Category: Foreign Affairs

U.S., China agree to avoid unintended war

Published by Ellen on October 21, 2015

Obama-Xi in Apec 2014. It was the day after the APEC Leaders summit that Obama and Xi agreed on the landmark agreement. Photo from http www.asianews.it

Behind the provocative rhetoric by American and Chinese officials over the plan of the United States to test freedom of navigation in the South China Sea after China has reclaimed some 2,900 acres of land in the disputed waters, there are efforts by both countries to avoid war.

Especially hostilities breaking out over unintentional incidents as tension increase in the area claimed by China, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

The desire to avoid unintended hostilities is carried out in an agreement on between the United States and China militaries.

The accord was agreed by American President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 12 last year after the summit of Asia Pacific Economic Leaders Cooperation meeting in Beijing.

U.S. provokes China, PH applauds

Published by Ellen on October 15, 2015

The USS Kidd sailing off to Spratlys. Photo from The Diplomat.

The Navy Times, the official publication of the United States Navy, reported last week that “The Navy is preparing to send a surface ship inside the 12-nautical-mile territorial limit China claims for its man-made island chain.”

It said that the operation “could take place within days but awaits final approval from the Obama administration.”
It didn’t say which of the eight islands that China occupies in the disputed waters of the South China Sea the U.S. Navy is testing the 12-nautical mile limit to underscore freedom of navigation in the disputed waters.

Update:A Chinese military official warned that that the People’s Liberation Army would deliver a “head-on blow” to any foreign forces “violating” China’s sovereignty. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/940258b2-7340-11e5-a129-3fcc4f641d98.html#axzz3ogWqjSe6

It is important to know where the U.S. ship would be going because of the eight features that China occupies and have expanded into islands, four are rocks and are entitled to 12 nautical mile territorial sea. They are Fiery Cross, Johnson Reef, Cuarteron Reef and Scarborough Shoal just off Zambales.

Is there something more in Lim’s ‘China election sabotage expose’?

Published by Ellen on September 23, 2015

Comelec Commissioiner Christian Robert Lim

I really hope that Election Commissioner Christian Robert Lim’s allegation that China is out to sabotage the 2016 elections is just a burst of irresponsibility that has been in abundance in this administration.

What is more worrisome is if the sinister scenario that Lim raised is a camouflage for an operation just like what the operators of Gloria Arroyo did in the 2004 elections to ensure her “winning” the presidency against Fernando Poe, Jr.

Lim was one of the lawyers of the 2010 Aquino-Roxas team and it is well known that Mar Roxas, the Liberal Party’s presidential candidates in the 2016 elections, pushed for his appointment in the Commission on Elections.

At the budget hearing for the Comelec last week at the House of Representatives, Lim revealed they “have received intelligence reports that there may be an attempt to sabotage the elections by China… I feel personally that the biggest threat to the 2016 elections is China.”

‘War never an option’:Chinese officials

Published by Ellen on September 17, 2015

A ceremony is held before a Chinese naval fleet sets sail from a port in Sanya city of China's southernmost island province of Hainan on Dec. 26, 2008. — A ceremony is held before a Chinese naval fleet sets sail from a port in Sanya city of China’s southernmost island province of Hainan on Dec. 26, 2008.

Despite the fact that relations between China and the Philippines are bad, Chinese officials said “war is never an option” for China in resolving the territorial conflict in the South China Sea.

It is not in China’s interest to have an unstable South China Sea, said Tang Qi Fang of China Institute of International Studies based Beijing.

In a talk with members of Philippine media invited by China’s Foreign Ministry to mark the 40th year of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and China, Tang said if armed confrontation breaks out in the South China Sea, the loser will not be the Unites States. Not even the Philippines.

“It’s China,” Tang said adding that it’s because they have a lot of activities in the area.

‘Our hearts are connected’- Sulu king heir on PH-China relations

Published by Ellen on September 16, 2015

Portrait of Sulu East King Paduka Pahala

About two hours from Beijing by bullet train is the city of Dezhou in the province of Shandong.

In Dezhou, there’s Chinese-Muslim village, many of whose inhabitants trace their roots to the Sultan of Sulu.

