China | News & Update

[Corzhens]

China and the Philippine leaders are meeting face to face with some 20 other world leaders next week for the APEC summit. The annual Asia Pacific Economic Conference is a good venue to thresh out the territorial dispute in the Spratlys. I wonder why China is skirting the issue and the Philippines seems to agree with the avoidance.

"China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has admitted that the Philippines’ case against China at an arbitration tribunal over rival claims in the South China Sea had strained relations between Beijing and Manila and that it was up to the Philippines to heal the rift and improve ties."

Read more at China says it’s up to PH to heal rift; sea dispute not in APEC agenda – Palace | mb.com.ph | Philippine News

Here is the complete story - China says it’s up to PH to heal rift; sea dispute not in APEC agenda – Palace | mb.com.ph | Philippine News

 

[Corzhens]

Chinese Coast Guard and Navy ships were spotted in a disputed atoll in the South China Sea. Kalayaan mayor Eugenio Bito-onon, Jr. said the the 5 Chinese vessels were seen at the Jackson Atoll for 2 straight days. That island is called Quirino Island by the Philippines as a way of claim to the ring-shaped reef that is currently uninhabited. It can be remembered that China had occupied Mischief Reef and had turned it into an island via reclamation which now sports a runway.

Read more at Philippines spots suspected Chinese ships at disputed atoll | mb.com.ph | Philippine News

 

[vash]

China currently only holds 7 island/reef in the area of Spartly islands in South China Sea. Vietnam has over 30. All claimants (total 6 if including Taiwan) had built operational runway in the past in this area. China is just the last one to the island building game as well as the last one to build a runway. Double standards run strong when the US mass media decide to point finger at a certain "threat".

Vietnam began construction of its airstrip on Spratly Island in 1976, making this the first runway in the Spratly island group. In 1978, the Philippines incorporated Thitu Island after airstrip construction had already begun. In 1983, Malaysia built a resort and airstrip atop Swallow Reef. The Nationalist Chinese government (Taiwan) occupied Itu Aba in 1946, but did not begin constructing its airstrip until 2006, and construction finished in 2008. China is the most recent Spratly claimant to build an airstrip, which it began on Fiery Cross Reef in late 2014 after it reclaimed the former low-lying feature.

 

[Corzhens]

With the upcoming decision of UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) on the complaint of the Philippines against China's invasion of the Spratlys, China is taking a hard line on its claim of the whole Spratlys islands. Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, said that Beijing won’t permit other nations to infringe on what it considers its sovereign rights in the strategically vital area.

Read more at China says it won’t budge on South China Sea sovereignty | mb.com.ph | Philippine News

 

[arthnel]

China will not budge on this issue. China is expanding in a region it dominates and will not even raise a voice to rebut admonishments from the West. It's hard to believe that china will seek to provoke these smaller nations with actions like cessation or anything that would infringe international law. When you lead a region, strategies will become vital to protect your interests. Don't look forward to China backing down at all.

 

[djdefense]

China is asserting itself on the international stage. Even if the case goes against China, don't expect it to honor the ruling. It is trying to control an important trade corridor and Philippines, Vietnam and all other countries that China sees as unimportant will have to bear the burden of having the dragon as their neighbor. Unless China really crosses the line, no one is going to come to the aid of Philippines.

 

[xTinx]

They're only saying that because right now, their economy is on the verge of collapsing. It's true what they say - "the faster you rise, the harder you fall." China relies on its military prowess, which I credit more to quantity rather than quality. Sun Tzu may have been Chinese but China hasn't even come close to applying his teachings. The West Philippine Sea will never be theirs.

 

[vash]

With the upcoming decision of UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) on the complaint of the Philippines against China's invasion of the Spratlys, China is taking a hard line on its claim of the whole Spratlys islands. Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, said that Beijing won’t permit other nations to infringe on what it considers its sovereign rights in the strategically vital area.

Read more at China says it won’t budge on South China Sea sovereignty | mb.com.ph | Philippine News

"China's invasion of Spartly"?

Do you realize China had first claimed Spartly islands before Philippines was even a nation?
ROC (Republic of China) had troops on multiple islands of Spartly in the 1940s. When they lost the civil war on mainland China and retreated all remaining forces to Taiwan, they pulled most of the troops from Spartly islands as well. That's how Philippines started the invasion of Spartly by landing on some of the islands and unplugged Chinese flags there. The US even backed the claim of ROC at the time.

 

[vash]

They're only saying that because right now, their economy is on the verge of collapsing. It's true what they say - "the faster you rise, the harder you fall." China relies on its military prowess, which I credit more to quantity rather than quality. Sun Tzu may have been Chinese but China hasn't even come close to applying his teachings. The West Philippine Sea will never be theirs.

Wrong.
China had a weak military, and in some aspect it is still not strong enough at this very moment. That's how they did not make a move earlier against the invasion of Spartly islands by multiple nations in the past decades until now. They had little force projection ability. Now they are finally working on it to enforce what they had always claimed and owned (before everyone else).

