they instigate a fight with their best customer?

[eagle_eye222001]

It seems partially conceivable that if we keep relying on other nations for debt and what-not, they will begin to have more and more influence to the point of taking over.

----------------
Listening to: [url="http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/creed/track/higher"]Creed - Higher[/url]
via [url="http://www.foxytunes.com/signatunes/"]FoxyTunes[/url]

I know it's a kinda radical idea to think the USA should fall because of debt however, it would be wise to realize that these nations will not help us without charging us.

I really don't think the USA will fall in the near future, however we can only continue receiving financial help from China for so long before.....

[Hassan]

As I recall the international waters were the south China sea and we were tracking their subs. While I guess we have that right I don't think this is just Chinese agression. I'm not sure how we'd feel if they were in the Gulf of Mexico tracking our subs.

[Hassan]

by the way before I become a secret communist let me be clear. I do not support the Chinese government. I honestly have a very negative view of Marxism. Not to mention their human rights record.

[ardillacid]

[quote name='Hassan' post='1802071' date='Mar 9 2009, 09:39 PM']by the way before I became a secret communist let me be clear. I do not support the Chinese government. I honestly have a very negative view of Marxism. Not to mention their human rights record.[/quote]
Sounds like something a closet communist would say

[Hassan]

[quote name='notardillacid' post='1802073' date='Mar 9 2009, 09:40 PM']Sounds like something a closet communist would say[/quote]








that's.......that's absurd

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Hassan' post='1802059' date='Mar 9 2009, 10:29 PM']As I recall the international waters were the south China sea and we were tracking their subs. While I guess we have that right I don't think this is just Chinese agression. I'm not sure how we'd feel if they were in the Gulf of Mexico tracking our subs.[/quote]
I would assume they are.

[Hassan]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1802079' date='Mar 9 2009, 08:48 PM']I would assume they are.[/quote]


I really doubt it. I checked and could find information on Chinese presence off Somolia and in the Indian ocean, not in the gulf of mexico

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Hassan' post='1802080' date='Mar 9 2009, 10:50 PM']I really doubt it. I checked and could find information on Chinese presence off Somolia and in the Indian ocean, not in the gulf of mexico[/quote]
THey have 30+ subs.
Do ya SERIOUSLY believe it would be public knowledge???

[Hassan]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1802091' date='Mar 9 2009, 09:55 PM'] THey have 30+ subs.
Do ya SERIOUSLY believe it would be public knowledge???[/quote]


mhmmm.

So because there is no evidence you feel the best course of action is to assume that there are subs there.


I also have no evidence that there is a Chinese sub in the near by lake.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Hassan' post='1802095' date='Mar 9 2009, 10:59 PM']mhmmm.

So because there is no evidence you feel the best course of action is to assume that there are subs there.


I also have no evidence that there is a Chinese sub in the near by lake. [/quote]

No I am assuming that the knowledge would be classified unless there was an accident like the one they just had in Europe. The gulf covers about 600,000 square miles of territory with lots of valuable energy reserves. The Gulf of Mexico was a hotbed of activity in WWII, do you think its any less valuable territory today?

[Hassan]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1802104' date='Mar 9 2009, 10:10 PM']No I am assuming that the knowledge would be classified unless there was an accident like the one they just had in Europe. The gulf covers about 600,000 square miles of territory with lots of valuable energy reserves. The Gulf of Mexico was a hotbed of activity in WWII, do you think its any less valuable territory today?[/quote]


No, I just wouldn't assume they were there.

So if Chinese [i]surface Ships[/i] were active in the gulf and tracking our subs while working with what we considered an enemy power what do yu think the popular reaction would be?