politics

Pentagon chief warns against militarization of territorial rows in Asia

30 Comments
By David Brunnstrom and Kiyoshi Takenaka

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Changing the military status for Japan is the only thing I agree with with Abe.

4 ( +11 / -7 )

Pentagon chief warns agaist MILITARIZATION of territorial rows in Asia.

So in response: The U.S. and Philippine troops will take part in annual MILITARY exercises this month near the Spratlys in the LARGEST such drills since the allies resumed joint activities in 2000?

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

China has 14 neighbors and only has border dispute with 4 of them. Japan has 4 neighbors and has dispute with ALL of them.

-12 ( +7 / -19 )

Pentagon chief warns agaist MILITARIZATION of territorial rows in Asia.

So in response: The U.S. and Philippine troops will take part in annual MILITARY exercises this month near the Spratlys in the LARGEST such drills since the allies resumed joint activities in 2000?

Actually read the article. "Militarization" in the sense he used it wasn't directed a Chinese drills, but Chinese construction of a military base on the Spratlys (!!!). I shouldn't need to explain just how provocative it is to build military infrastructure on disputed territory.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Lilyas: I did read the article do and realize what was said, however, you don't fight a fire with gasoline. All large military actions tend to cause defensive reactions. As for building any new military bases, China AND Japan are presently doing so, it's NOT just China.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Ting ZhaoApr. 09, 2015 - 09:55AM JST China has 14 neighbors and only has border dispute with 4 of them. Japan has 4 neighbors and has dispute with ALL >of them.

Please refrain from posting Chinese propaganda. China has 14 terrotorial disputes with it's neighbors. South Korea has 3. Japan has 3.

2 ( +10 / -8 )

Please refrain from posting Chinese propaganda. China has 14 terrotorial disputes with it's neighbors.

List please.

-7 ( +6 / -13 )

T.Zhao,

While technically true, this isn't just about borders its about China's STUPID building military structures in the Spratly's!!

Which has caused issues with the WHOLE of SE Asia & more!!

Sadly at some point China is going to have to be dealt with & I don't like thinking about all the death & destruction that WILL involve

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Say one thing, do another.

I also do not appreciate all this focus on China having disputes with so many in the South China Sea, but ignoring the fact that the Vietnamese also have disputes with just about everybody else with claims nearly as far reaching. In fact, even if China disappeared tomorrow they would all have disputes with another country at least. This will in no way shape or form be solved by harping on China or pretending it began with China, or pretending that China started it.

Please refrain from posting Chinese propaganda.

That would be eased by you not posting American and Japanese propaganda.

Japan has 3.

Japan has disputes with Russia, China, Taiwan, and North and South Korea. I count 5, and that is 100 percent of Japan's neighbors.

Like it or not, China has resolved several disputes with its neighbors, such as disputes with Russia. Japan has resolved zero.

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

China's current, ongoing territorial disputes are : Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. In the past: Soviet Union, South Korea, and Pakistan.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Ting ZhaoApr. 09, 2015 - 09:55AM JST

China has 14 neighbors and only has border dispute with 4 of them.

I think China has border disputes with all of its neighbors. With wich country, do you think, China does not have border disputes?

6 ( +11 / -5 )

Hey, lets just ignore the fact that China has land boarders seven or eight times the length of Japan while ignoring the fact that Japan has zero land borders. Lets also ignore the fact that China is in the center of East Asia while Japan is on the edge. That will surely make China look bad. Why look at this fairly anyway? Whats in it for me?

I think China has border disputes with all of its neighbors.

You think?? China has resolved all its land disputes with Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Mongolia, Vietnam and Russia. The only land disputes remaining that I know of is with Bhutan and India. The rest are island disputes, a problem I note that Japan also has in spades despite Japan being a much, much smaller nation.

-11 ( +4 / -15 )

China has 14 neighbors and only has border dispute with 4 of them. Japan has 4 neighbors and has dispute with ALL of them.

I don't know what the 4th dispute is, but the Russia-Japan and Senkakus dispute are clearly in Japan's favor to any impartial observer. Dokdo is stupid, but it's limited to diplomatic rows. The difference between China and Japan is that China has used military force to enforce it's claims. Moreover, your statistics conveniently ignore the literal military conflicts that China has had between Russia, India, and Vietnam, which have included loss of life. Mind pointing out a Japanese territorial dispute that led to loss of life post-WW2?

@FrancescoB If you think that the way China 'settled' its land disputes with Vietnam and Russia is something to be proud of, you're crazy.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

China has a dispute with itself, judging how it treats it's own citizens.

And in China's territorial disputes, it has not hesitated to use military force, several times, since the formation of it's one party "government".

