Pentagon: Chinese vessels harassed Navy ship

[Oracle of Delphi]

I guess when we owe them TRILLIONS of dollars, they think they can push us around ...

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department 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.

Obama administration defense officials 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 USNS 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 department said.

"On March 8, 2009, five Chinese vessels shadowed and aggressively maneuvered in dangerously close proximity to USNS Impeccable, in an apparent coordinated effort to harass the U.S. ocean surveillance ship while it was conducting routine operations in international waters," the Pentagon statement said.

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.

"The Chinese vessels surrounded USNS Impeccable, two of them closing to within 50 feet, waving Chinese flags and telling Impeccable to leave the area," defense officials said in the statement.

"Because the vessels' intentions were not known, Impeccable sprayed its fire hoses at one of the vessels in order to protect itself," the Defense statement said. "The Chinese crew members disrobed to their underwear and continued closing to within 25 feet."

Emergency stop

Impeccable crew radioed to tell the Chinese ships that it was leaving the area and requested a safe path to navigate, the Pentagon said.

But shortly afterward, two of the Chinese ships stopped directly ahead of the Impeccable, forcing it to an emergency stop in order to avoid collision because the Chinese had dropped pieces of wood in the water directly in front of Impeccable's path, the Pentagon said.

Defense officials said the incident took place in international waters in the South China Sea, about 75 miles south of Hainan Island.

"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.

"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 added.

Military-to-military consultations resumed

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.

The Pentagon said the incident came after several other incidents involving the Impeccable and another U.S. vessel Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

It described those as the following:

* On Wednesday, a Chinese Bureau of Fisheries Patrol vessel used a high-intensity spotlight to illuminate the entire length of the ocean surveillance ship USNS Victorious several times as it was operating in the Yellow Sea, about 125 nautical miles from China's coast, the Pentagon said, adding that the Chinese ship Victorious' bow at a range of about 1400 yards in darkness without notice or warning. The next day, a Chinese Y-12 maritime surveillance aircraft conducted 12 fly-bys of Victorious at an altitude of about 400 feet and a range of 500 yards.

* On Thursday, a Chinese frigate approached USNS Impeccable without warning and crossed its bow at a range of approximately 100 yards, the Pentagon said. This was followed less than two hours later by a Chinese Y-12 aircraft conducting 11 fly-bys of Impeccable at an altitude of 600 feet and a range from 100-300 feet. The frigate then crossed Impeccable's bow yet again, this time at a range of approximately 400-500 yards without rendering courtesy or notice of her intentions.

* On Saturday, a Chinese intelligence collection ship challenged USNS Impeccable over bridge-to-bridge radio, calling her operations illegal and directing Impeccable to leave the area or "suffer the consequences."

Link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29596179/

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Let's declare war!!!

Oh, wait... I forgot. Not only do they OWN us, they're also BIGGER and BETTER

[longtooth]

Tom Clancy has covered stuff like this going back at least 22 years.

We're vulnerable here in North America as China has been hoarding all sorts of commodities for the past year or so.

Should the North American economy show any sign of a recovery we'll be hijacked once more by OPEC and the like. So a move toward renewable energy behooves us.

We're so cosmopolitan a society now that if someone were to attack us there'd be anti-war protests in front of The White House while citizens were picking shrapnel out of their asses or decomposing in the streets.

We're in for it unless we can coalesce around a central theme and learn how to back each other up.

The 'Melting Pot'. ha

[z28luvr01]

The Chinese should be careful. Japan and Taiwan (two countries with a long-standing hatred of China) should immediately align with the US should a conflict ensue. Come to think of it, ,most or all of the Far East would probably jump on our side. China's made a lot of enemies in its history.

[Intrepidation]

Maybe the Chinese want they ship that they paid for?

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

Tom Clancy has covered stuff like this going back at least 22 years.

We're vulnerable here in North America as China has been hoarding all sorts of commodities for the past year or so.

Should the North American economy show any sign of a recovery we'll be hijacked once more by OPEC and the like. So a move toward renewable energy behooves us.

We're so cosmopolitan a society now that if someone were to attack us there'd be anti-war protests in front of The White House while citizens were picking shrapnel out of their asses or decomposing in the streets.

We're in for it unless we can coalesce around a central theme and learn how to back each other up.

The 'Melting Pot'. ha

And this is why regardless of whatever our foreign policy is, we need to maintain a very strong military as a deterrent to this kind of crap. The Chineese are, no doubt, "testing the waters" with the new president. I hope Obama shows that he is not a pushover on these matters.

Also, harassment by another country, especially China, should be met by a large scale NATO exercise (peaceful exercises of course) showing China that their shenanigans are not acceptable. And i suppose if NATO wont get involved, a naval exercise with our friendly neighbors to the north, the British, and the Australians would suffice.

Or, we could simply threaten them with cutting off food supplies as we did to Russia, if i recall China cannot grow enough food to support its own population. Economic sanctions are excellent if we can get the UN on board...

But i agree that our society has become too soft. We do not want to be warmongers, at the same time we cannot be balking when another nation is harassing us... as with anything else in this world, we need balance.

I guess people seem to have forgotten that China is still a communistic country with a rather bad history of human rights. Dissent within China has been on the rise as the middle class has slowly developed. There are several ways to bring down the chains of oppression in China without military action... but people are more concerned with having cheap stuff from Wal*Mart than they are for the welfare of others.

Although, it is quite telling of the state of Western Capitalism when businesses find it more advantageous to manufacture in a COMMUNISTIC country than a Capitalistic one.

