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Priorities
(lemmygrad.ml)
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this post was submitted on 20 Oct 2023
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Maybe, but there's not much value in fighting over definitions. De facto, they have not gained additional territory regardless of any claims China may or may not be making.
Oh, are countries not allowed to sail ships through international waters now? Is the US annexing these territories when it does the same thing?
This is nonsense. You're attempting to redefine what annexation is to suit your argument.
China themselves claim that their boats are patrolling their own territorial waters when sailing in these areas. The US and Canada and others claim they are sailing in international waters under international maritime law, or with the permission of the nations whose water they are sailing through.
But the big difference is that the US isn't making a claim to any territory. China is, and then they're attempting to assert that claim with their navy. That is clearly annexation.
Fair enough, I did not phrase the above point correctly. I have edited the comment accordingly.
Since you keep using this word, I guess I'll bite a bit longer in fighting over definitions...
Courtesy of Merriam-Webster, annexation is incorporating "(an additional geographic area) within the domain of a country, state, etc." I don't think it's self-evident that just sailing a ship by some islands is "clearly annexation"
In any case, it's not really important whether it counts as "annexation" or not. What difference does it make if China makes this claim if there's nobody there to enforce it?