Philippines says won't protest China actions in Spratly Islands

[gambit]

Smart move from the Phillipines. If you can't beat them, join them.

Submit. Resistance is futile. Easy to say from someone who lives on the other side of the world.

 

[Nefarious]

Submit. Resistance is futile. Easy to say from someone who lives on the other side of the world.

IMO I think it will work out better for them. They're working it out regarding access and fishing etc.

Look at the rest of the countries in this dispute, they are soon to be left behind whereas Phillipines will be moving forward.

No amount of tribunals and condemnations will budge Chinese so they can either sulk and wave papers around or get what they can like Phillipines.

 

[gambit]

IMO I think it will work out better for them. They're working it out regarding access and fishing etc.

Look at the rest of the countries in this dispute, they are soon to be left behind whereas Phillipines will be moving forward.

No amount of tribunals and condemnations will budge Chinese so they can either sulk and wave papers around or get what they can like Phillipines.

China will do nothing for the Philippines.

Geopolitics is about geography influencing local politics. Once the Soviet Union collapsed, the Philippines ceased to be geopolitically significant. The island nation is too far from mainland Asia. For the US, Viet Nam is far more valuable.

China is too powerful for the Philippines for the Philippines to even try to arrest China's claim to the entirety of the SCS, so what else can Duterte do but to publicly submit to China ? But the problem for Duterte here is that China do not need the Philippines to control the SCS. China can slip the Philippines some aid here and there, but nothing comparable to the US. If we leave the Philippines, so will China, and everyone doubt that Duterte have the intellect to run the Philippines effectively.

 

[Nefarious]

China will do nothing for the Philippines.

Geopolitics is about geography influencing local politics. Once the Soviet Union collapsed, the Philippines ceased to be geopolitically significant. The island nation is too far from mainland Asia. For the US, Viet Nam is far more valuable.

China is too powerful for the Philippines for the Philippines to even try to arrest China's claim to the entirety of the SCS, so what else can Duterte do but to publicly submit to China ? But the problem for Duterte here is that China do not need the Philippines to control the SCS. China can slip the Philippines some aid here and there, but nothing comparable to the US. If we leave the Philippines, so will China, and everyone doubt that Duterte have the intellect to run the Philippines effectively.

Let's see how much pie Duerte gets for Phillipines only time will tell. For now, China having them reliquish any rights is a massive plus. It also looks like U.S is still playing it cool regarding relations with Phillipines right now.

 

[Viet]

Smart move from the Phillipines. If you can't beat them, join them.

The Philippines have no military power. They can't do anything. But I regret they even don't bother to protest.

 

[samsara]

I even wonder whether the US spying operation was done with the PHI gov's prior knowledge and permit or not. In nowhere I read that the PHI gov knew about this operation.

I believe that the PHI gov did not have the idea about the true nature of this drone operation, that's why they kept silent.

 

[Zsari]

China will do nothing for the Philippines.

Geopolitics is about geography influencing local politics. Once the Soviet Union collapsed, the Philippines ceased to be geopolitically significant. The island nation is too far from mainland Asia. For the US, Viet Nam is far more valuable.

China is too powerful for the Philippines for the Philippines to even try to arrest China's claim to the entirety of the SCS, so what else can Duterte do but to publicly submit to China ? But the problem for Duterte here is that China do not need the Philippines to control the SCS. China can slip the Philippines some aid here and there, but nothing comparable to the US. If we leave the Philippines, so will China, and everyone doubt that Duterte have the intellect to run the Philippines effectively.

Even before the Spanish, Luzon was a major trade hub for the Chinese with significant presence there. Matter fact, the local resistance to Spanish conquest was largely funded by Chinese merchants there. So no, Chinese relation with Philippine is historic and would not be tied to US relation with Philippine. Furthermore, the island location is more strategically important than Vietnam whose locked in by the South China Sea. After all, it is the access to Pacific that the US is most concerned about.

 

[gambit]

After all, it is the access to Pacific that the US is most concerned about.

Show us where China cannot go around the Philippines to get to the Pacific Ocean.

 

[Zsari]

Show us where China cannot go around the Philippines to get to the Pacific Ocean.

You never heard of the first island chain? Philippine is part of that chain, and once broken would make any lost in the SCS secondary.

 

[gambit]

You never heard of the first island chain? Philippine is part of that chain, and once broken would make any lost in the SCS secondary.

RECOGNIZED -- which part of that is beyond your ken ?

To 'recognize' something is to acknowledge some level of ownership, or authority, or control.

Am looking at the map and the Philippines are out of the way of China's access to the Pacific. If you want to claim the Philippines as Chinese territory, have the balls to say so publicly.

 

[TaiShang]

I even wonder whether the US spying operation was done with the PHI gov's prior knowledge and permit or not. In nowhere I read that the PHI gov knew about this operation.

I believe that the PHI gov did not have the idea about the true nature of this drone operation, that's why they kept silent.

They said they were not informed about US spying activities near their waters.

It is no wonder that PH government doesn't trust the US. Obviously, US simply wanted to abuse the PH as a logger head.

 

[Zsari]

RECOGNIZED -- which part of that is beyond your ken ?

To 'recognize' something is to acknowledge some level of ownership, or authority, or control.

Am looking at the map and the Philippines are out of the way of China's access to the Pacific. If you want to claim the Philippines as Chinese territory, have the balls to say so publicly.

What are you talking about. Just rent a base in Philippines on it's east coast and Chinese navy will have direct access to the Pacific.

 

[gambit]

Let's see how much pie Duerte gets for Phillipines only time will tell. For now, China having them reliquish any rights is a massive plus. It also looks like U.S is still playing it cool regarding relations with Phillipines right now.

China will need to do something like this...

https://www.usaid.gov/philippines

In other words, China will need to establish a formal Philippines aid policy that requires annual budget and manpower allocations. Such a move would convince Duterte that China will have Filipino interests in the long term and we are talking about matching US decades long duration of aid to the Philippines. China can certainly do spot aid, like the recent humanitarian aid or $14 millions small arms package to fight the drug cartels on the islands, but these are isolated events, sort of 'give a man a fish' kind, and not really 'teach him how to fish'. USAID programs are about assisting a country in more fundamental ways.

 

[ahojunk]

Very briefly, giving aid results in a recipient country becoming dependent.

A better way to help is via investment, it results in a win-win situation.


http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123758895999200083

https://www.amazon.ca/Dead-Aid-Working-Better-Africa/dp/0374139563

 

[cnleio]

Make deal with China under the table ... Philippines smart.