Opinion | A Chinese show of force to remember in the South China Sea
Greg Torode says Beijing has shown, this time with the help of a landing ship, that it has no qualms about pressing its South China Sea claims
Amid the daily cut and thrust surrounding the disputed South China Sea - a dangerous arena clouded by diplomatic bluster and military posturing - some events are more telling than others.
The PLA Navy's recent deployment of a fully equipped amphibious task force to stage a neatly choreographed show of sovereignty at an isolated shoal in the maritime heart of Southeast Asia is one move that will not be easily forgotten.
James Shoal is also claimed by Malaysia - it is just 80 kilometres off its coast and also close to Brunei - and is well south of the Spratlys archipelago, which can be seen as the epicentre of the broader dispute that involves Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei as well as Malaysia and China (and Taiwan). It is a territorial tangle that now resonates internationally.
For several years, Philippine and Vietnamese officials have expressed quiet frustration that they must constantly take the lead in confronting China over the "nine-dash line" that is the basis for its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, while Malaysia and Brunei remain in the shadows, according to regional security scholar Ian Storey.
However, the James Shoal mission - unprecedented in scale and led by the 200-metre-long, state-of-the-art landing ship Jinggangshan - draws Malaysia back into the fray, whether it likes it or not. It is a less-than-subtle reminder from Beijing that perceived diplomatic reticence is no defence against being drawn into its enforcement of sovereign claims.
Brunei officials had no idea of the presence of the Chinese task force until they were privately informed about gushing Xinhua reports of the operation, according to diplomats.
