Originally Posted by
ORAC
We will see what happens both militarily - and in terms of trade and shipping embargoes plus economic sanctions if the PRC decides to attempt any sort of military action.
Seems to me that the US/UK team is being deliberately obstreperous, prodding the Chinese to put up or shut up.
If the Chinese attack ships engaged in 'innocent passage' though waters close to Chinese operated (but illegal according to international law) bases in the South China Sea, they provoke a conflict they are not yet ready for.
My guess is that this is the point of this deployment, create a precedent that China will also need to respect.
Of course, as we have seen in Hong Kong, China has plenty of very good diplomats able to run rings around precedents and legal constraints.
So we will have a pause, until China builds up some more.