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As usual, @QuincyInst's views on the South China Sea disputes are divorced from reality. In what world should we stop exercising our freedom of navigation in exchange for "affirmations" from China that they won't interfere with our freedom of navigation? That makes no sense.
Moreover, Quincy conveniently fails to address the most pressing issue in the South China Sea: how China uses maritime law enforcement and maritime militia forces to preclude it's neighbors (including U.S. allies and partners) from operating freely within their own waters.
Simply put, you can't provide recommendations for U.S. policy in the South China Sea without addressing the problem of assertive PAFMM and CCG operations. Nothing gets solved as long as China gets to aggressively use the PAFMM and CCG without facing any consequences.
Here's just a few examples of CCG and PAFMM coercion:
The CCG and PAFMM were on the front lines of the HYSY-981 standoff. http://cimsec.org/ships-of-state-chinese-civil-military-fusion-and-the-hysy-981-standoff/39490
The CCG and PAFMM maintain a continuous presence at contested features across the South China Sea. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/southchinasea-lurking-10262020174503.html
The CCG and PAFMM participated in the Haiyang Dizhi 8 standoff. https://amti.csis.org/chinese-survey-ship-escalates-three-way-standoff/
In fact, Chinese maritime law enforcement vessels (including CCG vessels) are involved the vast majority of incidents in the South China Sea. https://chinapower.csis.org/maritime-forces-destabilizing-asia/
This list could go on and on but I think you get the point.
Beijing clearly relies on PAFMM and CCG operations to advance it's agenda at the expense of U.S. allies and partners.
Quincy would be wise to take this issue a little more seriously.
Beijing clearly relies on PAFMM and CCG operations to advance it's agenda at the expense of U.S. allies and partners.
Quincy would be wise to take this issue a little more seriously.
For more on why Quincy is *also* wrong about Taiwan, check out this thread by the the fabulous @jessicadrun: https://twitter.com/jessicadrun/status/1334950610232348681?s=19
Some great points by @DRM_Long as well: https://twitter.com/DRM_Long/status/1334977094049263616?s=19
