China on high alert over Philippine 'patriotic' trip | Philippine Daily Inquirer
Tina G. Santos, Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 20, 2012
The planned “patriotic voyage” by former
Philippine Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon to the disputed Panatag Shoal
(Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc) has prompted China to go on
“high alert” in the area.
“(We) will remain on high alert over the
island to prevent any provocative behavior,” China’s foreign ministry
spokesperson Hong Lei said in a news item posted Friday on the Chinese
government’s web portal.
Hong also said the “Philippine side” should stop such “irresponsible remarks and inciting radical behaviours.”
Faeldon earlier planned to hold a
“patriotic voyage” to the disputed shoal but was dissuaded from doing so
by President Aquino at the last minute on Friday.
Presidential deputy spokesperson Abigail
Valte said the President asked Faeldon to reconsider his plan because
“it might be construed in a negative way”.
The Philippine government has a policy of deescalation in the wake of the standoff with China over the shoal.
Hong reiterated that Huangyan Island—the name by which China refers to the disputed shoal—is “part of China’s territory”.
He also urged the Philippines to “come
back to the right track of a diplomatic solution” to the ongoing dispute
and “send clear and consistent messages” on the issue.
Sought for comment, Foreign Secretary
Albert del Rosario said: “As we had said, we are endeavoring to utilize
diplomatic consultations in the hope that we can diffuse the current
circumstance in Bajo de Masinloc.”
“We believe that a more durable solution,
however, would need to be a validation of our respective claims as
provided for by the dispute settlement mechanisms under the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” Del Rosario said in a text
message to the Inquirer.
On the other hand, Faeldon’s spokesperson, Kit Guerrero, said that China appeared to be “overreacting”.
“The voyage never took place because the
President asked Nick not to push through with it,” Guerrero said, adding
that Faeldon’s intention “was never to provoke or agitate, but to
support the country’s position in a peaceful and unarmed way”.
“Even if it pushed through, there was no
plan to raise our flag, but only to show our civilian presence there
which is our right as citizens within our Philippine territory,” he
said.
Meanwhile, the Filipino community in
Hawaii held a community forum at the Philippine Consulate last week to
discuss current Philippine maritime issues and concerns, more
specifically those related to the dispute over Bajo de Masinloc and the
waters within its vicinity.
“The consulate made it clear that the
purpose of the forum was not to incite or ignite anti-China sentiments
but rather to provide a more academic perspective of the current issues
between the Philippines and China,” the Department of Foreign Affairs
said in a statement.
The consulate also stressed that the
forum was a private initiative of the community and not of the
Philippine government, adding that many of those who attended expressed
much appreciation for the initiative.
Invited speakers included
Consul General Julius Torres, Dr. Serafin Colmenares Jr. of the Language
Access Program of the Office of the Governor, Dr. Fred Magdalena of the
University of Hawaii, and Dr. Belinda Aquino, retired professor also of
the University of Hawaii.
The participants included members of the Hawaii Filipino Lawyers Association, Fil-Am Youth Forum, the academe and the media.
Showing posts with label Spratlys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spratlys. Show all posts
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Philippines 'willing to share' Spratlys bounty | Philippine Daily Inquirer
Philippines 'willing to share' Spratlys bounty | Philippine Daily Inquirer
Norman Bordadora, Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 18, 2012
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III is willing to share with other countries in the region the benefits of the natural gas deposits in the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea. But he said he will not be a party to the ceding of portions of the Philippine archipelago to a foreign power like China.
Speaking before a general assembly of alumni of US universities late Wednesday, Aquino said the Philippine government continues to talk with the Chinese for a mutually beneficial solution to their standoff over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal as well as other disputed territories in the area.
"I am not empowered to give up any of our territory,” the president said in answer to a suggestion that “a win-win solution” might be for the two countries to split the US$35 trillion worth of natural gas that another disputed territory, the Recto Bank, is believed to hold.
The Recto Bank (international name: Reed Bank), which lies within the Philippines’ 200 nautical-mile (370 kilometres) economic zone, is located abut 150 km east of the Spratly chain of islets, which is claimed in whole or in part by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, as well as the Philippines and China.
The Recto Bank, which is said to have oil and gas deposits that reach deep into the Cuyo Islands in Palawan, has been the subject of numerous exploration campaigns by the Philippines in the past.
The Philippines last year filed a diplomatic protest against China after two Chinese ships reportedly harassed a vessel that had been contracted by the government to undertake oil exploration activities in the bank.
Aquino acknowledged that the huge benefits from the resources in the disputed territories could free the region from dependence on fossil fuel from Middle Eastern and North African countries.
"If we are able to exploit these resources, that redounds to benefits for the entire region,” he said.
