WITH ALL EYES ON KIM JONG-UN, CHINA INCREASES PRESENCE IN SOUTH SEA

As Kim Jong-Un continues to defy sanctions and increase the already bow-tight tensions, China is sneaking around the South Sea with very little notice. While Kim Jong-Un tests his missiles and the global attention is focused squarely on the chubby dictator, China has their eyes on disputed territory in the South Sea.
According to Bloomberg, last month, a Philippine lawmaker released photos he said showed Chinese fishing, coast guard, and navy vessels surrounding a Philippine-occupied isle in the Spratly island chain. The Chinese vessels successfully prevented the Phillippines from making planned repairs to a runway. In July, Vietnam halted drilling in an area leased to Spain’s Repsol S. A, amid reports it did so under Chinese ‘duress.’
The move suggests that the Chinese have seized the opportunity to take advantage of the world’s eyes being on the North Korean regime and the increasing tensions between it and the United States. However, as of right now, the US is still doing what it calls ‘freedom of navigation’ naval operations in the South China Sea, testing China’s claims to exclusive access and there are plans to conduct two to three more such maneuvers in the next few months, according to the Wall Street Journal.

This post was published at The Daily Sheeple on SEPTEMBER 6, 2017.