The term "West Philippine sea" was invented in 2014? lolz
Even the term "Philippines" was given by European.

 

[xTinx]

Wrong.
China had a weak military, and in some aspect it is still not strong enough at this very moment. That's how they did not make a move earlier against the invasion of Spartly islands by multiple nations in the past decades until now. They had little force projection ability. Now they are finally working on it to enforce what they had always claimed and owned (before everyone else).

The term "West Philippine sea" was invented in 2014? lolz
Even the term "Philippines" was given by European.

You're an outsider who obviously doesn't know a thing about what he's saying. If you're so sure about what you said, then you should write fiction. I'm sure it'll flop big-time. How can a country that practically closed itself to the outside world until the 1800s suddenly own uninhabited islands? That's truly laughable.

 

[explorerx7]

This issue has really sparked some interesting debates. I have always maintained that the Western World could talk all they want to, but China is will not be backing down from its expansionist ambitions. China will keep on annexing areas of the South Sea and United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea will rant and rave and China will be standing firm as usual. I don't believe any nation or organization may be willing to bell the cat anytime soon.

 

[vash]

You're an outsider who obviously doesn't know a thing about what he's saying. If you're so sure about what you said, then you should write fiction. I'm sure it'll flop big-time. How can a country that practically closed itself to the outside world until the 1800s suddenly own uninhabited islands? That's truly laughable.

Sometimes the outsider has a more clear view than an "insider".
If you want to say China was closed off until 1800s, then where was Philippines during the same period? Was it even a nation?
China did close itself off for a few hundred years, but not the whole time. Their treasure fleet sailed all the way to Africa during Ming Dynasty. What was Philippines doing besides being a colony for Europeans?

When Spain signed the treaty to give Philippines away to the US, it never included Spartly islands. The claim of Philippines never existed until the second half of the 20th century, and it was a few islands at a time. Basically Philippines kept expanding its claim, while China had always claimed the same area before Philippines was even a nation. It was why the US backed the claim of Taiwan (Republic of China) when Philippines unplugged ROC flag on two of the Spartly islands in the 1950s (that's when Philippines first started to claim the islands in the area of Spartly). ROC originally had troops on more of the Spartly islands, but pulled most of them away when the civil war did not go well on the mainland (China) against the communists. Philippines took the chance and try to grab the islands never belonged to them throughout the history.

 

[Corzhens]

The Philippines called for restraint in the Spratlys as China plans to start launching flights from the contested Paracels in the Spratlys. The flight plan is to start within the year from the reef which was converted into an artificial island by the Chinese. Charles Jose, spokesperson of Philippine foreign affairs department said, "We reiterate our previous statements on China’s unilateral and provocative actions in the South China Sea.”


Read more:PH decries China plans to fly planes from disputed islands | Inquirer Global Nation

 

[xTinx]

He's an outsider, but Philippines are asking for outsider help? Does this sound right to you? You want our military might but our opinions are not welcome? The people of the USA pays for the military that you guys are pleading for. He has every right to say where his hard earned money goes to.

There is a history with the Spartly Islands. It's going to be cherry picking the history of the said region. Modern Maritime Law will prove that Philippines and other Countries have claim to the islands, but before the UN there is a history that modern law does not view as a basis to who has claim to anything.

China will not back down from their claims. The only reason why the USA is in this one is because of personal interest and not that of the Philippines people. The USA needs those travel lanes for its own economy and oil. The USA is entertaining the Philippines so it can set up bases AGAIN in Clark and Subic.

China is desperate for resources. They are in the area for oil and natural gas. Just like how the USA propels it international polices to further it's own agendas (Iraq and Afghanistan), China will do the same. Conquering and plundering has been going on since the beginning of time. These days they mask it under liberation and sovereignty.

That wasn't an opinion. He was stating it like it was fact. Nope, the country offered their help and given historical ties, ASEAN leaders won't refuse help voluntarily offered. Besides the only reason outsiders would help is because they have vested interests in the oil in Spratly's. At least India and Japan are helping for purely security and mutual respect reasons. Also, if you notice Vash's argument, he's elevating and praising China. Pretty much absurd for someone whose country isn't in good terms with it.

 

[vash]

That wasn't an opinion. He was stating it like it was fact. Nope, the country offered their help and given historical ties, ASEAN leaders won't refuse help voluntarily offered. Besides the only reason outsiders would help is because they have vested interests in the oil in Spratly's. At least India and Japan are helping for purely security and mutual respect reasons. Also, if you notice Vash's argument, he's elevating and praising China. Pretty much absurd for someone whose country isn't in good terms with it.

What I stated were indeed facts. What about you? Your opinion is heavily biased and favor Philippines based on nothing but Philippines' current point of view rather than historical facts.

Please counter-argue (with facts) when you can find one.