Let me guess.Quote:
Originally Posted by OhOh
Lysergic acid diethylamide?
Printable View
Let me guess.Quote:
Originally Posted by OhOh
Lysergic acid diethylamide?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Looper
One should always try a thing once, to see if it's enjoyable. If so, a repeat may be in order. If not stay away from it.
Do you have a problem with certain drugs? If so I suggest you abstain from them or is it all drugs?
Question asked and answered.Quote:
Originally Posted by OhOhOne should always try a thing once, to see if it's enjoyable. If so, a repeat may be in order.Quote:
Originally Posted by Looper
:thankyou:
From the recent ASEAN and China meeting held this week in Laos.
"The ASEAN and Chinese Foreign minister statement issued yesterday regarding
THE FULL AND EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECLARATION ON THE CONDUCT OFPARTIES IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.
http://asean.org/storage/2016/07/Joi...-DOC-FINAL.pdf
REAFFIRMING that the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) is a milestone document that embodies the collective commitment of the Parties to promote peace, stability, mutual trust and confidence in the region,
in accordance with the UN Charter and universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) ;
FINAL
1
JOINT STATEMENT OF THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF ASEAN MEMBER STATES AND CHINA ON THE FULL AND EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECLARATION ON THE CONDUCT OF PARTIES IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA
We, the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States and the People’s Republic
of China met in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, on 25 July
2016.
RECOGNISING that maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea
region serves the fundamental interests of ASEAN Member States and China
(“the Parties”) as well as the international community;
REAFFIRMING that the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South
China Sea (DOC) is a milestone document that embodies the collective
commitment of the Parties to promote peace, stability, mutual trust and
confidence in the region, in accordance with the UN Charter and
universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS);
REAFFIRMING the importance and role of the DOC in maintaining peace and
stability in the region;
COMMITTED to the full and effective implementation of the DOC in its entirety and
working substantively towards the early adoption of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) based on consensus;
RECALLING the Joint Statement of the 15 th ASEAN - China Summit on the 10 th
Anniversary of the DOC adopted in 2012;
HEREBY state the following:
1. The Parties reaffirm their respect for and commitment to the freedom of
navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea is provided for by
the universally recognised principles of international law, including the 1982
UNCLOS.
2. The Parties concerned undertake to resolve their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to the threat or use of force, through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned, in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS;
It appears that the ASEAN and China have agreed to solve all the South China Seas by peaceful means, .............., through friendly consultations and negotiations by the directly involved states. In accordance with the universally recognised principles of International law, including 1982 UNCLOS."
A win for China and embarrassing, some might use humiliating defeat for all others. One only hopes they all understood and agree on the meaning of the words "universally recognised principles".
And building airbases on islands short sighted sure to cause legal disputes among countries who claim or have shared economic zone interests. If China was smart for about 10 billion a copy they should build a dozen super carriers which can go anywhere they want. All legal like.Quote:
Originally Posted by Looper
Not quite, didn't Hong Kong say no to a visit just recently? I presume because it is inside Chinas territorial waters.Quote:
Originally Posted by Norton
Doesn't UNCLOS define territorial waters based on territory held by a country and join up the dots/islands with a straight line.
Yes. 12 miles but considers reefs and islands within 12 miles.Quote:
Originally Posted by OhOh
Yes. Port well within territorial waters and country has right to deny warships passage through or in it's territorial waters.Quote:
Originally Posted by OhOh
Another Pepe opinion. This time on the SCS issue. Some good points penned for either side to consider.
The Real Secret of the South China Sea
The Ameristan/western desire/necessity for naval dominance, as they failed with land dominance.
The adoption of colonialist attitude by the Chinese post WWII.
The adoption of a "line" only published post WWII.
--------------------
It seems a western agency has commented on a certain global company's failure to "innovate" it's existing product ranges fast enough. No, not the introduction a brand new concept, a new production method, a new use of a base material but the addition of a new feature/item or an enhancement of a existing item in its existing product range. They may have renamed from a series 7 to a series 7S but that is hardly even innovative.
Who would have known that a respected, by some, international mouthpiece would stupidly use the term "Innovate" in such an illogical manner. :rolleyes:
The article also suggests other, Asian companies, will continue to steal market share from the western world leader. I'd better not say too much more or I'll be accused of plagiarism or paraphrasing without a forum policeman's' permit.
http://en.people.cn/n3/2016/0727/c90000-9091854.html
'oppo'. Sounds suspiciously like a Chinese guy saying 'apple' doesn't it.
Yes of course the Chinese knockoff will outsell the outrageously expensive iPhone. It's far more affordable for the masses.
