South China Sea

On Tuesday May 29^th, Secretary of Defense James Mattis said that the United States intends to challenge China on the high seas and will use the naval forces to push back on Beijing’s maritime expansion. Secretary Mattis declared that China is “out of step” with international law and is failing to respect international waters.

Allowing nations to have freedom of navigation allows the worlds militaries to navigate the globe freely and conduct joint exercises together to promote strength and unity in the world.

Secretary Mattis went on to say “ But we are also going to confront what we believe is out of step with international law, out of step with international tribunals that have spoken on the issue, and part of this is we maintain a very transparent military activity out in the Pacific.”

On the weekend of May 27^th. 2018, China’s military assets took “immediate action” against “unauthorized” United States warships sailing in South China Sea waters that have been claimed by Beijing.  In a statement released by the Chinese defense ministry that two U.S. warships’ entry into China’s territorial waters around the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea, is an infringement on China’s sovereignty.

The Chinese military dispatched to conduct identification and verification of the U.S. warships entering the disputed waters.

Department of Defense spokesman, Lt. Col. Christopher Logan said in a statement, “China’s continued militarization of disputed features in the South China Sea serve to raise tensions and destabilize the region.” With China laying claim to islands that are within international waters it raises vast security issues that nations must face.

China has held de facto control over the Paracel Islands since 1974. However, Taiwan and Vietnam also lay claim to the same area.