by Tessa Jamandre
VERA Files
EVEN before the diplomatic tension created by the Aug. 23 hostage crisis has subsided, President Beningo Aquino III will have to deal with another strain on the country’s relationship with China: the dormant yet sensitive issue of the contested Spratly Islands.
The Spratlys dispute will be high on the agenda when Aquino meets his counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday in New York.
The ASEAN-U.S. Leaders Meeting is expected to tackle the territorial dispute in the context of maritime security under the broad agenda “Maintenance of Regional Stability.”
The meeting comes after the Armed Forces of the Philippines announced on Tuesday it was pushing through with the plan to develop Pag-asa Island, which is part of the Spratlys group, into a tourist spot.
AFP Spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta said major repairs are underway for the airstrip and the pier on the main island of Pag-Asa that needed “a lot of renovation due to poor maintenance, longstanding neglect and deterioration.”
Click here (VERA Files) for the rest of the story.
…i’d like to see more visitors like these… 🙂
MANILA, Philippines – Troops from the United States Navy’s 7th Fleet, on board the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, will conduct humanitarian projects together with the Philippine Navy during a four-day “goodwill visit” to the country.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20090811-219810/US-aircraft-carrier-docks-in-Manila-Bay
This is laughable when August 23, 2010 is not yet history.
NFA, August 23, 2010 is already history. September 22, 2010 na today. 😛
Don’t worry… Obama is attending ASEAN summit, there will be an aircraft carrier in the horizon (near Vietnam.)
For purely practical reasons, it is in the US interest to ensure that there’s no armed conflict over the Spratly. That is a vital choke point because the route leads to the to the Malacca Strait and the Sunda Strait, two lanes that are hugely vital to US navigation, both militarily and commercially.
If a conflict at sea breaks out in the Spratly, the passage to those straits could be be blocked and could very well impede US navigation. The Malacca, Sunda and Lombok Straits are the shortest routes from the Pacific to the Indian Oceans. If they are blocked, US ships will have to turn around Australia to reach the Gulf for example, adding days to the voyage and at huge cost.
This could be highly critical if, say, the US Navy must deploy to the Gulf in time of crisis.
Realpolitik: The US will not allow any nation, or at least will try very hard, to block those sea lanes of communication (SLOC).
Realpolitik: The US will not allow any nation — or at least will try very hard, NOT TO ALLOW ANY ONE NATION to block those sea lanes of communication (SLOC).
Of course, RP considerations are different, something to do with oil or minerals and I suppose China has the same considerations for wanting to control the Spratly, although, who knows, they might have other ambitious plans, more martial, but of course this is all just pure speculation on my part…
But China’s activities in the Spratly are betraying her real motives… I believe she has ambitions of controlling the Spratly because of her world power/supremacy dreams (pure and simple!) This can be gleaned by her pronouncement that they (China) regard the China Sea as part of their internal waters. Thus, the Spratly could very well be a “flash point” in the future.
The question is will the United States come to the aid of RP in case of a “conflict”? I don’t think so… I think America will react but will not fight for the Philippines.
America is likely put pressure on everyone to calm down, for the nation claimants to discuss the issue diplomatically but I don’t think they will be prepared to confront China in a “battle at sea” even if China becomes bellicose.
Thing to do is for small nation claimants to get international community on side; the pressure might just have an effect on China (although not sure even then.)
In any case, what the Philippines/Philippine Navy is doing is spot on… quite right to make the point, within RP’s EEZ after all, it’s a legitimate claim and besides, if we are to be flippant about it, possession is 9/10s of the law…:-)
This is when Pinoys should rally around the Philippine Navy… equipped with so little, they are still going out there to ensure the Fil flag is up and flying…
GO NAVY!!!
Spratlys runway improvement justified
by Victor Reyes
Malaya
THE military yesterday justified the reconstruction of the runway at Pagasa island, part of the disputed Spratly Islands, saying this is vital in performing administrative runs for its troops occupying the territory.
Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said the “repair and maintenance” of the runway is being undertaken by members of the Air Force. Most of the troops stationed in the island are from the Navy.
Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao was earlier reported as having informed the Department of Foreign Affairs that the military’s statement last week to inspect and rehabilitate facilities at Pagasa is not welcome.
Jianchao noted that both China and Philippines were still ironing out issues arising from the August 23 hostage-taking incident that left eight Hong Kong tourists and the hostage taker dead.
Arevalo said the repair work is necessary because of the presence of troops and personnel
The Air Force said repair work has not even begun.
Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Miguel Okol said the military also has plans to rehabilitate the quarters of the troops in the island.
Eduardo Batac, spokesman of the Department of National Defense, said Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and AFP chief Lt. Gen. Ricardo David might visit Pagasa island as a side trip to their visit to the AFP Western Command headquarters in Palawan. However, he could not say when the visit will take place.
After a quick victory against the fifth largest army, the us can pick another fight against the third largest army and destroy it and bring back economic power to the us.
Jianchao noted that both China and Philippines were still ironing out issues arising from the August 23 hostage-taking incident that left eight Hong Kong tourists and the hostage taker dead.
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Oops, does that incident have any bearing here? We apologized to them already, gave them first crack at the IRRC results, I believe we’ve balanced the emotional bank account with China already…now diplomacy is another matter…note to the future leaders of the country “sa susunod huwag nang palayasin ang US bases ha?”
We need some assistance re power generation, why not ask the US to help us become nuclear? power generation lang naman…hopefully that will bring down the cost of electricity and spur manufacturing and other industries…make the Philippines an alternative manufacturing zone, baka hindi na kailangan umalis pa sa bansa?
