At this time, when the wound created by the Aug. 23 tragedy has not healed as shown by the rejection by Beijing three times of request of a meeting by President Aquino with either the Chinese premier or the president, the Philippines does not want to ruffle further Chinese feelings.
Just to regain China’s favor, the Philippines has joined the boycott tomorrow of the awarding ceremony for Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo in Oslo, Norway.
The bowing to the pressure of Beijing not to join in honoring the 54-year old Chinese freedom advocate by the Aquino government, which came into power promising change from the Arroyo administration that was notorious for impunity, brings to the fore the unenviable situation of the Philippine government in its relations with the growing superpower.
Back to Subi Reef which has long been occupied by Chinese troops. It lies only 26 kilometers southwest of Pag-asa that is part of Kalayaan town which the Philippines claims ownership. The Philippine and Vietnam both claim Subi Reef as part of their territory.
Written by VERA Files contributor Tessa Jamandre, the report said aerial shots taken in October by the Philippine Air Force on routine reconnaissance flights showed the 20-by-20-meter structure complemented by parabolic antennas and domes on the reef, which the Philippine government calls “Zamora.”
Jamandre saw the photos but for security reasons, she was not given copies.
We are aware that there were old structures built by the Chinese in Subi reef. We got other details about the new construction. In short, we were sure of our story about the lighthouse as a new structure.
We find the construction of the lighthouse significant because it shows that China, aside from claiming that the whole China Sea is theirs, is fortifying its claim not only with physical presence but in various creative ways.
Under international law, a lighthouse is a recognized base point from where a state can measure its maritime regimes, including territorial sea (12 nautical miles from the baseline), contiguous zone (24 nm), economic exclusive zone (200 nm), continental shelf (200 nm) and extended continental shelf (350nm).
When we were still verifying the information, we talked with a foreign affairs official who confirmed the recent activities of the Chinese in Subi reef. But, he said, they didn’t want to lodge a protest, not even a note verbale. “There’s no point in taking on China because we are no match to them,” he said.
Such a defeatist attitude is lamentable.
That’s why we are not at all surprised that Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said,”Maselan kasi ang paglalahad ng diplomatic protest, di maaring gawin lang yan. Nagmamasid at nagsusuri nang husto ang ating awtoridad hinggil sa bagay na yan.”
We are not sure if Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ricky Carandang was quoted correctly but his statement is a slight deviation from that of Coloma. He said the China’s building of a lighthouse in the area “fairly benign.”
He added, “”The structures weren’t built yesterday. We’re aware of them.We’ve (claimants) all agreed not to take any provocative action. There’s a code of conduct that we all want to adhere to.”
Carandang’s statement hems a little closely to that of the defense department spokesman Eduardo Batac.
Here’s Batac’s reply when asked about Vera Files’ report: “Well we are going to verify this but yung, apparently these are old structures so we are going to verify this just to be sure .”
Asked when was their last info that China had constructed a lighthouse on the reef, Batac replied, ”These structures were there before the Declarationof conduct of parties in the South China Sea in 2002 so lumang kwan lang to lumangstructures. But in the meantime, we are going to send reconnaissance flight there just to verify. Kasi October pa yung last na report.”
It is true that there were two or three structures on Subi reef even before 2002 but our information was that the lighthouse was a recent construction.
Anyway, I asked in Facebook what’s President Aquino going to do with the building by China of a lighthouse in an islet which the Philippines also claims and near Pag-asa Reef which is occupied by Filipino soldiers, the answers guessed exactly the Malacañang response:
Dennis Garcia: let me venture a guess: 1) issue a “reviseable” presidential order. 2) go with PNoy’s fave song “watch what happens.”
Ricky Marcelo Belgica :Aquino Government will do nothing, Marcos time even before his time, the Chinese was already occupying or monitoring this region.
Vincent R. Pozon suggestion should appeal to Malacañang: You thank them for the lighthouse.
Maybe, if President Aquino sends a ‘thank you note’ to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and President Hu Jintao, his request for a meeting will finally be granted.
just a little correction, oslo is not part of sweden but the capital city of norway. alfred nobel is swedish and all except of the nobel prices are given in stockholm but because of nobel’s belief on the peace loving norwegians he testamented them to be responsible in awarding the nobel peace price.
oops sorry, i mean all except one of the …..
