美海军上将：中菲若冲突美将帮助菲律宾

choi

BBC Chinese, Feb 13, 2014
www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/chin ... ippines_china.shtml

, which is based on

US Admiral Assures Philippines of Help in Disputed Sea. AFP, Feb 19, 2014
www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-14/a ... isputed-sea/5259304
(US chief of naval operations Jonathan Greenert told students at a state defence college during a visit to Manila, "Of course we would help you. I mean we have an obligation because we have a treaty." Admiral Greenert said that he wanted to send a "clear signal... that aggressive behaviour outside of international norms is contrary to good order." His remarks are among the strongest US declarations of support for the Philippines)

Note: Chief of Naval Operations
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_of_Naval_Operations

choi

(5) 奥巴马东亚行 中国是首要议题
www.voachinese.com/content/obama-asia-visit-20140213/1850888.html

Quote:

(a) "奥巴马今年4月将访问东亚4个国家，即日本、韩国、马来西亚和菲律宾。这将是自北京设立防空识别区引起中日冲突以来，奥巴马的第一次亚洲之行。

奥巴马原定去年10月访问这4个国家，可是由于美国政府关闭而取消了行程。

"奥巴马亚洲之行不在中国停留出人意料。* * * 分析人士预计，中国这次虽然不在奥巴马的日程上，可是北京的领土宣称和日益增长的地区影响力肯定是奥巴马和各国首脑会谈的首要议题。

(b) 北京大学国际关系学教授贾庆国对华盛顿邮报表示：'中国有些人把奥巴马访问看作是鼓励菲律宾在南中国海问题上向中国发出挑衅，可是奥巴马的访问可能是敦促菲律宾更加谨慎从事。'

My comment: Well, it is a reporting error. There is nothing in Washingtonpost.com. In fact, the news appears in another newspaper.

Josh Chin and Alastair Fale, Obama to Visit East Asia Amid Crackling Tensions; Trip comes after Beijing, Tokyo clash over air-defense zone. Wall Street Journal, Feb 13, 2014
online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304434104579379790179147348

Quote WSJ:

"The White House said Wednesday [Feb 12] that Mr Obama would visit Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines. * * * China isn't on Mr. Obama's itinerary, but Beijing's territorial ambitions and growing regional clout are sure to figure in talks at every stop.

"The US for the first time openly challenged the nine-dash line earlier this month when Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Danny Russel told Congress that China's claims appeared to be illegal. China called the comments 'irresponsible.'

"'In China, some people will see Obama's visit as encouraging to the Philippines to challenge China more on the South China Sea issue. But the purpose of Obama's visit might actually be to urge the Philippines to be more careful,' said Jia Qingguo, professor of international relations at Peking University.

Note: US State Department official Danny Russel indeed has only one L letter in the surname. Russel is a (rare) variant of the English surname Russell.

choi

(4)
(a) 斯特恩斯, 克里亚洲行 回避日本.
www.voachinese.com/content/kerry ... 140211/1849407.html

Quote:

"美国国务卿克里星期三前往亚洲访问，与中国和韩国官员举行会谈，可是他不会访问日本。在日本和华盛顿关系冷落之际，东京正在向俄罗斯和印度靠拢。

"美国企业研究所日本问题研究室主任迈克•奥斯汀说，东京和华盛顿之间的关系不稳，让北京渔翁得利。他说：'我们向其他盟国发出了这样一个信号：那就是，既然长达50年的盟友关系都可以因为这些问题迅速瓦解，双方公开羞辱和批评对方，至少华盛顿方面在靖国神社问题上这样做了，那么所有盟国关系都会同样瓦解。'

(b) Which is translated from

Scott Stearns, Kerry Travels to Asia as Japan Moves Closer to Russia, India. VOA, Feb 11, 2014
www.voanews.com/content/kerry-tr ... -india/1849019.html

Quote:

"US Secretary of State John Kerry travels to Asia this week for talks with Chinese and South Korean officials. But he will not be visiting Japan, which is moving closer to Russia and India amid uncertain relations with Washington.

"Beijing benefits from uncertainty between Tokyo and Washington according to Michael Auslin, director of Japan Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. 'We send a message to other allies that if a 50-year-old alliance can become undone fairly quickly over these issues and the two sides now have taken, certainly on the Washington side, to publicly shaming and criticizing the partner, for example over the Yasukuni issue, that all alliance relations can be similarly upset,' Auslin said.

Note: Auslin, not 奥斯汀.

choi

Contrast (3) with (4). It is confusing, to say the least.

(3) 杨晨, 美官员要求中国解释九段线法律基础.
www.voachinese.com/content/kerry-trip-asia-20140213/1850842.html
(reporting from 华盛顿; 国务院官员简报会 [yet the official is not identified])

choi

(2) 中国军人首次参与金色眼镜蛇军演.
www.voachinese.com/content/china-military-20140213/1851017.html

Quote:

(a) "2014年金色眼镜蛇年度多国军事演习2月11号在泰国举行，将于2月23 日结束。

"中国过去多年中一直以观察员身份出席这项由美国和泰国共同主办的军演，但今年首次派出17名军人直接参与人道救援等多项联合军演。

(b) "参与这次军演的中国军人主要来自广州军区。在演习正式开始之前，他们与美国海军陆战队员一起为泰国一间学校修建校舍。

(c) "中国官方的新华社称中国参与金色眼镜蛇年度多国军事演习是一项开创性举动，说明中国的军事影响力不容忽视。

(d) "去年6月，中国国家主席习近平与美国总统奥巴马会晤，双方表示会努力发展新型大国关系，包括加强军事交流。之后，美中两国军方提高了互动和交往的级别和频率，中国还决定接受美国的邀请，参与今年在夏威夷举行的环太平洋军事演习。

"即便如此，中国在参与美国领导的2014年金色眼镜蛇年度多国军事演习时仍然保持低调。中国国防部网站的显要位置没有刊登这则消息。在演习开幕仪式上，日本和韩国等参与国的代表打出了自己的国旗，但参与国中国的国旗不在其中。

Note: Cobra Gold
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobra_Gold(military exercise held in Thailand every year since 1982 (inclusive); table: 7 members (Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and US); 10 Observers (Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste))

section 5 Cobra Gold 2014: "During the field training exercise, forces from Thailand, the United States and the Republic of Korea will conduct training designed to enhance interoperability and strengthen regional relationships. In other locations, military personnel from Thailand, the United States, Singapore, Japan, Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the People’s Republic of China will participate in humanitarian and civic assistance projects designed to improve the quality of life and local infrastructure for the Thai people, as well as to share medical best practices with the local population.