Friday, June 26, 2015

If You Build Them, We Will Come

China may think they are clever by building new islands to assert control of the South China Sea in defiance of international law. But the Chinese do have to defend them.

Japanese naval infantry will train with American Marines along with their Australian hosts:

Japanese troops are deploying with Marines as they head Down Under for a multinational amphibious training exercise as tensions in the Asia-Pacific region continue to rise.

The move represents the Japanese Self-Defense Force's latest step in boosting its amphibious capabilities. Thirty-one members of the Western Army Infantry Regiment are embedded with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. The troops are deployed aboard the amphibious transport dock Green Bay, where they will head to Australia to participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre.

Japan has interests in defending their islands in the East China Sea--which would likely involve retaking them from China.

And America and Australia have an interest in being able to capture small islands in the South China Sea, which China is actually creating lately.