Ellen,
Thing to do is to copycat China… Pinas should or must occupy other “unoccupied” reefs (like what I said in a previous thread) to try limit China’s expansion in the region, the earlier the better. Easy to send an LTV with structuring paraphernalia or if at all possible, leave LTV there just like what Navy did on Ayungin (I think it’s Ayungin).
I doubt China will fire on PN vessels patrolling Kalayaan area with a view to occupying an atoll — but of course they must exercise maximum caution, stealthly if possible 🙁 Of course, this is only half-calculated risk — PN experts can finetune it because contrary to popular belief, PN or our SWAGS (or estwhile SWAGS) have the absolute capability, the know how, the courage and sense of absolute daring to effect an Attila the Hun-like water attack of this kind.
When that happens, there is every possibility that nation claimants will finally agree to sit down and negotiate. The arm wrestling can then begin.
Of course, it will take great political balls, er, resolve to allow our Navy to perform such daring feat but by God, there is absolutely nothing wrong with occupying another islet that we believe is ours!
That is the most gobsmackingly inutile statement of the year! The DFA fellow/informant should not even have pronounced that statement… He could have clothed this miserable DFA state of mind in foreign affairs mumbo jumbo!
Taking on China? Sending a note verbale is not the same as sending tanks you dumbhead!
Whaaat? No weekly report at the very least? What the hell! What the fuck are our top military honchos doing?
When Magpagu (VCS AFP) attended Greece defence forum and raised Spraty-China issue with a NATO fellow, it appeared that AFP military was worried about this problem and that was in October. So, am surprised that all the worrying is relegated to balls scratching and not on real military action.
Either military lackasadaical about things or Batac Batac is paying reporter lip service, i.e., refusing to tell her the truth about what navy is up to (which I’m frankly all out for) but it is imperative that this govt must ensure the nation through whatever means and choice of words that the military is on top of the situation to prevent the total breakdown of national morale! Making idiotic pronouncements will only induce mayhem.
GO NAVY!
Carandang is dead wrong… China, one of the nation claimants is already rearing her ugly nose right at our doorstep. RP ensuring that China is not encroaching upon our waters is not acting provocatively.
But allowing us to serve as doormats to expansionist China is a provocative measure of the worst kind.
No need to be bellicose outright but a note verbale at the very least is in the correct and dignified order of doing things. Even bloody China will accept that!
Whaaat? Dear God, this country’s govt needs to be slapped around (DFA Romulo most especially) to wake up from its incompetenet stupor! Bloody hell!
But hang on, Ellen, before I get carried away further, has RP really, truly, absolutely, formally announced that it is boycotting the Nobel Prize awarding ceremony?
One of the coutry’s national pastimes is squattering or squatting (lands) so why not adopt the same tactic? Military squatting is not novel… it’s all about just setting up facilities, sheds, garden stuff, light towers on other reefs in the Spratly region! And stick their 😛 😛 😛 out at bloody bully China!
(And don’t tell me China is a Goliath, an adversary of fucking gargantuan proportions because there is no doubt in my simple sailor mind that RP can surely find in itself some sterling David qualities!)
Anna # 8
I believe the Philippines is among the 18 countries that are boycotting the Awarding Ceremony for the Nobel Prize…can’t figure what it has to do with the hostage taking, but to surrender its independence and democratic principles to gain favour from a a government that deny its citizens the rights enjoyed by its Filipino counterparts is unbecoming of the Philippines Government…I hope the Nobel Prize Awarding Committee will again choose another Chinese dissident for its Nobel Peace award again next
year…
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20101208/harper-piano-tories-101208/
now for the lighter side of things, here is one Leader who might lose the house in the upcoming budget
budget since it will be another deficit riddled budget…but for the holiday season here is the PM rocking the Conservative Party Holiday celebration…well, if the party loses, he can try the concert tour and maybe
more money..singing Niel Diamond sweet caroline and accompanying himself on the piano and 4 other songs presenting Stephen Harper, PM and Conservative Party leader…
“Thank China for the lighthouse”. Bwahahaha!!!
