PLAN amphibious task force reaches shoal 80km from Malaysia coast

[hanswu25]

Everybody is waiting for Malaysia's reaction. Would they jump on the same boat with Philippines and Vietnam?

PLA Navy amphibious task force reaches Malaysia 'to defend South China sea' | South China Morning Post

A fully equipped PLA amphibious task force has reached China's southernmost claimed possession in the South China Sea in an unprecedented show of force that is raising eyebrows across the region.

The four-ship flotilla headed by the landing ship Jinggangshan visited James Shoal - some 80 kilometres from Malaysia, less than 200 kilometres from Brunei and 1,800 kilometres from the mainland coast - close to the outer limits of China's "nine-dash line", by which it lays claim to virtually the entire South China Sea.

[cdude]

Everybody is waiting for Malaysia's reaction. Would they jump on the same boat with Philippines and Vietnam?

PLA Navy amphibious task force reaches Malaysia 'to defend South China sea' | South China Morning Post

Vietnam must keep cool head in China row – Global Public Square - CNN.com Blogs

According to this one, "Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, and Brunei" are middle-way or at least China thinks so. Cambodia/Burma/Laos are probably bought by China, this leaves Malaysia's position very interesting.

[hanswu25]

Thanks for digging this up but sorry for disappointing you, Malaysia government stayed completely quiet. Even worse, all of their media did not have a single article about it. They have made their position very clear. Perhaps next step Malaysians will sell construction material to PLAN so they can build some permanent structure on the shoal without transporting them all the way from mainland.

[ace16807]

Thanks for digging this up but sorry for disappointing you, Malaysia government stayed completely quiet. Even worse, all of their media did not have a single article about it. They have made their position very clear. Perhaps next step Malaysians will sell construction material to PLAN so they can build some permanent structure on the shoal without transporting them all the way from mainland.

Or perhaps the PLAN would like to practice coordinating the logistics of transporting and constructing facilities on the shoals? It also looks much better PR wise.

[cdude]

Thanks for digging this up but sorry for disappointing you, Malaysia government stayed completely quiet. Even worse, all of their media did not have a single article about it. They have made their position very clear. Perhaps next step Malaysians will sell construction material to PLAN so they can build some permanent structure on the shoal without transporting them all the way from mainland.

Not disappointed. I was just wondering where Malaysia's position is on this issue.

File:Spratly with flags.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you go with this map, looks like Malaysia's flags are pretty close to the border of the "9-dashed line". It's easier to settle than those currently held by Viet/Phil.

And I don't see Brunei in the picture. So after all the hype, it's actually just China vs Viet/Phil. In Hillary's mouth, it became "every country near South China Sea is threatened by China, let's pivot".

[Linh_My]

Not disappointed. I was just wondering where Malaysia's position is on this issue.

File:Spratly with flags.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you go with this map, looks like Malaysia's flags are pretty close to the border of the "9-dashed line". It's easier to settle than those currently held by Viet/Phil.


And I don't see Brunei in the picture. So after all the hype, it's actually just China vs Viet/Phil. In Hillary's mouth, it became "every country near South China Sea is threatened by China, let's pivot".

Japan and India have at least as serious an issue with China as Viet/Phil. Malaysia etc. haven't been saying much. But, the amount spent on defense should give a good idea of where Malaysia etc. stands.

[Skywatcher]

And yet Malaysia keeps on buying Chinese weapons.

[Linh_My]

And yet Malaysia keeps on buying Chinese weapons.

As close to Malaysia as I've ever been is transiting the Straits of Malacca. So, take anything I say about Malaysia with a grain of salt.

Russian and Chinese weapons aren't that different except the Chinese ones are mostly cheaper. Parts and maintenance shouldn't be that big an issue even if Malaysia joins the other SE Asian countries against China. Viet Nam and Malaysia do use a lot of the same hardware as well.

You make a reasonable point that deserves being factored into the equation. How much it impacts that equation . . .

[winton]

Parts and maintenance shouldn't be that big an issue even if Malaysia joins the other SE Asian countries against China. Viet Nam and Malaysia do use a lot of the same hardware as well.
How much it impacts that equation . . .

Its poor maths to be suggesting that vietnam and malaysia will come together in any defense scenario. Vietnam is on its own. So is malaysia.

[gf0012-aust]

And yet Malaysia keeps on buying Chinese weapons.

Malaysias philosophy is to buy weapons from all major arms selleing countries so as to maintain a strategic balance of purchasing power - they buy from the russians, chinese, americans and multiple euros.
They are also in dispute with china, so weapons procurement is about pragmatism on their part