China Reform Monitor, a publication of the American Foreign Policy Council, sent along these stories in its regular update. The Peaceful Rise is creating great problems for those nations unfortunate enough to be in its way.+++++++++
April 3:
The day after Vietnam’s President Nguyen Minh Triet visited one of the country’s installations on the Spratly Islands and vowed that Hanoi will protect its sovereign territory, China sent ships to patrol the archipelago. Two Chinese patrol vessels will accompany fishing vessels in the South China Sea for at least a month. The decision, taken just after the departure of Vietnam's deputy foreign minister from China, marks the first time patrol boats will protect fishing boats in the contested waters. Hanoi is still demanding the "immediate and unconditional release" of a Vietnamese fishing boat and its 12-man crew captured by China on March 22, the South China Morning Post reports.
April 7:
A year after it was first discovered that a China-based cyber espionage network compromised Indian embassies investigators have uncovered the full extent of the espionage, the India Times reports. Indian embassies in nine countries including the U.S., UK, Germany, Afghanistan, Russia, the UAE, and Nigeria were infected. But it is now known that for years the spy ring mined over 35 computers belonging to the India’s National Security Council Secretariat, Air Force, and the Army's Military Intelligence. While there is no conclusive proof linking the hack to China’s government, Canadian researchers have traced the attack to Chengdu, Sichuan; where a People's Liberation Army technical reconnaissance bureau responsible for monitoring signals intelligence collection is located.
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The SCMP reported on just this issue today, from the perspective of Japan. Hatoyama's friendly stance towards China is being undermined by repeated aggressive actions on the part of the PLAN and other Chinese ships. Within two weeks, Chinese naval helicopters have buzzed Japanese ships and another Chinese vessel has chased a Japanese survey vessel out of disputed waters.
ReplyDeleteIf we add this to the concerns about Vietnam and India, we see a disturbing trend. China is now openly challenging the very countries that it will need to keep pacified in order to ensure a smooth expansion of its military activities in the region.
Is it even possible to talk about a "Peaceful Rise" anymore?