August 23 shouldn’t be allowed to become a tool for other countries to hostage our own sovereignty. Our military should show some balls.`
“..Carandang was quoted correctly but his statement is a slight deviation from that of Coloma. He said the China’s building of a lighthouse in the area “fairly benign.””
Kelan ba pinanganak ang mga ito? Meron bang “fairly benign” sa lahat ng goals/intentions ng China buhat sinauna? Gising hoy, tutulog-tulog kayo!
Dios mio … nagtataka pa ba kayo …. ang Presidente natin ay may dugong intsik …. yang mga bilyonaryo at may-ari sa mga malalaking mall at mga bangko ay mga intsik …… ano pa??? ano pa??? Nagtataka pa ba kayo??????
Kung ang ibinoto natin sana ay yong may purong dugo ni Juan de la Cruz … masasabi pa natin sana na ang ating Bansa ay pag-aari pa ng mga Pinoy … pero ano?????
@Tedanz,
Andaming Pilipino na may dugong intsik. The problem is they have become too assimilated into the Juan Dela Cruz culture that is characterized by laziness and high premium on sentimentality.
Look at Malaysia. They have three major ethnic groups– the Chinese, the Indians, and the Malays but each group retaining their own distinct cultures. Guess which groups drive the economy and which feeds on it.
Idem, Vic… unbecoming indeed any government (not even Somalia which is government-less or Yemen would do that!)
Signing off for now… Have fun fellow Ellenville residents! See y’all next week! 😉
“There’s no point in taking on China because we are no match to them,”
****************************************************
Though they lost 2-0 in a football match with us, Vietnam must be laughing out loud (to the Americans’ chagrin) with this super-stupid remark coming no less from an official of the DFA (whoever the fuck he/she may be).
I mean what did we expect ? The DFA is full of incompetent fools headed by no less than the nincompoop himself, Alberto Romulo. DFA should be renamed, DEPARTMENT of FUCKING ASSES”.
If the US did not do anything after Nokor’s violent provocation except to have joint military exercise with Sokor then canceled the second phase later, do we expect her to do anything with the recent action by China on Spratleys? The US back home has her own problems. Obama is being ganged up by the Republicans (like what’s happening to this blog on me).
The US still has Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Israel-Palestine, Nokor to deal with. Kung hindi naman natin kaya ang China, ibigay na lang natin. Let’s face it, China will be the next world superpower which she is now economically.
Kung sabagay, tama rin naman itong tarantadong-ulol na taga-DFA na ito kasi, bakit nga naman natin a-ambisyunin na kalabanin ang China (and hope to prevail ???) when we could not even defeat the NPA’s and the muslim seccessionists down South ?
as i said in the prior thread on this topic, better to abandon the claim for some cash renumeration on some, not all, of these islands. we are not in a position to safeguard or develop them. look at the sabah claim which was lodged in the 1960s. it is now 2010 but has anyone seen the philippine flag fluttering in that land?
Dapat mag file ng diplomatic protest ang RP dahil kung hindi ka nag protest e ibig sabihin noon ay akseptado na ng RP na legal o totoo ang mga sinasabi ng China.
Thanks, Norpil. I corrected it.
Kung wala pang lighthouse ang RP sa lugar na yon ay dapat maglagay din ng lighthouse para tabla lang.
The bowing to the pressure of Beijing not to join in honoring the 54-year old Chinese freedom by the Aquino government, which came into power promising change from the Arroyo administration that was notorious for impunity, brings to the fore the unenviable situation of the Philippine government in its relations with the growing superpower.
*****************************************************
Siyempre pa, papalag na naman ang mga inutil at sinungaling sa gobierno natin at sasabihing hindi naman sila nakiki-YES just because China says YES in many issues of mutual interests. Ang ibig nilang sabihin, dahil sinabi ng China na “NO”,…………..”NO” rin ang Pinas. So there you go !! That’s we get for having a very weak and corrupt leadership and an equally weak economy (if it is even worth calling that at all).