Ellen,
Why do they have to justify? Is it a question of budgeting that they are required to justify? Or are they asking China to approve the reconstruction plan?
Just do it is what I say. RP has to make a point. Those islands are within the country’s EEZ zone. The claim that they belong to RP is valid. It’s like repairing our own house if you really want to be technical about it.
Pinoys must rally around our forces now — they represent the little dignity we’ve got left. As Jug said, “I believe we’ve balanced the emotional bank account with China already”. The islands must be “secured” — if we fail to do it now, because we are being wishy washy, then would be Philippines’ fault.
I understand that it might create tension with China but heck, China will step up the pressure anyway, whether we do something or not, eg., repair the isntallations on Pagasa or not, so just go ahead and do it. Aquino or Gazmin must act decisively and order Navy “to deploy” there and repair the installations. Pinoys must rally around them.
One reason why China is stepping up the drumbeat is because they see Aquino as weak and weaker still on the public front.
Obviously, there are no assurances, but heck fixing PagAsa today won’t provoke a third world war (not yet anyway.)
I say to Volt Gazmin, just bloody do it… don’t wait!!!
This is the most stupid press release/declaration/statement I’ve read so far on the issue.
Putangina! Wishy washy! They should say “Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and AFP chief Lt. Gen. Ricardo David WILL visit Pagasa island !
Let the Chinese shit all over themselves — they will protest, will scream but let them. Besides, if they do scream, shit all over themselves or whatever, at least RP will know what they are bloody up to!!!
Question which is essential, Ellen!
Does RP have a foreign policy backbone with regard to this issue?
RP has highly qualified experts from the military who, I’m sure, have submitted strategic planning from a military perspective.. that is not an issue, issue is we have at the foreign policy making level at the DFA and in Malacanang, a rag-tag army of advisors who are not real think tankers in the real sense of the word. A a foreign policy backbone that is sorely needed to implement a military strategic plan.
Strategic planning touching on realpolitik should be devised by both foreign affairs/relations experts, national security advisers and military strategists. The president must be on top of the situation for that to happen though. If you have a president who does not have an idea of what direction the country should take in terms of so-called strategic planning, won’t work. Country merely becomes reactive and not proactive.
Other thing is if you have the likes of Chavit Singson as NCA chief or under-chief, how on earth can the nation’s think tankers come up with a resolute strategic plan? Impossible… the man has not an iota of credibility. If you come down to it, he might just sell state secrets to the Chinese to save his son in HK prison!!!
ellen,
is there a plan to rehabilitate the islands or not?
According to this report, DND official says he doesn’t know if there is such a plan.
Which is which?
http://networkedblogs.com/8aert
Is DND spokesman speaking from his backside or what?
anna,
why telegraph your punches?
the trick now, if Noynoy can pull it off, is for him to persuade the US to relocate or install military assets here…
jug,
will be a violation of RP constitution.
Jug,
why telegraph? better not say anything at all then — just shut up and go. batac is telegraphing an incredibly wishy washy note by saying maybe yes, well, I don’t know if and then another one saying they will…
the lousiest confuse the enemy tactic ever.
Is China flexing its muscle in east asia? China has been taking on Japan over a group of islands near okinawa and taiwan. They seem to want to control all the small islands because of the discovery of oil deposits in the area. Soon we will be part of that claim.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/201580/no-irregularities-in-bidding-for-attack-choppers-dnd
The planned purchase of the brand new helicopters for the Air Force was part of the Aquino administration’s military modernization program, according to Batac.
The state-of-the-art aircraft are equipped with twin engines, night vision capability and armored seats that protect its passengers from bullets from small firearms, he added
ngayon lang ako nakarining ng ganitong balita… sana matuloy na to..
the lousiest confuse the enemy tactic ever.
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i agree. they’re better off not saying anything at all and just do their work…
…i believe that our own worst enemy is ourselves, we’re easily scattered and easily baited to get at each other’s throats – making us very weak indeed…
…from the indoctrination of our youth in maoist principles (skillfully translated to tagalog and other dialects), to the leftists continously mouthing anti US slogans, our tendency to get easily misdirected – take for example the series of unfortunate events ie hostage crisis, jueteng, etc… we are easily led to condemn our leaders…
there are forces at work here, one that is staring us in the face is the temptation to denounce democracy by curtailing press freedom and to embrace the concept of an iron fisted leader…on the one hand, we are looking at issues now that divide us, discredit the leadership, and all these unseen, anonymous voices and hands at work instilling confusion…
…we don’t have leaders now who play golf with the asian super power…expect more incidents that will force the hand of our leaders to dance to their music or else…
“note to the future leaders of the country “sa susunod huwag nang palayasin ang US bases ha?”” – Jug
Nung lumayas ang mga Kano (U.S. Navy), they were supposed to leave the diesel submarine U.S.S. Grayback to the noypi government/noypi navy. America made an about face on this issue, reason: baka raw hindi na lulutang pag nag submerged sa dagat…wink 3x!
Small US bases are now inside noypi navy bases, that’s not classified information.
“We need some assistance re power generation, why not ask the US to help us become nuclear? power generation lang naman…hopefully that will bring down the cost of electricity and spur manufacturing and other industries…make the Philippines an alternative manufacturing zone, baka hindi na kailangan umalis pa sa bansa?” – Jug
There was a commenter here several months back, a genius and a disciple of Tesla; didn’t he said electricity is free?? Bakit hirap pa rin si Juan at Maria in their dark pillboxes?