WASHINGTON – Leading senators expressed alarm on Thursday at the scale and speed of South China Sea and said a formal U.S. strategy was needed to slow or stop the work.
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, Republican Senators John McCain and Bob Corker and Democrats Jack Reed and Bob Menendez said that without a comprehensive strategy “long-standing interests of the United States, as well as our allies and partners, stand at considerable risk.”
The letter also says the US should develop a strategy that includes measures we can take to “slow down or stop China’s reclamation activities in the South China Sea; whether we should release intelligence about these activities more frequently; should the US stop certain types of security cooperation with China if they don’t stop what’ they’re doing; and what the US can do diplomatically and in other venues to influence China’s behavior.
They said China’s land reclamation and construction in the South China Sea’s Spratly archipelago gave it the potential to expand its military reach and was “a direct challenge, not only to the interests of the United States and the region, but to the entire international community.”
The letter said Gaven Reef had grown about 28 acres (114,000 square meters) in the past year and previously submerged Johnson Reef was now a 25-acre (100,000-square-meter) “island.” Fiery Cross reef increased in size more than 11-fold since August.
Perhaps one answer would be to fund similar “reclamation” efforts by Vietnam, Philippines, Japan and South Korea? Or should the US “develop” new islands for our use? Well, those probably won’t happen because then we’d be violating our own norms, rules and agreements and mimicking “China’s coercive peacetime behavior.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, asked about the letter, said activities in the South China Sea were “fair, reasonable and legal”.
“We have a right to do this,” Hong added, without elaborating.
China claims about 90 percent of the potentially energy rich South China Sea. The Philippines, Vietnam,Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims.
Chinese reclamation work is well advanced on six Spratly reefs and workers are building ports and fuel storage depots and possibly two airstrips. Experts say this will not overturn U.S. regional military superiority but could allow Beijing to project power deep into the maritime heart of Southeast Asia.
China’s reaction to this letter will speak volumes — if they respond. Since this does not come from the Executive Branch they may keep silent.
Read this letter from the US Senators:
but would you rather be left to face this situation alone? come the time that China takes its first initiative to [let’s presume] invade the PH, will you be still saying these words of spite and resentment, or would you rather that the U.S [A CAPABLE COMBATANT] help out?
I will depend even it means your kind will die… but I will bring one Chinese in the grave till last drop of my blood
Because you believe that US had only self interests then we must agree to gave it up to china then? Its a f**ck up principles of yours.
Israel fought 100 against 1000 men! and Heaven is with us. I am not afraid to start up a war with them
well said brother! lets f*u*ck these greedy chinese!
balimbing ka pala! there is no two side…. the land belongs to Philippines and if means death to your kinds then Thy will be done!
If God is with you no one will win against you
No its not! if war will start I can start ki*ll*ing Chinese per day
I will be a peace in my grave if I k*ill one of them ha ha ha… china bakero!
Yes Yes! and we will rape your beautiful girls ha ha ha… hmnn barbaric? well just back down greedy Chinese or else all you wealth will be drain
No no no… lets give them war! they arrogant and they think they are untouchables… lets see if all nation will turns against this freak china
china f**ck everything what do you expect build Zions in that island. lets rape them afterwards
even without America we can f**ck you up.. start with your relatives living in harmony in the Philippines. So better shut up!
jod tan… you and me can start the war.. square and pair gonna eat you billy boy! u pu*s*sy
mahirap lunukin ang isang payak na filipino nakamamatay ate! Philippines is worth dying for
you will not go out and fight? pasukin kita sa bhay mo barilin kita ha ha… we will get out there… we will give them war!
Chinese don’t be to arrogant we are used in many wars and we will prevail
Yes Sir! we are ready for battle! Death for China! Death for Chinese!
Things are easier said than done. Make that comment when someone died doing so. Then I’ll believe you.
Easier said than done. Good luck and repost here when someone died. Till then…Philippines has no credibility.
I will see you and k*ill my self! You fu**cking greedy chinese
lets start ki*ll*ing chinese in the neighborhood yuhoo that will be fun
maybe for one day or weeks but sure they cannot afford more and more chinese will die… Philippines got nothing to loss but china we can have more from them!
Bakit ngayon pa nga lang marami sa pinoy million ang bilang Squater sa sariling bayan.. so whats new? chinese will have the wrong moves ever messing with pinoys
Its because Ramos was too greedy he cant get kickback from american aid so he let US get out from our base.. stupid Ramos
China is brainless.. I will slice one chinese sooner
stupid people going in the side of chinese
I love that.. Uncle Sam Lets fu**ck Chinese.. their p*us*sy is very tite!
Not that easy p*u*ssy boy.. they will be scratching their balls for sure
If there’s a will there’s a way and if reluctant there are always excuses from dick-faced faggots……………..
If there’s a will there’s a way and if reluctant there are always excuses from dick*-*faced fa*gg*ots……………..
Si Ramos yun! ang mahal nating presedente! si Gloria yun ang mahal nating presedente!
SAF44. was send by stupid generals just to die for money! for generals money….
China made it for the Philippines… we will take it back it for me and for uncle sam
Ha ha ha.. uu nga si Erap Ramos Cory At Gloria…
In war and in peacetime, patience is an effective tactic to win whatever undertaking you’ve had.Just like playing chess, you should have four or more advance moves and calculations to checkmate your opponents. US war experience in the past should taught them the art of winning a war. Maybe by letting the Chinese to build what they have now in the West Ph sea but been monitoring up to what extend they would come out. If the war broke out and the partnership of US, Japan The Philippines and other allied countries won, The structures the greedy chinese built are trophies to claimed plus the shame and devastation the China would suffer. These greedy people never learn in history that extending an empire is a suicide by having lots of enemies and countries they hurt and hatred inflicted. Now, they are asking US for help for what ‘s happening in their border. Their victim of invasion now fighting to get back what is theirs. In all fronts they have their enemies to confronts. Goodbye China and your greedy people.
It’s better late than never. Boycotting low quality products of tulo beho is one way or retaliating to their coersive peacetime behaviour and their creeping bits invasion to other country’s territory like The PH, Japan and Vietnam etc. If all the Filipino people will boycott their products, their economy will be adversely affected.
For China, PH is just a teeny weenie market. They couldn’t care less. And that’s the reason for their aggression. If PH is such a huge market for them, they would never do what they did in those islands. So, how else do you stop this? Just boycott? hunger strike? The People’s Republic of China is prepared to kill its own people just to keep the Communist regime up and running. Your protest will do nothing. Better to take arms and die for your cause rather than taking weak actions and end up just talking blah blah blah. The Chinese government is good at blah blah blah and I don’t think you can win that game. Post something here again when someone from your military dies protecting your turf. Right now, you guys are just jerking off.