Baka naman etong mag-asawang Arroyo ang nagpatayo niyan at ang perang winaldas ay utang sa Tsina. Para mas malaki ang kita … Tsina na rin ang gumawa …. lol
@Tedanz #14
Wala naman sa mga kandidato nung huling presidential election na purong dugong Juan Dela Cruz ah? Meron ba??? 😛
@xman: #22
Malabong mag file ng diplomatic protest ang PInas. Di nga sisipot sa Nobel Peace awards diba. Naka sipsip mode tayo ngayon sa China. 😛
My question is: How can the Phil govt file a diplomatic protest re lighthouse installation in Subi reef, when we are not even physically occupying it? It’s not in our possession, ika nga. Iba ang kiniclaim kaysa pag-aari mo na.There are several claimants to the Spratly islands, called by the Phil as Kalayaan Island Group and Nansha by the Chinese. Lahat ng mga claimant countries may occupied islands and may physical structures and military presence ang mga yan. When I was then serving in a LST(not LTV as referred to by Anna), a WW2 vintage transport ship of the Navy, we regularly conducted reprovisioning/personnel rotation runs to these islands. Way back then, we were physically occupying 8 islands. Dati 9 yun. Naiwanan lang saglit ang Parola or Pugad yata, inoccupy na agad ng Vietnam. Suffice it to say that PHYSICAL occupation is necessary to assert one’s claim to these contested islands. Pag iniwanan mo, iooccupy agad yan ng ibang bansa. This is the reality out there. Yung pinakahuli nating inoccupy ay yung katapat ng Mischief reef kung saan ang isang dating barko ko ay sinadyang sinadsad doon para maunahan natin ang mga intsik.
Military might is a necessary projection of a country’s foreign policy. That has always been the case. I don’t blame the unnamed DFA official for saying what he said, albeit unofficially. That’s the sad reality facing us. We cannot walk the talk. For as long as we have a weak AFP, we can’t assert our claim on the islands that we don’t PHYSICALLY occupy. We don’t even have decent ships to patrol our internal waters, how much more Pag-asa and the rest? We can only rely on diplomacy. Need I say more?
Asus, ito ngang mga iskuwater dito sa atin ay di mapangatawanan ni PeNoy, yang pang mga tsekwa na kargado ng sandata.
Tutal mahilig naman tayong gumaya, bat di bombahin yan lighthouse? Diba N. Korea ganyan ang gawa – dinuduro kami, sabihin ni PeNoy? Pero bading yata. Hehe joke! or maybe no joke?
NFA #15
Bago tayo nilusob ng mga Hapon …. marami na silang mga espiya na nasa atin na.
Ganun din yang mga tsekwa …. malay mo … yang mga naghari-harian na mga tsekwa ngayon sa atin ay baka espiya yan ng kanilang Inang Bayang Tsina.
Kaya ngayon pa lang medyo nag-iisip na ako ng pangalang Intsik na gagamitin ko …. ano kaya kung … Lo Mein o di kaya Egg Foo Yong …. lol
Kayo ano????? Ano?????
Mike #27
Meron Adre …. si Binay … kung gusto natin sana ng purong Pinoy …. 🙂
Bakit? May Ligthouse din tayo sa may QC na pinupuntahan ng mga suki tuwing gabi.
@Tedanz,
Spying…
What enables the enlightened rulers and good generals to conquer the enemy at every move and achieve extraordinary success is foreknowledge. ?
Foreknowledge cannot be elicited from ghosts and spirits;
it cannot be inferred from comparison of previous events, or from the calculations of the heavens, but must be obtained from people who have knowledge of the enemy’s situation. ?
Therefore there are five kinds of spies used:
Local spies, internal spies, double spies, dead spies, and living spies. ?
Sun Tzu, the Art of War
http://www.sonshi.com/sun13.html
masasabi ko lang bilang simpleng mamamayan sa ganyang sobrang kumplikadong bagay… masaya ako at ang gobyerno ngayon ay nagsisimula ng bumili ng makabagong kagamitan para sa AFP sa pamumuno ni DND Sec Gazmin…
hanggat wala tayong kagamitan para ipagtanggol ang sarili… huwag tayong magambisyong pumalag… lalu sa sa tsina..
