Newsweek: Conditions for conflict between China and the United States matured in the South China Sea
Conditions for a direct military confrontation between the United States and China have matured in the South China Sea, Newsweek magazine believes.
“Many high-ranking Chinese officials have long believed that war between China and America is inevitable. A new, growing power is always in conflict with the old dominant power. This is the current situation between the US and the PRC in the Pacific region as a whole and especially in the South China Sea (SKM), a strategically important reservoir through which 5 trillion dollars worth of cargo and goods pass through annually and that is also rich in minerals. . China claims almost 80% of the water area of the UCM ", - the portal article provides Expert Online.
The magazine notes that “the United States supports other countries in the region — Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei — in their territorial disputes with the Celestial Empire; besides, they have been sending US military ships and aircraft to patrolling in the UCM more often in recent months the need to protect trade routes. ”
“Washington protested when the Chinese built artificial islands in UCM and built infrastructure on them, including moorings and runways, which can be used in the event of an armed conflict .. Beijing claims that it intends to develop on the disputed islands, in particular on the archipelago Spratly, tourism. In Washington, they do not believe in the tourist “legend” and consider the disputed islands to be strong points created in case of a possible war, ”the article says.
According to the magazine, many "experts believe that a military conflict between the United States and China is impossible because of the scale and consequences, since America and China are nuclear powers, and this should already a priori put an end to any armed conflicts between them."
At the same time, they note that “it is not at all difficult to stir up a war - it may flare up due to some minor conflict, such as a collision of military aircraft or ships.”
“By the way, Washington’s sending aircraft carriers John Stennis and Ronald Reagan to escort ships to the region east of the Philippines provoked sharp criticism from the CCP’s mouthpiece, the Renmin Ribao newspaper:" China is not a country to play with in similar games "", - writes the edition.
“US aircraft carriers found themselves in the Philippines precisely in the second half of June, not by accident. Very soon, in the first days of July, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague will begin consideration of Manila’s complaint against Beijing, which manages the SCM, at home. Despite the fact that the decision of this court is only advisory and non-binding, and Beijing has already declared that it will not obey it, it is important for the country's image in the international arena. So, apart from the desire to show China that the Americans intend to continue to support the allies, aircraft carrier exercises may well put some pressure on the PCA judges, ”the article says.
Beijing is also not sitting idly, and right now it is going to send nuclear submarines to the SCM.
Arguing about the inevitability of war between the United States and China, the magazine emphasizes that the disputes over the SCS are not the main contradiction between the two states. “The main thing is the conflict between the two superpowers. The conflict, at least at this stage, is that China has become a leader in the Pacific region, and America continues to believe that it still remains the main police officer in this part of the world, ”the author believes.
“Of course, the price of the conflict between the United States and China is very high, and sober heads, which are more so in Beijing and Washington, understand this. But such provocative actions as sending aircraft carriers to a red-hot region and the appearance of Chinese submarines with nuclear missiles in it, further increase the level of confrontation, heat the situation and increase the likelihood of a military clash between the US and China, ”he concludes.
“Many high-ranking Chinese officials have long believed that war between China and America is inevitable. A new, growing power is always in conflict with the old dominant power. This is the current situation between the US and the PRC in the Pacific region as a whole and especially in the South China Sea (SKM), a strategically important reservoir through which 5 trillion dollars worth of cargo and goods pass through annually and that is also rich in minerals. . China claims almost 80% of the water area of the UCM ", - the portal article provides Expert Online.
The magazine notes that “the United States supports other countries in the region — Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei — in their territorial disputes with the Celestial Empire; besides, they have been sending US military ships and aircraft to patrolling in the UCM more often in recent months the need to protect trade routes. ”
“Washington protested when the Chinese built artificial islands in UCM and built infrastructure on them, including moorings and runways, which can be used in the event of an armed conflict .. Beijing claims that it intends to develop on the disputed islands, in particular on the archipelago Spratly, tourism. In Washington, they do not believe in the tourist “legend” and consider the disputed islands to be strong points created in case of a possible war, ”the article says.
According to the magazine, many "experts believe that a military conflict between the United States and China is impossible because of the scale and consequences, since America and China are nuclear powers, and this should already a priori put an end to any armed conflicts between them."
At the same time, they note that “it is not at all difficult to stir up a war - it may flare up due to some minor conflict, such as a collision of military aircraft or ships.”
“By the way, Washington’s sending aircraft carriers John Stennis and Ronald Reagan to escort ships to the region east of the Philippines provoked sharp criticism from the CCP’s mouthpiece, the Renmin Ribao newspaper:" China is not a country to play with in similar games "", - writes the edition.
“US aircraft carriers found themselves in the Philippines precisely in the second half of June, not by accident. Very soon, in the first days of July, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague will begin consideration of Manila’s complaint against Beijing, which manages the SCM, at home. Despite the fact that the decision of this court is only advisory and non-binding, and Beijing has already declared that it will not obey it, it is important for the country's image in the international arena. So, apart from the desire to show China that the Americans intend to continue to support the allies, aircraft carrier exercises may well put some pressure on the PCA judges, ”the article says.
Beijing is also not sitting idly, and right now it is going to send nuclear submarines to the SCM.
Arguing about the inevitability of war between the United States and China, the magazine emphasizes that the disputes over the SCS are not the main contradiction between the two states. “The main thing is the conflict between the two superpowers. The conflict, at least at this stage, is that China has become a leader in the Pacific region, and America continues to believe that it still remains the main police officer in this part of the world, ”the author believes.
“Of course, the price of the conflict between the United States and China is very high, and sober heads, which are more so in Beijing and Washington, understand this. But such provocative actions as sending aircraft carriers to a red-hot region and the appearance of Chinese submarines with nuclear missiles in it, further increase the level of confrontation, heat the situation and increase the likelihood of a military clash between the US and China, ”he concludes.
- IMAGO / TASS
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