Are China's territorial water claims too ambitious?

[Loki]

From this (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-32762659) article:

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/media/images/54145000/gif/_54145268__48951920_south_china-sea_1_466-1.gif

If you look at the red dotted line, denoting China's territorial claims, you can see it ventures far beyond China, and almost grazes the coastlines of other countries to the south.

Opinions?

[zhaoyun]

Yeah, probably. But if you have the power to enforce it, does it matter?

[Äijä]

China is trying to break the first island chain that keeps it out of the high seas, it is all grand strategy.

Disputes with Japan, Taiwan, Philippines and Vietnam are all part of the same game.

Burma and the Indian Ocean is also important, that is also related to the strategic investments in Africa.

[de Burgh II]

I guess the maritime claims overall can have loopholes within it regardless of the sanctions in place. That is the fault of the U.N. that makes it flawed in its own right. The permanent "Big Five" on the U.N.'s security council is a good example of what some countries can exert concerning their own endeavors without any consequences being sanctioned on them since they are an exception to the rule to an extent that the U.N. will let it slide in some cases.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_members_of_the_United_Nations_Security_C ouncil

[zhaoyun]

None of the claimants in the south china sea have solid moral or territorial rights to the islands. china claims the islands based on historical right, as many were used by chinese fisherman and merchants through the centuries. vietnam also has historical claims, and the other countries primarily claim the islands due to proximity. what separates china from the other countries is a duality of both purpose and power. chinas recent rise in activity in the sea is driven by purpose, to secure a zone of influence and control over one of the most highly trafficked sea corridors in the world. the second is power, chinas power and size is vastly greater than the other claimants, thus it can actually enforce its claims.

[Sockorer]

A growing boy needs his lunch.