The South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait are observing a lot of military maneuvering from different countries. Be it China which is trying to stamp its authority in the region, Japan or the USA. And now it is the UK which is trying to counter China’s aggression and prove the narrative of the free and open sea lanes. The Royal Navy has been exercising with the Singaporean Navy, and Britain’s Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has made no secret of his intention to perform a “Freedom of Navigation” exercise in the South China Sea.
The British Navy a short while ago made an intimidating maneuver by irking Russia in the black sea. Now, with the exercise in action in the South China Sea, China is making statements warning the UK of consequences. However, the British Royal Navy ships should continue their China-ward voyage to expose Beijing’s cowardice. Beijing is used to making boastful intimidating statements that are not followed by any substantive actions and the UK has an opportunity to prove the spade a spade.
This week has seen a flurry of naval activity in the South China Sea, with a British aircraft carrier strike group, an American surface action group, and Chinese People’s Liberation Army units all conducting drills in the disputed waterway. The HMS Queen Elizabeth, a British Royal Navy aircraft carrier, has been the focus of attention, with state-run Chinese media outlets and officials accusing Britain of inciting unrest in the disputed waters at the request of the US.
China has cautioned the Carrier Strike Group of the United Kingdom, led by the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, not to engage in any “improper activities” as it enters the disputed South China Sea. The pro-government Global Times, a mouthpiece for the ruling Communist Party of China, claims that the People’s Liberation Army Navy is at a high level of battle readiness (CCP). “We seriously warn this group: They are obliged to remain restrained and obey the rules. Please follow the current international shipping lanes and stay at least 12 nautical miles away from the Chinese islands and reefs.”
However, the UK should not pay any heed to such intimidations and by continuing its activities; it should prove that these empty threats by the Chinese Communist Party should not be feared. In late June, Russia warned that it would bomb British vessels if there were any aggressive actions by Britain’s Navy off the coast of Russia-annexed Crimea. Russia has seemingly warned Britain, but Moscow’s message was really aimed at the USA, NATO and Turkey. Russia even summoned the British ambassador in Moscow for a formal scolding. The Kremlin says that the British naval warship breached its territorial waters.
Britain however claimed that Russia’s version was inaccurate. It said that no warning shots were fired and that no bombs were dropped in the path of the Royal Navy destroyer (HMS Defender). Meanwhile, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said, “We can appeal to common sense, demand respect for international law, and if that doesn’t work, we can bomb.”
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“We are not going to the other side of the planet to be provocative, as the Defense Secretary told the United Kingdom Parliament in April. We’ll be self-assured, but not confrontational “According to the statement of the spokeswoman.
A sequence of images uploaded on the US Navy’s website on Friday showed US Marine Corps jets engaged in operations off the British carrier, with the South China Sea’s dateline in the background. The photo captions stated, “A free and open Indo-Pacific area that is peaceful and secure is crucial to securing more prosperity for the region and the world.”
So, if the UK was willing to go to such extents to deter Russian aggression, it should understandably not shy away from taking on China and prove to the world that the empty threats from China are just that and in truth China is all bark and no bite.
