This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com:

China warns Australia not to side with America in case of war

Senior Colonel Liu Mingfu of China’s National Defence Universityhas raised the specter of a nuclear war, and warned Australia notto side with America and Japan. Liu is not an official spokesmanfor China, but his views are approved. Referring to thedispute between Japan and China over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands,Liu said that China was prepared to fight “to the death”: 

America is the global tiger and Japan is Asia’s wolfand both are now madly biting China. Of all the animals, Chinesepeople hate the wolf the most. 

If this Japanese wolf again attacks America’s Pearl Harbor orAustralia’s Darwin, how do you know it wouldn’t receive anothernuclear bomb? The world would hail if Japan receives such a blow. 

I don’t want to mention China here, as it is sensitive… 

[Australia should play the role of a] kind-heartedlamb. Australia should never play the jackal for the tiger ordance with the wolf.

See also: “19-Jan-13 World View — China’s directive to the People’s Liberation Army: Get Ready for War” 

The Age (Australia) and International Business Times (Australia)

Philippines seeks U.N. arbitration over South China Sea dispute

The Philippines took a desperate legal step on Tuesday, formallynotifying China that it’s seeking international arbitration under the1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Chinahas used its military to block Philippines’ access to the ScarboroughShoal, which is part of Philippines exclusive economic zone (EEZ)under UNCLOS. China has made it clear that they are going to usetheir military power to take control of the entire South China Sea,including several regions that have historically belonged to othercountries, following a policy similar to Hitler’s “Lebensraum” policy.They’ve announced that they intend to begin boarding and seizingcontrol of other countries’ ships in the South China Sea. At a newsconference, Philippines Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said: 

This afternoon, the Philippines has taken the step ofbringing China before an arbitral tribunal under… the 1982United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) in orderto achieve a peaceful and durable solution to the dispute over theWest Philippine Sea. [Since 1995, the Philippines has exhaustedalmost] all political and diplomatic avenues for a peacefulnegotiated settlement of its maritime dispute with China. 

On numerous occasions, dating back to 1995, the Philippines hasbeen exchanging views with China to peacefully settle thesedisputes. [However, up until] this day, a solution is stillelusive.

According to one Chinese diplomat, “We are not afraid of UNCLOS.Manila underestimates our knowledge at its peril.” Manila Standard and South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)

China increases surveillance in the South China Sea

Two additional fleets of Chinese marine surveillance ships arecarrying out separate patrol missions in the South China Sea. (Iassume that these are the fleets that will support China’s announcedpolicy of boarding and seizing foreign ships.) China says that itwill continue to carry out regular patrols in the East and South ChinaSeas “to secure the nation’s maritime rights and interests.” Xinhua

U.S. begins transporting French soldiers to Mali

U.S. Air Force C-17 transport planes have begun flights from the Frenchbase in Istres, France, to Bamako, carrying French troops andequipment. 3,150 French troops will be involved in the Malioperation, code-named “Operation Serval,” and the transport missionswill operate for several more days, according to the U.S. military’sAfrica Command, which is based in Stuttgart, Germany. AP

Permanent web link to this article 
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail