Neither China, that is to say the government of the PRC, nor the Chinese people respect the Philippines and Filipinos. Why should they? The Philippines is not only militarily weak but the current administration thinks showcasing this weakness is a sign of strength. This display is manifested most strongly in Duterte's unwillingness to enforce the arbitral ruling in favor of a supposed friendship. During the recent SONA he literally admitted that he is "inutile" when it comes to the issue of the SCS.
“Now, plenty of critics, both sides, claim about nothing has been done to retake forcefully or physically the South China Sea. Alam mo (You know), unless we are prepared to go to war, I would suggest that you better just call off and treat it as a diplomatic endeavor,” he said.
Duterte reiterated that the Philippines is claiming certain areas in the sea but China is in possession of the disputed waters.
“China is claiming it. We are claiming it. China has the arms, we do not have it. So? It’s simple as that… China is in possession. So what can we do?” he said.
“We have to go to war and I cannot afford it. Maybe some other president can but I cannot. Inutil ako diyan, sabihin ko sa inyo. And I’m willing to admit it: Talagang inutil ako diyan. Wala akong magawa (I’m useless, I tell you, and I’m willing to admit it: I’m really useless in that part. I cannot do anything),” he added.
Shortly after this Duterte banned the Philippine navy from participating in maritime drills in the SCS with the USA and Australia. Flag Officer-in-Command Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo justified this action citing an agreement signed in 2002.
"Conducting naval exercises in a contested area may complicate and escalate the dispute. The countries conducting exercises in that area – (the) US, Australia, and Japan – are not signatories to the 2002 DOC, hence, are not legally and politically bound to the agreement," Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said in a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) when asked whether naval exercises are barred in disputed parts of the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Citing Section 5 of the 2002 DOC of Parties in the South China Sea, Bacordo said self-restraint is of paramount importance in the issue.
"One guiding principle that we want to champion is adherence to the rule of law. That, I believe, is the same principle we put forward in our arguments during the arbitration hearing," he added.
Section 5 states, "The Parties undertake to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability including, among others, refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays, and other features and to handle their differences in a constructive manner."
Just from this brief article it is patently clear the China has been ignoring this agreement for some time. Probably since they signed it. Otherwise they would not be militarizing the SCS and harassing Philippine fishermen. If it is illegal for the Philippine navy to take part in drills in the SCS then why did they do it in
2015 with Japan? Why did they do it last year with the USA, Japan, and India?
In fresh show of naval force in the contested South China Sea, a U.S. guided missile destroyer conducted drills with a Japanese aircraft carrier, two Indian naval ships and a Philippine patrol vessel in the waterway claimed by China, the U.S. Navy said on Thursday.
Why all the mixed signals? It's because the Philippines has no strategic framework for the region. The have no idea what they are doing.
A top military official on Monday lamented the inadequate support of the government to Filipino trawlers fishing in the West Philippine Sea, noting that the country is losing billions-worth of resources in the area annually.
During a confirmation hearing by a panel of the Commission on Appointments (CA) on Monday, AFP Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. cited the lack of maritime or fishery policies that could back Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea.
To ensure protection and support for Filipino fishermen, the military official said the country’s Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard should be strengthened.
“By that, we are able to protect our fishermen, and then we support our fishermen, supplement them or subsidize them so that they will be able to harness the $79-billion worth of fish annually,” he said.
“That’s what we are missing in the West Philippine Sea because we don’t have a strategic framework to follow here,” he added.
All the while Duterte is trying to be friends with China so he can avail of their resources, China is laughing at him. Mocking him and the nation in fact. While Duterte barred the Philippine navy from participating in naval drills in the SCS and the Navy's top brass defended the move citing a 2002 agreement China responded with elation and by practicing their own drills!
The Chinese government has welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to ban the Philippine Navy from joining maritime drills of other navies in the South China Sea, a move that appeared to be in favor of Beijing’s claim of ownership of almost the entire area.
