Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Suspicious submarine: A strategically important area for China

The Asahi Shimbun

The area where the trespassing submarine was first sighted has strategic military and economic significance for China, military experts say.

Defense Agency sources said submarines from various countries often crisscross the waters between the southern tip of Kyushu and the Okinawa islands.

But experts say China would have a strong motive for keeping a submarine in that area.

The waters are vitally important to China, especially if relations should deteriorate with Taiwan.

A U.S. military source said the sub may have been on a reconnaissance mission to monitor a U.S. Navy training exercise in those waters.

If conflict arises between China and Taiwan, Beijing will have to deploy many attack submarines in a short period to prevent a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group from coming to Taipei's rescue.

``It is often said that when China is to conduct a mission in the Taiwan Strait, it will likely have its submarines lay mines in the waters to the east of Taiwan to contain the actions of the United States and Japan,'' said a former high-ranking officer in the MSDF submarine fleet. The latest incident ``may have some connection to that strategy.''

Another former officer in the submarine fleet said Chinese subs have almost never attempted to enter waters around Ishigakijima island because of the complicated nature of the territorial boundaries.

``A navigational map clearly shows how easy it is to cross the boundary,'' the former officer said. ``There is the strong possibility the objective was to try to determine what Japan's response would be.''

The officer said a submarine rescue ship spotted near Tanegashima last week may have been a decoy to draw attention away from the Okinawa islands.

Chinese surface vessels have become more prevalent recently. According to MSDF officials, as of Nov. 5 there have been 33 cases this year of Chinese ships sailing in the East China Sea within Japan's exclusive economic zone or open waters. There were only seven such cases in the same period last year.

Most of the ships this year were believed to be studying natural resources under the seabed.

However, some MSDF officials said the ships may have been mapping the sea floor to develop submarine routes that would allow Chinese vessels to sail from the East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean.(IHT/Asahi: November 12,2004)

http://www.asahi.com/english/politics/TKY200411120187.html