South China/West Philippine Sea

[wolflove_bigdawg]

Just get those Gripens, coastal defense systems, frigates and submarines! Without these, we will be eaten up alive.

[wolflove_bigdawg]

Let us stop depending on US. they are not here for us. better to work with Japan, S. Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia, and Australia.

[Bugatti Veyron]

Two elections may end China Dream

BREAKTHROUGH By Elfren S. Cruz (The Philippine Star) | Updated July 2, 2015 - 12:00am

China’s foreign minister Wang Yi recently said that China’s demands of sovereignty over the Spratly Islands cannot be rolled back because China “would not be able to face [its] forefathers and ancestors.” This statement is in line with the China Dream of Xi Jing Ping — to make China the world’s dominant power.

Barack Obama’s presidency has been considered “good” for China. Under Obama’s watch, the world saw the rise of an increasingly assertive and pushy China under Xi Jing Ping. The Americans’ continued avoidance of confrontation included pressuring its allies in Southeast Asia, including Taiwan and the Philippines, to avoid any moves for potential conflicts.

Despite all the talks about pivoting to Asia and rebalancing power in East Asia, China has been allowed to literally call the shots in the South China Sea. The United States has not been able to stop the construction of the man made islands in the disputed territories, leading to the impression that China and Xi Jing Ping consider Obama weak.

In the 2016 American presidential elections, the leading contender is former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She is perceived as someone who is definitely not weak and as someone who will be a tough president, ready to reaffirm the primary role of the United States in Asia.

In her first official campaign speech held in Roosevelt Island, New York City, Hillary said that she was prepared to face the most serious foreign threats to the United States namely Russia, Iran, North Korea and the rising threat of China.

In November 2011 then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the Philippines when tensions in the Spratly Islands were increasing. She stood on the deck of a guided missile cruiser and reaffirmed the strong military relationship between the United States and the Philippines. The words were not new, but the symbolism of standing on the deck of a warship had a very strong impact.

Opinion ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

She also had a televised news conference where she said: “We are strongly of the opinion that disputes that exist primarily in the West Philippine Sea between the Philippines and China should be resolved peacefully. Any nation with a claim has a right to exert it, but they do not have the right to pursue it through intimidation or coercion.”

While she urged peaceful negotiations, the most striking symbolism was when she referred to the disputed area as the West Philippine Sea.

On January 2016, Taiwan will hold its presidential elections. Whenever I hear arguments that Chinese Confucian culture requires an “emperor” negating the possibility of a successful Chinese democracy, I always point to Taiwan. This is a nation with a vibrant and dynamic democratic system of government.

The incumbent Taiwanese president, Ma-Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang Party, has been a very good ally of China. He has promoted economic closeness with China arguing that cross strait commerce is the key to the island’s economic growth. He has signed 21 trade deals, but last year an umbrella group of students and civic leaders – the Sunflower Movement – held mass demonstrations which stopped another trade deal from being signed. His approval rating has been so low that the Kuomintang had to find another candidate to field in next year’s election.

Taiwanese businessmen have been major investors in China with one electronics firm setting up factories in Mainland China hiring hundreds of thousands of employees. However, most Taiwanese, especially the young, believe that this trade relation with Beijing has only benefited Big Business. The majority of the people in Taiwan say the quality of life has not improved. Wages have remained flat and local jobs are going to China.

This is reminiscent of the message of P-Noy when he spoke to the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce. He pointed out that Filipinos have invested $2.8 billion in China, while Chinese investments here is only $600 million. In 2013 there were 426,000 Chinese tourists who visited the Philippines, but one million (1,000,000) Filipinos visited China as tourists. It seems that if there was a total travel ban between the two countries, the Philippines would be a net gainer.

The Philippines has also had a negative balance of trade with China for several years. On the other hand, the Philippines had a positive trade balance with the United States, Japan and Hong Kong.

Most Taiwanese also fear that the growing integration of their economy with China could make their nation vulnerable to political pressure from Beijing. Last September, Xi Jing Ping said that China and Taiwan might one day be reunited under the Hong Kong formula of “one country, two systems.” But recent events in Hong Kong have shown that China has no real intentions to allow Hong Kong to have true freedom. This has increased the fear of the Taiwanese majority against similar pressure from China that would end the democratic system in Taiwan.