Perl #35
Papano yan sa Tsina rin sila bumibili ng kagamitan.
Perl:
What’s happening in the Spratly is a classic case of ‘gunboat diplomacy’. Call it bullying if you will. But in fairness to the Chinese, why are we singling them out? Lahat naman ng claimants sa disputed islands na ito ay may mga structural improvements sa mga islands na occupied nila. Pati nga tayo na pobre ay panay ang improvements sa Pag-asa Island, the biggest among our occupied territories. Dati ay Islander plane lang ang nakakalapag diyan. Ngayon ay puede na ang C-130. Therefore, puede ring magreklamo ang mga Chinese na we are violating the Code of Conduct na pinapairal among the claimants. Ditto with the Vietnamese. Matindi ang mga fortifications ng mga garrisons nila sa mga occupied territories nila. That’s why I can’t understand the brouhaha in Subi. 🙂
Di ba tinututukan ni Triliianes ito? I can’t wait for Trillianes to be out and running. Mas may balls pa siya that those who are out and free supposedly to do their jobs.
Hindi lang sa Pinas ang invasion ng Chinese, sa buong mundo na.Di na nakakapagtaka iyan, Puno na ng mga Christmas goodies ang mga shopping mall na “Made in China”
Tignan ninyo ang label ng mga Laptop at PC ninyo,kahit na HP pa iyan ay made in China.So, ano ang bago pa diyan.Mga motorsiko nga diyan ay nagkalat na “Made in China”
Ano? gegerahin ng Phil Armed Forces ang Red armies tapos sa kanila bibili ng gamit pang gera ang Pinas at ibalik sa kanila ang bala. gustong-gusto nila kasi gagawa na sila ng gagawa at bili na naman ng bili ang pinas sa kanila,mamumulubi ang Pinoy at yayaman naman sila.
Mga Amercano nga ay pumipila na sa Unemployment line para kukuha ng Unemployment Benefits dahil ang malalaking company na pinagtrabahuwan nila ay inilipat sa China.
Bumili ako ng starter ng Chevy ko, made in China ang ibinigay sa akin. kung gusto ko raw na made in USA, out of production na.Gumana naman at mura pa.
Kung sabay sabay nga lang iihi ang mga Red Armies baka lulubog na ang Pinas o kayay lilindulin kapag sabay sabay silang mag “Jumping Jack”
#37
Correct. Why single out the Chinese? Actually, China appears to have more right to the islands compared to the other claimants based on her long history and civilization. Most of China’s neighboring countries are the descendants of the Chinese. Look at the features of the Koreans, Japanese, Thais, Malaysians, etc. If you ask me, I prefer that China controls and leads the Asia Pacific that the West…America. These countries from far away have no business to be in Asia solely for Asians.
Para maiba naman at good news na rin (depending on your stand re: the issue):
Pres. Aquino ordered DOJ to withdraw case against the Morong 43.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/207994/aquino-orders-doj-to-withdraw-case-vs-morong-43
RE: “Thank China for the lighthouse”. Bwahahaha!!!~Chi
YES, may magbabantay-salakay sa Pinas Igan…tutal isang damakmak na Tsinoy ang siya ngayong nagkonkontrol ng halus lahat ng sangay ng gobyerno kasama na si PeNOY na isa ring half-breed Tsinoy.
Tama ang tinuran ni Igan Tedanz…ang mga Tsinoy sa Pinas ang siyang pahirap at nagmamanipula sa kapalaran ng ating bansa, at tayong mga Pinoy ang squatters sa sarili nating lupa.
Dulot yan ng mga utak-pulbura nating mga Kababayang Pinoy na mga lingkod-bulsa…kayang tapalan ng PISO.
RE: Kung sabay sabay nga lang iihi ang mga Red Armies baka lulubog na ang Pinas o kayay lilindulin kapag sabay sabay silang mag “Jumping Jack”~Cocoy
Korekek ang iyong tinuran Igan Cocoy…swak na swak ang mga nota mo hehehe!
