China Talks Tough Over South China Sea

CNN: 'We have no fear of trouble': China talks tough over South China Sea

(CNN)A senior Chinese admiral strongly defended his country's activities in the South China Sea Sunday, restating Beijing's sovereignty in the region and warning it "had no fear of trouble."

Admiral Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, addressed the tensions resulting from overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, an annual conference on security in the Asia-Pacific region.

Sun said that the issue had "become overheated because of provocations of certain countries for their own selfish interests." He also reiterated that Beijing would not recognize a pending decision of an international tribunal in The Hague in a case brought by the Philippines contesting China's claim to some territory in the region.

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Update: China pushes back against US pressure, says it has 'no fear of trouble' in South China Sea (FOX News)

WNU Editor: The Chinese are holding all the cards in this dispute. They have the military, resources, and the public and political will to persevere in this dispute. And on the opposite side .... disunity, a limited military (bolstered by the occasional U.S. presence), limited resources, and limited (if any) political will.

Update #2: I will be surprised if this gets traction .... France to Push for Coordinated EU Patrols in South China Sea (Bloomberg).