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What is truly shocking is just how bizzare this US policy is. They just pick a country at random one day and go there to do a "FONO" and just generally rub in t

What is truly shocking is just how bizzare this US policy is. They just pick a country at random one day and go there to do a "FONO" and just generally rub in the fact that no country can afford to cut relation with them. They have done this to pretty much every country by now, China, Russia, Pakistan, Taiwan, Indonesia, India, S.Korea etc. Compare this to China's foreign policy. Their public image got damaged in 2019 because of coronavirus. But in terms of international relationships they have made the most progress in the last three years. Not even offical US sanctions have been able to stop them (with Russia, Iran and Turkey).

soneil 6y ago
It's not random, it's a very specific act. They challenge claims they don't recognise to prevent them becoming accepted as de-facto. For an analogy that'd be "closer to home", it's very similar to defending a trademark to prevent it becoming generic. The fact that India claims this right doesn't extend to military vessels (despite UNCLOS allowing it) is what requires this action. If they seek permission first, they're not defending the right, they're cementing that permission is required.
dragonwriter 6y ago
> What is truly shocking is just how bizzare this US policy is. It’s neither bizarre nor an exclusively US thing. In the South China Sea all of Japan, Australia, the UK, and France have conducted FONOPs. > They just pick a country at random one day No, FONOPs are conducted against countries that have asserted the right to close waters to free navigation in coontravention of the UNCLOS (if its not the US doing it) or customary international law whose requirements happen to be substantially identical to UNCLOS in this area (if its the US doing it.) They are very far from random (if they were random, it would seem to indicate that the Pentagon has a 20-sided die with “People’s Republic of China” on, like, 16 or so faces.)

soneil 6y ago

It's not random, it's a very specific act. They challenge claims they don't recognise to prevent them becoming accepted as de-facto. For an analogy that'd be "closer to home", it's very similar to defending a trademark to prevent it becoming generic. The fact that India claims this right doesn't extend to military vessels (despite UNCLOS allowing it) is what requires this action. If they seek permission first, they're not defending the right, they're cementing that permission is required.

dragonwriter 6y ago

> What is truly shocking is just how bizzare this US policy is. It’s neither bizarre nor an exclusively US thing. In the South China Sea all of Japan, Australia, the UK, and France have conducted FONOPs. > They just pick a country at random one day No, FONOPs are conducted against countries that have asserted the right to close waters to free navigation in coontravention of the UNCLOS (if its not the US doing it) or customary international law whose requirements happen to be substantially identical to UNCLOS in this area (if its the US doing it.) They are very far from random (if they were random, it would seem to indicate that the Pentagon has a 20-sided die with “People’s Republic of China” on, like, 16 or so faces.)