Mahirap ispelengin ang pagiging Pinoy natin kasi nga may pobilidad na may dugo ring Tsekwa ang nananalaytay sa ating pagka-Pinoy eh.
Generation to generation…nagkaron ng evolution ang identity natin being a Pinoy but ang realidad sure ang ating forefathers e galing yan ng mainland Tsina.
Either tanggapin natin or hindi…mababakas sa ating pagmumukha ang pagiging Tsekwa.
Either tanggapin natin or hindi…mababakas sa ating pagmumukha ang pagiging Tsekwa–Balweg,
Di lang tayo ang nagmumukhang Tsekwa, Pati na si Margarito nagmukha siyang Tsekwa ng binugbog ni Pakyaw.
Jokes Lang..
There are two giants vying to be the Big Brother/Big Protector of the region. The U.S. and China.
More and more, we the little pawns are being pushed to the wall and are realizing that we may have to make a choice in the future.
Who do we prefer between the two?
i just read today that pinas made a turnaround and will participate in the nobel peace ceremony. around 16 countries are not participating but normally about 10 do not participate of different reasons.
Paracel Islands were taken by the Chinese thru force from Vietnam in 1988 when their two navies fired at each other, a strawweight and heavyweight clash so-to-speak; the French didn’t even bother to come to rescue their old chums.
Due to the Spratly Islands’ closer proximity to the Philippines (Palawan), we have a more legitimate claim to the Islands. Now that the Chinese erected structures in the islands, I’d like to see the Philippine Navy fire on the “lighthouse” and see how China reacts along with Uncle Sam.
Magpatayo kasi si PNoy ng casino sa Spratly.
“For as long as we have a weak AFP, we can’t assert our claim on the islands that we don’t PHYSICALLY occupy. We don’t even have decent ships to patrol our internal waters, how much more Pag-asa and the rest? We can only rely on diplomacy. Need I say more?” – henry90
That was exactly how vice adm T Sibayan conveyed his dismay when I asked him about the Pinas Navy.
When you complain to China about his provocation through building of new structures in disputed areas,you are not going to war.
You are just telling him you are still asserting your ownership to the island he illegally occupies. Note verbale lang pwede na. A diplomatic note telling them you don’t welcome what they did.
That’s upholding the territorial integrity of your country. Not to do so is unpatriotic.
This is becoming a comedy again.
In a news report by the Philippine Star, Secretary Ricky Carandang was quoted to have said the lighthouse in Subi Reef was built by Vietnam.
The reef is occupied by China!
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=637793&publicationSubCategoryId=63
Hehehe, natutuliro si Ricky. Hindi kasi magbasa muna bago magpa-press release.
Senator Sonny, paki dagukan mo nga si Ricky. 🙂
Kung friend ninyo si Ricky at Coloma, sabihan nyo na magtututok sa Ellenville kung meron maseselan na bagay gaya nito. Palagi tuloy silang nagmumukhang idiots. 🙂
#54
Ricky Carandang is not credible. He should have stayed with ABS-CBN and continued to broadcast news. First of all, he was acting as spy for Noynoy and the Liberal Party while working at ABS-CBN. Even if the station management was aware of it and allowed him to behave that way since the Lopezes were for Noynoy anyway, hindi tama ang ginawa ni Carandang. Wala naman akong bilib diyan maliban sa gandang lalaki, husay ng English at pananamit lalo na kapag nakaamerikana. My family knows him personally. He was separated from his Tsinoy wife for having another mistress. Kung ganyan na traidor siya sa kanyang trabaho at asawa, how can we believe what he says?
I agree. Asserting ourselves is not going to war with China. Considering the many Tsinoys and Chinese nationals in the Philippines not to mention the vast business interest and investment China has on our country, going to war with us and attacking us would be the last thing China does. Hindi lang naman Spratly at Taiwan ang kayang kunin ng China, kahit na buong Pilipinas. The US’s dominance and meddling in Asia Pacific have been long enough and it’s about time that we let China be the leader in the area for a change if we do not have a choice.