South China Sea: China announces plans to hold joint naval drills with Russia
China and Russia will hold joint naval exercises in the South China Sea in September, Beijing's defence ministry says, after an international tribunal invalidated the Asian giant's extensive claims in the area.
https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2016/07/1247.jpg
The drills will be carried out in the "relevant sea and air of the South China Sea", defence ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told reporters at a monthly briefing, adding the exercise was "routine" and "does not target any third party".
The announcement comes after a tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled there was "no legal basis" to Beijing's claims in the South China Sea, embodied in a "nine-dash line" dating from Chinese maps of the 1940s and extending almost to the coasts of other countries, which have competing claims.
China has built a series of artificial islands on rocks and reefs in the area hosting facilities capable of supporting military operations, widely seen as an attempt to bolster its control of the strategically vital waters.
The tribunal ruling infuriated Beijing and fuelled tensions with Washington, which has sent naval vessels close to Chinese-claimed outcrops in recent months to assert the principle of freedom of navigation.
Beijing rejected the judgement as "waste paper" and asserted its right to declare an Air Defence Identification Zone controlling flights over the area.
The Philippines' hollow victory
Bill Birtles says whatever moral clout The Hague's decision gives the Philippines, it means little for fishermen.
Mr Yang said China and Russia were comprehensive strategic partners and had already held many exercises this year.
"These drills deepen mutual trust and expand cooperation, raise the ability to jointly deal with security threats, and benefit the maintenance of regional and global peace and stability," he said.
China and Russia have close military and diplomatic ties, often in opposition to the West, particularly the United States, and their leaders Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin enjoy a tight relationship.
The two sides hold joint drills regularly.
Last August, they carried out military exercises in the waters and airspace of the Peter the Great Gulf, south of the Russian Pacific city of Vladivostok, involving 22 vessels, up to 20 aircraft and more than 500 marines.
In May last year, they conducted their first joint naval exercises in European waters in the Black Sea and Mediterranean — China's farthest-ever drills from its home waters.
Mr Xi and Mr Putin meet frequently and their countries, both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, often take similar stances there on divisive issues such as the conflict in Syria.
South China Sea: China announces plans to hold joint naval drills with Russia - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Birds of a feather...... flock together
The drill has be planned for months.. It is not a reaction to an illegal courts judgement.Quote:
Originally Posted by Looper
As an aside the Chines press is suggesting Australia may wish to modify it's stance on some issues. Along with a comment which clarifies the illegality of the said "judgement".
?Paper cat? Australia will learn its lesson - Global Times
The article is general Chinese ranting. The comment speaks for it's self.
"The ruling of July 12th on the South China Sea was not made by the Permanent Court of Arbitration. It was made by an arbitral tribunal unilaterally requested by the Philippines and improperly constituted under Annex VII of UNCLOS. The PCA only acts as a registry for the case.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in Hague, Netherlands (PCA) has no jurisdiction in the Philippines’ unilateral case. The PCA, established in 1899, is just an international arbitration tribunal, primarily for the settlement of disputes between states willing to submit themselves to its rulings (arbitration).
The PCA is not a UN agency, an Annex VII UNCLOS arbitral tribunal or an international court like the ICJ. So it is not empowered by UNCLOS or any international law to make any binding ruling on any State Party to UNCLOS, without the state first having agreed to submit itself to its rulings.
The Philippines’ arbitral tribunal has failed to qualify as an Annex VII UNCLOS arbitral tribunal because it has failed to comply with all the compulsory procedures necessary to constitute it as an Annex VII UNCLOS arbitral tribunal. This is because, apart from the arbitrator appointed by the Philippines, the remaining four arbitrators (including the President of the tribunal) were appointed by the ITLOS President under the provisions of Article 3(e) of Annex VII without consultation with China. Article 3(e) of Annex VII expressly requires such consultation:"
Not that the legality of anything is of necessary concern to some around the world including here on TD.
The" Chinese press":smileylaughing:
I hope you aren't suggesting that the "Chinese Press" is somehow, controlled?:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Cujo
Next you'll be saying that the commentators, or posters on the web sites, are paid by a government agency to spread malicious rumours.
Surely that would not be tolerated in any society, free or not?:rolleyes:
China court warns against illegal fishing in riposte to South China Sea ruling
China's Supreme Court said on Tuesday people caught illegally fishing in Chinese waters could be jailed for up to a year, issuing a judicial interpretation defining those waters as including China's exclusive economic zones.
An arbitration court in the Hague ruled last month that China had no historic title over the waters of the South China Sea and that it had breached the Philippines' sovereign rights with various actions in the sea, infuriating Beijing, which dismissed the case.
