Noted: China has long expressed an interest in the Paracels, whose surrounding waters are thought to contain great oil wealth. But Beijing?s establishment of the oil rig — accompanied by a large naval presence to ward off an expected Vietnamese response — represents ?a fundamental change in policy,? according to Edward Friedman, a China expert at the University of Wisconsin. Once governed by Deng Xiaoping?s maxim that the country should ?keep its head down,? contemporary China has begun to pursue its interests forcefully. ?The Chinese believe that, after years of being too passive, it?s time they?ve stood up for themselves,? Friedman said.
Office of Strategic Communication