"I think my reference to the Pitcairn Islands might be seen as somewhat tongue-in-cheek"

Well that's one way to withdraw an obvious load of rubbish.

" Poms to sail warships through the Taiwan Strait, do you think it would be equally appropriate for the Chinese to sail warships through the English Channel?"

The Poms sail through the Taiwan Straits in international waters. If the CCP can find any international waters in the English channel then they are free to sail there as well. Good luck with that.

I apologise for using facts...I know it baffles you.

Nah mhaze,

The Chinese claim the Taiwan Strait as internal territorial waters. Its only about 100 miles, land to land from Mainland China to Taiwan. Do you think they have a case? BTW, who said the Taiwan Strait is international waters? America. For the Chinese Taiwan is to them, what Tasmania is to us, and we agree.

"The Chinese claim the Taiwan Strait as internal territorial waters."

And you always believe whatever the CCP tells you, don't you Paul? Tell us again how unbiased you are.

"BTW, who said the Taiwan Strait is international waters?"

International law. And we should always adhere to the law, shouldn't we Paul? Except when its detrimental to the totalitarians.

mhaze,

Making up another lie about me; "And you always believe whatever the CCP tells you, don't you Paul?" Your rhetorical question is a lie. I would like to see the Taiwan Strait as a demilitarised waterway, free to commercial shipping, off limits to all military ships. Bass Strait, English Channel and all other "enclosed" waterways, that should apply to as well. Do you agree? When was this, and by whom was this, made "international law".

Again another lie; Claiming that I in someway support totalitarianism; "And we should always adhere to the law, shouldn't we Paul? Except when its detrimental to the totalitarians."

YOU being a devote Trumpster, having indicated that before, I should ask that of YOU.

"Making up another lie about me; "And you always believe whatever the CCP tells you, don't you Paul?""

Not a lie....just an observation.

" by whom was this, made "international law"."

Well its been around for centuries but was updated and endorsed by the UN in the 1950s. You agree that the UN should be making such rules, don't you Paul?

The rule is that a nation's internal waters extend 12 nautical miles from the coast ie approx 20 kms. This includes islands. So, while some of the English channel is international waters its impossible to traverse it without entering either British or French territorial waters at some point. OTOH it is possible to traverse, with some difficulty, the Bass Strait and remain outside Australia's internal waters, so if the Chinese wanted to sail a warship through there, then they are perfectly at liberty to do so, just as they have been able to station vessels off our coast to view naval exercises.

But its really quite simple to sail the Taiwanese Straits and remain entirely outside anyone's territorial waters and wholly within international waters. Now I get that for people like you, the CCP merely declaring that they own those waters is proof enough, but the rest of the world isn't required to adhere to that imperialism.

Tell me, do you think China should stay out of The Philippines territorial waters, or is that OK in your view?

mhaze,

I am fully in agreement with the 'United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea', although some countries still do not recognise it, China was one of the first signatories, the US has NOT ratified the convention. I assume they want to exercise their bully boy ways with their oversized bloated navy, all around the World. Your claim that I am pro China on this is fallacious, you stand corrected, ho hum. Although sailing Australian/US/British/Ethiopian etc etc, warships through the Taiwan Strait may be technically correct, as would Chinese warships and for that matter Ethiopian, sailing through Bass Strait be technically correct, and if a country that still recognises a 3 mile territorial limit through the English Channel. I would say such action is provocative, and could result in war, its imperialist sabre rattling. To your folk hero The Mad Monk Abbott, it would be an act of shirt fronting!

BTW mhaze; Why are you, a devote Trumpster, supporting the UN, are they not a bunch of radical communists? Are you now a radical communist?