None of China's reefs and holdings in the Spratly Islands entitled it to a 200-mile exclusive economic zone, the court decided.
China's Supreme Court made no direct mention of the South China Sea or the Hague ruling, but said its judicial interpretation was made in accordance with both Chinese law and the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), under which the Philippines had brought its case.
"Judicial power is an important component of national sovereignty," the Supreme Court said.
"People's courts will actively exercise jurisdiction over China's territorial waters, support administrative departments to legally perform maritime management duties ... and safeguard Chinese territorial sovereignty and maritime interests."
Jurisdictional seas covered by the interpretation include contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones and continental shelves, it said.
People who illegally entered Chinese territorial waters and refused to leave after being driven out, or who re-entered after being driven away or being fined in the past year, would be considered to have committed "serious" criminal acts and could get up to a year in jail, the Supreme Court said.
"The explanation offers legal guarantees for marine fishing law enforcement," it added.
China's defense minister Chang Wanquan warned of offshore security threats, especially threats from the sea, and said China should prepare for a "people's war at sea" to safeguard national sovereignty, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims.
China periodically detains fishermen, especially from the Philippines and Vietnam, and Chinese fishermen also occasionally get detained by other claimants in the South China Sea.
Separately, China's military has inaugurated a memorial to servicemen who died in 1974 clashes with South Vietnamese forces that resulted in China cementing its rule over the Paracel Islands, the People's Liberation Army Daily said.
The memorial, on Duncan Island, commemorates the 18 Chinese who died, the paper added.
China court warns against illegal fishing in riposte to South China Sea ruling | Reuters
With China using bait like that to chum the waters, I imagine someone will go fishing soon. I wonder if they will have a military escort.
It appears the Japanese government can't get enough of the self inflicted pain.
From an article published by Reuters.
Japan defense review expresses 'deep concern' at Chinese coercion | Reuters
They appear to be concerned by the military build-up in the region.
The usual anti Chinese and Russian rhetoric, of course.:)
No mention of the Ameristani pivot.:confused:
No mention of the desire of it's own Japanese citizens to rid Japan of the ocoupying forces of Ameristan.:rolleyes:
No mention of it's own nuclear weapons stock and nuclear capable missiles.:confused:
Not mention of the Ameristanis stationing of "defensive" :rolleyes: missiles in S Korea.:confused:
No mention of the Ameristani offer of cheap "military assistance" to Vietnam.:confused:
No mention of the Ameristani hand-holding of the previous Philippine government's illegal attempt at raising the temperature.:confused:
Other than that I'm sure the 484 page review is a good bedtime read.
^
No mention of the 60 million chinese children (every fifth) growing up with no parents because they are busy working and living elsewhere. For example manning assembly line or building runways. :rolleyes:
Another GREAT chinese achievement :chitown:
Cold & Heartless MF
I'm sure they get the same amount of TV face time as their western siblings. Maybe the same cartoons, probably re-dubbed with the "correct" propagandaQuote:
Originally Posted by HermantheGerman
I am positive many western adults would love the opportunity to build something instead of blowing things up.
Or did they "take the wrong step years ago"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG4EF2eYfTs
Of course we did. Nice video but that does not count for the fact that you are a propaganda poster child for the worst current polluters.Quote:
Originally Posted by OhOh
Vietnamese Fishing Association Dismisses China’s Threat to Jail Fishermen
A threat issued this week by China to jail foreign fishermen who enter disputed areas of the South China Sea prompted the head of an influential Vietnamese fishing organization on Thursday to dismiss the move and assert that fishermen will continue to work in those waters, with his country taking measures against China if necessary.
“Vietnamese fishermen will continue fishing in the area as usual,” said Phan Huy Hoang, chairman of Quang Ngai Province Fishery Association. “If China should take any action [against the fishermen], the government of Vietnam will apply measures to deal with it.”
“This statement is just like other statements they [the Chinese] have made in the past to ban any fishing activities in the South China Sea within a certain area and time period,” he said. “Those statements that ban fishing activities within their nine-dash line are illegitimate, and nobody should acknowledge them.”
China’s Supreme Court said on Tuesday that the country will protect its territorial sovereignty and navigation interests within a nine-dash demarcation line that Beijing uses to claim 90 percent of the South China Sea, and jail those caught illegally fishing in its waters for up to one year.
“We already have had difficulties [fishing in the South China Sea], and I can see that we will have more difficulties,” Hoang said. “We assert our legitimate right to places where we have economic activities.”
