South China Sea News & Discussions, incl Spratly Islands News

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ASSAIL said:
If the Chinese sovreignty claims are backed up with some scaled military activity/occupation, how is the US likely to respond, if at all?
What are the treaty arrangements between the US and her ex colony?
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I believed the US will respond in the same way but with caution, the mutual defense treaty arrangements with the Philippines is for either naton to support and defend each other in case of an armed attack but I'm not sure if the maritime disputes with China will be covered under this agreement ...
 
Sampanviking said:
Just out of interest, what other territorial disputes does the Philippines have with countries other than China? and what is the current status/level of antagonism with them?

Incidentally it would appear that the prospect of the US returning a physical presence is not being universally welcomed!

Anti-US protest held in Philippines|Photos|chinadaily.com.cn
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The Chinese news paper the Global Times which is reported to be a sim-official organ of the government has said in an op ad piece that “China must make the Philippines pay for its balancing act”. Exactly how it is going to that is the question? My personal opinion is this is not the way to win friends and influence people and that the Philippine people are not so easily bullied. China acts like the Philippines are inevitably within the course of things, helplessly in its sphere of influence, using the 16th century definition of that term. Once again just another example of its repeated type flossed international political thinking. Anyone who thinks that the Philippines will just fall in line does not know these people very well.

As far as Philippine nationalism is concerned I am not fully up to speed but I know for a fact that there is a large segment in the Philippines that is very pro-American and regret that it did not become a state within the Union. Always a minority it is true but still a political factor to consider.



Make Philippines pay for balancing act
 
Sampanviking said:
Just out of interest, what other territorial disputes does the Philippines have with countries other than China? and what is the current status/level of antagonism with them?

Incidentally it would appear that the prospect of the US returning a physical presence is not being universally welcomed!

Anti-US protest held in Philippines|Photos|chinadaily.com.cn
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Don't forget that the Spratley Is. are claimed by Vietnam as well! Given the testy relationship between them and China and the disputed claims, all our diplomats should be working on all the "wotifs"

Mind in neutral!........Left out Taiwan's claim to the largest of the Is.
 
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Still not sure whether this will go hot. I dont see what the chinese would really gain. It would just end in more US/Japan/NATO/etc involvment in the area.

But i have heard more and more aggressive views coming out of china. How they should "teach the little powers to fear the hand" or something like that was disapointing.

It would be better for everyone to just share the proffits equally. Hell and its not like china needs the money it would be a big pr move to act graciously to those nations around them.


ManilaBoy said:
Latest SCS News Articles ...

ASEAN is looking into the possibilities of joint development in the SCS among the 5 claimant nations , secretary general Dr. Pitsuwan told the World Economic Forum on East Asia here today while the maritime standoff around Scarborough Shoal continues ...

BERNAMA - Asean Studying Possibilities Of Joint Development In South China Sea, Says Surin

Philippines, China still miles apart on shoal issue - Yahoo! News Malaysia
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ManilaBoy said:
Latest SCS News Articles ...

China Asserts Interest in SCS as US Plans to Increase Military Presence in Asia-Pacific Region While the ASEAN Member Nations Plans to Approve the SCS Code of Conduct Soon ...

China Asserts Interests In South China Sea As US Plans To Increase Military Presence In Asia Pacific - International Business Times


Asean soon to approve South China sea code of conduct - Yahoo! News Singapore
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Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) defence ministers agreed yesterday that a code of conduct for the South China Sea will be approved soon as China, the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei resolve maritime issues.
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That will never happen...
 
Latest SCS News Articles ...

In what was deemed as a sign of progress after almost 2 months of standoff, 2 Chinese government vessels and another one from the Philippines have withdrawn from the Scarborough Shoal area while the US Defense secretary sends a message to China during a historic visit to Vietnam ...

