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China starts "combat ready" patrols in disputed seas

It is not my opinion that the US will abrogate the treaty, but since the shoal's sovereignty is disputed and since we have not ratified UNCLOS there really is no basis for our country to recognize any country's claim to the shoal. However, when we had bases in the Philippines, the USN in conjuction with the Philippine military used those rocks as target practice. Whether that signifies implicit recognition of sovereignty is up to debate.

Granted the US doesn't have the strongest legal standing to recognize the Philippine's claims (though I should note that the US does agree to the tenets of UNCLOS when it comes to territorial and eez limits), but the basis for a US intervention in this scenario wouldn't be a recognition of the Philippine's claims, but the recognition that an unprovoked hostile attack occured on Filipino navy vessels somewhere in the Pacific (which are the terms for intervention).

Since the potential conflict involves a huge nation that has the capacity to resist and fight back, the consequences to the world economy and stability is simply too great to risk for a few uninhabitable rocks. If the situation involved conflict over the Philippine mainland, or the all out destruction of their military, then I am of the opinion that we are obligated to help militarily.
Of course, but dealing with these issues is a 2 way street. It is also the responsibility of China to uphold the stability of the region. Much like the US should be cautious in escalation, China should be equally cautious, as the US isn't the Philippines, but as you described an equally huge nation that has the capacity to resist, fight back, and win. If the US decided to escort the Filipino naval vessels escorting the Filipino fishing vessels to the shoal once or twice, it would be a relatively low risk move that proves a point and essentially leaves the end result in China's hands, war or peace. Relatively low risk while towing the line.

I suppose what I am trying to say is, the Filipinoes do not appreciate the gravity of what they are asking. They think we should shoot it out or intimidate the Chinese over this while they watch in the sidelines. While I have no doubt we have the capacity to defeat PLAN and PLAAF, my fear is a shooting war over some neglected rocks will lead to a much larger conflict (which I also strongly believe we will prevail) that would cost lives on all sides, and for what, a bunch of semi submerge rocks that no one in our country except for a few knew existed.

I certainly hope Filipinos don't believe we'd go in head first guns blazing, because they'd be sorely disappointed.

That said a reaction would be required under the auspices of the MDT.

Unfortunately the issue has been made bigger than simply a few submerged rocks, it is also an issue of US potency in Asia and an issue of the potency of international law, and to China and the Philippines an issue of pride, nationalism and sovereignty. The shoal themselves and their resources are actually a very marginal part of it to the government's involved except in regards to it being a piece of what both sides consider their sovereign territory.

All of Asia will note the reaction of the US and take it into account in their future dealings.
 
In Taiwan, almost all Pinoys are either servants or day laborers. We can just make the assumption and we would be correct 99 out of 100 times.

In Taiwan, Vietnamese women are mail order brides. I have a relative that has a Vietnamese mail order bride.

Chinese women went to over sea to mail order bride ? I think interrace marriage is exist every where in the wold.:enjoy:


Black_chinese_couple.jpg


In fact I was wonder about the report in CNN about that Human trafficking band in Taiwn cheated Taiwanese girls from Taiwan to Australia to do prostitution.
 
China row reason for Charter change, says Enrile

Bigger military spending

To prepare, the government should spend more for the modernization of the military, which means it may have to review the priority given to education in the Constitution.
Enrile hinted at the need for Congress to make that review.
“If you insist on a bigger budget for education and [we are threatened by war], what will you do, limit yourself to what the Constitution says?” he said. “That’s stupidity.”
“Let us make a Constitution that is flexible,” Enrile said. “Leave it to the representatives of the people to decide what are the priorities at any given time.”
The government has asked China to take their dispute over Scarborough Shoal to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos), but China has refused, insisting on its policy of dealing one on one with its territorial rivals in the West Philippine Sea.
The two countries have yet to resume talks to resolve their dispute over Scarborough Shoal.
Tasked with resuming contact with Beijing is the Philippines’ new ambassador to China, Sonia Brady.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario on Sunday said that Brady, 70, had been given orders to “continue the consultations in pursuit of a peaceful resolution” of the dispute over Scarborough Shoal. With a report from Jerry E. Esplanada
Originally posted: 10:07 pm | Sunday, July 1st, 2012

