Three US Allies Sail Warships Near China
Newsweek13 hrs
Japanese Navy Ship Sails Through Taiwan Strait for First Time
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Above: Three military boats from Taiwan's Amphibious Reconnaissance and Patrol Unit patrol the Matsu Islands with a view of China's Fujian province in the background on April 9, 2023. Image copyright: Yan Zhao/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
Japan's JS Sazanami naval destroyer, accompanied by Australian and New Zealand naval ships, sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday.
While this was the Japanese navy's first time sailing through the Strait since World War II — reportedly to travel to the South China Sea for military exercises — the US, Australia, and the UK have been doing so for years.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
China's military has been sailing through and flying over the Taiwan Strait for months, antagonizing both neighboring countries like Japan and the Philippines and allies like Australia. Beijing is attempting to control not only Taiwan, but also the internationally recognized waterways upon which many countries rely. If Beijing continues to flex its military might in the region, Western navies will respond in kind.
Establishment-critical narrative
The Western establishment, directed by neoconservatives in the US with the help of its Asian allies, is trying to turn the South China Sea region into another NATO-like military alliance. To accomplish this — just as it did with its so-called interventions in Yugoslavia, Kosovo, and Serbia — it seems Western militaries are preparing to invade the region, risking an all-out war with China. US allies in Asia and Europe must stop taking marching orders from Washington before it's too late.
