-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War! Report: Beijing Readies China Sea Exercises NewsMax.com Wires May 17, 2001 WASHINGTON -- China is preparing to conduct large-scale military exercises in the South China Sea from Hainan Island and on Woody Island, where China is building up its forces for power projection, The Washington Times reported Thursday. "We're seeing preparations," said one defense official. He said it is not known when the maneuvers will begin. A second official said: "There are some indications of amphibious exercise planning by the South Sea Fleet," as China calls its naval forces in the region. The preparations so far do not appear threatening or even worrisome, the newspaper quoted some defense officials as saying. Defense officials said preparations for the exercises, including amphibious warfare drills, were detected by U.S. intelligence agencies over the past two weeks. Woody Island, the main island of the disputed Paracel island chain south of Hainan, is close to the area where the U.S. Navy EP-3E surveillance plane collided with a Chinese F-8 interceptor on April 1. Military exercises have been carried out in the past on Woody Island. It is viewed by Pentagon analysts as the key strategic base for future power projection. Richard Fisher, a specialist on the Chinese military with the Jamestown Foundation, told The Times he believes the upcoming Chinese exercises are linked to the recent surveillance aircraft incident. "First and foremost, this would be a response to the recent incident," said Mr. Fisher, a former aide to Rep. Christopher Cox, California Republican. Preparations for the Chinese war games coincide with the start of a major U.S. military exercise in Thailand known as Cobra Gold. The U.S.-Thai-Singapore military exercise began Tuesday and will continue through May 29. *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for nonprofit research and educational purposes only.[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ] Want to be on our lists? Write at [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a menu of our lists! <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
