Image copyright Weibo Image caption The video was posted by China’s Jiaolong, or Cloud Blue, League
China has posted a military propaganda video apparently aimed at US forces.
On YouTube, it says: “Protecting world peace and international security requires safeguarding the freedom of navigation and overflight” and “China’s military is always alert.”
The clip is called “Champion of the Spirit”, and features uniformed troops. It also shows massive buildings.
In the clip, actors portraying US leaders say their soldiers will “end war wherever it starts”, suggesting the video, posted by the Chinese Army’s mouthpiece, is a response to a US attack.
And it includes slogans such as “ocean is China’s sea” and “separate the island masses from the mainland” – a clear reference to US troop buildup in the South China Sea.
‘Laughable message’
In a statement posted by the US’ official military blog, “Pacific Air Forces” (PAF), last week, the US military acknowledged that its strategic bomber carrier USS Nimitz had made an unplanned call to the Vietnamese port of Cam Ranh Bay on 17 February.
The USS Nimitz was one of a number of American aircraft carriers, on a “freedom of navigation” mission to sail near the artificial islands built up by China in the South China Sea.
Some observers believe the “Balm in Gilead” mission was a bid to send a message to China, but US officials deny this.
The naval commander in chief and US President Donald Trump, according to reports, were very angry about the call.
And the Washington Post reports that just two days after the Nimitz visit, President Trump used his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to put pressure on China to act, when it comes to the South China Sea.
“So, I’m sure they’re proud that that was not a call they wanted to receive,” an official at the Pentagon is quoted as saying of the Nimitz visit.
“But it’s very symbolic of the kinds of things that China needs to do if it’s serious about bringing peace and stability to the South China Sea.”
For Chinese state media and the military, it’s more a case of responding to what the US has done – a sign of mounting anger at what Chinese officials see as US meddling in what should be an entirely Chinese affair.
“This narrative basically says the US cannot ignore international law and as such has a moral right to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs,” James Charney, Professor of International Relations at Tufts University, tells BBC News.
Weibo is often a way for China’s military to try and protect or highlight its “greatest achievements”, Dr Charney explains.
He also says the clip has been removed from YouTube because it could be interpreted as inciting anti-American sentiment.
China has suspended a satellite system it had planned with the US that was designed to help secure GPS signals to prevent it being used for spying.
