The conference to be held on July 5 and 6 at the Dusit Hotel in Makati will have as its theme, “The South China Sea: Toward a Region of Peace, Cooperation, and Progress.”
The FSI is partnering with the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and the National Defense College of the Philippines in this conference that will bring in experts on the South China Sea.
Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs
It seems that the situation in the South China Sea is taking a turn for the worse. The increasingly harsh rhetoric is now being backed by a display of muscle. China sent one of its most modern surveillance vessels on a run through the South China Sea from Guangzhou to Singapore. The Philippines sent its largest – and apparently only – warship, a WWII vintage destroyer, on patrol through waters it now calls the West Philippine Sea. Vietnam and China have each conducted live-fire exercises while the U.S. and ASEAN navies have just completed their annual joint naval exercise. This war of words and saber-rattling, if not handled properly, can lead to a situation that would complicate and even make it impossible for a diplomatic solution to be reached.
(With these developments, now I am terrified at the prospect at having him (Domingo Lee) represent our interest during these crucial times. I do not mean to denigrate the nominee’s intellect or age. I just think his abilities and past experience are not suited for this particular post)
Update:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110616/ap_on_re_as/as_china_south_china_sea
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/15750/china-to-boost-maritime-patrols-as-disputes-mount
PH also deployed largest patrol ship to Spratlys area on a ‘routine patrol’ -ABS-CBN
In the midst of rising tension between the Philippines and China over the former’s series of armed intrusions on West Philippine Sea the past five months, he urged President Aquino Wednesday to revive, the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking.
The brainchild of De Venecia, the JMSU which was signed in March 2005, opened the exploration of large portion of West Philippine Sea jointly with initially China and later on, with Vietnam. The first phase which ended in 2007 was to find out the amount of oil and other mineral resources in that area. The second phase didn’t push through because of questions of the constitutionality of the tripartite agreement.
The Philippine Constitution provides that”The exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources shall be under the full control and supervision of the State.”
Update: JDV, the architect of JMSU is still at it, pushing for the revival of the JMSU.
Related articles:
http://verafiles.org/main/focus/six-rp-occupied-islands-covered-in-controversial-spratlys-deals/
Seismic survey is exploration-Mañalac
A stinking deal
JMSU weakened PH Spratly claim-Harry Roque
The current word war between the Philippines and China is another proof of the continuing curse of Gloria Arroyo on the Filipino people.
The latest series of diplomatic protests lodged by the Philippines with China and submitted also to the United Nations have its roots to the controversial Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking entered into by the Arroyo government with China in 2005 which allowed China and later on Vietnam to explore not only the Philippine-occupied islands in the disputed mineral-rich Spratlys but areas that are clearly Philippine territory.
The JMSU was initialed during Gloria Arroyo’s 2004 visit to China which paved the way for the signing of at least two graft-riddled deals : North Rail and national broadband network with ZTE agreements.
Update: Portion of the June 4, 2011 Statement of the Department of Foreign Affairs On the Presence of Chinese Vessels In the West Philippine Sea…
By Tessa Jamandre
VERA Files
“Since 1970’s, the Republic of the Philippines started to invade and occupy some islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Islands and made relevant territorial claims, to which China objects strongly,” China said in a note verbale submitted April 14 to the United Nations in reply to the protest lodged by the Philippines on April 5.
“The Republic of the Philippines’ occupation of some islands and reefs of China’s Nansha islands as well as other related acts constitutes infringement upon China’s territorial sovereignty,” according to the note verbale.
Early this month, the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest against China’s 9-dash line territorial claim over the whole of South China Sea, including the Spratlys group, a cluster of oil-rich islands disputed by the Philippines, China,three other countries, and Taiwan.
China’s reaction to PH protest: In a regular briefing in Beijing today, spokesman of China’s foreign ministry Hong Lei said: “China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and adjacent waters.”
“China owns sovereignty and jurisdiction over the related sea area, seabed and subsoil,” Hong pointed out.
By Tessa Jamandre
VERA FILES
The Philippines has lodged a diplomatic protest against China’s 9-dash line territorial claim over the whole of South China Sea, a month before President Aquino’s planned state visit to Beijing.
The Philippine protest, dated April 5, was posted by the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) as document No. 000228 on April 8.
But the Philippine government tarried in filing the protest, doing so two years after Vietnam and Malaysia, and a year after Indonesia. Vietnam and Malaysia filed their protest a day after China submitted its 9-dash line map to the UN on May 7, 2009. Indonesia registered its protest a year ago, even if it did not have a claim on the South China Sea.
The map is called “9-dash line” or “9-dotted line” because it shows a series of nine dashes or dotted lines forming a ring around the South China Sea area, which China claims is part of its territory. The area includes the Spratlys group, a cluster of oil-rich islands disputed by five other countries, including the Philippines.
China has been using the map with nine dashes in asserting its territorial claim over the whole of the South Sea. But the map first made its way to the UN body, when China used it to challenge the claim made by Vietnam and Malaysia over their extended continental shelves in the South China Sea.
Related report:http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20110305-323560/China-snubs-PH-protest
The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest Thursday with China over the intrusion of two Chinese patrol boats Wednesday into Reed Bank in Western Palawan where a seismic survey is being conducted by the Department of Energy.
A text message from Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang said: “I confirm the incident on March 2, 2011 (that) two Chinese patrol boats encountered a Phil-sanctioned vessel conducting seismic surveys in the Western Palawan. The Chinese boats warned the vessel away and the vessel moved away from its position.
“We have sought an explanation from the Chinese Embassy regarding the matter. The vessel is expected to resume its normal activities in a few days.”
The Chinese Embassy, through its spokesperson Ethan Y. Sun, issued the following statement Friday:
I noted the related report. What I want to point out is that, ever since ancient times, China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters. China has been consistently sticking to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. The Chinese side maintains that the related disputes should be resolved through peaceful negotiations. Thank you and have a nice day.
Another article on the book: http://ph.yfittopostblog.com/2011/01/13/diplomat-rodolfo-c-severinos-book-takes-on-national-territory-debate/
Severino unselfishly shares his vast knowledge about foreign relations in an engaging way that makes what is generally regarded as an esoteric and intimidating topic easily understandable.This enviable skill of his is again evident in his latest book, “Where in the world is the Philippines?”
The book, published by the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore is about the ambiguity of the country’s territorial boundaries which he said has far reaching effects on people’s lives and communities.
The ambiguity is ironic because, he said, the Philippines is the only country that defines its national territory in its Constitution.
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.