It seems that the "warning" was certainly directed at the US, probably over the Taiwan tensions. I don't think there is anyone locally who could give China a good run for their money individually, But if all those tiny local countries banded together in a defense pact and presented a united front, they could probably sit China back on it's ass pretty quickly. Vietnam did it all by itself in a month in 1979 when China thought they would just roll over Vietnam. If everyone else there could get on the same page, China would have to take notice and walk softly instead of making flowery threats against everyone.
"We hope that the South China Sea will remain a sea of peace." That translates to "We intend to set up a Pax Sinensis modeled on the Pax Romana - there will be 'peace' just so long as everyone else rolls over and shows us their bellies. As long as you let us rule with an iron fist, take whatever we want, do whatever we want TO whomever we want, there will be 'peace' just as there was during the Roman Empire's conquest of Europe, North Africa, and the Levant. If you don't let us do that, we will throw a Tantrum Sinensis, and stop being so 'peaceful'... until we get what we want, and own whomever we want to - just like the Romans did."
Personally, I don't think they can do it IF enough people get rowdy enough in opposition to it. If that happens, then China will get carved up between the victors, just like Germany was after WWII when Hitler decided to bite off more than he could chew.
The Chinese listening posts in Cuba can put that in their goddamned pipes and smoke it!
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"We hope that the South China Sea will remain a sea of peace." That translates to "We intend to set up a Pax Sinensis modeled on the Pax Romana - there will be 'peace' just so long as everyone else rolls over and shows us their bellies. As long as you let us rule with an iron fist, take whatever we want, do whatever we want TO whomever we want, there will be 'peace' just as there was during the Roman Empire's conquest of Europe, North Africa, and the Levant. If you don't let us do that, we will throw a Tantrum Sinensis, and stop being so 'peaceful'... until we get what we want, and own whomever we want to - just like the Romans did."
Personally, I don't think they can do it IF enough people get rowdy enough in opposition to it. If that happens, then China will get carved up between the victors, just like Germany was after WWII when Hitler decided to bite off more than he could chew.
The Chinese listening posts in Cuba can put that in their goddamned pipes and smoke it!
.