3 Chinese ships intrude into Japanese waters near Senkaku Islands

[GandD 5,966]

I still think its about shipping lanes.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

They are strategically important in terms of their location plus potentially large oil and gas reserves in the surrounding waters.

Most importantly there is an endemic species of mole called the Senkaku mole apparently, everyone loves moles (except gardeners)!

Potentially? So it's just a guess? Why doesn't the current owner start looking? Seems weird.

Thank you for the answer.

I still think its about shipping lanes.

Makes some sense.

[Sousuke 1,214]

I think it was also a US shooting range for awhile.

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

Potentially? So it's just a guess? Why doesn't the current owner start looking? Seems weird.

Thank you for the answer.

Makes some sense.

Well would you want to be the multinational that couldn't do business with Taiwan and China because you extracted oil/gas in partnership with Japan? Or spent loads surveying, digging test drills only to find the Japanese wouldn't want the hassle of letting you extract it? The original surveying was done 40 odd years ago (by the Japanese govt when the Chinese were less powerful) and did find evidence of mineral reserves.

Think of it like the Spratly Islands, rich in mineral resources yet claimed by at least SEVEN nations so extracting the resources is presently more trouble than it's worth and could even start a war.

[GandD 5,966]

A good way to challenge historically strong US allied status of several SCS countries. The US 7th fleet used to be the policy maker in those waters. I think China wants those allied countries to start doubting the 7th's dominance. A good time to do it with a non-aggressive president and an internationally disillusioned US population.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Well would you want to be the multinational that couldn't do business with Taiwan and China because you extracted oil/gas in partnership with Japan? Or spent loads surveying, digging test drills only to find the Japanese wouldn't want the hassle of letting you extract it? The original surveying was done 40 odd years ago (by the Japanese govt when the Chinese were less powerful) and did find evidence of mineral reserves.

Think of it like the Spratly Islands, rich in mineral resources yet claimed by at least SEVEN nations so extracting the resources is presently more trouble than it's worth and could even start a war.

Ahh, I see.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Thread has been re-opened. The usual Terms of Service apply.

As opposed to the top secret double secret probation TOS?

For penance, must to fix 3 dishwashers in your postal code this weekend.

I just took my dishwasher to the store and Mall. Does that count ?

[LibCampFireClub 635]

What's the point of these islands? They are uninhabited. Are they inhabitable? Is there really a secret bad guy lair there, like in James Bond films?

These islands represent several areas of interest to China, Japan, and Taiwan, which are:

1. Strategic and tactical advantages

2. Oil reserves and raw materials. China is currently the top producer of rare earth materials in the world.

3. Additionally, maintaining control of these islands represents a sense of patriotism in China that rivals the unity in a post-911 US. It's very unlikely that China will flinch, blink, or give in to any amount of political pressure from any country in the world.

To be sure, the US will NOT provide military support to Taiwan or Japan. They will take a back-seat approach and allow it to be settled between the two Asian countries and the other renegade province of China; that being Taiwan.

Edited May 2, 2014 by ExExpat

[Jacque67 7,328]

Golden Week here in Japan, so no one gives a toss.

[LibCampFireClub 635]

Thread has been re-opened. The usual Terms of Service apply.

As opposed to the top secret double secret probation TOS?

I just took my dishwasher to the store and Mall. Does that count ?

Only if you promise to stop using the heated dry cycle next time to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint.

Edited May 2, 2014 by ExExpat

[Darnell 8,478]

I just took my dishwasher to the store and Mall. Does that count ?

No. 3 in 72 hours. Be a good neighbor, go door to door, inquire who needs fixing.

Report back when able.

[mota bhai 2,675]

A good way to challenge historically strong US allied status of several SCS countries. The US 7th fleet used to be the policy maker in those waters. I think China wants those allied countries to start doubting the 7th's dominance. A good time to do it with a non-aggressive president and an internationally disillusioned US population.

Yes, Obama's reputation for caution is a big reason behind China's recent uptick in aggressive behavior towards its neighbors.

What China seems to not realize is that China has historically not been the dominant power in that region, for a reason.

It will be up to China's neighbors to remind the ChiCom leadership of those reasons.

What I'm saying is, China is weak.

[LibCampFireClub 635]

Yes, Obama's reputation for caution is a big reason behind China's recent uptick in aggressive behavior towards its neighbors.

What China seems to not realize is that China has historically not been the dominant power in that region, for a reason.

It will be up to China's neighbors to remind the ChiCom leadership of those reasons.

What I'm saying is, China is weak.

Ya think? So, all this stuff about becoming the world's number one economy was the result of that weakness. Cool. They lucked their way into that. They were also weak to grow the world's largest military of well over 2-million. Weak. Yeah, dats it.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Well would you want to be the multinational that couldn't do business with Taiwan and China because you extracted oil/gas in partnership with Japan? Or spent loads surveying, digging test drills only to find the Japanese wouldn't want the hassle of letting you extract it? The original surveying was done 40 odd years ago (by the Japanese govt when the Chinese were less powerful) and did find evidence of mineral reserves.

Think of it like the Spratly Islands, rich in mineral resources yet claimed by at least SEVEN nations so extracting the resources is presently more trouble than it's worth and could even start a war.

Okay, now I have another question. Doesn't Japan have these sorts of people employed in the government? Land surveyers and engineers or whatever? Why do they ned a multinational company to bring people in?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Yes, Obama's reputation for caution is a big reason behind China's recent uptick in aggressive behavior towards its neighbors.

What China seems to not realize is that China has historically not been the dominant power in that region, for a reason.

It will be up to China's neighbors to remind the ChiCom leadership of those reasons.

What I'm saying is, China is weak.

Welcome back from exile.