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The Kalayaan, Panatag & other disputed islands; Future conflict zones?
Topic Started: Feb 2 2005, 08:00 PM (156,098 Views)
MSantor
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Meanwhile...

DoD Buzz link

Quote:
 

China Hits Bottom, Plants Flag


By Colin Clark Thursday, August 26th, 2010 2:53 pm
Posted in International, Naval, Policy
The People’s Republic of China has joined an elect group of four countries that have taken men as deep as 3,500 meters below the surface of the ocean. And in keeping with Chinese claims to huge amounts of the ocean surface and its depths, the crew planted a flag on the bottom in the South China Sea, much as Russia recently did in Arctic waters.

The story was reported on Chinese TV news and by the official Xinhua news service, making it almost certain that the event had policy repercussions, in addition to the nicely nationalistic side of the submersible crew and the craft’s designer having done something physically and technically challenging.

The flag planting was done with a submersible, not a submarine. Subs are independent and can go pretty much wherever they like. Submersibles, which are usually designed to go deeper and possess grappling arms of some type, usually are deployed from a mother ship and possess limited range. The Chinese submersible, Jiaolong, executed 17 dives in the South China Sea from May 31 to July 18. The deepest dive took them to 3,759 meters.


The flag planting, “highlights (again!) that China has laid claim to the South China Sea,” said Dean Cheng, the top Chinese defense expert at the Heritage Foundation here in Washington.
Islands and reefs in the South China Sea are claimed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. My personal favorite clump of islands is those known as the Spratlys, where people have died over tiny lumps of coral so small it’s impossible to build permanent structures on them. The Spratlys may lie atop oil and gas deposits and they describe rich fishing areas.

At the end of last month a Defense Ministry spokesman said “China has indisputable sovereignty” of the South China Sea, though he allowed that the PRC would allow ship and aircraft passage “from relevant countries” if they comply with China’s interpretation of international law.

Cheng pointed to the fact that the Jiaolong was manned, saying China’s ability to operate at such depths will have economic and military repercussions as they undertake operations such as deep sea oil drilling and labor to supplement Chinese research into oceanography, a key discipline for submarine operations.

"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." - Henry Ford

"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm."
- Winston Churchill


"If everyone is thinking alike, someone isn't thinking"- Gen. George S. Patton
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Zero wing
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Man that's what they said about Japan in WW2 then look what happen preparedness is better than peace just prepare for anything
"No sacrifice is too great in the service of freedom."

“As long as we are not willing to provide an adequate, suitable and capable defense for this country, we will be oppressed, demeaned and dishonored. We will be the stepping mat of every country in this region,”(Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile)

“Just because we are a very weak country militarily, we should not be taken advantage of by more powerful countries" (Senate committee on national defense and security chairman Panfilo Lacson)
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AVBsupersonic
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Zero wing
Aug 30 2010, 09:05 PM
Man that's what they said about Japan in WW2 then look what happen preparedness is better than peace just prepare for anything

I agree with you Sir Zero, the way things are going doesn't sound like they want peace for the whole world and always on the provoking side and is very eager to match and challenge Uncle Sam's might in any which way they can.....

It's better to be safe than to be sorry later on, Chicoms are slowly eating up our territories and we are the only country in the world that's letting them getaway with violating, intruding our EEZ, any intrusions should be considered as a threat and to be dealt with Diplomatically or by force in any which way we can. :sniper: :salute:
"Some are just lucky that they're not under oath and are not classified!"- Blue badge
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AVBsupersonic
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We should reclaim mischief reef and thomas shoal at least and respect the claims of others on the rest of the islands in the same way they should respect us on our EEZ which the whole world acknowledges even China.

The UN should pressure China to leave our areas within our EEZ! if they really believe in respect and peace for the whole world.

It's the perfect time for President Noynoy to talk to President Obama re; this issue because it plays on the US interests as well!!

This will give the US and the whole world an answer on China's plans, agendas and it's sudden Military build up....

