John Kerry’s Visit To China Overshadowed By Rising Tensions Over South China Sea – The International Business Times Features Commentary by IEMS’ David Zweig
The International Business Times featured commentary from IEMS’ David Zweig on Beijing’s recent claims and actions attempting to assert territorial control over various island chains in the South China Sea, and how such claims and actions will affect current and future policy discussions between high-level U.S.-China delegations.
As David Zweig mentioned in the article:
One U.S. combat ship, the USS Fort Worth, has already conducted exercises close to the region this month. And David Zweig, a chair professor of social science at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology who specializes in Chinese politics, told International Business Times that the U.S. was “always willing [to take action] when it comes to freedom of the seas. They have to do it in part to calm down the Japanese — they owe it to their treaty partners to keep the seas open.”
He said China’s construction of airstrips was “making people a little nervous,” and added that Washington’s strongly worded response was motivated partly by a perception that “China is being more assertive globally.”
However, Zweig said the tough stance taken by the U.S. would certainly make for awkward meetings during Kerry’s visit to Beijing — and some analysts have warned the U.S. could risk being sucked further into China’s disputes with other countries in the South China Sea, although some Chinese analysts have said they do not believe the U.S. will really take significant action, and that its comments on the issue are partly an attempt to put pressure on Beijing.
Read the full article here: International Business Times
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