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Philippines-China WPS Dispute
Topic Started: Jul 15 2012, 02:28 PM (105,149 Views)
Taz_1
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Hong Nam
Oct 4 2014, 08:23 PM
'Phl stopped work on Pagasa airstrip'
Christina Mendez (The Philippine Star)
October 4, 2014


MANILA, Philippines - There is a Palace-ordered freeze in infrastructure work - including repairs - on military and air facilities on Pagasa Island, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said yesterday.

The freeze, Gazmin told the Senate finance subcommittee, was meant to keep the Philippines on a "moral high ground" in its arbitration case against China regarding the latter's disputing Manila’s sovereignty over Pagasa and other land forms in the West Philippine Sea.


"We got the specific instructions from the President to serve the status quo as stated by the legal opinion of attorney Batino. We do have funds for the improvement of, for example, the Pagasa airport but this is being held in abeyance because of the case that we have filed. It might affect the case that we have filed. However, the DND continues to perform mandates as much it can under these legal constraints, in maintaining awareness in the West Philippine Sea... in order to guide the DFA in the issuance of policies."

- Voltair Gazmin, Defense Secretary

Defense Undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino also heads the Philippine panel involved in the crafting of an Enhanced Development Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States. Batino told the Senate subcommittee that the government strategy was to exercise maximum restraint in dealing with the West Philippine Sea.

"The DND is mindful that the current tack as proposed by DFA is to exercise maximum restraint so that we can maintain our moral high ground in terms of the territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea."

- Pio Lorenzo Batino, Defense Undersecretary

The decision to defer development and infrastructures projects has caught local residents in Pagasa by surprise.



Philstar




I think the decision for the infrastructure freeze was ill-conceived and the reasons they posed for the media are just another spin.
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Hong Nam
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Taz_1
Oct 4 2014, 10:16 PM
I think the decision for the infrastructure freeze was ill-conceived
I agree with you.

However... Admittedly with my limited knowledge on legal strategies and international law, I can't really make an intelligent assessment on this accurately. It's disappointing... but I leave it to those better versed on this matters.


Posted Image


Well, not really disappointing. It's pissing me off! But definitely still more pissed at the Chinese bully and your politicians who doesn't recognize a threat until it bites them in the arse.


Edited by Hong Nam, Oct 6 2014, 12:20 PM.

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Hong Nam
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Have any of you seen this? Is there a video of this online?




Quote:
 
ABS-CBN docu explains why PH is fighting for Spratlys this Sunday
Thursday, 02 October 2014

Posted ImageLawak Island or Nanshan Island the eighth largest island of Spratly Islands and the fourth largest among Philippine-occupied Spratly islands



Posted ImagePag-asa Island or Thitu Island the second largest island in the Spratlys



Posted ImagePatag Island the second smallest of the Spratly Islands Detachment Flag


Why is the Philippines claiming sovereignty over the Spratlys Islands? Why do several Asian countries, including China, claim the islands as their own? What is at stake in the Philippines’ claim? What is the government doing to assert this claim?

Find out this Sunday (October 5) as ABS-CBN News' special documentary titled “Spratlys: Mga Isla ng Kalayaan” weighs in on which country really owns the disputed islands.

The documentary looks into the geopolitical issues surrounding the dispute and also checks the situation of the Filipinos, whose individual and family lives are affected and inevitably intertwined with the unending territorial row.


Source


Never mind. I just found out that it will be shown next week - 12th of October.










Edited by Hong Nam, Oct 6 2014, 06:21 PM.

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Hong Nam
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By way of shoulder tap, I found this a few hours ago. Sadly, it was in the Filipino language. So off I go to my nearest Filipino colleague and let him do the translation which means I start the day early with a few Cerveza San Miguels.


Spratlys: Mga Isla ng Kalayaan - October 5, 2014 Full Episode


Edited by Hong Nam, Oct 8 2014, 10:46 AM.

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pachador


these are the 4 reefs that are of the most concern as they are all within the 200 mile EEZ of the philippines, and occupied by the bully:
Scarborough shoal - 124 miles from Luzon
Mischief reef - 130 miles from palawan -
Mckennan(Chigua) reef - 180 miles from palawan
Johnson(Mabini) reef - 180 miles from palawan

The rest are in disputed seas and areas outside the 200 mile EEZ and belong to those who grabbed them first, e.g. pagasa island -claimed and occupied by philippines. of course since they are in international waters, more powerful countries can grab them if they really want to.



Edited by pachador, Oct 8 2014, 02:48 PM.
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Hong Nam
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But those occupied by the bully are all underwater features. With a favourable ruling, technically they are illegal structures and thus rightfully yours. It may not be a smart idea to blast them to hell, but in all certainty you will have the right to do so. Even if they build artificial islands on those - under UNCLOS - they don't count and are not entitled to any territorial claim. Not even 3 nautical miles.

Grabbing occupied islands beyond the 200nm EEZ with force will run the risk of a hostile confrontation. A risk that some may not take. It has been debated repeatedly whether you can invoke the Phil-US MDT if it ever comes to this.

