I have been very worried about aggressive behavior by China in the South China Sea. Even though the PRC has a border only on the northern end of the sea, the Chinese navy had moved in and taken claims to islands and waters that rationally belong to Philippines or Vietnam. The signs of a “new imperialism in Chinese form”.. to accompany their self serving version of socialism .. scared me.
If this is a good treaty, then all of us should be grateful to the good judgement of Beijing and the quiet diplomacy of Mrs. Clinton.
Clinton hails deal on South China Sea
By MATTHEW LEE
Associated Press, BALI, Indonesia (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s is praising a preliminary agreement between China and Southeast Asian Nations to peacefully resolve competing territorial claims in the strategic South China Sea.
At a meeting with China’s foreign minister on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian regional security forum in Bali, Indonesia on Friday, Clinton commended the two sides for reaching the deal, which aims to prevent conflict over several disputed islands and potential oil and gas resources. The U.S. has said peaceful resolution to the claims is an American national security interest.
China been accused in recent months of trying to intimidate oil exploration by the Philippines and Vietnam in waters that are partially claimed also by those two countries and Taiwan, Brunei and Ma