U.S. protests harassment by Chinese ships

Tuesday 10th March, 05:51 AM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 90 Total Comments Show All

OssanAmerica at 01:46 AM JST - 14th March

I guess the above article is a nice way for Wen Jiabao to say to the US: >Don't step out of line, because we own you.

Mushroom cloud, you seem to be on as roll with China's greatness because of the aount of US Treasury dent it holds. Let me correct your slanted views. China owns securities, not the United States. The securities are not held in some vault in Beijing, they are held in the United States, ie; within US jurisdiction. If ever China decides to get into a real fight with the United States, we will do exactly what we did with securities owned by Germany and Japan in WWII and more recently by Iran and then Iraq. They will be seized and frozen. China has a very very big stake in ensuring that we "all get along". Nobody has anybody by the shorthairs. Incidentally, note that the second largest holder of US debt, namely Japan doesn't make noises about it in arguments with the US. This is because Japan is a US ally whereas China is a potential enemy. And as a potential enemy our nations well ought to be the most "important" of all relationships.
mushroomcloud at 03:17 AM JST - 14th March

Ossan: If China and the US really did get in a real fight, what if China cashed in the securities before it happened? That's right, the US economy would fall in a deeper tailspin than what it is in currently.

My suggestion to you, watch your mouth, and pay some respect to the power shift that has already happened.

So, are you saying that China should stop financing the US budget deficit? Again, watch your mouth.
mushroomcloud at 03:19 AM JST - 14th March

"Incidentally, note that the second largest holder of US debt, namely Japan doesn't make noises about it in arguments with the US."

Exactly. Japan wouldn't be foolish enough to have arguments with the nation that protects them.
Good_Jorb at 03:46 AM JST - 14th March

China cashed in the securities before it happened

Those securities would be paid out in American dollars, if China sold them, then China would have a massive foreign reverse in US dollars. After that the American economy tanks, the US dollar tanks, bye-bye foreign reverses, China watchs trillions of dollars in wealth dissapear. No power shift is happening, all that is happening is America and China are entering into a co-dependent relationship. If a war did happen it would be dependent on natural resources availability.
mushroomcloud at 03:55 AM JST - 14th March

"Those securities would be paid out in American dollars, if China sold them, then China would have a massive foreign reverse in US dollars. After that the American economy tanks, the US dollar tanks, bye-bye foreign reverses, China watchs trillions of dollars in wealth dissapear. No power shift is happening, all that is happening is America and China are entering into a co-dependent relationship. If a war did happen it would be dependent on natural resources availability."

I generally agree with you, it's just that at this moment in time, should China decide to 'cash in', the US does not have the ability to re-pay China the trillions owed. To add further insult to injury, you have Hillary Clinton practically begging China to continue buying US Treasuries to finance the new stimulus packages as well as the usual budget deficit.

It is time for the US to trim it's spending. Plain and simple.
OssanAmerica at 03:58 AM JST - 14th March

Ossan: If China and the US really did get in a real fight, what if China >cashed in the securities before it happened? That's right, the US >economy would fall in a deeper tailspin than what it is in currently.

Mushroom You can't "cash in" on securities that are frozen overseas. They are literally worthless until they are unfrozen. If you're suggesting that China could "cash-in" before being frozen, then why would China deliberately try to wreck it's own best export customer and guarantor of those very securities?
mushroomcloud at 04:12 AM JST - 14th March

"If you're suggesting that China could "cash-in" before being frozen, then why would China deliberately try to wreck it's own best export customer and guarantor of those very securities?"

This is what suggesting. But I certainly don't make this stuff up:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/2813721/China-threatens-to-trigger-US-dollar-crash.html

And after hearing Wen Jiabao's comments today, it appears that he is making implicit threats yet again.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/14/world/asia/14china.html?hp
blaze524 at 05:20 AM JST - 14th March

OssanAmerica: I believe that mushroomcloud is referring to the worse case scenario in which China is anticipating war with the US, at which point they would dump the US bonds and move into gold or Euro denominated holdings. Your original comment maintained that in a state of war, the US will freeze China's assets. This seems to indicate that war has already been declared. Realistically, the time frame leading up to war would be a good time to dump US assets. Lowering the value of the US dollar while raising the value of the Yuan relative to the US dollar would be the first blow.

It's all fun and games to sit here and drum up scenarios but I sincerely hope this never comes to pass as it would be terrible for all involved. As I'm typing this, I've just read that Mr. Obama has authorized a destroyer to escort the Impeccable on its trip through the South China Sea. This is not looking good.
VoXman at 10:59 AM JST - 14th March

I guess the above article is a nice way for Wen Jiabao to say to the US: Don't step out of line, because we own you.

And just exactly how do you propose that the Chinese cash in on their "ownership"?
VoXman at 11:08 AM JST - 14th March

>

Ossan: If China and the US really did get in a real fight, what if China cashed in the securities before it happened? That's right, the US economy would fall in a deeper tailspin than what it is in currently.

My suggestion to you, watch your mouth, and pay some respect to the power shift that has already happened.

So, are you saying that China should stop financing the US budget deficit? Again, watch your mouth.

Ok Dolt, if China began cashing in its securities, they'd only be able to cash around a 1/3 since the remainder would steadily decrease in value until the final paper was worth less then the ink written on it. Once again, the point is you should watch your mouth and the words you are saying. They are way too aggressive for this level of debate. China has invested all those ill-gotten gains in the so-called future of the US Economy, so they will not flush trillions of their currency down the toilet by starting a shooting war with the US.

It is also well know fact that China's PLA the habit of doing things without the expressed consent of the Beijing Gov.
rickyso at 11:32 AM JST - 15th March

going thousands of miles to other countries backyard and claiming to do some surveying work, who are they kidding?
USARonin at 11:37 AM JST - 15th March

Rickyso, OK, you can survey the ocean floor, perform experiments, cultivate data and report back to the world. It'll sure save me the expense.

Thanks, amiga!
USARonin at 11:40 AM JST - 15th March

Destroyer escort...?

When Obama said he didn't like Chinese, I thought he was talkin' to the White House chef.

Duck and cover, buckos!
OssanAmerica at 04:01 AM JST - 17th March

Your original comment maintained that in a state of war, the US will >freeze China's assets. This seems to indicate that war has already been >declared.

blaze524 While your logic above seems sound, the fact is that the United States actually froze Japanese asserts in the US PRIOR to Dec 7, 1941- sometime in the summer I believe. This suggests that the US does not have a history of "waiting" before taking such actions. But as Mushroom points out, undoubtedly, neither will the Chinese.
OssanAmerica at 04:06 AM JST - 17th March

Ossan: If China and the US really did get in a real fight, what if China >cashed in the securities before it happened? That's right, the US >economy would fall in a deeper tailspin than what it is in currently.

And what do you think will happen to the Chinese economy?

My suggestion to you, watch your mouth, and pay some respect to the >power shift that has already happened.

No power shift has already happened. India, Vietnam, Thailand, Phillipines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand Taiwan, South Korea and Japan ALL want the United States to remain the dominant strategic power in East Asia.

So, are you saying that China should stop financing the US budget >deficit? Again, watch your mouth.

No I'm saying the United States should stop supporting China's miliary buildup by importing their cheap poisonous toxic crap bult on the backs of 61 cents a hour peasants by a totalitarian dictatorship. Any problems with that?