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/42...h-weaknesses-in-view-of-row-with-china-enrile
 
In the era of Sun Tzu was born, surely there were no such concept of "China" :whistle:
The name 'China' originated from the chinese word "Qin" or "Chin", which was the 1st imperial dynasty (empire) that ruled China from 221 to 206 BC. Sun Tzu was born in a country that was later taken over by "Qin", so any Sun Tzu's saying mentioning the word "China" is obviously fake :woot:

You should be worrying more about mother china.. than about phillipines or usa.

Sun Tzu said, "Learn from history .... or China will be history".

At the very least ... you should pray that China dies like USSR ... and not like "West Germany" & "East Germany".

Atleast you owe that much patriotism to .. mother china. Long live mother china.

Go.. pray. For that's the only hope.
 
‘Spratlys cop’ role for US—DFA

American spy planes to boost Philippine defense
By Christian V. Esguerra, Tina G. Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
12:10 am | Wednesday, July 4th, 2012

Let the United States police the disputed waters of Scarborough Shoal and keep the peace.
Thus, President Benigno Aquino’s plan to ask the United States to deploy spy planes over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) should not be seen as an escalation of tensions between the Philippines and China, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday.
“As a treaty ally, the US has been assisting us in developing a minimum credible defense posture and that includes maritime domain awareness and surveillance reconnaissance as well as intelligence gathering,” DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez told reporters.
He said the flybys would only be for surveillance and monitoring.
“We are just monitoring what is happening in our areas, in our territories,” Hernandez said, stressing that these activities were a sovereign prerogative. He said he had no further details on Mr. Aquino’s plan.
Senator Gregorio Honasan on Tuesday welcomed the President’s move and even suggested that the United States could redeploy to Scarborough Shoal some of its units currently in Mindanao under the Visiting Forces Agreement.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/42787/‘spratlys-cop’-role-for-us—

Philippines moves to claim, secure Benham Rise

By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
4:13 am | Wednesday, July 4th, 2012

After getting the nod of the United Nations on its claim to Benham Rise, the Philippines has moved in on the submerged landmass believed to be rich in natural gas and minerals off eastern Luzon.
Benham Rise is found in one of the country’s “unexploited” fishing grounds, according to Assistant Director Gil Adora of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). His agency is currently assessing the area’s marine resources.
Adora said commercial fishermen from China and Taiwan had been entering the eastern seaboard of Luzon over the past years. Their ships are more advanced and well-equipped to handle the strong waves there, he said.
“Taiwan is exploiting it right now,” he added.

In April, the agency implementing the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) informed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) that Benham Rise is part of the Philippines’ continental shelf and territory.
The Unclos, concluded in 1982, defines the rights and responsibilities of nations in their use of the world’s oceans.
Rich in blue fin tuna
Also known as Benham Plateau, the massive formation of basalt, a common volcanic rock, has been described in studies as a thickened portion of the Philippine sea plate’s oceanic crust.
According to the DENR, the plateau is rich in natural gas and manganese nodules. The waters of the 13-million-hectare continental shelf off the coast of Aurora province is rich in blue fin tuna, Adora said.
The BFAR official explained that the Pacific blue fin usually found in the colder waters of the northern Pacific has thrived in the seas east of Luzon, which are colder than the other tuna fishing grounds of Filipino fishermen.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/42831/philippines-moves-to-claim-secure-benham-rise
 
ONLY IF Philippines had power, that whatever she declared were correct :woot:
As one of the Hongkongers, we have already been surprised by the 'strength' of Philippinal police; how their 'diligence' and 'determined' actions saved many Hong Kong tourists' invaluable lives :hitwall:

What China is doing is totally baseless

PH Navy has to be come stronger and includes the air force
PH should buy and built there own navy ships (which they are doing)
the world is with PH in this agenda , every body know PH is right and China is wrong

i fully support PH, but PH should avoid the USA , i want to see PH to take more responsibility and make face to face to China

DONT SCREW with PHILIPPINES they may be weak but if they bit you then there is the problem

Philippines is better then China in many ways
 
China's foriegn policy is seriously lacking. China;s diplomacy sucks. Keep it up. At this rate, all of Asia will punish CHina and teach her a lesson.

