Tag: South China Sea

What Happens When a Stealth Jet Ends Up on the Ocean Floor?

Chin@Strategy

WASHINGTON — On Jan. 24, one of the U.S. Navy’s most expensive warplanes crashed as it tried to land on an aircraft carrier and sank to the bottom of the South China Sea. The $94 million F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is now the subject of a salvage operation. In a statement issued on the day of the incident, the Navy said seven sailors had been injured when the jet suffered a “landing mishap” on the aircraft carrier, the Carl Vinson. It did not mention that the plane had ended up…

U.S. Navy Fighter Jet Accident in South China Sea Injures 7

Chin@Strategy

An accident aboard an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea injured seven American sailors and led to the pilot ejecting from his F-35 fighter jet on Monday, the Navy said in a statement, calling it a “landing mishap.” The combat aircraft, a F-35C Lightning II, had been conducting routine flight operations before getting into difficulties on the deck of the carrier Carl Vinson, the statement said. The cause of the accident was unclear, but the Navy said it was being investigated. Though such incidents are unusual, it comes months…

In China’s new age of imperialism, Xi Jinping gives thumbs down to democracy | Simon Tisdall

Chin@Strategy

The US describes its newly announced diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, backed by Britain and other western countries, as a protest against China’s “egregious human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang”, where the Chinese Communist party (CCP) is accused of genocide, as well as its evisceration of Hong Kong’s democracy. Yet a separate, lurking worry informs Washington’s action: that China may turn the games into a propaganda extravaganza, showcasing its growing strength to a global audience. Think Gladiator, and then think Xi Jinping, China’s authoritarian president, acting like…

Satellite images show China has built mock-ups of US warships

Chin@Strategy

Satellite images show China has built mock-ups of a US navy aircraft carrier and destroyer in its north-western desert, possibly for practice for a future clash. China has massively upgraded its military in recent years, and its capability and intentions are increasingly concerning to the US as tensions rise over the South China Sea, Taiwan and military supremacy in the Indo-Pacific. The images captured by the Colorado-based Maxar Technologies, dated from Sunday, show the outlines of a US aircraft carrier and at least one destroyer on a railway track. Maxar…

Why China Is Alienating the World: Backlash Is Building—but Beijing Can’t Seem to Recalibrate

Chin@Strategy

In early 2017, China appeared to be on a roll. Its economy was beating estimates. President Xi Jinping was implementing the country’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative and was on the cusp of opening China’s first overseas military base in Djibouti. Most important, Xi seemed poised to take advantage of President Donald Trump’s determination to pick fights with U.S. allies and international institutions. In a speech in Davos in January of that year, Xi even compared protectionism with “locking oneself in a dark room.” Nearly five years on, Beijing is…

US blocks radioactive fuel to China over fear it wants to TRIPLE nuke stockpile

Chin@Strategy

THE US has blocked radioactive fuel to China over fears Beijing wants to triple its nuke stockpile. President Joe Biden’s administration ordered the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to block exports to China on “national security” grounds, The Times reported. 5 US President Joe Biden with Chinese President Xi JinpingCredit: Getty 5 The Taishan 1 nuclear power station in ChinaCredit: Free for editorial use The export of radioactive materials to China’s state-owned nuclear company the China General Nuclear Power Group is now banned under the order. It comes after Chinese state media…

How Close Did Chinese Warplanes Really Get to Taiwan?

Chin@Strategy

From the headlines of several news agencies, you’d think China was on the verge of war with Taiwan. U.S. News: “Brazen China Steadily Ramps Up Warplane Flights in Taiwan’s Airspace.” Yahoo News: “China Flies 52 Military Planes Into Taiwanese Airspace in Largest Incursion Ever.” NPR (during a similar spate of flights this summer): “China Sends a Record 28 Military Planes Into Airspace Controlled by Taiwan.” If China really had done this, it would constitute a gross violation of international law and, possibly, the fanning of war flames. Advertisement But in…

How Close Did Chinese Military Jets Really Get to Taiwan?

Chin@Strategy

From the headlines of several news agencies, you’d think China was on the verge of war with Taiwan. U.S. News: “Brazen China Steadily Ramps Up Warplane Flights in Taiwan’s Airspace.” Yahoo News: “China Flies 52 Military Planes Into Taiwanese Airspace in Largest Incursion Ever.” NPR (during a similar spate of flights this summer): “China Sends a Record 28 Military Planes Into Airspace Controlled by Taiwan.” If China really had done this, it would constitute a gross violation of international law and, possibly, the fanning of war flames. Advertisement But in…

Why China Is Alienating the World

Chin@Strategy

In early 2017, China appeared to be on a roll. Its economy was beating estimates. President Xi Jinping was implementing the country’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative and was on the cusp of opening China’s first overseas military base in Djibouti. Most important, Xi seemed poised to take advantage of President Donald Trump’s determination to pick fights with U.S. allies and international institutions. In a speech in Davos in January of that year, Xi even compared protectionism with “locking oneself in a dark room.” Nearly five years on, Beijing is…

WW3 fears as US blocks radioactive fuel to China over fears Beijing wants to TRIPLE its nuke stockpile to 1,000

Chin@Strategy

THE US has blocked radioactive fuel to China over fears Beijing wants to triple its nuke stockpile. President Joe Biden’s administration ordered the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to block exports to China on “national security” grounds, The Times reported. 5 US President Joe Biden with Chinese President Xi JinpingCredit: Getty 5 The Taishan 1 nuclear power station in ChinaCredit: Free for editorial use The export of radioactive materials to China’s state-owned nuclear company the China General Nuclear Power Group is now banned under the order. It comes after Chinese state media…