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By APD Writer Wang Peng
A few days ago, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson committed the country’s two new aircraft carriers to participate in the military exercise in the waters of the South China Sea.
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.
As the Guardian reported, HMS Queen Elizabeth, a Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier, will take part in exercises in the South China Sea. Its first mission, as Johnson pledged in Sydney, is to “vindicate our belief in the rules-based international system and in the freedom of navigation through those waterways which are absolutely vital for world trade”.
However, the author really questions that whether the UK’s conduct will promote its global influence and enhance the marine presence in the South China Sea.
First, the legitimacy of the Royal Navy’s planned operation is questionable. The sovereignty of those islands, as well as the related surrounding waters undoubtedly belongs to China; this is a common sense in the international society.
Although a few countries once questioned this fact, now they are negotiating with China to accommodate this issue and reach mutually-beneficial agreements to resolve this problem.
For example, Philippines, the “accuser” of the Hague arbitration, denied the outcome that they once dreamed of and began to make reconciliation with China. Now the former rival has begun cooperative programs with Chinese companies on both the land and at sea.
As an old English idiom said, “Don’t be the foolish back-seat driver”, when the two parties concerned have started their reconciliation process, why and how can a third party far away with limited local influence make any meaningful changes on this issue?
Second, although these two “brand new” and “colossal” aircraft carriers may represent the latest technology of the mighty Royal Navy, their presences in the offshore area nearby the Chinese coastline is really questionable, especially in the maritime space far away from British naval bases but under the cross fire of shore-based fire and newly built aircraft carriers of China.
Therefore, it is quite sure that if the UK carriers dare to choose war or other tough military operations infringing the Chinese sovereignty, China’s air and naval forces will give invaders good lessons. After all, the Royal admirals have to know that their current Chinese peers are totally different from their ancestors in the Opium War 1840.
Thirty years ago, even Margaret Thatcher, the ‘iron Lady’ with the remaining prestige from the triumph of Falklands War, failed to intimidate Deng Xiaoping by military threat; now how can an already ‘brexited’ and declined ‘empire’ frighten a rising global power?
Throwing empty threat can only reflect discredit on the fool himself. So, to avoid such an international joke, the UK should be wise enough to adjust its speculative and harmful policy, or they may bring disgrace on their own head.
Sending merchant ships and cruise to China is in line with the interests of the UK. This is not a stern warning, but a sincere reminder and free advice to Britain, where the author spent his four-year happy time of PhD studies and regards the lovely city Bristol as his second hometown.
Dr. Wang Peng, Research Fellow at the Charhar Institute and Lecturer at the China Institute of Fudan University.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
