Ο Λευκός Οίκος απηύθυνε σήμερα προειδοποιήσεις προς το Πεκίνο όσον αφορά τις εδαφικές διενέξεις στις οποίες εμπλέκεται στη Νότια Σινική Θάλασσα, μια περιοχή στρατηγικής σημασίας στην Ασία, αλλά και όσον αφορά τις διμερείς εμπορικές συναλλαγές. Ο νέος εκπρόσωπος της αμερικανικής προεδρίας, ο Σον Σπάισερ, διεμήνυσε ότι η Ουάσινγκτον θα «προστατεύσει τα συμφέροντά της» στα «διεθνή» ύδατα όπου το Πεκίνο ελέγχει νησίδες που αποτελούν το αντικείμενο διεκδικήσεων. «Εάν αυτά τα νησιά βρίσκονται πράγματι σε διεθνή ύδατα και δεν ανήκουν στην Κίνα, τότε ναι, θα εγγυηθούμε την υπεράσπιση των (διεθνών) συμφερόντων και δεν θα επιτρέψουμε να καταληφθούν από μια χώρα», προειδοποίησε ο Σπάισερ. Η κυβέρνηση των ΗΠΑ θα «εξασφαλίσει ότι θα προστατευθούν τα συμφέροντά μας», επέμεινε ο ίδιος. Ο Σπάισερ έκανε την τοποθέτηση αυτή ερωτηθείς εάν ο Τραμπ συμφωνεί με την τοποθέτηση του Ρεξ Τίλερσον, του διορισμένου υπουργού Εξωτερικών του, την 11η Ιανουαρίου, όταν τόνισε πως δεν πρέπει να επιτρέπεται η Κίνα να έχει πρόσβαση στα τεχνητά νησιά που έχει φτιάξει σε θαλάσσιες περιοχές η κυριαρχία επί των οποίων αμφισβητείται. Είχε μάλιστα απαιτήσει το Πεκίνο να «σταματήσει αμέσως» την οικοδόμηση τεχνητών νησιών. Η διπλωματία της Κίνας αντέδρασε κάνοντας λόγο για μια «παράλογη» δήλωση η οποία θα μπορούσε να πυροδοτήσει ακόμη και «στρατιωτική σύγκρουση».
Αναφερόμενος στις εμπορικές συναλλαγές των δύο μεγαλύτερων οικονομιών του πλανήτη, ο εκπρόσωπος του Λευκού Οίκου αναγνώρισε ότι η Κίνα είναι «μια μεγάλη αγορά για τις ΗΠΑ», πρόσθεσε όμως ότι χρειάζεται να παραχωρηθούν από το Πεκίνο καλύτερες συνθήκες σε ό,τι αφορά την πρόσβαση των αμερικανικών εταιρειών σ’ αυτήν.
ΑΜΠΕ
On Monday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer stated that the U.S. would defend territory in international waters from Chinese encroachment. In response to a question about whether the administration’s policy would be in line with remarks by the nominee for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during his confirmation hearing, Spicer said "it’s a question of if those islands are in fact in international waters and not part of China proper, then yeah, we’re going to make sure that we defend international territories from being taken over by one country." Tillerson had compared China’s island reclamation to Russia’s annexation of Crimea, saying “we’re going to have to send China a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops…and second, your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed.”
The Cipher Take: If Tillerson’s comments indeed indicate future United States policy for the South China Sea, it marks a distinct departure from the Obama administration’s policy which only called for maintaining freedom of navigation through international waters. China has made a sovereign claim to these territories and is unlikely to view this news favorably. Such a disagreement, which has already fueled regional tensions, could escalate to hostilities if neither side backs down. China has invested resources and national pride into reclaiming these islands; the U.S. has little incentive to defend uninhabited reefs and shoals. In this situation, the Trump administration could be in danger of setting a red line that it cannot uphold.
China Responds to White House's South China Sea Stance. On Tuesday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman stated that China’s sovereign claims in the South China Sea are “irrefutable.” These remarks came in response to a statement made by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer that "it's a question of if those islands are in fact in international waters and not part of China proper…then yeah, we're going to make sure that we defend international territories from being taken over by one country." The Chinese spokeswoman went on to say "We urge the United States to respect the facts, speak and act cautiously to avoid harming the peace and stability of the South China Sea."
The Cipher Take: The South China Sea issue has been percolating for years; in that time, Beijing’s commitment to its sovereign claims has not wavered or diminished. China has been consistent in its responses to statements made by the Trump transition team and now the Trump administration. China is not going to budge easily—or perhaps at all—on this issue, and a U.S. escalation in policy will need to have a greater level of conviction behind it to succeed.
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Αναφερόμενος στις εμπορικές συναλλαγές των δύο μεγαλύτερων οικονομιών του πλανήτη, ο εκπρόσωπος του Λευκού Οίκου αναγνώρισε ότι η Κίνα είναι «μια μεγάλη αγορά για τις ΗΠΑ», πρόσθεσε όμως ότι χρειάζεται να παραχωρηθούν από το Πεκίνο καλύτερες συνθήκες σε ό,τι αφορά την πρόσβαση των αμερικανικών εταιρειών σ’ αυτήν.
ΑΜΠΕ
On Monday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer stated that the U.S. would defend territory in international waters from Chinese encroachment. In response to a question about whether the administration’s policy would be in line with remarks by the nominee for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during his confirmation hearing, Spicer said "it’s a question of if those islands are in fact in international waters and not part of China proper, then yeah, we’re going to make sure that we defend international territories from being taken over by one country." Tillerson had compared China’s island reclamation to Russia’s annexation of Crimea, saying “we’re going to have to send China a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops…and second, your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed.”
The Cipher Take: If Tillerson’s comments indeed indicate future United States policy for the South China Sea, it marks a distinct departure from the Obama administration’s policy which only called for maintaining freedom of navigation through international waters. China has made a sovereign claim to these territories and is unlikely to view this news favorably. Such a disagreement, which has already fueled regional tensions, could escalate to hostilities if neither side backs down. China has invested resources and national pride into reclaiming these islands; the U.S. has little incentive to defend uninhabited reefs and shoals. In this situation, the Trump administration could be in danger of setting a red line that it cannot uphold.
China Responds to White House's South China Sea Stance. On Tuesday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman stated that China’s sovereign claims in the South China Sea are “irrefutable.” These remarks came in response to a statement made by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer that "it's a question of if those islands are in fact in international waters and not part of China proper…then yeah, we're going to make sure that we defend international territories from being taken over by one country." The Chinese spokeswoman went on to say "We urge the United States to respect the facts, speak and act cautiously to avoid harming the peace and stability of the South China Sea."
The Cipher Take: The South China Sea issue has been percolating for years; in that time, Beijing’s commitment to its sovereign claims has not wavered or diminished. China has been consistent in its responses to statements made by the Trump transition team and now the Trump administration. China is not going to budge easily—or perhaps at all—on this issue, and a U.S. escalation in policy will need to have a greater level of conviction behind it to succeed.
https://www.thecipherbrief.com/subscribe
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