Two Chinese govt ships, PHL vessel withdraw from Panatag Shoal | GMA News Online | The Go-To Site for Filipinos Everywhere

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/03/panetta-urges-for-more-us-naval-access-to-vietnam-harbor/
 
colay said:
If it came to any large scale conflict, there's really little doubt that China would prevail., it simply has an overwhelming military edge. Barring that however, a stronger defense posture by the smaller Davids on the block can still provide China reason for pause, actually bloody Goliath's nose and uphold national honor in defense of sovereignty.
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That might happen especially if the Philippines could somehow build an anti-access/area-denial capability like a stealth UCAV capable of launching Harpoons with the only human control would be deciding the targets or press programmed maneuvers. It will be easy to make since it doesn't have complex control systems, easy to maintain since it doesn't need pilot support systems, it would be reusable, cheap, deniable and it saves human lives.
Our country really need it to defend our interest. You might say I'm biased since I'm a Filipino but for me, a large part of the Spratly Is. belong to us based on "rights of discovery", proximity, economic needs and the EEZ set by the UNCLOS.
 
Andri F said:
That might happen especially if the Philippines could somehow build an anti-access/area-denial capability like a stealth UCAV capable of launching Harpoons with the only human control would be deciding the targets or press programmed maneuvers.
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Yes but where is the cash coming from and who is going to develop the techology to manufacture this 'stealth' UCAV? No offence, but why talk about a anti-access/area-denial capability with stealth UCAVs capable of launching Harpoons when the PAF doesn't even have modern ground based radars to monitor the Philippines airspace?

Andri F said:
but for me, a large part of the Spratly Is. belong to us based on "rights of discovery", proximity, economic needs and the EEZ set by the UNCLOS.
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The problem is, other claimants can also use similar reasons to back their claims. Malaysia for instance, backs its claims on the principle that the 5 islands/reefs it occupies are within its continental shelf. And China, as we are all aware, claims historical reasons. And all the claimants have 'economic needs, not just the Philippines.
 
This is yet another blatant "nationalistic" whipping dog for the CPC. I live in China, have done for a few years now and every time we see this here, we know something internal is wrong.

How China can object to a couple of clapped out old USCGs is beyond me. I see it as bullying and nothing more than that. [Mod Edit: Countries are not people and I would like to refer you to rule 20, of the forum rules.]

I don't know if you hear this abroad but these days, foreigners are suffering Chinese xenophobia here in the "harmonious" PRC. there are, almost daily, mob scenes of foreigners being beaten....even a US consular/embassy employee!

This is China, and if they don't want the Philippines to have the rock, they'll stop at nothing to achieve this.[Mod Edit: This statement is factually wrong. Please read these two articles, here and here, before commenting further.]

This comes from my 8 years of living in China! [Mod Edit: Pick a better class of friends in China (not everybody there is irrational and sweeping generalizations reflect on you more than the country you comment on). If you still don't like it there, may I suggest that you consider a move to Manila?

You are not even on topic (other than general China bashing). There are problems in China and their policies but there is also a context. ]
 
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STURM said:
Yes but where is the cash coming from and who is going to develop the techology to manufacture this 'stealth' UCAV? No offence, but why talk about a anti-access/area-denial capability with stealth UCAVs capable of launching Harpoons when the PAF doesn't even have modern ground based radars to monitor the Philippines airspace?



The problem is, other claimants can also use similar reasons to back their claims. Malaysia for instance, backs its claims on the principle that the 5 islands/reefs it occupies are within its continental shelf. And China, as we are all aware, claims historical reasons. And all the claimants have 'economic needs, not just the Philippines.
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Just a thought. And I didn't say we have to build it today. Besides, we could probably ask for help. As for the radar, what's taking it so long? 2012 might end and still the military will never get their radars.
 
ManilaBoy said:
Latest SCS News Articles ...
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The US has told the Philippines and China to Settle their territorial dispute around Scarborough Shoal while Beijing plans to test a $1 Billion rig in the troubled waters ...

Scarborough is essentially lost. The day our president sent the del Pilar is the day we lost it. We are seen as the aggressor because we sent a "warship".
 
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