The Philippines Calls Out China as the Biggest Threat to Regional Peace

[Social Media]

 

In a powerful statement underscoring the growing tension in Southeast Asia, the Philippine Defense Secretary, Gilberto Teodoro, has labeled China as the "biggest disruptor" of peace in the region. This accusation comes amidst escalating confrontations between Manila and Beijing over the contested reefs and waters of the South China Sea.

 

Teodoro's comments were made at a conference hosted by the US Indo-Pacific Command, where he highlighted the increasing frequency of encounters between Philippine and Chinese vessels over the past year. The South China Sea, a critical maritime route and resource-rich area, has long been the subject of conflicting territorial claims. However, Beijing's assertive stance, which dismisses the claims of other nations, including the Philippines, and disregards an international ruling that invalidates its claims, has exacerbated tensions in the region.

 

China’s expansive claims over the South China Sea encompass areas well within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which stretches approximately 370 kilometers from its coastline. Despite the Philippines’ legal rights to these areas, China has continued to assert control, sending patrol boats and constructing artificial islands, which it has subsequently militarized to reinforce its dominance.

 

Teodoro minced no words as he declared, "China ... is the biggest disruptor of international peace in the ASEAN region." His reference to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) highlights the broader implications of China’s actions, which extend beyond just the Philippines to impact regional stability as a whole. The militarization of the artificial islands and the aggressive patrolling of the waters serve as daily reminders of the ongoing dispute and the potential for further escalation.

 

In a call to action, Teodoro urged the international community to denounce China’s "illegal acts" and exert pressure on Beijing to cease its aggressive maneuvers. "We need a collective consensus and a strong call out against China," he stated, emphasizing the need for a unified response to what he termed as a struggle "against a more powerful adversary." The plea for collective action underscores the asymmetry in power between the Philippines and China, with the latter possessing far greater military and economic resources.

 

Teodoro's remarks came on the heels of yet another incident in the disputed waters, where China claimed to have taken "control measures" against two Philippine Coast Guard vessels near Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands. The Philippine Coast Guard had dispatched the ships to resupply another vessel stationed at the reef, but they were compelled to abort the mission due to China's overwhelming deployment of ships and adverse sea conditions. Commodore Jay Tarriela, a spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard, recounted the event, describing China’s actions as "excessive" and indicative of its determination to assert control over the area.

 

Sabina Shoal, situated 140 kilometers west of the Philippine island of Palawan and roughly 1,200 kilometers from China’s Hainan island, has become a focal point of recent confrontations. Both the Philippines and China have stationed coast guard vessels in the vicinity, heightening fears in Manila that Beijing may be preparing to construct another artificial island, as it has done in other parts of the South China Sea. The construction of such an island would not only solidify China’s physical presence in the area but also further complicate the already volatile situation.

 

Relations between the Philippines and China have continued to deteriorate under the administration of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has taken a more assertive stance against Chinese actions in the disputed waters. The increasing friction has led to a series of confrontations, the most notable of which occurred in June when a Philippine sailor lost a thumb during an altercation with Chinese coast guard forces. The incident, which took place near Second Thomas Shoal, another contested area in the Spratlys, also saw Chinese forces confiscate or destroy Philippine equipment, including firearms.

 

These developments illustrate the precarious nature of the situation in the South China Sea, where the potential for conflict looms large. The actions of China, as perceived by the Philippines, are not just violations of international law but are also viewed as direct threats to the sovereignty and security of Southeast Asian nations. The repeated confrontations and the aggressive posturing by Beijing have not only strained diplomatic relations but have also raised the stakes in an already complex geopolitical environment.

 

Teodoro’s characterization of China as the primary disruptor of peace in the ASEAN region is likely to resonate with other countries that have similar grievances against Beijing’s assertive tactics. The call for a collective response is a strategic move, aiming to galvanize international support and apply diplomatic pressure on China to alter its course. However, the path to achieving such a consensus remains fraught with challenges, given China’s significant influence and the varying degrees of dependence and relations other ASEAN countries have with Beijing.

 

As the situation continues to evolve, the world watches closely, aware that the South China Sea is not just a regional issue but one with global implications. The outcome of this ongoing dispute will likely set a precedent for how similar conflicts are managed in the future, particularly in areas where international law and power dynamics intersect. The Philippines, under Teodoro's guidance, appears determined to stand its ground, but the road ahead is uncertain, and the potential for further disruption remains a serious concern.