The most probable winner in Taiwan’s 2016 presidential election is Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). She wants to put Taiwan’s economy, development and culture first. This is aligned to the young generation’s belief that they are Taiwanese and not Chinese. Her program would lead to lessening Taiwan’s dependence on China. In the DPP’s charter the party promotes “the establishment of an independent sovereignty known as the Republic of Taiwan.” Beijing calls her a “troublemaker’ and a “splittist,” the same term applied to the Dalai Lama.

The election of these two female presidential candidates — Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan and Hillary Clinton of the United States — may yet turn the search for the China Dream into a nightmare for China and Xi Jing Ping.

[Bugatti Veyron]

http://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-philippines-reinforcing-rusting-ship-spratly-reef-outpost-210803888.html

[FleurDeLune]

China also claims ownership of dwarf planet Pluto

 

http://www.manilalink.com/2015/07/china-claims-ownership-of-pluto.html

[daphne loves derby]

China says has stopped reclamation work in South China Sea

http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-chinas-wang-discuss-south-china-sea-tensions-040713628.html

 

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday that Beijing had halted land reclamation in the South China Sea, and called on countries in the region to speed up talks on how claimant states should conduct themselves in the disputed waters.

[jumanji1]

sakin kse ang chinese government ngayon.. when Mao was still alive during marcos era.. ang statement nya is. it doesnt matter who owns the island the most important is if its for the greater good.

[maxiev]

How is the Philippine Navy supposed to face such a formidable foe? Imagine all those ships...Only the US has the firepower to destroy the Chinese Navy.

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/chart-shows-every-surface-ship-203707159.html

[jopok]

dalhin lahat ng asset ng phil navy sa area..pati na mga vintas..anything that floats at pwede lagyan ng tauhan,,then giit yun rights mo sa isla..let the chinese draw first blood,,then the entire world will react in favor of ph..

[daphne loves derby]

Chinese govt is in disarray.

 

Lots of corruption allegations on the military and they are losing trust sa president nila.

Pati ang kanilang ekonomiya is on an immediate downfall.

 

Ang rebound ng gobyerno para magpabango sa tao ay ang patuloy na pag claim sa dispute territories.

 

Tayong mga ROTC graduates, we might get ready soon. (wag naman sana)

[Bugatti Veyron]

I believe the Chinese perceive US President Barrack Obama as a weak president. Having said that, I'm not surprised that the Chinese are acting aggressively in the West Philippine Sea.

 

I wonder what the Chinese will do if somehow, Donald Trump becomes the next US President. This guy doesn't mince words. He says it like it is. I believe that a Trump presidency will put pressure on the Chinese to "behave."

 

Trump can be as arrogant as Putin. Putin may want to avoid confrontation with Trump. They're both "macho" and want people to perceive them as such. If the US decides to take on China, Putin may stay out of the conflict. He and Russia have little or nothing to gain by getting into the conflict between the US and China.

Edited August 31, 2015 by Bugatti Veyron

[sandy51]

Chinese govt is in disarray.

 

Lots of corruption allegations on the military and they are losing trust sa president nila.

Pati ang kanilang ekonomiya is on an immediate downfall.

 

Ang rebound ng gobyerno para magpabango sa tao ay ang patuloy na pag claim sa dispute territories.

 

Tayong mga ROTC graduates, we might get ready soon. (wag naman sana)

Let's export Noynoy to China so he can put a stop to corruption and introduce his daan matuwid there. That way China will no longer be a problem

[camiar]

Let's export Noynoy to China so he can put a stop to corruption and introduce his daan matuwid there. That way China will no longer be a problem

 

Hmmmm... good idea....

[FleurDeLune]

Seriously?

Hmm...candidate for the political jokes thread.

 

As you wish. I'll move it now.

[heatseeker0714]

I really hope Hillary gets the Democratic Party Nomination and win the elections...

Edited November 16, 2015 by heatseeker0714