China must ready for military conflict in South China Sea: state media

USA officials say the US response should China stick to its vow to ignore the ruling could include stepped up freedom-of-navigation patrols close to Chinese claimed islands in what is one of the world’s business trade routes.

The latest tensions between China and Japan came as Beijing is bracing for an adverse verdict over its claims on the South China Sea (SCS) by United Nations arbitration panel.

Dai urged Washington to scale back its “heavy-handed intervention” in the South China Sea issue through reinforcing military alliances, the forward deployment of military assets, and increasing close-in reconnaissance and the so-called “Freedom of Navigation” operations targeted at China. “Just a piece of trash paper”, said Dai.

Hong Lei says the action by the Philippines and the Tribunal will severely affect the global legal order.

China has refused to take part in the arbitration proceedings or accept the ruling, saying the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case initiated by the Philippines in 2013 over the legality of Beijing’s claims.

It also explains why countries are so desperate to grab islands and reefs in the South China Sea to legitimize their claims.

“The Chinese population is going to be looking to see that the government is actually not buckling under global pressure and is continuing to do what it said it would do, which is exercise presence and be in the South China Sea independent of what any worldwide tribunal or external party says”.

During the June 17 incident, Chinese defense officials said two Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) Mitsubishi F-15J Eagles intercepted two Chinese Sukhoi Su-30 fighters over the East China Sea in the Beijing declared Air Defense Identification Zone near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands.

Editorials in the Global Times newspaper ahead of a July 12 worldwide court ruling on competing claims in the South China Sea by China and the Philippines said the dispute had already been complicated by USA intervention.

“We in China would not be intimidated by the USA actions, not even if the USA sent all 10 aircraft carriers to the South China Sea”, he said.

This claim of ownership, which the Philippines disputes, would hamper all other Asian countries in the area, restricting fishing and shipping routes.

“Either way, they belong to China”.

“China has never taken a lead in.stirring up regional tension”.

China, which claims most of the South China Sea, indicated it would be open to start negotiations with Manila as long as the Philippines ignores the court ruling. The U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, which China has ratified, provides for the tribunal as a way of settling maritime disagreements.

Dr. John Short, political analyst and Professor of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, told Radio Sputnik that the Philippines may be able to better serve its territorial interests in the South China Sea by negotiating with China.

About $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year though the energy-rich, strategic waters of the South China Sea.