Chinese President Xi Jinping promised a more transparent China on Tuesday, during a keynote speech at an economic forum in Boao, on the southern island of Hainan. Immediately after the conference, China’s PLA Navy began a 3-day combat war drill in waters to the south of Sanya, the southern tip of China’s Hainan Island, which is about 112-miles south from the economic forum.
The Hainan Maritime Safety Administration has demarcated an area in the South China Sea that will be closed to all civilian and commercial vessels from April 10 through 13. The military exercise was made public earlier this week on the government’s website.
The warning of yet another war drill by China comes after military jets from the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command conducted exercises over rugged terrain in western China to simulate an invasion of Taiwan, said the Daily Express.
An editorial piece in the Global Times announced: “The mainland needs to continue to prepare for a possible military clash across the Straits.”
“Beijing cannot be led by the nose. We have to figure out more fronts to showcase our strength and to be the venue for the battle with Taiwan.
Meanwhile, the mainland needs to continue to prepare for a possible military clash across the Straits. A military showdown with Taiwan is becoming more probable and may take place sooner rather than later. Beijing needs to make clear its bottom line and inform Taiwan society of the dangerous acts which may lead to a military showdown, to avoid a war that could break out due to serious misjudgments by the US and Taiwan. Having got the upper hand strategically, the mainland won’t lose its head. Only the decisions of the mainland will count in deciding the future cross-Straits situation.”
A Twitter war observer said, “A maritime area of 8 749 km², located south of the island of Haïnan, is closed from 11 to 13 April due to military maneuvers.”
Une zone maritime de 8 749 km², située au sud de l'île de Haïnan, est fermée du 11 au 13 Avril en raison de manœuvres militaires. pic.twitter.com/SHokYMeqpo
— East Pendulum (@HenriKenhmann) April 11, 2018
The observer added, “At least 7 Chinese nuclear submarines are currently at the Sanya Naval base on Haïnan Island, which borders the South China Sea. This is also the case for a few dozen surface ships of the Chinese navy. Some things are getting ready…” (not verified)
Au moins 7 sous-marins nucléaires chinois se trouvent actuellement à la base navale de Sanya, sur l'île de Haïnan, qui borde la mer de Chine méridionale. C'est également le cas pour quelques dizaines de navire de surface de la marine chinoise. Quelques choses se préparent… pic.twitter.com/f8QQpMuegc
— East Pendulum (@HenriKenhmann) April 11, 2018
Another Twitter user said, “On the heels of the #Boao2018 Forum and Xi Jinping’s keynote speech there- looks like large-scale exercises off Hainan.”
On the heels of the #Boao2018 Forum and Xi Jinping's keynote speech there- looks like large scale exercises off Hainan. t.co/t6igUUbEhm
— Alexander Neill (@ANeill_IISS) April 11, 2018
On Tuesday, the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, sailed through the heavily disputed waters in the South China Sea to the Philippines. As the trade war with China climaxed last week, we reported how the United States Navy deployed three carrier battle groups to face-off against China’s only aircraft carrier and 40 warships.
” Satellite images had captured China’s only aircraft carrier in deployment, the Liaoning, flanked by 40 other warships and submarines, conducting unprecedented live-fire drills in the South China Sea. This massive Chinese naval exercise was observed for the first time, with China watchers pointing out that such a forceful display of deterrence was highly unusual for the People’s Liberation Army Navy. Perhaps in light of recent events, it was merely a warning.”
Now it seems with all the chess pieces positioned around the South China Sea, the epicenter of World War III could easily be Taiwan as tensions between both countries escalate even further. China has declared Taiwan a “rogue state” and has never ruled out military intervention, said the Daily Express.
General Rolando Bautista from the Philippine army said, as quoted by the Daily Express: “It’s a showcase of the capability of the US armed forces not only by sea but also by air.”
“The Americans are our friends.
“In one way or another, they can help us to deter any threat.”
Last month it was also revealed in aerial photos of the alarming rate of expansion of Chinese military installations in the South China Sea.
The photos show the extent of Beijing’s construction in the disputed Spratly Islands, with its previously minor outposts now transformed into fortresses featuring air and naval bases.
Diplomatic relations between the five nations which have laid claim to the islands are already extremely strained, and the recent construction of bunkers on some of the atols point to China preparing to “protection against air or missile strikes”, raising the prospect of a conflict which could spark World War 3.
While we do not have a crystal ball of the precise epicenter of World War III, in recent weeks, geopolitical events/shifts have provided us with critical knowledge that a trigger point for the next global shooting war could be somewhere around the South China Sea and or Syria. War is coming, have you prepared?