Kerry Knows We Pivoted to the Pacific, Right?

Nothing China does is dangerous as long as everyone else just cooperates with whatever China does and just shuts the Hell up. John Kerry remains oblivious. Which is almost as good, from Peking's perspective.

China continues to make its creeping annexation of nearby waters thicker in their legal world. China, as I noted, declared their staked-out slab of the South China Sea to be under Hainan's fishing regulations and all nations have to abide by them when wishing in what are international waters not under China's jurisdiction in any interpretation of law other than China's of "if we want it, it's ours."

We say this attitude could lead to shooting and war:

The legislature of China's Hainan province approved rules in November that took effect on January 1 requiring foreign fishing vessels to obtain approval to enter waters under its jurisdiction. ...

"The passing of these restrictions on other countries' fishing activities in disputed portions of the South China Sea is a provocative and potentially dangerous act," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a news briefing.

"China has not offered any explanation or basis under international law for these extensive maritime claims."

Neighbors are obviously unhappy:

The Foreign Affairs Department of the Philippines issued a statement Friday saying the unilateral Chinese exertion of control over the fishing grounds "escalates tensions, unnecessarily complicates the situation in the South China Sea, and threatens the peace and stability of the region."

Taiwan declared that it doesn't recognize the proclaimed access rules as valid, and Vietnam called the Beijing power play "illegal and groundless."

China's defense of their legal position is succinct--we should just shut up:

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the government "has the right and responsibility to regulate the relevant islands and reefs as well as non-biological resources" according to international and domestic law.

Thank goodness we pivoted to the Pacific!

I sense a government pivot to some region safer than Asia coming.

Or a war involving China.

In unrelated news, while Asia burns simmers John Kerry continues to fiddle camp out in the Middle East hoping to force any kind of Israel-Palestinian deal.

I've assumed he wants a Nobel Peace Prize, but according to another article I read, it's much worse--he wants to ride that agreement to the White House.

My apology to Madeleine Albright remains in force. In my own defense, while I could see Kerry's potential, how was I to know that her record could be eclipsed in only a single year?