There's been a major announcement made by China the past week, a counter US announcement, then bellicose statements made by both that bear watching.
On Tuesday, China issued a 9,000 word white paper revealing its military strategy stressing "active defense while pledging closer international cooperation."[1]
The document underscored "the principles of defense, self defense and post-emptive strikes" and China will not attack unless we are attacked, but we will surely counter attack if attacked".
That's of particular interest especially now considering China's economic and infrastructure development in the South China Sea and the "Obama administration announcing they're ready to dispatch military aircraft and ships within 18 kilometers of seven artificial islands China has built in the Spratly Islands". [2] To back that up here's Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter speaking in Honolulu being "most forceful" demanding "an immediate and lasting halt to land reclamation by China in the Spratly Islands".
A day later, In response to Carter, an editorial written in the "Global Times" (an official organ of the Peoples Republic) said, "If the United States bottom line is that China has to halt its activities, then a US-China war is inevitable in the South China Sea. The intensity of the conflict will be higher than what people usually think of 'friction". [3]
As Mike Whitney [4] puts it, "Washington doesn't give a hoot about the Spratly Islands; it's just a pretext to slap China around and show them who's running the show in their own back yard".
"Washington has abandoned its China policy of 'containment and moved to plan B: Isolation, intimidation and confrontation' with China."
The crazies in DC have been trying to provoke Vladimir Putin to have Russia invade Ukraine but he's refused to take the bait so China is in the cross hairs over its activities in the South China Sea.
So don't be surprised if there's an "incident" in the South China Sea with the US and its complicit corporate MSM blaming China for initiating it.
The situation is a powder keg with Washington all too ready to light the fuse as Whitney says, "willing to risk a nuclear war".
Let's not p*ssy foot around; the US or better yet "official" Washington has become "Insanity Incorporated". How else to put it?
[1] "White paper outlines China's 'active defense strategy", Information Clearing House (English translation), May26, 2015
[2] "Patrolling The Hood From (China) Sea to Shining Sea", by Pepe Escobar, Information Clearing House, May29, 2015
[3] "China State Paper Warns of War Unless US Backs Down", GMA News, Information Clearing House, May25, 2015
[4] "Pivot Insanity: Why is Obama Goading China", by Mike Whitney, Information Clearing House, May29, 2015