The United States today threatened China not to escalate territorial tensions in the Asia-Pacific region if it doesn’t want to face American retaliation. In his statement, a US official used sanctions on Russia over Crimea’s accession as an example.
Daniel Russel, speaking to a meeting of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said in a tersely worded comments that the recent sanctions imposed by the US and EU on Russia should have “a chilling effect on anyone in China who might contemplate the Crimea annexation as a model,” Reuters reports.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hong Lei, indicated that such statements are not helpful.
Speaking to a news briefing on Friday, Hong responded to the US threat by saying, “No matter whether it’s the Ukraine or the South China Sea issue, China has many times expressed its position. Why must this US official mention the two issues in the same breath, and obstinately say these things about China?” Hong also indicated that such statements are unwarrented.
China has recently deployed a sizeable number of war ships in the disputed waters with the Philippines, which in turn filed a complaint against China on Sunday for the deployment.
Russel says this “appears to be intimidating steps” to the US, adding that “it is incumbent on all of the claimants to foreswear intimidation, coercion and other non-diplomatic or extra-legal means.”
Given the tensions Russel’s inflammatory remarks only increases Chinese distrust of America.
It is known that China considers the United States a serious threat to world peace and stability.
We also reported in November 2013 that Chinese nuclear submarines are actively paroling in waters off the US coasts lines and appear to be running drills specifically targeting major population centers in the United States (see article: Chinese subs planning widespread nuclear attacks on several major U.S. cities in the event of war https://groundreport.com/chinese-nuclear-subs-planning-widespread-nuclear-attacks-on-several-major-u-s-cities-in-the-event-of-war/).
So not only do we have Chinese nuclear subs patrolling the US coasts, but Russia as well (see article: Russia begins increased submarine patrols off the coasts of the United States https://groundreport.com/russia-begins-increased-submarine-patrols-off-the-coasts-of-the-united-states/).
It seems the US is making friends wherever it goes. It also makes you wonder about the mentality of US officials who seem to want to go out of their way to make enemies.
See related article: US engages in economic warfare against Russia https://groundreport.com/us-engages-in-economic-warfare-against-russia/