By Jin Kai
The U.S. and China have different goals — and thus clashing approaches — for resolving the South China Sea issue.
Since the 1990s, there have been three symbolic incidents between China and the United States that still spark disapproval in China: the 1993 Yinhe Incident (where the U.S. held a Chinese cargo ship at sea under accusations — later proven false — that it was carrying chemical weapons to Iran), the 1999 bombing of Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, and the 2001 Hainan or EP-3 incident in the South China Sea, where a collision between a U.S. EP-3 plane and a Chinese jet killed the Chinese pilot. Still, no major conflict or stand-off happened between these two great powers after these incidents, thanks to careful and skillful handling of the situation by both sides.
Given this history, the most recent fly-over of the South China Sea by a U.S. P-8 surveillance plane made the Chinese uncomfortable. The truth is that although this time the U.S. acted rather dangerously in the Chinese view, similar patrols by U.S. ships and spy planes have been going on for decades. There is virtually no substantial difference between this latest patrol and countless others, although the situation probably will turn extremely dangerous should the United States actually decide to send warships and surveillance aircraft within 12 nautical miles of the disputed islands in the South China Sea without China’s permission.
The Americans claim a legal right to conduct such surveillance, but the Chinese warn against it by describing such acts as irresponsible and dangerous, with the possibility of causing military misjudgments. So why do it?
Read the full story at The Diplomat