Yes an Indian wet dream, what have you been smoking?
 
i happen to know of a lot of chinese mail order brides in australia and other western countries...

so your really not one to talk about philippine mail order brides

you happen to believe in bs these mail order brides use philipines or vietnamese as chinese
 
So you brag about the size of your dick with your mommy around too? Must be so proud of her little boy having a big dick huh. Sorry it ain't working if you are trying to insult Asian men LOL, rather pathetic.
Only a Vietnamese troll would thank you for the so called insult he didn't understand.

Well, he need to compensate for something by bragging online about his things. With Ron Jeremy's picture if you ask him for one.
 


my goodness, do you see the Vietnamese walked in water approaching Chinese occupied island in SCS?

those poor guys shot like targets in water.
Who was the navy boss to send them over?
it was rats attacking big cats.

that was a good video, do you have more to post? fun, fun, and fun,,,,
wish have new versions of video like that.
 
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WikiLeaks cable: Watch China's actions, not words

By Jojo Malig, ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 07/04/2012 10:47 PM | Updated as of 07/05/2012 1:20 AM

MANILA, Philippines - China's fire and brimstone rhetorics against other countries are aimed at pleasing its citizens and are not necessarily meant to threaten its neighbors, according a confidential US embassy memo published by anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks.

Cable 10BEIJING383, which was sent on February 12, 2010 by the US Embassy in Beijing to the US State Department, discussed complaints of foreign diplomats regarding China's "muscle-flexing, triumphalism, and assertiveness in its diplomacy."

The cable written by U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, Jr. said China was "making no friends" with its "pugnacious" and rude attitude toward British and French envoys during a summit between Chinese and European leaders.

The memo also mentioned the extreme patriotism in the form of aggressive foreign policy being espoused by Communist Party-affiliated tabloid, the Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao).

Huntsman, however, said that a Global Times senior official, whose name has been redacted in the WikiLeaks-published document, told a US embassy political officer that China and state media's attitude on foreign policy matters are "designed to play to Chinese public opinion" and do not reflect Beijing real intentions.

"[The Global Times] contact advised that foreign observers should not take Chinese rhetorical strutting too seriously, as 'actions speak louder than words,'" the US ambassador said.

"Watch China's actions, not words," Huntsman stressed in his memo.

"The Chinese government had a clear vision of China´s interests, [the Global Times senior media source] said, and it was most important to maintain a 'favorable foreign policy environment' for the government to pursue pressing economic and social development goals at home," he said.

"Quoting a Chinese phrase used to describe Deng Xiaoping´s strategy for mollifying ideological Communists with socialist rhetoric while pursuing capitalist economic reforms, [the Global Times senior media source] said we should expect China... to 'put on the left turn signal in order to turn right," he added.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, backed up by Chinese media led by the Global Times and the Communist Party's official newspaper, the People's Daily, have been waging a war of words with the Philippines and Vietnam over the territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea.

The latest vitriol from China involves a US offer to the Philippines on reconnaissance aircraft being deployed to the Spratlys and Scarborough.

The reconnaissance aircraft proposal being considered by Manila has triggered a slew of fiery comments from the Chinese media.

This has prompted Malacañang to issue a response to state-owned Chinese media.

“Can I say to the Chinese, ‘Xiao xin yi dian’ (Be a little careful). Be a little careful about your statements,” Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a press conference on Wednesday.

Playing up to local readers

While Chinese diplomats have been careful with their choice of words with regard to the Spratlys and Scarborough, Chinese state media companies have been espousing aggressive moves to end the dispute.

