China Confirms Near Miss With U.S. Ship In South China Sea

[Purveyor]

Source: REUTERS

(Reuters) - China on Wednesday confirmed an incident between a Chinese naval vessel and a U.S. warship in the South China Sea, after Washington said a U.S. guided missile cruiser had avoided a collision with a Chinese warship maneuvering nearby.

Experts have said the near-miss between the USS Cowpens and a Chinese warship operating near China's only aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was the most significant U.S.-China maritime incident in the disputed South China Sea since 2009.

China's Defense Ministry said the Chinese naval vessel was conducting "normal patrols" when the two vessels "met".

"During the encounter, the Chinese naval vessel properly handled it in accordance with strict protocol," the ministry said on its website (www.mod.gov.cn).

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/18/us-china-usa-ships-idUSBRE9BH03M20131218

[Purveyor]

1. China Urges U.S. To Be Cautious On South China Sea Issue

BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday rebuffed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's remarks on the South China Sea issue and urged the country to be cautious in its words and deeds.

"We have noticed his remarks," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a regular press briefing in response to Kerry, who said on Tuesday that the United States would speak out when China took unilateral actions that raised the potential for conflict.

"We hope the relevant country will respect the efforts made by China and countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the South China Sea issue, strictly abide by its commitment of not taking a position, and be cautious with its words and deeds," she said.

Hua noted China always stands for a resolution of the South China Sea issue through direct negotiations among relevant countries, and keeps smooth and effective communication with ASEAN countries on the South China Sea code of conduct.

The spokeswoman urged the United States to be more helpful for the mutual trust among countries in the region and the peace and stability of the region.

MORE...

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-12/18/c_132978546.htm

[Kelvin Mace]

2. Yeah, careful

don't sink their only carrier. You know the one that can't actually support combat air operations.

[Cali_Democrat]

3. I've read a lot about this story

Basically China was conducting drills in the area and the US was conducting surveillance against them.

This pissed of China and they sent another ship to tail and annoy the US ship.

That's what lead to the near collision.

Basically the US was in international waters and had every right to be there, although it probably isn't very nice of the US to do that.

China's gotta be careful, Japan still has a better and more technologically advanced Navy and that doesn't even include the US.

[Incitatus]

4. I would imagine the US wouldn't be happy if China had warships so close to our shores either. nt

[hack89]

5. We didn't care when the Soviets did it

There were always a couple of intelligence gatherers sitting 12 miles off shore major naval bases.

[ronnie624]

9. You've never seen anything like this, by a foreign power, off a US coast:

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The US would never allow such a thing. You're claiming an equivalence that clearly does not exist.

[hack89]

10. We have no way to stop it

international waters are international waters.

Secondly, a Chinese task force off the coast of California is nothing more than a vulnerable symbol with minimal strategic value. What makes the US military in the western pacific a viable strategic threat is our robust network of bases and military alliances in the region. We don't have to project power across the Pacific - it is already in place. China cannot say the same - they have to bring everything with them. In the advent of war, an isolated battle group off of California would quickly run out of fuel and ammo.

[Cali_Democrat]

6. They have done that before

Chinese spy ships have been off the coast of Guam and Hawaiian waters in the past.

[Incitatus]

7. Hawaii is one thing.

I think just off the coast of mainland US, like Virginia would be another. I can't blame them for being irked by our presence and I couldn't blame the US by being irked if they were so close.

[geek tragedy]

11. Well, if we tried to claim the entire Gulf of Mexico as ours, you would definitely

see Chinese and Russian warships sailing through there quite regularly.

[ConcernedCanuk]

8. Imagine if China, Russia, ANYONE had warships off USA's coasts?

.
.
.

Let's think about this a minute.

Other countries start patrolling with Aircraft Carriers, Submarines and Warships off the coasts of California (San Diego and San Francisco would be nice spots), Florida (Cuba wouldn't complain), New York and so on . . .

After all - USA's got the Gulf full of their shit, dozens of countries with USA's base in it, and so on . . .

Sooner or later, THEY WILL COME TO NORTH AMERICAN SHORES!

I suspect USA has more forces abroad than at home.

One cannot say the same for China or Russia.

This could change you know . . .

Just keep pokin' and pokin' . . .

Someone may poke back

I don wanna be here

(sigh)

CC