“The international community does not accept China’s statements, so I think this should not affect the activities of Vietnamese fishermen in general and Quang Ngai fishermen in particular in their traditional fishing grounds in the South China Sea,” he said.
On July 12, an international arbitration tribunal decided in a case brought by the Philippines that China has no right to resources within the nine-dash demarcation line.
It also ruled that the nation cannot claim a 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone around reefs and atolls in the Spratly and Paracel Islands, which Vietnam and other countries claim as part of their own territory and from which Chinese forces have attacked and chased away Vietnamese fishing boats over the last few years.
The Spratly and Paracel Islands, which Vietnam calls Truong Sa and Hoang Sa, respectively, are located amid strategic shipping lanes and abundant fishing grounds, and may contain oil and natural gas reserves under the seabed.
Vietnam welcomed the court’s decision and has continued to assert its sovereignty over the islands. China, however, dismissed the ruling, which invalidated nearly all of Beijing’s claims of exclusive access to the waters.
China must comply
Responding to the Chinese Supreme Court’s announcement, Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh said on Thursday that China must comply with international law regarding the treatment of fishermen in the disputed region of what Vietnam calls the East Sea.
“The treatment of fishermen working in the East Sea must comply with international law and agreements reached between countries, and take on a humanitarian spirit,” he said during a regular news conference in Hanoi, the state-owned Vietnam News Agency reported.
“Vietnam reserves the necessary measures for protecting its fishermen’s legitimate interests in line with international law and practice,” he said.
He also responded to a call by China’s defense minister for the army, police, and people to prepare for a war at sea by saying that disputes concerning the South China Sea must be resolved peacefully.
“Disputes in the waters must be resolved peacefully on the basis of international law, and without use of or threat to use force,” he was quotes as saying.
China has been aggressively grabbing disputed land masses and building artificial islands in the South China Sea and outfitting them with runways and military infrastructure—moves that have threatened peace and stability in the region, a Vietnamese government spokesman said earlier this year.
Vietnamese Fishing Association Dismisses China?s Threat to Jail Fishermen
Why Location of China-Russia South China Sea Drill Matters
China's newly-announced plan to stage its first joint naval drill with Russia in the South China Sea has analysts wondering: where exactly in the sensitive region will the exercise take place?
The Chinese defense ministry kept the world guessing when it made the announcement last Thursday, providing few details beyond saying the drill, codenamed "Joint Sea-2016,” will happen in September.
"The specific location is going to be very important in determining just how controversial this drill is," said Shannon Tiezzi, editor of the online news site The Diplomat, on this week's VOA China 360 podcast.
China has been engaged in decades-long disputes with five smaller neighbors who challenge its claim of sovereignty over most of the South China Sea: Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.
An international court in The Hague rejected China's sovereignty claims on July 12, but Beijing vowed to ignore the ruling.
Drill scenarios
Tiezzi said Beijing might avoid the ire of its neighbors if it holds the joint exercise with Moscow off the coast of the southern Chinese island of Hainan.
"China has held many drills very close to Hainan, where there are not any territorial or maritime disputes because it is so close to undisputed Chinese territory and longstanding Chinese military bases,” she said. "However, if the drills start moving south toward the disputed Spratly Islands and make use of some of the new facilities China has built there, that would be much more of a warning sign for the international community."
Beijing has turned several Spratly islets that it has long occupied into artificial islands in the past year, using land reclamation to build military-capable runways and ports. Those reclamations have drawn criticism from the Spratly Islands' rival claimants and from the United States, although Washington has said it is neutral on the competing maritime claims and wants them to be resolved peacefully.
If Beijing wanted to stage a joint exercise close to disputed South China Sea archipelagos such as the Spratlys or the Paracels, would Moscow agree?
China recently has been touting what it sees as Russian support for its South China Sea stance. In April, Chinese state media outlet Xinhua "applauded" Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for criticizing efforts by some regional governments to internationalize their maritime disputes with China. Beijing has opposed such efforts because it prefers to negotiate with its weaker rivals one-by-one.
Russian dilemma
But Russia, like the United States, also has called for a diplomatic solution to the South China Sea disputes. One of the parties involved, Vietnam, has been buying Russian weapons since the Cold War.
"If Russia is seen as siding too much with China, that is going to upset Vietnam,” said Tiezzi. "There already is a sense that because of Russia's neutrality on the South China Sea issue, Vietnam now is turning to the United States for security support and jeopardizing Russia's relationship with a longstanding security partner."
Moscow also faces pressure to stay on good terms with Beijing as the two sides deepen their security cooperation, which included joint drills in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and Sea of Japan in 2015.