And if this doesn't work, let's get the US Bases back in the Philippines and for sure we will get our EEZ areas back and secured or another way is to modify the defence treaty with the US and Include this problem. :salute:
"Some are just lucky that they're not under oath and are not classified!"- Blue badge
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mazingu
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http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09/14/10...n-spratly-bases

Govt plans renovation of Spratly bases

Reuters
Posted at 09/14/2010 7:14 PM | Updated as of 09/14/2010 7:14 PM

MANILA, Philipppines - The Philippines plans to repair and upgrade its military outposts on disputed islands in the South China Sea, an army spokesman said on Tuesday, announcing visits by several government ministers in the coming days.

The Philippines occupies nine islands in the Spratlys, which is claimed wholly or in part by Brunei, China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Except for Brunei, all claimants have deployed troops in the disputed territories.

"There are actually major plans to renovate the Spratlys, including the islands' airport and facilities," Brigadier-General Jose Mabanta told reporters. He said civil engineers would be found to renovate the structures.

"If you will look at our facilities there, we need to do a lot of renovation due to poor maintenance, longstanding neglect and deterioration."

Mabanta said four government ministers would visit the Spratlys within the next month to assess repairs.

President Benigno Aquino's spokesman, Edwin Lacierda, said the trip was a routine re-supply misssion.

China and other claimant states are expected to protest against the visit, invoking an existing code of conduct prohiting new construction and improvements of facilities in the disputed territories.
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Zero wing
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Wow base renovation not bad but is it for defense Militarily Speaking or to Promote Tourism??? which is it if its for defense positions yes why not dealing with our Situation we are the most easy target for Invasion of any kind wait are we so desperate we are turning a potential battlefield in to a tourism site just like the DMZ in Korea nice dual propose pa rin
:patrioticpinoy:
"No sacrifice is too great in the service of freedom."

“As long as we are not willing to provide an adequate, suitable and capable defense for this country, we will be oppressed, demeaned and dishonored. We will be the stepping mat of every country in this region,”(Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile)

“Just because we are a very weak country militarily, we should not be taken advantage of by more powerful countries" (Senate committee on national defense and security chairman Panfilo Lacson)
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AVBsupersonic
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" Code of conduct?" did China followed it???? Nope! they said before it's just a shelter for fishermen???

Our government should make a much more effective protest re; China recently occupied "Mischief reef and Thomas shoal" which are inside our EEZ, no question is a major violation of our sovereignty. Hope P.Noy will do something about this and ask US P.Obama for help and advice just for this particular issue for a more effective protest to UN to pressure China to leave this two islands....

It is also for US interests because they wouldn't have a problem if the Philippines control the two islands and will serve as a boundary and safe passage way for USN ships.

Maybe this is the reason why China occupied those islands for strategic reasons to monitor and deter US Ships in case Taiwan conflict arises so they (US) have a reason to intervene.........
"Some are just lucky that they're not under oath and are not classified!"- Blue badge
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spearhead
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Dapat gawing military-commercial ang island nayan. Build a resort for R&R that can also be access by tourists, and also build a decent port so other bigger ships can dock in without anchoring 100 meters away and using smaller boats to dock in.
"Men of War must learn the art of numbers or he will not know how to array his troops." - Plato

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Zero wing
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Ya add some Manpods too and radar needed in that area too
"No sacrifice is too great in the service of freedom."

“As long as we are not willing to provide an adequate, suitable and capable defense for this country, we will be oppressed, demeaned and dishonored. We will be the stepping mat of every country in this region,”(Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile)

“Just because we are a very weak country militarily, we should not be taken advantage of by more powerful countries" (Senate committee on national defense and security chairman Panfilo Lacson)
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AVBsupersonic
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RP Faces new tensions with China over Spratley Island


By Tessa Jamandre, VERA Files
Posted at 09/20/2010 3:57 PM | Updated as of 09/20/2010 3:57 PM


Even before the diplomatic tension created by the Aug. 23 hostage crisis has subsided, President Benigno Aquino III will have to deal with another strain on the country’s relationship with China: the dormant yet sensitive issue of the contested Spratly Islands.

The Spratlys dispute will be high on the agenda when Aquino meets his counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday in New York.

