Hmmmmm. Seems like our friends in East Asia are fomenting unrest across the ocean, or sea if you please. It has been ongoing now for several years off the coast of China: the PLA began building up military bases on rockpiles found in shallow waters between their coast and the Philippine Is. These rocks are now islands, improved with airbases capable of handling modern aircraft. The sovereignty of these "rocks" is in dispute, somewhat. The aggressive posture of the PLA puts these rocks in focus around the world, especially those maritime nations whose ships transit this section of the Western Pacific.
The nations involved are all significant trading partners of the US, to wit: South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Taiwan, Philipine Is., Australia, and Indonesia. Mid East oil is probably the most valuable commodity that regularly moves through the South China Sea, much of it used to go directly to China and North Korea. Sanctions imposed caused disruptions in deliveries, especially if the oil originates in Russya, which is under severe international sanctions due to its invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
So, Slippery Xi JP, dictator of Communist China, has allowed his PLA to step up efforts to divert the world's attention from the financial and economic woes at home. The real estate implosion brought on by central government control and decisions, has forced China to retreat from its immediate past including the highly touted Belt & Road Program designed to financially encumber 3rd world countries, especially in Africa. Pres. Joe Biden recently made a tour through the Western Pacific, visiting among others, Vietnam, mortal enemies of China. Two monetary leaders of the US also visited China recently in attempts to advise Chinese policy makers that business and trade will only suffer if China continues to impose restraints on trade between the two largest economies of the world. Is anybody listening in China?
Apparently not, or things would look differently in the South China Sea. Media reporters recorded PLA ships confronting Philippine ships in international waters, blocking passage, creating unsafe situations, focusing blinding lights, and deafening horn blasts. These are not friendly gestures. The PLA has been building up naval assets for years and those assets are now being put to use. Pres. Biden will meet his National Security Advisors and put countermeasures to work immediately. He has few options at this point.
Oh, and Joe, don't forget the immigration issue, or the fentynal issue.
Have a nice day.
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