“We appreciate President Duterte’s remarks and stand ready to properly resolve maritime disputes with the Philippines through friendly consultations to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea and the entire region,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin was quoted as saying in a report by China Global Television Network website on Tuesday (Aug. 4).
He said that China’s position on the South China Sea issue has been “consistent and clear.”
“As has been proven, properly handling this issue is in the interest of both China and the Philippines and regional peace and stability,” Wang said.
https://globalnation.inquirer.net/190058/duterte-ban-on-ph-military-in-south-china-sea-drills-elates-china
China's postion has certainly been clear: the SCS and all geographical features in it belong to them. While China welcomed Duterte's barring of the navy from engaging in drills in the SCS, China decided to conduct their own drills!
Hainan Maritime Safety Administration announced that the waters southeast of Hainan island would be sealed off for an exercise running from Monday to Saturday.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will hold large-scale, live-fire exercises in the Yellow Sea from Saturday to Wednesday. The Chinese military predicted that the drills could feature anti-ship, air defense and anti-submarine exercises to prepare for possible military conflicts with the US.
China has stepped up the pace of its war games in recent weeks, after the US sent two aircraft carrier strike groups in the South China Sea twice last month.
Adding to the mockery China also accused the Philippines of encroaching on Chinese sovereignty for patrolling their own territory!
Beijing has accused the Philippines of infringing on its security and sovereignty by sending military aircraft over the West Philippine Sea, the portion of the South China Sea within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Li Jian issued this statement at a press briefing in response to Manila’s diplomatic protest over the Chinese Coast Guard allegedly confiscating Filipino fishermen’s fish aggregating devices in the area.
"China urges the Philippines to immediately stop illegal provocative activities," he said. “The Philippines infringes on China’s sovereignty and security by sending military aircraft into air space adjacent to Nansha islands and reefs garrisoned by China."
This was in response to the DFA filing a diplomatic protest over the Chinese coast guard messing with Philippine fishermen and the Philippines continually monitoring the area with spy planes.
It seems as if many people think there is only war or capitulation. That is a false dichotomy. Recently the USA blacklisted Chinese firms which were involved in reclamation projects in the SCS. DFA Secretary Losin urged Duterte to follow suit.
“I’m not sure that any of those listed companies are among those that we are directly dealing with…If I find that any of those companies are doing business with us, then I would strongly recommend we terminate that relationship with that company,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said in an interview over CNN Philippines.
“If they are in any way involved in the reclamation, then it becomes consistent on our part to terminate any contract with them,” he added.
Locsin, however, cautioned that these Chinese companies could sue the Philippine government should it pushes through with the termination of contracts that are already entered into.
“Of course, since the contact is already entered into, they could sue us back,” he noted.
Refusal on the Philippines part to stop any economic activities with China would send a message and is a proper course to take in lieu of a hot war. The Palace has rejected any such notion as what Locisn proposed.
President Rodrigo Duterte will not follow the lead of the United States government in terminating contracts with Chinese companies involved in Beijing’s reclamation activities in the highly-contested South China Sea, Malacañang said Tuesday.
The US government recently announced sanctions and restrictions on 24 state-owned firms of China as well as associated officials for taking part in building artificial islands in the disputed waters.
These firms include China Communications Construction Co. Ltd. which in a joint venture with Lucio Tan’s MacroAsia Corp., bagged the initial phase of the Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA) project in Cavite, a province south of Metro Manila.
Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla said he would seek Duterte’s guidance on whether or not to go ahead with the project.
But presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Sangley project, along with other projects involving Chinese firms will push through.
Lucio Tan, one of the richest men in the Philippines and a friend of Duterte, is partnered with a Chinese construction group to build an airport and this same company is assisting in reclamation projects in the SCS. What a tangled mess. How deep does the rabbit hole go? Is it any wonder that POGO workers disrespect Philippine laws and that drugs and illegal cigarets continue to be shipped from China? Is it any wonder that the Chinese do not respect Filipinos when they allow themselves to be walked all over?
No comments:
Post a Comment