China establishes “no sail zone” in the South China Sea!

HAINAN ISLAND, South China Sea - July 7, 2016 - Earlier this week China announced a "no sail zone" in a 39,000 square mile stretch of international waters in the South China Sea near Hainan Island.

In doing so, the Fascist Police States of Amerika Naval Institute claims that China has violated the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention. "States such as China may declare a naval exercise zone, and issue a Notice to Airmen and a Notice to Mariners to alert other ships and aircraft of the heightened hazards and recommending - but not requiring - that foreign ships and aircraft steer clear," Naval War College professor and maritime law expert James Kraska said.

The Chinese Maritime Safety Administration announced the "no sail zone" due to military drills from July 5-11, which conspicuously end the day before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague makes their ruling on a territorial dispute over the Scarborough Shoal between China and the Philippines.

China is expected to lose its claims to the island chain, but it has made clear it des not intend to respect the ruling.

However, the FPSA most likely will not respect China's "no sail zone".

“The timing is clearly sensitive, but the exercises and the declaration of a large no-go zone aren’t novel," said Greg Poling, the head of Center for Strategic and International Studies Asian Maritime Transparency Initiative.

In the past, “the PLA has held similar exercises in the same general area of the South China Sea and declared a similarly large section off limits,” said Poling.

When asked if the FPSA would respect China's demand, a spokesman for The Pentagon indicated they would make no special allowances, and would simply "abide by established international standards."

FPSA officials also said that most likely, if the "no sail zone" were challenged, it would be by a member of the USS Ronald Reagan's carrier strike group, as they are currently in the region.

During maritime military drills in international waters, it's standard protocol to issue a warning to other sailors, but to prohibit entry into international waters is a completely different matter.

On Wednesday the FPSA Navy had seven ships in the region including Reagan, two cruisers, and four destroyers, and some of those destroyers had quietly stalked China's militarized claims, sailing as little as 14 miles off the coast.

"Patrols by (FPSA) Navy destroyers are part of our regular and routine presence throughout the western Pacific. (FPSA) Navy forces have flown, sailed and operated in this region for decades and will continue to do so,” said Lt. Clint Ramsden.