Tiezzi said Russia has a common desire with China to prevent the United States from having unopposed global leadership. She said that desire trumps Russia's interest in the South China Sea, a region it does not see as vital to its security.
The Diplomat editor said Moscow's ambivalence toward Chinese claims in the South China Sea is similar to Beijing's reaction to the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, when Crimeans voted in a Russia-backed referendum to secede from Ukraine.
"China was not thrilled, because from its point of view, allowing a group of people to choose to leave a country sets a very dangerous precedent,” she said. "But at the same time, it was not a vital interest for China's leaders, and they thought they saw more benefit by at least giving Russia the appearance of support."
Win-win option?
One way for Russia and China to satisfy each other's needs in the South China Sea could be to stage September's exercise close to Hainan.
"If we see the exercises only taking place in undisputed areas, that would be Russia walking its fine line,” said Tiezzi. "That would allow China to say, 'Look, we held a joint exercise with Russia in the South China Sea,' while Russia can say, 'Yes, but this is in undisputed international waters, or waters where China has maritime control.'"
Why Location of China-Russia South China Sea Drill Matters
An article "suggesting" joint fishing rights over some reefs may be a solution.
China-Philippines fishing deal ?may help calm troubled South China Sea waters? | South China Morning Post
China-Philippines fishing deal ‘may help calm troubled South China Sea waters’
Joint fishing rights in Scarborough Shoal could help ease tensions between Beijing and Manila, think tank chief says after talks with Fidel Ramos
https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2016/08/808.jpg
Others suggesting that if implemented, further island building and the establishment of other "infrastructure" may be on it's way.
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/356031-be...manila-us-war/
"What Beijing wants in the long term is clear. Scarborough shoal in particular is a key piece in the larger puzzle. A Chinese airstrip is all but inevitable because it extends the reach of the PLA’s air force by over 1,000km, and positions it to be active off Luzon, no less than the gateway to the Western Pacific.
With the airstrip in Scarborough shoal and an early warning system on Macclesfield Bank - just east of the Paracel Islands – Beijing will be finally able to “see” all the action, friendly but mostly unfriendly, emanating from the sprawling US naval base at Guam."
One suspects the Australian government may wish to modify their stance over the SCS issue. Not only do they not recognise he PCA, they also do not recognise UNCLOS, the world (except a number of "exceptional" nations) /UN adopted and presumably accepted by Australia convention. Tarred and feather, Pot and slightly tarnished, kettle situation methinks.
Canberra should ditch double standards over maritime law - Global Times
"The Australia-East Timor disputes over maritime boundaries in the Timor Sea have been simmering for a long time, and the case is being heard at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague at present.
But in the meantime, Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and the Attorney General George Brandis issued a joint statement: "In line with our pre-existing, legally binding treaties, which are in full accordance with international law, we will argue that the commission does not have jurisdiction to conduct hearings on maritime boundaries." This means Australia will not accept the tribunal's award on the dispute"
Australian hypocrisy on full view in UNCLOS case - Global Times
"Australia lodged a declaration in 2002, just months before Timor-Leste declared its independence, stating that it does not accept the procedures provided in UNCLOS for resolution of maritime disputes. In other words, Australia does not recognize the legitimacy of any Hague ruling, nor is there any mechanism for implementation of any recommendations that may arise as a result of the arbitration.
Sound familiar? Like the South China Sea arbitration, there is an existing agreement that a single party retrospectively disputes. In 2006, China made a similar statement excluding itself from dispute settlement procedures, pursuant to Article 298 of UNCLOS.
Concurrent to its condemnation of China's preference for bilateral negotiations with the Philippines, and its criticism of Japan for withdrawing from UNCLOS in order to allegedly pursue whale slaughter, Australia exempts itself from the very conventions it cites in denouncing other nations' supposed violations of "international law."
Unfortunately, Australia's regional bullying and the embarrassing revelation of covert spy operations overshadow its otherwise admirable aid efforts in Timor-Leste."
A link to a site which purports to help understand the current SCS dispute. Not a totally unbiased site but it has some useful info.
For example this is an article they suggest shows the "world opinion" is behind the Ameristani concocted "decision" by a fixed group of nobodies.
https://amti.csis.org/sides-in-south-china-sea/
The article lists and names the countries who support the implementation of the "judgement" and those that don't. There were some changes in the countries status between their prior and post "judgement" status.
Here is a table with data taken from the article?
Ruling - Compliance
Australia
Canada
Japan
New Zealand
Philippines
U.S
Vietnam.
