China ships harass USN Vessel

**Dredly** · March 9th, 2009, 11:13 AM

Lets hope this was just a bunch of idiots acting out and not soldiers following orders

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009...tional-waters/

DEVELOPING: WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon charged Monday that five Chinese ships shadowed and maneuvered dangerously close to a U.S. Navy vessel in an apparent attempt to harass the American crew.

The Obama administration said the incident Sunday followed several days of "increasingly aggressive" acts by Chinese ships in the region.

U.S. officials said a protest was to be delivered to Beijing's military attache at a Pentagon meeting Monday.

"The unprofessional maneuvers by Chinese vessels violated the requirement under international law to operate with due regard for the rights and safety of other lawful users of the ocean," said Marine Maj. Stewart Upton, a Pentagon spokesman.

A Chinese intelligence ship and four others surrounded the USNS Impeccable, an unarmed vessel with a civilian merchant marine crew, as the craft conducted ocean surveys in international waters in the South China Sea, the Defense Department said in a statement.

The Impeccable sprayed one ship with water from fire hoses to force it away. Despite the force of the water, Chinese crew members stripped to their underwear and continued closing within 25 feet, the Defense department said.

"We expect Chinese ships to act responsibly and refrain from provocative activities that could lead to miscalculation or a collision at sea, endangering vessels and the lives of U.S. and Chinese mariners," Upton said.

The incident came just a week after China and the U.S. resumed military-to-military consultations following a five-month suspension over American arms sales to Taiwan.

It also comes as Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi is due in Washington this week to meet with U.S. officials.

And it brings to mind the first foreign policy crisis that former President George Bush suffered with Beijing shortly after he took office -- China's forced landing of a spy plane and seizure of the crew in April of 2001.

Refresh this page for more updates on this story.

**removed the "Warships" piece as nothing I've found other then a mention of it on TV has suggested that these are Chineese Military vessels

**Berks_Iraq_Vet** · March 9th, 2009, 11:32 AM

Washington is too stupid to figure out that China is not our friend. After they finish importing our manufacturing capacity and owning our debt, what's left?
Hell, they probably financed those ships.

**PocketProtector** · March 9th, 2009, 11:33 AM

Our Navy has UNARMED ships ?? Duh.Why??

**General Geoff** · March 9th, 2009, 12:15 PM

This situation reads like a 5th grade bully picking on the scrawny kid during recess.

The Chinese ships wouldn't have picked a fight with any *armed* USN vessels.

**Dredly** · March 9th, 2009, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by PocketProtector

Our Navy has UNARMED ships ?? Duh.Why??

Its a civilian staffed ship that is used for mapping the sea floor, its not a "war" vessel.

and the ships thats surrounded it:

The Chinese ships included a Chinese Navy intelligence collection ship, a Bureau of Maritime Fisheries Patrol Vessel, a State Oceanographic Administration patrol vessel, and two small Chinese-flagged trawlers, officials said.

http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/sh...rveillanceShip

**Dredly** · March 9th, 2009, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by General Geoff

This situation reads like a 5th grade bully picking on the scrawny kid during recess.

The Chinese ships wouldn't have picked a fight with any *armed* USN vessels.

hehe yeah I agree

**dc dalton** · March 9th, 2009, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by Berks_Iraq_Vet

Washington is too stupid to figure out that China is not our friend. After they finish importing our manufacturing capacity and owning our debt, what's left?
Hell, they probably financed those ships.

Ah but you see right now they are the only 'friend' the government has because they are almost the only ones that will buy our debt. Remember that trip by Clinton to China? Well the ONLY reason she went (don't believe the BS you see on TV) was to make sure they would buy more of that debt. Reason 'human rights' wasn't mentioned? Our government KNOWS that without China right now our economy goes into the toilet and I mean BIG time!

Plain and simple China wants to own our butts ... there are stories out there (sorry can't find one this second) that say Clinton had to promise to back up the debt with hard assets. Now we all know there is only one hard asset we have that China would accept as collateral right now ... and that is property. Not saying it's true but I have seem some rumblings about it.

**LittleRedToyota** · March 9th, 2009, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by dc dalton

Plain and simple China wants to own our butts ...

which they can never do by lending us money...as, of course, they get no ownership interests from lending us money. they will, however, continue to lend us money...as we need that money to buy their exports. and, they have to help prop up the dollar or they will lose their shirts.

further, an equity stakes they do take in the US are completely subject to our recognizing them. if SHTF, we just say...um, so sorry, but we are nationalizing these assets.

there are stories out there (sorry can't find one this second) that say Clinton had to promise to back up the debt with hard assets. Now we all know there is only one hard asset we have that China would accept as collateral right now ... and that is property. Not saying it's true but I have seem some rumblings about it.

there have been some completely unfounded rumors with no source. these rumors have been denied by everyone who would actually know.

and, again, even if we did promise to back up the debt with hard assets, it would be a pointless and paper gesture. if SHTF, we just renege on the deal. (and this fact, in and of itself, undermines the rumors that we offered them property in the US to back up the debt. they aren't that stupid...)