The ASEAN-U.S. Leaders Meeting is expected to tackle the territorial dispute in the context of maritime security under the broad agenda “Maintenance of Regional Stability.”

The meeting comes after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced on Tuesday it was pushing through with the plan to develop Pag-asa Island, which is part of the Spratlys group, into a tourist spot.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta said major repairs are underway for the airstrip and the pier on the main island of Pag-Asa that needed “a lot of renovation due to poor maintenance, longstanding neglect and deterioration.”

Last Thursday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) received a call from China’s Ambassador to the Philippines Liu Jianchao, who said the plan was not a welcome pronouncement at a time when the two countries were still ironing out the issue of the Aug. 23 hostage incident that killed eight Hong Kong tourists.

The ambassador also asked about the final report of the government probe on the incident which was still not ready then. The report was presented to the President only last Friday.

But in an interview with defense reporters last month, Navy Flag Officer-in-Command Rear Admiral Danilo Cortez said repairs on the eroded part of the Pag-asa airstrip were on-going. As a result, supply missions to the Philippine-claimed Kalayaan Island Group had to be done monthly now, compared to the previous quarterly.

Cortez also confirmed that an incident at the Ayungin shoal became the subject of a Chinese protest in July. Soldiers stationed there were accused of firing a warning shot at a Chinese vessel. A Philippine Navy ship is beached at Ayungin shoal and serves as housing facility for AFP troops manning the area.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing summoned the Philippine embassy in Beijing over the incident, but Cortez clarified that Philippine troops stationed there never fired a warning shot.

“Based on our inquiry, there was no shooting that happened. Actually we just flashed a light at them. To actually fire—that needed clearance from the top because that's an act provoking the other country. We had that investigated and there was none really,” Cortez said.

Before the July incident, the DFA also received a diplomatic protest from the Chinese ambassador on alleged construction activities on the same shoal, which the Philippines denied.

The Philippines occupies nine of the islands in the disputed Spratlys chain or Nansha islands in the South China Sea (SCS). Five countries lay overlapping claims to the Spratlys which are believed to be oil-rich. The Philippines along with fellow ASEAN members Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei contest ownership with China and also with Taiwan.

During the ASEAN-U.S. Leaders Meeting in New York on September 24, other items on the agenda also include “Regional Architecture and Plans for the Future” that will cover US eventual participation in the East Asia Summit (EAS).

There is also an item in the agenda called “Economic Cooperation” where the U.S. will talk about the Trans-Pacific Partnership and other areas of ASEAN-US economic cooperation.

In the draft joint statement of the 2nd ASEAN-U.S. Leaders Meeting prepared by the U.S., the leaders are expected to “oppose the use or threat of force by any claimant attempting to enforce disputed claims in the SCS [South China Sea].”

ASEAN prefers to limited the text to “reaffirming the importance of freedom of navigation, regional peace and stability, unimpeded commerce in respect for relevant universally agreed principles of international law and the peaceful settlement of dispute in the SCS.”

Both the U.S. and ASEAN, however, agreed on the text that supported a full implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the SCS and encouraged the eventual conclusion of a regional code of conduct in the SCS.

Among those agreed upon by ASEAN and China in the declaration is to “undertake to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability including, among others, refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays, and other features and to handle their differences in a constructive manner.”

In a meeting in Washington preparatory to the 2nd ASEAN-US summit, U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary Kurt Campbell and National Security Council Senior Director for Asia Jeffrey Bader briefed ASEAN ambassadors about their discussions with the Chinese government during a recent visit to Beijing.

The State Department officials said the meeting “provided clarity on expectations and behavior of all states in SCS and that they explained to China that the US statement on SCS do not seek to single out China but was a message to all states.”

In a DFA report about the highlights of that meeting, the exchange of views on regional issues showed that “the US wants to strike the exquisite balance” on issues involving maritime security to ensure that they do not create new venue for US-China tensions. However, they will remain supportive of regional efforts without having to create new mechanisms to discuss the issue.”

(VERA Files is put out by veteran journalists taking a deeper look at current issues. Vera is Latin for “true.”)

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/09/20/10...spratly-islands
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