Total - Excluding a Judgement Party = 6 (10%)
Ruling - Ignore
1. Not Calling for Compliance
2. Making Neutral Statements without Addressing Ruling
3. Opposing Ruling
Algeria
Belgium
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Brunei
Bulgaria
Cambodia
China
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Italy
Italy
Laos
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Malta
Montenegro
Myanmar
Pakistan
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Korea
Spain
Sudan
Sweden
Syria
Taiwan
Thailand
The Netherlands
United Kingdom
Vanuatu
Total - Excl. Judgement Party = 47 (90%)
My comments on their data:
UN Security Permanent Members
Compliance - 20% (1)
Ignore - 80% (4)
From another site, info on the location of the "worlds" population.
The Majority of the World's Population Lives in This Circle
It indicates that a circle, centred around a spot in China, includes over 50% of the worlds population. Most of whom, given the data from the "who supported the judgement" article and assuming the people are truly represented by their political masters, indicates the Majority do not want to implement the "Judgement".
https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2016/09/503.jpg
What is being used in the, avidly followed by some here MSM outlets, in the determination of "world opinion" ?
1. The number of countries agreeing to implementation? - (geography)
2. The number of members of the UNSC agreeing to implementation?? - (military force)
3. The numbers of the worlds population living in the contested area? - (democracy)
Judging by some posters it's none of the above, it's more blindly parroting of their favourite MSM outlet.:confused:
Philippine Leader Rejects Joint Patrols, Eyes China Weapons
MANILA, PHILIPPINES —
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday he won't allow government forces to conduct joint patrols of disputed waters near the South China Sea with foreign powers, apparently scrapping a deal his predecessor reached with the U.S. military earlier this year.
Duterte also said he was considering acquiring defense equipment from Russia and China. The Philippines has traditionally leaned on the U.S., its longtime treaty ally, and other Western allies for its security needs.
The remarks were the latest from a Philippine president who has had an uneasy relationship with the U.S. but also has tried to mend relations with China strained over South China Sea disputes.
Duterte said he wanted only Philippine territorial waters, up to 12 nautical miles offshore, to be patrolled by Filipino forces, but not other offshore areas that are contested. He added he opposes Filipino forces accompanying foreign powers like the U.S. and China in joint patrols which could entangle the Philippines in hostilities.
"We do not go into a patrol or join any other army from now because I do not want trouble," Duterte said. "I do not want to ride gung-ho style there with China or with America. I just want to patrol our territorial waters."
Like other security pronouncements, Duterte did not provide details, but his rejection for joint patrols apparently goes against such an arrangement announced in April by the U.S. and the Philippine defense chiefs.
While visiting Manila, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter disclosed for the first time in a news conference with then Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin that U.S. ships had carried out sea patrols with the Philippines in the South China Sea, a somewhat rare move.
Carter insisted that the U.S. did not intend to be provocative and was "trying to tamp down tensions here." But Gazmin said he expected that U.S. forces, "with their presence here, will deter uncalled-for actions by the Chinese."
On Monday, Duterte said he wanted U.S. military forces out of the southern Philippines and blamed America for inflaming local Muslim insurgencies, in his first public statement opposing the presence of American troops in a part of the country.
Washington later said it had not received a formal request to remove U.S. military personnel. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Duterte had a tendency to make "colorful comments" and drew a comparison with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
In an apparent aim to prevent potential damage in relations, Philippine officials said Duterte wanted the Americans out of the south for fear of their safety.
"He desires that our American counterparts should be eased from harm's way," the Philippine military said, adding about 100 U.S. military personnel were in the south to provide counterterrorism advice support to Filipino forces.
"We assure our people and allies that Philippine-U.S. defense relations remains rock solid," the military said in a statement. It added that joint combat training and other activities by U.S. and Filipino forces this year and beyond "remain on track."
Philippine Leader Rejects Joint Patrols, Eyes China Weapons
Not surprising when political rifts arise with the "west" but really amonts to little loss as it relates to US equipment sales and certainly not a big gain for China or Russians. Philippines military assets are a mish mash of mostly obselete equipment. The bulk of equipment is not from US suppliers. Most from Japan, Korea or Europe.Quote:
Originally Posted by misskit
The Philippines have been talking about modernizing their military for years but never allocate a budget to do it and under Durate not going to change.
Bottom line is the Philippines military is dependent on treaties with the US and other western nations to protect it's sovereignty. If Durate wants to change this he should be pushing a treaty with China and/or Russia to do the same. That would be big news. Buying defense equipment from China or Russia amounts to nothing more than political rhetoric.