Unfortunately I can't add it's massive hacking program, as it's not a territorial dispute, it's a intellectual property dispute. Still damaging to several countries. Great way to treat it's best customers.

But feel free to claim it's Japan that is a cause for concern, not China.

To any unbiased and discerning person, China would be (is) a worry, even if Japan never existed.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

@FrancescoB If you think that the way China 'settled' its land disputes with Vietnam and Russia is something to be proud of, you're crazy.

I never said a thing about pride. To be sure there was fighting, but decades after the fighting was done, negotiations took place. Japanese fighting is a little older, sure, yet, no successful negotiations. Is that something to be proud of??

Moreover, it seems you believe that Vietnam and Russia were mere innocents in these disputes. What a joke! The Vietnamese especially are highly aggressive as evidenced by their invasion of Cambodia. Who loves Russia until China is mentioned? Some people still can't shut up about Crimea, but its all forgotten once the name "China" is uttered!

Mind pointing out a Japanese territorial dispute that led to loss of life post-WW2?

You want to dictate a time frame so you can "win" this debate? Japan's launching of WWII was bigger than all the fighting over all those disputes combined!!! Sorry, but that is not just going to evaporate because its inconvenient to your POV. As I indicated above, most of the other fighting was also decades ago and plenty close enough to WWII to show a relationship.

And once again I will point out that most of those involved in disputes with China are by far not innocent victims, but rather co-aggressors.

And nobody wants to mention the fact that Taiwan's island claims pretty mirror those of China! There is enough avoidance of facts in these discussions to fill the galaxy with empty space...again!

-10 ( +4 / -14 )

The only real friends China has are NK, Russia, and SK. Tells you a lot about the character of the country.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

It's a bit rich when an American raises a voice against militarization isn't it?

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

How can the us gov speak against militarization when it is actually the us gov who provokes it.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

IllyasAPR. 09, 2015 - 10:04AM JST Said: I shouldn't need to explain just how provocative it is to build military infrastructure on disputed territory. Are you referring to the BBC article that states: Japan to build MILITARY site near the disputed Senkaku Islands? Yonaguni Island?

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

When US politiciens go to China or SK, and hear their concerns of Japan, they answer in effect, "Don't worry we'll watch Japan".

-11 ( +0 / -11 )

The only real friends China has are NK, Russia, and SK. Tells you a lot about the character of the country.

I would not say China and Russia are "real" friends. More like temporary "friends of convenience".

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

FrancescoB, I commend you on your balanced view amongst a sea of China bashers.

As people seem to always forget, it takes two to tango.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

It's a bit rich when an American raises a voice against militarization isn't it?

The military industrial complex is a rich man's game. Let Cold War 2.0 begin!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

When US politiciens go to China or SK, and hear their concerns of Japan, they answer in effect, "Don't worry we'll watch Japan".

tina -- do you realize what the implication of your comment is? Instead of being a "bash" of the U.S., it is actually pointing out that Japan needs to be "watched", like some kind of 5 year-old. And, unfortunately, there is some truth to what you say. If Japan had been mature in its foreign relations with its Asian neighbors over the past couple of decades, there would not be a need for this U.S. role.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Self Appoint Global Policeman US Government will always ensure CHAO, BEIJING (Reuters) - China and Vietnam have pledged to look for a peaceful resolution to their dispute in the South China Sea via talks, following a meeting between China's president and the head of Vietnam's Communist Party, state news agency Xinhua said on Wednesday.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

As the only country willing and able to keep the Mongols contained, the US should build up alliances as much as possible. I don't these statements accomplish very much as CCP members don't understand reason.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Pentagon chief warns against militarization of territorial rows in Asia

Tell us Ash Carter: How did America solve all her territorial disputes? Through peaceful, mutual agreed upon negotiations? (snort)

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

jerseyboy, You don't seem to read Korean or Chinese papers. I only wrote what I have read. Did you think US would answer "Japan is such a peace loving country that you have nothing to worry about"?

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

United States sure knows a thing or two about "bullying smaller nations". It's probably the biggest culprit in that area, although it usually goes beyond bullying into physical violence and massive destructive when deemed necessary. The usual hypocritical bullshit that the world has been fed by the US government.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

You want to dictate a time frame so you can "win" this debate? Japan's launching of WWII was bigger than all the fighting over all those disputes combined!!! Sorry, but that is not just going to evaporate because its inconvenient to your POV. As I indicated above, most of the other fighting was also decades ago and plenty close enough to WWII to show a relationship.

Post WW2 is the logical time-frame to discuss territorial disputes, BECAUSE THE CURRENT GOVERNMENTS OF JAPAN AND CHINA WERE PUT IN PLACE/GAINED POWER THEN. Don't be dense.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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