He said the parties to the dispute “should work towards easing the problems and the concerns of our respective peoples in the here and now and not in some future date where, you know, it is not a fair solution.”
"If it’s clear that we have a 200-mile economic zone, exclusive economic zone, designated by the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Seas, and both of us are parties to it, is it too much to ask that our rights are respected by our neighbours in the same token that we respect their rights?” he said.
The president said the Philippines doesn’t have to be “the sole winner of exploitation of resources” in the disputed areas. He said the country has always been a good neighbour to other countries in the Asia Pacific.
However, it has to draw the line when it should look after its rightful interests, he said.
"Recto Bank is 80 miles from us. There are areas that are even closer…So if we keep on subtracting about 30 per cent—and not to be flippant about it—if you don’t draw the line somewhere, will we be having claims against us on the Pasig River or other rivers?” he added.
He stressed that the Philippines was resolved on a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the disputes with China, noting that it cannot afford to engage Beijing militarily.
"So we are exploring ways and means to resolve the conflict. We keep on reemphasising that we are not for conflict. We do not want to present a threat to them in any shape, manner or form, or whatsoever in terms of military action,” he said.
“If it were just a boxing match, they’re 1.3 billion and we’re 93 million. We will not prevail. That is not the route and our Constitution actually prohibits it,” he said.
Paranaque Rep. Roilo Golez said there is an upside to the tension between the Philippines and China over the Panatag Shoal dispute.
He said the Philippines’ refusal to bow down to China has united many Filipinos against a common enemy and earned the country respect from other groups and nations.
"This extended standoff, with the Philippines not buckling down against the world’s second most powerful country, is gaining for us international respect and moral support,” Golez said in a statement.
"It is a unifying and rallying force. Even Filipino groups outside the country have mobilised themselves in support of our cause,” he said.
It also shows the world that the Philippines has a strong and steadfast foreign policy that does not crumble under economic pressure and veiled military threats, Golez said. With Leila Salaverria
Norman Bordadora, Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 18, 2012
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III is willing to share with other countries in the region the benefits of the natural gas deposits in the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea. But he said he will not be a party to the ceding of portions of the Philippine archipelago to a foreign power like China.
Speaking before a general assembly of alumni of US universities late Wednesday, Aquino said the Philippine government continues to talk with the Chinese for a mutually beneficial solution to their standoff over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal as well as other disputed territories in the area.
"I am not empowered to give up any of our territory,” the president said in answer to a suggestion that “a win-win solution” might be for the two countries to split the US$35 trillion worth of natural gas that another disputed territory, the Recto Bank, is believed to hold.
The Recto Bank (international name: Reed Bank), which lies within the Philippines’ 200 nautical-mile (370 kilometres) economic zone, is located abut 150 km east of the Spratly chain of islets, which is claimed in whole or in part by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, as well as the Philippines and China.
The Recto Bank, which is said to have oil and gas deposits that reach deep into the Cuyo Islands in Palawan, has been the subject of numerous exploration campaigns by the Philippines in the past.
The Philippines last year filed a diplomatic protest against China after two Chinese ships reportedly harassed a vessel that had been contracted by the government to undertake oil exploration activities in the bank.
Aquino acknowledged that the huge benefits from the resources in the disputed territories could free the region from dependence on fossil fuel from Middle Eastern and North African countries.
"If we are able to exploit these resources, that redounds to benefits for the entire region,” he said.
He said the parties to the dispute “should work towards easing the problems and the concerns of our respective peoples in the here and now and not in some future date where, you know, it is not a fair solution.”
"If it’s clear that we have a 200-mile economic zone, exclusive economic zone, designated by the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Seas, and both of us are parties to it, is it too much to ask that our rights are respected by our neighbours in the same token that we respect their rights?” he said.
The president said the Philippines doesn’t have to be “the sole winner of exploitation of resources” in the disputed areas. He said the country has always been a good neighbour to other countries in the Asia Pacific.
However, it has to draw the line when it should look after its rightful interests, he said.
"Recto Bank is 80 miles from us. There are areas that are even closer…So if we keep on subtracting about 30 per cent—and not to be flippant about it—if you don’t draw the line somewhere, will we be having claims against us on the Pasig River or other rivers?” he added.
He stressed that the Philippines was resolved on a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the disputes with China, noting that it cannot afford to engage Beijing militarily.
"So we are exploring ways and means to resolve the conflict. We keep on reemphasising that we are not for conflict. We do not want to present a threat to them in any shape, manner or form, or whatsoever in terms of military action,” he said.
“If it were just a boxing match, they’re 1.3 billion and we’re 93 million. We will not prevail. That is not the route and our Constitution actually prohibits it,” he said.
Paranaque Rep. Roilo Golez said there is an upside to the tension between the Philippines and China over the Panatag Shoal dispute.