As is his right under the 1951 Defense Cooperation Agreement and the current controversial Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.Quote:
Originally Posted by misskit
You want US forces out Durate? Do it. No reason need be given.Quote:
Originally Posted by misskit
Sounds like the Chinese have got to Duerte.
a dash of communism might do the Filipinos good.
:tieme:
People have recently gathered to "discuss" a new Chinese map. The so called "251 dashed line". It seems somebody extended the Chinese owned pacific to a hundred miles or so from the Ameristani beaches.
:)
Commentary: "251 Dash-Line" Mapfare Reveals Ingrained Western Misperceptions about China - People's Daily Online
https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2016/09/728.jpg
Indonesia: Military Exercise Near South China Sea is No Provocation
JAKARTA —
This week’s military exercises near the territorially disputed South China Sea are not provocative, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said Wednesday, because they are part of routine drills within the country’s maritime territory.
Indonesia’s air force will kick off its largest military exercises Thursday near the Natuna Islands, largely as a show of its sovereignty over the gas-rich area on the fringe of territory claimed by China, officials said.
President Joko Widodo launched an unprecedented campaign to bolster fishing, oil exploration and defense facilities around the Natuna island chain four months ago, after a series of faceoffs between the Indonesian navy and Chinese fishing boats.
China, while not disputing Indonesia’s claims to the Natuna Islands, has angered Indonesia by saying the two countries have overlapping claims to the nearby waters that Indonesia calls the Natuna Sea.
I want to emphasize, this is not the first or only military exercise by Indonesia,” the foreign minister said. “We’ve done them several times and the military exercise is in Indonesian territory — not in South China Sea, but in the Natuna Sea, which is part of Indonesia.”
According to a report by IHS Jane's Defence Weekly, the October 6 drill is planned to “simulate an air raid and the seizure of a captured runway ... on Pulau Natuna Besar,” a piece of territory close to the area that Beijing asserts is Chinese.
China’s claims are based on its so-called nine-dash line of sovereignty across the South China Sea, a standard whose legal legitimacy recently was rejected by a U.N.-backed tribunal.
“We want to show our existence in the area, [that] we have a good enough air force to act as a deterrent,” said Air Commander Jemi Trisonjaya, a spokesperson for the Indonesian air force.
About 2,000 military personnel will be involved in Thursday’s exercises, which he said would include deployment of special operations ground forces, transport aircraft, helicopters and Indonesia’s fighter jet, both Russian-made Sukhois and U.S.-made F-16s.
Indonesian legislator Tantowi Yahya, chairman of parliament’s defense commission, told VOA’s Indonesia Service that Jakarta recently allocated $35 million to strengthen a military base in the Natuna Sea.
“Natuna is the farthest and most outer region, [so], in case something happens, it would take time to handle it,” he said. “To strengthen the region, should something unwelcome occur, we need to fortify the area with additional soldiers, facilities and infrastructural development.”
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, where about $5 trillion worth of trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims over islands and waters in the area.
Indonesia: Military Exercise Near South China Sea is No Provocation
VOA, there's a trustworthy source.:)
More sabre rattling from a declining empire, hiding behind another countries name.
U.S. ready to confront Beijing on South China Sea: admiral
The United States is ready to confront China should it continue its overreaching maritime claims in the South China Sea, the head of the U.S. Pacific fleet said on Wednesday, comments that threaten to escalate tensions between the two global rivals.
China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbors Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.
The United States has called on China to respect the findings of the arbitration court in The Hague earlier this year which invalidated its vast territorial claims in the strategic waterway.
But Beijing continues to act in an "aggressive" manner, to which the United States stands ready to respond, Admiral Harry Harris, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, said in a speech in Sydney.
"We will not allow a shared domain to be closed down unilaterally no matter how many bases are built on artificial features in the South China Sea," he said. "We will cooperate when we can but we will be ready to confront when we must."
The comments threaten to stoke tensions between the United States and China, already heightened by President-elect Donald Trump's decision to accept a telephone call from Taiwan's president on Dec. 2 that prompted a diplomatic protest from Beijing.
Asked about Harris's remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the situation in the South China Sea was currently stable, thanks to the hard work of China and others in the region.
"We hope the United States can abide by its promises on not taking sides on the sovereignty dispute in the South China Sea, respect the efforts of countries in the region to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea region and do more to promote peace and stability there," he told a daily news briefing.
The United States estimates Beijing has added more than 3,200 acres (1,300 hectares) of land on seven features in the South China Sea over the past three years, building runways, ports, aircraft hangars and communications equipment.
In response, the United States has conducted a series of freedom-of-navigation operations in the South China Sea, the latest of which came in October.
