Golez: Strong US and Trump message to China on South China Sea: "U.S. Pokes China With a Double Flyover"

Golez: Strong US and Trump message to China on South China Sea: "U.S. Pokes China With a Double Flyover" 

"While Presidents Trump and Xi brace for tough talks at the G20 Summit, the U.S. Air Force is sending strong signals in both the East and South China Seas. 

"The U.S. sent two B-1B Lancers over the East China Sea on Thursday in a joint drill with Japanese fighters, the Air Force said in a statement. It was the first time they had performed the drill at night.

"The U.S. bombers continued to the South China Sea before returning to the Anderson Air Force Base in Guam. The Air Force said the exercise demonstrated the right of freedom of navigation.

"Predictably, Beijing is fuming:

“China has always supported and respected freedom of navigation by every country in the South China Sea and East China Sea based on international law,” ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Friday at a regular press conference. “But we strongly oppose some countries showing off military power in the name of freedom of navigation, which damages China’s sovereignty and safety.”

"Both flyovers come less than a week after the Trump administration’s second freedom-of-navigation exercise in the South China Sea, and while the U.S. Navy is engaged in naval exercises with China’s rival claimant Vietnam. And the administration has been turning up the heat on China on many other fronts: issuing secondary sanctions, announcing a Taiwan arms package, and threatening a trade war as Trump sours on Beijing’s ability to help with North Korea"

TURNING UP THE HEAT

U.S. Pokes China With a Double Flyover

While Presidents Trump and Xi brace for tough talks at the G20 Summit, the U.S. Air Force is sending strong signals in both the East and South China Seas. The WSJ:

The U.S. sent two B-1B Lancers over the East China Sea on Thursday in a joint drill with Japanese fighters, the Air Force said in a statement. It was the first time they had performed the drill at night.

The U.S. bombers continued to the South China Sea before returning to the Anderson Air Force Base in Guam. The Air Force said the exercise demonstrated the right of freedom of navigation.

Predictably, Beijing is fuming:

“China has always supported and respected freedom of navigation by every country in the South China Sea and East China Sea based on international law,” ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Friday at a regular press conference. “But we strongly oppose some countries showing off military power in the name of freedom of navigation, which damages China’s sovereignty and safety.”

Both flyovers come less than a week after the Trump administration’s second freedom-of-navigation exercise in the South China Sea, and while the U.S. Navy is engaged in naval exercises with China’s rival claimant Vietnam. And the administration has been turning up the heat on China on many other fronts: issuing secondary sanctions, announcing a Taiwan arms package, and threatening a trade war as Trump sours on Beijing’s ability to help with North Korea.

Even as the administration tightens the screws, Trump has hinted at an opening: “never give up,” he said at Hamburg when asked by a reporter whether he had abandoned efforts to cooperate with Xi. For now, though, American actions are sending a much tougher message to Beijing: if you don’t pressure Pyongyang, we will pressure you.

Posted: Today at 12:02 AM