On Wednesday, the Global Times published an opinion piece stating that "the Philippines and Vietnam deserve to be punished" for insisting ownership of the Spratlys and Scarborough Shoal.

"If they go to extremes in their provocations against China, it is likely that they will finally be punished through means including military strikes," the newspaper said.

"However, China definitely will be very cautious in making such decisions," it added.

"The Philippines and Vietnam are obviously disturbing China. They are not part of China's international political ambitions, but China must not let their disturbance go unchecked," it said.

"The right policy might be to tell them our bottom line and avoid a war of words with them, but teach them an unforgettable lesson when it is time to hit back," said the opinion piece, which did not have a byline.

"The world has entered a stage in which small countries can make trouble for big powers. If these island disputes had happened in imperial times, they would have been handled in a much easier way. China may have many ways to teach the Philippines a lesson, but we must not easily use them," the opinion piece added.

"This does not mean China is showing weakness," it added.

A careful reading of the strongly-worded article may indicate that it is meant to be read by a nationalist local audience.

'To sell more newspapers'

The US embassy cable published by WikiLeaks mentioned a protected source at the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences who "was withering in her criticism of populist/nationalistic media that exaggerated China´s strength and influence in the world."

"Specifically citing the Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao, Chinese edition), she told PolOff [Political Office] February 3 that the media was 'deliberately misleading the public to sell more newspapers.' She said that the Global Times and similar publications were guilty of 'ultra-nationalism' and 'overstating Chinese capabilities,'" US Ambassador Huntsman said.

"The 'powerful China' theme, she said, was dangerous and wrong," he added. "These newspapers, and the people, need to sober up a bit and realize the reality of China's position."

"Simplistic nationalism in the press made it very hard for China to show the necessary flexibility and creativity in its foreign affairs," the cable said.

Another academic, whose identity was also withheld in the redacted cable, said the Global Times' "hawkish" editorial slant is "consistent with the demands of the readers and normal for a market-driven newspaper."

The Global Times senior official who talked to a US embassy political officer admitted that while the government and the Communist Party influenced what got reported in the Chinese media, his tabloid "must reflect public opinion to make money."
 
US offered surveillance planes to Philippines

by Jojo Malig, ABS-CBNnews.com
Posted at 07/04/2012 6:44 PM | Updated as of 07/04/2012 8:08 PM

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) - The United States -- and not the Philippines -- made the initial offer to deploy surveillance aircraft in the disputed waters of the West Philippine Sea.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin told reporters in January that Manila was considering the US proposal to deploy surveillance aircraft to the Philippines.

He explained that the move would strengthen the Philippines' ability to guard its vast territory, including the West Philippine Sea.

"There would be stability in the region, that we would have enough deterrent," Gazmin said. "Without a deterrent force, we can be easily pushed around, our territories will be violated. Now that we have a good neighbor on the block, we can no longer be bullied."

He said security talks have been ongoing between Manila and Washington over the plan, which includes the deployment of more US ships and aircraft in the region.

The talks, however, do not include new US military bases in the Philippines.

Adm. Samuel Locklear, the head of the US Pacific Command, specifically proposed the deployment of P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft in August 2011, according to Reuters.

This jibes with President Benigno Aquino's statement Monday that his administration is considering the deployment of the said airplanes amid the Philippines' ongoing territorial dispute with China.

"We might be requesting overflights on that," Aquino told Reuters, referring to U.S. P=3C Orion spy planes. "We don't have aircraft with those capabilities."
 
Filipino medias

Psst

Psst… US isn’t with Unclos


It’s been awkward—even comical—for the Aquino administration to be begging the United States for arms to defend our Scarborough Shoal claim, which it declared is based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos): the Americans aren’t with the convention.

The US—together with Israel and Turkey—is among 34 nations that have not ratified Unclos; they therefore officially do not recognize it. State Secretary Hillary Clinton in 2009 said the US Senate would ratify it soon. Three years later, it hasn’t even scheduled a vote on it.

