Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced U.S. plans to gradually move the majority of its warships to Asia over the next several years. Panetta suggests the move will help the U.S. and China "...improve our communications and ...our (military-to-military) relationships." On the other hand, some Chinese officials are leery of the impending U.S. military buildup in Asia "...as an attempt to fence in the country and frustrate Beijing's territorial claims." In addition, approximately 90 percent of global trade travels by sea, so it is vitally important to safeguard and keep shipping lanes open in Asia. All this comes at a time when there are tensions in the South China Sea over competing claims by the Philippines and China over the Scarborough Shoal, a chain of reefs, rocks and small islands. This area of the South China Sea contains oil and gas and it is about 150 miles from the Philippines and more than 600 miles from Hainan Island, the nearest Chinese province. Nonetheless, China presently has about 30 boats in the area. For more information on these events take a look at the following links:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47655768/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/#.T8q4GRxvCLk
http://www.npr.org/2012/05/29/153921020/china-philippines-faceoff-over-remote-islands
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