China Is a Dangerous Friend: Argentina Should Let the Falklands Be British

Islanders celebrate after the annouce of the referendum's result in Port Stanley, Falkland (Malvinas for Argentina) Islands, on March 11, 2013. Falkland Islanders were to vote on the final day of a two-day referendum designed to make clear their staunch desire to remain British despite Argentina's sovereignty claims. Only three votes out of 1,517 were cast against the islands remaining British. Tony Chater/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

China and Argentina are picking at an old wound. They called Britain colonialist for supporting the 99.7 percent of Falkland Island residents who voted to stay British in 2013. Turnout for the referendum was over 90 percent. Britain has an earlier claim to the islands than Argentina, but that doesn’t really matter. What matters is that the overwhelming majority of 3,500 people who live in the Falklands today, including ethnically and culturally-diverse families, women, and children, want to remain part of Britain.