The US’ rejection of Unclos—ratified by 162 nations including China and Russia—in fact unmasks American foreign policy’s basic guideline: “Might is right.” The US is the sole military global superpower now, its navy dwarfing that of Russia and China combined. Why would the US allow these 162 Unclos military weaklings tell what its all-powerful navy can and cannot do, where it can or cannot go?

Two Unclos provisions illustrate this point. Article 20: “In the territorial sea, submarines and other underwater vehicles are required to navigate on the surface and to show their flag.” Would American nuclear submarines, which routinely, secretly traverse Chinese and Russian waters want that? Article 88: “The high seas shall be reserved for peaceful purposes.” But international waters make up the base of US warships, from which it projects its military power globally.

President Aquino and his officials have been banging their fists on the table complaining to the world that China is refusing to have the dispute settled by the International Tribunal for Unclos.

They’re in for a surprise: The Philippines isn’t also with Unclos—when it comes to sovereignty disputes like that on Scarborough.

The Marcos government ratified Unclos in 1984. But it did not ratify the treaty in full, declaring that it doesn’t recognize Unclos on certain issues. Guess which?

On issues of sovereignty. Our country formally filed an eight-paragraph document when it ratified Unclos, which declared that nothing in the treaty would apply to its territorial claims. Its Paragraph 4 reads: “Such signing shall not in any manner impair or prejudice the sovereignty of the Philippines over any territory over which it exercises sovereign authority, such as the Kalayaan Islands, and the waters appurtenant thereto.”

In other words, we’ve declared that we do not recognize Unclos when it comes to our territorial disputes, such as that on Scarborough. The only body that can revise that restriction is the Philippine Senate.

And what were China’s qualifications when it ratified Unclos in 1996?

On issues of sovereignty. China in its own declaration said that it “reaffirms its sovereignty over all its archipelagos and islands as listed in article 2 of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the territorial sea and the contiguous zone, which was promulgated on 25 February 1992.” That law declared as part of China what it called the Zhongsha Islands, which included Huangyan (Panatag to us).

In other words, both the Philippines and China—in fact most of the countries which ratified Unclos—don’t recognize the treaty when it comes to determining territorial disputes.

Didn’t they bother check what Unclos tribunal does? Of the 19 cases brought to it since 1997, nearly all were about maritime disputes, i.e., commercial vessels in some tiff with a foreign government. The only case that remotely dealt with sovereignty was about Burma’s (Myanmar) and Bangladesh’s maritime boundaries at the Bay of Bengal between the two countries.

First, Mr. Aquino makes the colossal blunder of sending a warship against Chinese fishermen, thereby militarizing the dispute, even as the vessel embarrassingly turned tail after a few days as it ran out of supplies. Then he insists that the dispute be decided by a court which, however, can’t have jurisdiction over it. This President is making us the laughing stock of the world.

* * *

My two columns exposing the Aquino camp’s disgraceful operations of sending spurious letters to the editor have roused much reader interest, even fury. This is based on the fact that as monitored by this paper’s Web version, the column “Aquino camp faking letters to the editor” has been the most-read opinion piece (as of Wednesday) in the past 30 days, even beating columns on burning national issues. Moreover, over 7,000 readers bothered to refer these columns to others, either through e-mail or social media postings, among the highest such referrals ever monitored. Despite the uproar, Aquino’s black propaganda group—run reportedly by Secretary Ramon Carandang—continues to undertake this deceitful practice that it has surprisingly managed to still get their letters published. (I was told that there’s a P25,000 bonus for an operative who gets his fake letter published.)

Be on the lookout, dear reader. There are three first steps to spot these fakers. First, these letters don’t present logical analysis or facts but only asinine ad hominem arguments, bad-mouthing people who defy Mr. Aquino. While well-written, these letters brim with moralistic injunctions, frequently invoking the “People,” in the way fanatics in medieval ages mouthed “God.”

Second, Google their names or use people-search engines, and they don’t exist, the only result generated being the published spurious letters. And third, e-mail them. Aquino’s minions are so yellow to reply, or careful since technology can determine that they all use a single Internet Protocol address which, I’ll bet, are traceable to Malacañang.
 

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