He said the Philippines’ refusal to bow down to China has united many Filipinos against a common enemy and earned the country respect from other groups and nations.
"This extended standoff, with the Philippines not buckling down against the world’s second most powerful country, is gaining for us international respect and moral support,” Golez said in a statement.
"It is a unifying and rallying force. Even Filipino groups outside the country have mobilised themselves in support of our cause,” he said.
It also shows the world that the Philippines has a strong and steadfast foreign policy that does not crumble under economic pressure and veiled military threats, Golez said. With Leila Salaverria
Friday, March 16, 2012
China will not use force in Spratlys, says new envoy
China will not use force in Spratlys, says new envoy
Jerry E. Esplanada, Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 16th, 2012
China does not intend to invade or use its military might to interfere in the affairs of any of its neighbors, including the Philippines and four other countries claiming ownership of the Spratlys in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), Beijing’s new ambassador to Manila said Thursday.
“We have no ambition or ability to pose a threat to other countries … What we want to do is to protect China’s interests, protect its borders and sovereignty. That’s all,” Ambassador Ma Keqing told a news conference held Thursday at her residence in Dasmariñas Village, Makati City.
Asked about the US plan to increase its military presence in the region, Ma said “China has responded very calmly” to the issue.
“The Asia-Pacific is wide enough to accommodate (both) the US and China,” she said.
Ma, who assumed her post only two months ago, noted the 11.2-percent increase in China’s military budget this year might have “aroused suspicions” among other countries about its real intentions. She emphasized that China’s military policy was “purely defensive in nature.”
She pointed out that the growth in China’s military budget had been “very minimal” for a long time. “We increased the growth just to compensate for the previous years of neglecting the military budget,” she said.
Ma said the bulk of military expenditures had been used “for logistics, for improvement of the officers’ well-being, to increase wages and so on. It was only in the last few years we used the increase in budget to purchase hardware for the military.”
The military budget was “only 1.3 percent of the total (government) budget,” she stressed, pointing out that it was much lower than that of the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, India and Brazil.
“So with such a military budget, I believe the Chinese Army will not pose any threat to other countries,” she said.
Alarm bells
Early this month, Beijing announced that its defense budget would increase to 670.27 billion yuan (about $106.41 billion) this year. The amount marks a slowdown from 2011 when its budget rose by 12.7 percent but still set off alarm bells across Asia and the United States.
In January, Washington disclosed a defense strategy focused on countering China’s rising power.
In her first news conference in the country, Ma expressed hopes the Philippines and China could “finally find a way to start the negotiations” on the joint development of areas in the West Philippine Sea.
“As Chinese, we are patient. But with patience and wisdom and goodwill, we can finally find a way,” she said. “Our thinking is that pending the final resolution of (the Spratlys dispute), we should shelve and put aside our differences and have a joint cooperation (agreement).”
“The resources are there to tap,” Ma said, adding that economic development “is our priority” for China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei, which are claiming ownership over the Spratlys.
Joint development
“But since it’s in the disputed islands, no one can take action unilaterally. So the proper way to do that, or the starting point is to shelve differences and disputes and have joint cooperation,” she said.
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the joint development of areas in the West Philippine Sea that “are clearly ours is not a viable option” to the country’s problem with China. But he said the Philippines “is open to considering joint development in the disputed areas.”
Del Rosario said he “reiterated our position that we are open to inviting China to the Recto Bank (Reed Bank) as an investor to be governed by our laws” during a recent meeting with Wang Yingfan and Wang Chunqui, two former Chinese ambassadors to the Philippines who were here on a goodwill visit.
The Recto Bank is an “integral part of the Philippines and, as such, cannot be jointly developed,” he said.
During the news conference yesterday, Ma said China “is not against the rules-based interpretation of the dispute.”
“We also endorse international norms that we should abide by. But one cannot side only with few clauses of the (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea or Unclos) and neglect other clauses,” she said.
Other treaties
“There are more international norms than (Unclos). Even according to this treaty, we can find some arguments to support China’s stance. There’s a little bit of misunderstanding that China does not abide by international rules and only to historical facts. Unclos is just one treaty. There are other treaties,” she said.
Del Rosario has repeatedly asserted that a rules-based approach is the “only legitimate and viable way to address disputes in the West Philippine Sea.” The Philippines has been pushing for the availment of the dispute settlement mechanisms under Unclos.
No longer Cold War
She expressed hopes the United States “will take a constructive and positive role to make this region more peaceful and stable.”
“We believe and hope that there is a possibility for China and the US to have cooperation in this region rather than confrontation, I like to believe that based on this argument this is not anymore Cold War. We are living in a new world. We are living in a global village, and we are so interdependent,” she said.
At the same time, she expressed optimism that “all countries in this region can develop their economies and improve the well-being of their people.”