But then again, these are the Chinese we are talking about. The re.tards make their own laws and don't make sense at all.

Which is why your congress and senate should stop thinking about themselves, put aside their own agendas (and lining their pockets) and start approving a larger budget allocation for your national defense. During your senate's hearing on the budget of defense: Why do both the upper and lower house members have to ask your military on the state of the WPS, what assets are available, and what are your armed forces doing to counter Chinese expansionism? Surely they (like everyone else) know that you have close to nothing!

Save time, spare the inquiry and all the talk - grandstanding will not keep your enemies at bay. A Php 20B shortfall on the budget? Nobody really falls for the old excuse of your country as being poor. Actions and deeds make things happen.


What is scariest here is the pessimist mindset - a defeatist attitude, and the eventual loss of hope will be your country's undoing. If this contagion spreads, then it will be all over. Give your men in uniform the equipment that they deserve and remind the world how a Filipino fights. You cannot depend on the yanquis forever and they would be more willing to commit to your defense (avoiding the vagueness of their statements) if you do your part. That's what Japan and South Korea are doing. Hence the crystal clear stance of the United States on their behalf.





Edited by Hong Nam, Oct 9 2014, 10:41 AM.

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Hong Nam
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Hong Nam
Oct 8 2014, 10:44 AM

Spratlys: Mga Isla ng Kalayaan - October 5, 2014 Full Episode

Posted Image

Depressing yet indeed an eye opener.
I hereby propose that you vote to send two or three politicians on rotation to all these far flung outposts for at least 3 months. That should get things going.
:rifle:

Edited by Hong Nam, Oct 14 2014, 09:30 PM.

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Hong Nam
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Chinese Navy Chief Conducts 'Unprecedented' Survey Of Spratly Islands
By Michelle FlorCruz
October 16 2014


Chinas appears to have made headway in the so-called ‘reclamation’ of disputed areas in the South China Sea, a project to create new land masses using reefs in areas claimed by both Beijing and its neighbors. According to Taiwan and Hong Kong news sources, China’s naval chief has been surveying islands located in disputed maritime territories, angering nations locked in territorial disputes with China such as the Philppines.

Chinese admiral Wu Shengli, the commander of the People’s Liberation Army Navy, spent a week surveying the islands and reported that the approval for the mission came directly from China’s President Xi Jinping. China’s government has been actively developing its presence in the area.

During the briefing, Lee also reported that admiral Wu was also overseeing troop drills on a part of the Spratly archipelago the Chinese call Yongshu Island. Known by the Philippines as Fiery Cross Reef, the site is home to about 100 Chinese troops and is the country’s home base for their efforts in the area.

International Business Times



Edited by Hong Nam, Oct 17 2014, 08:46 PM.

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Hong Nam
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China wanted sea row out of ASEM
Philippine Star - 17 hours ago


China strongly campaigned to keep out territorial disputes in the South China Sea from the chairman’s statement at the end of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and summit in Milan that ended yesterday, diplomatic sources said.

The final statement was expected late last night.

Sources said the South China Sea issue was not specifically mentioned in the draft chairman’s statement even as large European economies pushed to retain it in the final document.

"There has been a strong campaign by the Chinese to take it out since it has to be approved by unanimity. They (Chinese) were going around. They went country by country seeking to convince countries," a source said.

China paid attention to countries in Europe economically working hard to grow or return to growth and need to get favorable attention from China and obtain Chinese investments, sources said.

Sources said disputes would be discussed in the meeting whether or not the South China Sea appears in the final document.

"Europe sees the dispute in the South China Sea and elsewhere must be tackled responsibly in accordance with international law, so Europe is keen to get this message across. And we believe this is the time to uphold international order."

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario represented President Aquino in the ASEM, held every two years.

He underscored that the core issue in the dispute is China’s so-called "nine-dash line" position, an expansive claim of "indisputable sovereignty" over nearly the entire South China Sea. He referred to the EU Council president’s recent encouragement for the Philippines to pursue its maritime disputes with China and defend the Philippine position in accordance with the rule of law.



Philstar / Yahoo

Edited by Hong Nam, Oct 18 2014, 06:20 PM.

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Hong Nam
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Hong Nam
Oct 18 2014, 06:16 PM
China wanted sea row out of ASEM
Philippine Star - 17 hours ago


Sources said disputes would be discussed in the meeting whether or not the South China Sea appears in the final document.


Philstar / Yahoo

Vietnam, Germany one with PHL over South China Sea issue


Philippines and Vietnam agrees to bring up issues in South China Sea in the said meeting of Asian and European countries. They will urge attending nations to support 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the expeditious conclusion of the Code of Conduct (COC).

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in a joint press conference with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung earlier last week in Berlin, also expressed support for peaceful resolution of disputes in South China Sea. “We urge, and in this we are in full agreement, a peaceful solution. We could envisage discussions or international arbitration.” Merkel added that she will advocate for a peaceful resolution during the two-day ASEM summit.


Ang Malaya


Edited by Hong Nam, Oct 19 2014, 05:28 PM.

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