Xinhua Editorial Warns U.S. About Geopolitical Intentions in South China Sea

Sept. 13, 2020 (EIRNS)—A prominent editorial in Xinhua yesterday warned that the U.S. is engaging in provocative activities related to the South China Sea, stating that “Washington’s coercion tactics against ASEAN are not likely to work. The ASEAN countries share collective sentiments that stability and development are of vital importance to the region. While trying to portray China’s action as ‘aggressive’ in the South China Sea, the United States itself is the most dangerous factor fueling militarization and stoking tensions in the region.” This is the same formulation used by Foreign Minister Wang Yi in his Sept. 9 speech to the ASEAN foreign ministers’ summit, which was countered by a bellicose speech by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The Xinhua editorial, “Washington’s Futile Attempt on South China Sea,” and datelined Manila, notes the sharp increase in U.S. military activities in the region, having “sent nearly 3,000 sorties of military aircraft to the region in the first half of 2020.... Washington sent aircraft carriers and other warships here more than 60 times between January and June under the pretext of protecting ‘freedom of navigation.’ ”

In light of these and other threats, it is of note that the Chinese news outlet Sina published an article yesterday emphasizing the advantage of Russian nuclear delivery capabilities over existing American missile defense systems, reported Sputnik International.

“Although the U.S. remains the country with the most comprehensive air defense system in the world, even this missile shield is unable to intercept Russia’s Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, the Chinese news outlet Sina reports. The vehicle’s characteristics, especially its strike speed and resistance to interception, ‘make the Avangard missile a more deterrent weapon than a nuclear bomb,’ Sina claimed..... ‘The existing American air defenses are useless when it comes to intercepting Russian missiles,’ ”

reported Sputnik.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made known the existence and capabilities of the Avangard and other advanced weapons in a closely watched speech to the Russian national legislature, the Federal Assembly on March 1, 2018.