“China has its own interests. Being an Asian country, it’s only natural. We hope our interests will be respected by others, including the US, the Philippines and other countries. At the same time, we respect the interests of other countries. In that way, we can have mutual trust and enhanced cooperation. At the end of the day, economic development will determine the development of a nation,” she added.
Jerry E. Esplanada, Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 16th, 2012
China does not intend to invade or use its military might to interfere in the affairs of any of its neighbors, including the Philippines and four other countries claiming ownership of the Spratlys in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), Beijing’s new ambassador to Manila said Thursday.
“We have no ambition or ability to pose a threat to other countries … What we want to do is to protect China’s interests, protect its borders and sovereignty. That’s all,” Ambassador Ma Keqing told a news conference held Thursday at her residence in Dasmariñas Village, Makati City.
Asked about the US plan to increase its military presence in the region, Ma said “China has responded very calmly” to the issue.
“The Asia-Pacific is wide enough to accommodate (both) the US and China,” she said.
Ma, who assumed her post only two months ago, noted the 11.2-percent increase in China’s military budget this year might have “aroused suspicions” among other countries about its real intentions. She emphasized that China’s military policy was “purely defensive in nature.”
She pointed out that the growth in China’s military budget had been “very minimal” for a long time. “We increased the growth just to compensate for the previous years of neglecting the military budget,” she said.
Ma said the bulk of military expenditures had been used “for logistics, for improvement of the officers’ well-being, to increase wages and so on. It was only in the last few years we used the increase in budget to purchase hardware for the military.”
The military budget was “only 1.3 percent of the total (government) budget,” she stressed, pointing out that it was much lower than that of the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, India and Brazil.
“So with such a military budget, I believe the Chinese Army will not pose any threat to other countries,” she said.
Alarm bells
Early this month, Beijing announced that its defense budget would increase to 670.27 billion yuan (about $106.41 billion) this year. The amount marks a slowdown from 2011 when its budget rose by 12.7 percent but still set off alarm bells across Asia and the United States.
In January, Washington disclosed a defense strategy focused on countering China’s rising power.
In her first news conference in the country, Ma expressed hopes the Philippines and China could “finally find a way to start the negotiations” on the joint development of areas in the West Philippine Sea.
“As Chinese, we are patient. But with patience and wisdom and goodwill, we can finally find a way,” she said. “Our thinking is that pending the final resolution of (the Spratlys dispute), we should shelve and put aside our differences and have a joint cooperation (agreement).”
“The resources are there to tap,” Ma said, adding that economic development “is our priority” for China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei, which are claiming ownership over the Spratlys.
Joint development
“But since it’s in the disputed islands, no one can take action unilaterally. So the proper way to do that, or the starting point is to shelve differences and disputes and have joint cooperation,” she said.
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the joint development of areas in the West Philippine Sea that “are clearly ours is not a viable option” to the country’s problem with China. But he said the Philippines “is open to considering joint development in the disputed areas.”
Del Rosario said he “reiterated our position that we are open to inviting China to the Recto Bank (Reed Bank) as an investor to be governed by our laws” during a recent meeting with Wang Yingfan and Wang Chunqui, two former Chinese ambassadors to the Philippines who were here on a goodwill visit.
The Recto Bank is an “integral part of the Philippines and, as such, cannot be jointly developed,” he said.
During the news conference yesterday, Ma said China “is not against the rules-based interpretation of the dispute.”
“We also endorse international norms that we should abide by. But one cannot side only with few clauses of the (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea or Unclos) and neglect other clauses,” she said.
Other treaties
“There are more international norms than (Unclos). Even according to this treaty, we can find some arguments to support China’s stance. There’s a little bit of misunderstanding that China does not abide by international rules and only to historical facts. Unclos is just one treaty. There are other treaties,” she said.
Del Rosario has repeatedly asserted that a rules-based approach is the “only legitimate and viable way to address disputes in the West Philippine Sea.” The Philippines has been pushing for the availment of the dispute settlement mechanisms under Unclos.
No longer Cold War
She expressed hopes the United States “will take a constructive and positive role to make this region more peaceful and stable.”
“We believe and hope that there is a possibility for China and the US to have cooperation in this region rather than confrontation, I like to believe that based on this argument this is not anymore Cold War. We are living in a new world. We are living in a global village, and we are so interdependent,” she said.
At the same time, she expressed optimism that “all countries in this region can develop their economies and improve the well-being of their people.”
“China has its own interests. Being an Asian country, it’s only natural. We hope our interests will be respected by others, including the US, the Philippines and other countries. At the same time, we respect the interests of other countries. In that way, we can have mutual trust and enhanced cooperation. At the end of the day, economic development will determine the development of a nation,” she added.
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