The Patriot Files Forums  

Go Back   The Patriot Files Forums > Warfare > Sea

Post New Thread  Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 09-10-2019, 01:28 PM
Boats's Avatar
Boats Boats is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sauk Village, IL
Posts: 21,784
Arrow China warns Britain against planned HMS Queen Elizabeth deployment

China warns Britain against planned HMS Queen Elizabeth deployment
By: Elizsabeth Shim - World News & UPI News - 9-10-19
RE: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-N...61/?sl=1&ur3=1

Photo link: https://cdnph.upi.com/svc/sv/i/94215...deployment.jpg
The British Royal Navy's HMS Queen Elizabeth could be deployed to the South China Sea, according to reports. File Photo by Gerry Penny/EPA-EFE

Sept. 10 (UPI) -- China is warning Britain against becoming more active in areas near disputed islands in the South China Sea.

Maj. Gen. Su Guanghui, Beijing's defense attaché to London, has said British military cooperation with the United States would be considered "hostile," The Telegraph reported.

"If the United States and Britain join hands in a challenge or violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China, that would be hostile action," Su said, according to the report.

The statement comes at a time when Britain could be considering deploying the HMS Queen Elizabeth to the South China Sea.

The British government has supported freedom of navigation in international waters, and working with allies, including the United States and Australia.

The planned deployment would include the embarkation of F-35 stealth jets from the U.S. Marine Corps on the 65,000-ton Queen Elizabeth.

Liu Xiaoming, China's top diplomat to Britain, warned the British against "doing this dirty job for somebody else."

Beijing has claimed the South China Sea as territorial waters, but it has also said international vessels are free to navigate the high seas as long as they stay 12 nautical miles away from the disputed Spratly and Paracel Islands.

China condemned Britain in 2018, when HMS Albion, an amphibious assault ship, sailed close to the Paracel Islands.

London was accused of a "provocative action."

"The South China Sea is a vast ocean...we have no objection to people sailing around there but do not enter Chinese territorial waters within 12 nautical miles," Liu said. "If you don't do that, there shouldn't be a problem. The South China Sea is wide enough to have free navigation of shipping."

Britain defends its naval deployments, according to Sky News.

"The presence of international navies in the South China Sea is normal and the Royal Navy is no exception to this," a British naval spokesman said. "We remain committed to asserting rights of freedom of navigation at sea and in the air as provided for by international law."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SkyNews
RE: https://news.sky.com/story/china-thr...lands-11805868

Photo link: https://e3.365dm.com/19/07/1600x900/...20190726221508
Britain's new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is due to be deployed to the South China Sea in 2021

China has warned Britain against sailing ships through disputed waters in the South China Sea, saying that such a move would be "hostile" and hinting that Beijing would be forced to responded militarily.

Reacting to a suggestion that the UK might send its aircraft carrier close to the contested Spratly Islands, with US jets onboard, China's Ambassador to the UK said Britain "should not do this dirty job for somebody else".

Speaking to the Defence Correspondents' Association in London, Liu Xiaoming rejected the argument that the Royal Navy would be upholding international rules concerning Freedom of Navigation.

Photo link of disputed island: https://e3.365dm.com/19/09/1600x900/...20190909202914
An aerial view of the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea

"The South China Sea is a vast ocean, it is three million square kilometres wide, we have no objection to people sailing around there but do not enter Chinese territorial waters within twelve nautical miles.

"If you don't do that, there shouldn't be a problem. The South China Sea is wide enough to have free navigation of shipping."

The Spratly and Paracel Islands sit in strategic shipping lanes and are variously claimed by a number of nations in the region including China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

The United States navy conducts regular freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea to challenge China's territorial claim.

Washington accuses Beijing of illegally building military facilities and installations on some of the islands, but China responds by labelling America as a bully and provocative.

In February last year, the former Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said that Britain must be ready to use "hard power" to deter adversaries and so the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth would be sent to the South China Sea on her first operational deployment.

2nd photo link: https://e3.365dm.com/19/09/1600x900/...20190909210505
The HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier in Portsmouth in June (that's one good looking Lady-Boats)

The Chinese Defence Attaché, speaking alongside the Ambassador at the same event, added: "If the US and UK join hands in a challenge or violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China, that would be hostile action."

But the UK government responded by saying it is opposed to "militarisation" of the South China Sea and insisting the aircraft carrier would still visit the South Pacific in 2021: "The UK has enduring interests in the region and is committed to maintaining regional security.

"The presence of international navies in the South China Sea is normal and the Royal Navy is no exception to this," a spokesman told Sky News.

"We remain committed to asserting rights of freedom of navigation at sea and in the air as provided for by international law."

Ambassador Liu also said that China would be forced to intervene in Hong Kong if the state's security forces lost control.

"If the riots become uncontrollable for the Hong Kong government, China cannot sit on its hands and watch. Hong Kong is part of China. We can't watch this violence go on and on."
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:00 AM.


Powered by vBulletin, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.