The patrols have angered Beijing, with a senior Chinese official in July warning the practice may end in "disaster".
Harris said it was a decision for the Australian government whether the U.S. ally should undertake its own freedom-of-navigation operations, but said the United States would continue with the practice.
"The U.S. fought its first war following our independence to ensure freedom of navigation," said Harris. "This is an enduring principle and one of the reasons our forces stand ready to fight tonight."
U.S. ready to confront Beijing on South China Sea: admiral | Reuters
Report: China’s artificial islands now weaponized
MANILA, Philippines - China’s artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea are now heavily fortified, according to Washington-based think tank Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI).
The Department of National Defense (DND), raising concerns over this latest security development in the South China Sea and West Philipine Sea, is verifying the report.
more Report: China?s artificial islands now weaponized | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
The Chinese have given new meaning to the term "weasel words".
Quote:
Originally Posted by misskit
Jesus Christ,
Can you imagine if the Seppos and the slope heads kick off. :confused:
Fok me, the Worlds foked then EH. :sorry1:
I was under the impression that the POTUSE was the one to declare war. But then that hasn't happened in many a decadeQuote:
Originally Posted by misskit
Against what, winter storms, don't they need a lot of sandbags to ensure the lighthouse isn't washed away, or a now imminent attack by a certain Admiral Harry Harris, head of the U.S. Pacific Command.Quote:
Originally Posted by misskit
One wonders what the Admiral would do to one of his carrier groups captain if it disappeared due to not taking all precautions against a now acknowledged enemy.
Are they so used to attacking countries with just rubber dinghies and AK47s they cry "not fair" and demand a "safe space" to confer if somebody takes norice of the threats and prepares it's defences.
The DND will also confer with the other 16 Ameristani, 3 UK, 25 NATO, Japanese, South Korean, Australian and New Zealand national spy agencies and war departments to ensure that they all agree there is some "fortification" (in the knowledge that global warning will raise the seal level by 16.25mm , as predicted by an ancient Chinese astrologer in 684AD). The said "fortifications" comply with all EU regulations and upon receipt of a US$15T money transfer to the Clinton Foundation will issue a "Licence to Occupy". The said licence to be issued on a yearly basis subject to possible inspections.Quote:
Originally Posted by misskit
The Ameristanis have given a new word for the meaning of the verb "to lie".Quote:
Originally Posted by Latindancer
to say something that is not correct, by mistake:
That word is "misspeak"/"misspoke"
Some common usage as an example:
I did not inhale.
I did not have sex with ....
I ran under fire from the aircraft.
The Secretary denied lying, but said that he misspoke.
If we continue to deny to ourselves what their agenda is, it's about as foolish as the English prime minister Chamberlain.
___________________________
China's military has carried out its first ever live-fire drills using an aircraft carrier and fighters in the northeastern Bohai Sea close to Korea, state media said.
China's growing military presence in the disputed South China Sea has fueled concern, with the United States criticizing its militarization of maritime outposts and holding regular air and naval patrols to ensure freedom of navigation.
No other country has claims in China's busy waterway of the Bohai Sea, but the drills come amid new tension over self-ruled Taiwan, following U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's recent telephone call with the island's president that upset Beijing.
Ten vessels and 10 aircraft engaged in air-to-air, air-to-sea and sea-to-air combat drills that featured guided missiles, state broadcaster Chinese Central Television reported late on Thursday.
"This is the first time an aircraft carrier squadron has performed drills with live ammunition and real troops," it said.
China's Soviet-built Liaoning aircraft carrier and a formation of warships carried out aerial interception, anti-aircraft and anti-missile drills, in which Shenyang J-15 fighter jets carrying live missiles also participated, CCTV said.
It broadcast images of fighter jets taking off from the carrier, firing missiles and destroying a target at sea.
The Liaoning has participated in previous military exercises, including some in the South China Sea, but the country is still years off from perfecting carrier operations similar to those the United States has practiced for decades.
On Wednesday, a U.S. think tank said China had been installing anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems on artificial islands in the South China Sea, prompting China to defend its right to install military hardware there.
China's exercises aim to test the equipment and troop training levels, an unidentified navy official told the official China News Service.
Last December the Defence Ministry confirmed China was building a second aircraft carrier to go with the existing vessel, but its launch date is unclear.
China holds first live-fire drills with aircraft carrier, warships | Reuters
Things are warming up :
A Chinese Navy warship has seized an underwater drone deployed by an American oceanographic vessel in international waters in the South China Sea, triggering a formal diplomatic protest from the United States and a demand for its return, US officials said.
China's Navy seizes American underwater drone in South China Sea - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)