Straits Times: US gambles by flexing military muscle in South China Sea
China may react by taking more aggressive action, some analysts warn
ABOARD THE USS JOHN C. STENNIS (In the South China Sea) • Over the last week in Asia, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter has visited two aircraft carriers, revealed new military agreements with India and the Philippines, and generally signalled that the Obama administration has decided to lean more heavily on military power to counter China's territorial ambitions in the region.
But the new, muscular approach on display during Mr Carter's tour represents a gamble. While it sends a message that the United States will work with its allies to challenge Beijing's expanding presence in the disputed South China Sea, it also plays into fears within the Chinese leadership about US efforts to halt China's rise.
That may mean that the more the Pentagon steps up in the region, the more China may feel it needs to accelerate its military build-up, including the construction of new islands equipped with radar and airstrips in contested waters.
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WNU Editor: China will object, but they also know that U.S. resources are limited, and more importantly .... will not directly stop China's reclamation projects and military build-up in the South China Sea. On a side note, I expect Korea will be the next flash-point for the U.S. and China .... Ignore China and Deploy THAAD to South Korea (Michael Casey, National Interest).
