China threatens US over South China Sea

A high-ranking Chinese officers used harsh and provocative words during an interview with Chinese-language Phoenix TV at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Major General Zhu Chenghu, a professor at the National Defense University, used his appearance at a regional security conference to criticize the recent stance that the United States has taken in regards to Asian security.

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He told the global audience that U.S. rhetoric about the contested South China Sea risks provoking Beijing. For the Chinese language audience, however, he used more hostile language while describing his thoughts on the abilities of the U.S. to influence events and maintain security in Asia.

Chenghu suggested that if China came to blows with any of its neighbors-at least two of which, South Korea and Japan, are close allies of the U.S.-the U.S. might not be a reliable ally.

"As U.S. power declines, Washington needs to rely on its allies in order to reach its goal of containing China's development," he said. "But whether it will get involved or us military intervention once there is a territorial dispute involving China and its neighbors, that is another issue."

He cited Ukraine as a significant example of a lack of U.S. backbone involving disputes. "We can see from the situation in Ukraine this kind of [extended deployment] has become the male type of [erectile dysfunction]."

China has been involved in numerous territorial disputes in the South China Sea in recent years, specifically against island and mining claims with Vietnam and the Philippines. Taiwan and Japan have also been involved in several disputes.

Chenghu is no stranger to violent rhetoric, having said that China would go nuclear if they were in conflict with the U.S. over Taiwan. He was also one of several Chinese military officials who reacted angrily to remarks made by defense secretary Chuch Hagel, who had accused China of continuing to destabilize actions in the South China Sea.

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