“When you complain to China about his provocation through building of new structures in disputed areas,you are not going to war.”- Ms Ellen
So what will also stop China from filing a note verbale about our continued structural improvements sa Pag-asa island and the other smaller islets that we are presently occupying? Or the willful grounding of an old and dilapidated naval ship on a shoal in front of Mischief Reef just so we can PHYSICALLY occupy it? Was that not provocation on our part also? Nagreklamo ba ang China dito?
#57
I like your balanced view, Henry. What’s all this fuss about China’s occupation of the islands when PH and other claimant countries also have some pieces of the cake. Kung nagkataon sa Asia din ang Amerika, baka nauna na ang mga Kano diyan. Look at the US territories. California used to be Mexico’s. How did Alaska become US territory when it’s closer to Canada and much farther from the US? Guam, Hawaii and the others were just taken from America.
re #57
So what will also stop China from filing a note verbale about our continued structural improvements sa Pag-asa island and the other smaller islets that we are presently occupying? -Henry
Let them file a note verbale or protest. They are entitled to also assert their claim in the same way that we should assert ours.
Or the willful grounding of an old and dilapidated naval ship on a shoal in front of Mischief Reef just so we can PHYSICALLY occupy it?
They did. And we just received it. Took note of it.
Was that not provocation on our part also?
That was asserting our territorial integrity. Whether China views it as a provocation, they are entitled to that. It’s our interest that we should be concerned of primarily.
Nagreklamo ba ang China dito?
They do it all the time. And we just take note of it.
It will be a case of the pot calling the kettle black then. And we are only talking of China here. They should have also shown the pictures of the fortresses in Vietnamese occupied territories. Mas magugulat kayo kung gaano katitindi ang infra doon with matching military hardware to boot.
Minsan nang nagkatirahan ang Vietnam at China noon dahil diyan di ba? What Henry was pointing out was why single out China when other claimants are also there? But anyway, what’s provocation? One can perceive anything as provocation to start a fight. Take Korea for instance: Sokor accused Nokor and vice versa. Buti na lang walang counter offensive. Sokor backed up by US could always attack Nokor claiming she’s doing it as a counter offense to stop the latter from attacking again. Di ba iyan ang palusot palagi ng US sa mga kaaway keso inuunahan lang daw nila?
#60, Henry, please read the VERA Files story (http://www.ellentordesillas.com/?p=14194), which is the subject of my posted column. It was a news feature on the latest development in the Spratlys.
If you want to read about installations in all the occupied islands in Vietnam, you have to go back top past articles. All those have been written about. Diplomatic protests have been exchanged and noted in many cases.
That’s why you have the 2002 Declaration of Conduct in the South China Sea.
The important thing in territorial disputes is to be consistent in asserting your territorial jurisdiction. Because if not, it would be tantamount to giving up your territory. That’s failure of stewardship.
I get the point Mam Ellen. Inis talo lang yan. Yung ginagawa natin, ginagawa din nila. In the end, the question is, does anybody even respect/observe that Code?
the strategy for the philippines should be to gain the most advantage out of any geopolitic conflict that comes its way. it should play its us card against the china card. offer some of those islands as military bases to any superpower willing to pay cash and abide by our terms.
# 63, that’s why you have to take note of that and put in writing through a note verbale or diplomatic protest the other parties’ violations of the code. China does it all the time. Vietnam does it too.
We should too.
As I said earlier, it’s stewardship which is an obligation of the President to the people.
The question is…would it help? We could keep yacking but still have to bow to superpowers not necessarily China. What have we been doing all these decades under America’s control? And then now comes China about to replace US soon as the world’s superpower and we’re yacking. We better play with the tide, with the game. Ni hindi natin kayang maprotektahan ang ating sarili against smugglers in our islands. Better still, I challenge the government to take steps to reclaim Sabah. More than Spratlys, Sabah rightfully belongs to us.
Baka naman kaya dinisesyonan ni Presidente na walang pupunta sa Oslo — may taga-Bicol o taga Ilocos na ipina-alala kay Presidente Noynoy na si Congressman Ronald Singson ay nasa Hongkong at may kaso — drug trafficking.
Ano ang palagay ninyo?