::Edit:: it appears as though China is planning on adding aircraft carriers to their fleet as "defensive" purposes. However, i cannot see why a country would need aircraft carriers to defend its coastlines against anything but another world power (i doubt pirates pose much of a threat to a naval vessel or that land based fighters couldn't hit them). Every other country with Aircraft carriers use them as floating fortresses capable of projecting force.

Edited March 9, 2009 by Teh Ricer Civic!

[longtooth]

And this is why regardless of whatever our foreign policy is, we need to maintain a very strong military as a deterrent to this kind of crap.

Also, harassment by another country, especially China, should be met by a large scale NATO exercise (peaceful exercises of course) showing China that their shenanigans are not acceptable. And i suppose if NATO wont get involved, a naval exercise with our friendly neighbors to the north, the British, and the Australians would suffice.

Or, we could simply threaten them with cutting off food supplies as we did to Russia, if i recall China cannot grow enough food to support its own population. Economic sanctions are excellent if we can get the UN on board...

But i agree that our society has become too soft. We do not want to be warmongers, at the same time we cannot be balking when another nation is harassing us... as with anything else in this world, we need balance.

I guess people seem to have forgotten that China is still a communistic country with a rather bad history of human rights. Dissent within China has been on the rise as the middle class has slowly developed. There are several ways to bring down the chains of oppression in China without military action... but people are more concerned with having cheap stuff from Wal*Mart than they are for the welfare of others.

Although, it is quite telling of the state of Western Capitalism when businesses find it more advantageous to manufacture in a COMMUNISTIC country than a Capitalistic one.

I've a nephew that joined the Marines in '08. College grad and focused. I can personally vouch for his readiness, subjectively of course.

And yes, it became convenient to forget that 'Red' China is still a communist regime. For the sake of profits our 'principles' were pragmatically swept aside.

In the '60s and '70s we did fight to stem the tide of communism and upwards of 57,000 of our citizens died. Yet Viet Nam was a muddle of sorts with no precise objective ever declared. The price of peace is vigilance.

I did not serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. The Draft ended within two months after my signing-up waaaay back in 1974.

I hope we have it in our make-up to be prepared for what must be done.

[Lamar]

Or, we could simply threaten them with cutting off food supplies as we did to Russia, if i recall China cannot grow enough food to support its own population. Economic sanctions are excellent if we can get the UN on board...

But i agree that our society has become too soft. We do not want to be warmongers, at the same time we cannot be balking when another nation is harassing us... as with anything else in this world, we need balance.

I agree with both of these completely.

And this too is true but kinda sad:

There are several ways to bring down the chains of oppression in China without military action... but people are more concerned with having cheap stuff from Wal*Mart than they are for the welfare of others.

[deftonesfan867]

We stop selling em Buicks

[Satty]

Let's be fair, who here hasn't stripped to their underwear and maneuvered near a U.S. Navy vessel? It seems like the type of thing many people on C&G would do if they were looking for a good time.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

We're so cosmopolitan a society now that if someone were to attack us there'd be anti-war protests in front of The White House while citizens were picking shrapnel out of their asses or decomposing in the streets.

We're in for it unless we can coalesce around a central theme and learn how to back each other up.

The 'Melting Pot'. ha

Maybe the Chinese want they ship that they paid for?

:rotflmao:

::Edit:: it appears as though China is planning on adding aircraft carriers to their fleet as "defensive" purposes. However, i cannot see why a country would need aircraft carriers to defend its coastlines against anything but another world power (i doubt pirates pose much of a threat to a naval vessel or that land based fighters couldn't hit them). Every other country with Aircraft carriers use them as floating fortresses capable of projecting force.

As I've mentioned numerous times; China has been at war with us for years now. Economic warfare. Now that the U.S. has been broken, it wouldn't surprise me if they actually tried something (and succeeded) But nah... We don't need military OR manufacturing.

Edited March 10, 2009 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

As I've mentioned numerous times; China has been at war with us for years now. Economic warfare. Now that the U.S. has been broken, it wouldn't surprise me if they actually tried something (and succeeded) But nah... We don't need military OR manufacturing.

Well at the same time we've undermined the communist authority a bit in the process.

But there is an old Lenin quote something along the lines of ...

capitalists will gladly sell us the rope with which we will hang them

that may not exactly be it, but its damn close.

Edited March 10, 2009 by Teh Ricer Civic!

[Camino LS6]

It would be a major mistake to assume certain tigers are now toothless.

No matter how big your own claws might be.

[Oracle of Delphi]

It would be a major mistake to assume certain tigers are now toothless.

No matter how big your own claws might be.

Chairman Mao, I thought you were dead ...

[Camino LS6]

Chairman Mao?

Not one of your better quips, PCS.

I know, I know, Chinese is not your first language.

[balthazar]

Prediction: this is going to be but the start of a surprising degree of... action on the part of the Chinese military.

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

Prediction: this is going to be but the start of a surprising degree of... action on the part of the Chinese military.

Well, as much as i dislike hearing stuff like this. Do you think that we as Americans would have acted any differently if a Chinese ship was gathering information 75 nautical miles off our coast?

[Oracle of Delphi]

Chairman Mao?

Not one of your better quips, PCS.

I know, I know, Chinese is not your first language.

To know me is to love me ...

[balthazar]

>>"Do you think that we as Americans would have acted any differently if a Chinese ship was gathering information 75 nautical miles off our coast? "<<

Do I think U.S. ships would've risked collision & dumped debris in front of a foreign ship legally in international waters?

No, I do not think that they would.