They have concrete proof of that connection: the tomb of the 13th century Sultan of Sulu Paduka Pahala at the Decheng district of Dezhou.

The only mausoleum of a “foreign king” in China, it is the only burial place with a village in charge of guarding it.

Aquino has learned lesson when to keep his mouth shut on China

Published by Ellen on July 30, 2015

Pres.Aquino delivering his sixth and last State-of-the-Nation address.

It can’t be said that President Aquino has not learned anything in the last five years of his presidency.

We would like to think that his not mentioning the issue with China over territorial claims in South China Sea in his 6th and last State of the Nation address is an indication that he has learned from his mistakes of making unnecessary insulting comments that do not help at all advance national interest.

Maybe his not feeling well last Monday did not give him the opportunity to adlib. Or he would have repeated his favorite historical story of Sudetenland and once again compared China to Nazi Germany. Just what he did in his interview with New York Times before and early this year in his press conference in Japan.

‘It’s legal to conduct military activities in EEZs of other countries’ -Commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet

Published by Ellen on July 19, 2015

The commander of United States Pacific Fleet said it is the stand of the United States that international law allows them to conduct military activities in the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zones of other countries.

Admiral Scott Harbison Swift , who was in the country last week as part of his familiarization tour having assumed the command last May 27, said “The common view of UNCLOS is that it allows military operations within the EEZ’s of many countries.”

He declared this U.S. position in an interview with a small group of reporters. Swift was asked about their view of freedom of navigation as China intensifies its activities in South China Sea like what was reported by CNN that the Chinese navy shooed away the U.S. surveillance plane over areas that China were reclaiming and constructing facilities in the disputed areas of South China Sea.

China’s Xi Jinping may boycott Manila APEC meet

Published by Ellen on July 12, 2015

President Aquino is welcomed by China's President, APEC 2014 in Beijing. — President Aquino is welcomed by China’s President, APEC 2014 in Beijing.

China’s President Xi Jinping may boycott the 2015 Leaders Meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to be held in Manila on Nov. 18 and 19, a diplomatic source said.

The source said the reason for Xi’s change of mind about attending this year’s APEC summit was the remarks of President Aquino last month during his visit to Japan comparing China’s activities in South China Sea to Nazi Germany’s expansionism which led to World War II.

“That remark really got the ire of Xi Jinping. Didn’t Aquino think that by comparing Nazi Germany to China today, he was in effect saying Xi is like Hitler? “ the source said.

Unable to defend The Hague junket, Lacierda turns catty

Published by Ellen on July 9, 2015

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda was being catty when he dismissed as “KSP” lawyer Harry Roque’s criticism of the huge Philippine delegation to the hearing of the U.N. Arbitral Tribunal of the case filed by the Philippines against China in The Hague, Netherlands.

Roque raised a valid issue.

He said: “With only three oralists scheduled to make submissions before the Tribunal, why is it that we have a delegation of at least 35? I say at least because the number does not include our foreign counsels and their staff. I believe the correct number of our delegation should be at least 50. That’s 50 business class tickets and 50 de luxe rooms at five-star hotels in very expensive The Hague!”

Lacierda did not refute Roque’s numbers so I suppose the latter’s information was correct. From news reports from The Hague I have only the following names:

Taiwan’s take on PH suit vs China

Published by Ellen on July 8, 2015

Itu Aba, the biggest feature in Spratlys. Occupied by Taiwan.

The Republic of China (ROC) or Taiwan has its issue with mainland China (PROC-People’s Republic of China) but in matters of ownership of almost the whole of South China Sea, they have the same line.

In the statement released by Taiwan Tuesday, it asserted that Nansha islands also known as Spratly Islands; Shisha (Paracel) islands, Chungsha Islands Macclesfield Bank) and Tungsha (Pratas) Islands, as well as their surrounding waters, are an inherent part of ROC territory and waters.

“As the ROC enjoys all rights to these island groups and their surrounding waters in accordance with international law, the ROC government does not recognize any claim to sovereignty over, or occupation of, these areas by other countries, irrespective of the reasons put forward or methods used for such claim or occupation,” the statement said.