 

Credit: CNA 2024-08-28

 

 

 

Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

[spidermike007]

China is behaving very poorly in the entire region of the South China Sea. Their claims are beyond ridiculous and have no basis in law. They simply want to expand their power base, and eventually control movement of all shipping in the region. All efforts should be made to reign them in. Their aggression against the PI is intolerable. The CCP is beyond heinous. 

 

Fortunately, their population is dropping dramatically, and their economy is imploding. 

[maesariang]

China is hoping Harris wins. 

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

China is behaving very poorly in the entire region of the South China Sea. Their claims are beyond ridiculous and have no basis in law. They simply want to expand their power base, and eventually control movement of all shipping in the region. All efforts should be made to reign them in. Their aggression against the PI is intolerable. The CCP is beyond heinous. 

 

Fortunately, their population is dropping dramatically, and their economy is imploding. 

Agreed. They have though expanded their influence a lot, regionally and beyond.

[newbee2022]

Who told them to say so? Probably the biggest threat ever: US.

Uncountable wars initiated or involved and never won within the last 80 years.😐

[Tropicalevo]

4 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Uncountable wars initiated or involved and never won within the last 80 years.😐

Falklands 1982 and China today.

China have already won in the South China Sea.

A bullet-less invasion.

Russia tried a similar tactic in Ukraine but Ukraine decided to fight back.

Edited August 28 by Tropicalevo

[newbee2022]

13 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Falklands 1982 and China today.

China have already won in the South China Sea.

A bullet-less invasion.

Russia tried a similar tactic in Ukraine but Ukraine decided to fight back.

Sorry, I mentioned US = America

[Chomper Higgot]

Has China responded to refute these allegations with threats of serious consequences yet?

[placeholder]

7 hours ago, maesariang said:

China is hoping Harris wins. 

Is that because Trump has vowed to pursue an isolationist policy? So what could be more daunting for China than a US President who will stand by and do nothing in the face of Chinese aggression? Well, maybe it's unfair to say do nothing. Maybe he'll raise tariffs even higher.

Edited August 28 by placeholder

[NativeBob]

Marcos does Philippines. 

Again.

[placeholder]

2 hours ago, NativeBob said:

Marcos does Philippines. 

Again.

The difference is, as noted earlier, the Filipino people are overwhelmingly opposed to China's aggression against their country. And they have a far more favorable view of America than they do of China

[Cameroni]

47 minutes ago, placeholder said:

The difference is, as noted earlier, the Filipino people are overwhelmingly opposed to China's aggression against their country. And they have a far more favorable view of America than they do of China

 

That's a pretty ludicrous statement, in fact it after Vietnam it was the Philippines that has been most active in "claiming" the Spratly islands and building artificial islands there. The sole purpose was to lay claim to the region for economic exploitation. It was only from 2014 that China outpaced those two countries in building artificial islands. All China did was the same as Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei. No aggression at all. In about 2012 China started to militarise the islands, but Vietnam did the same.

 

As for the Filipino view of the US, it is like that of an adoring teenage fifteen year old girl, however, already the Philippines should have unerstood it can never rely on the USA.

 

The 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff between China and the Philippines led to a situation where access to the atoll was restricted by the People's Republic of China. The expected intervention of the United States to protect its ally through an existing mutual defence treaty did not commence after the United States indirectly stated that it does not recognise any nation's sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal, leading to strained ties between the Philippines and the United States.

 

The current fisherman disputes are a direct result of China being accomodating to the Phippines. In late 2016, following the visit of Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte to seek warmer ties with China, the PRC gave "fishing rights" to Filipino vessels to access the atoll for fishing. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarborough_Shoal

 

There is no aggression by China here. China has just been doing what all the others were doing. Then gave fishing rights to the Filipinos.

Edited August 28 by Cameroni

[placeholder]

23 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

That's a pretty ludicrous statement, in fact it after Vietnam it was the Philippines that has been most active in "claiming" the Spratly islands and building artificial islands there. The sole purpose was to lay claim to the region for economic exploitation. It was only from 2014 that China outpaced those two countries in building artificial islands. All China did was the same as Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei. No aggression at all. In about 2012 China started to militarise the islands, but Vietnam did the same.

By your reasoning, it wouldn't be aggressive for the United States to build island and claiming economic zones there as well. Except for China, all those countries are claiming islands and governance is areas adjacent to them. And closest to them.

[placeholder]

25 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

As for the Filipino view of the US, it is like that of an adoring teenage fifteen year old girl, however, already the Philippines should have unerstood it can never rely on the USA.

Condescending much?

[Cameroni]

27 minutes ago, placeholder said:

By your reasoning, it wouldn't be aggressive for the United States to build island and claiming economic zones there as well. Except for China, all those countries are claiming islands and governance is areas adjacent to them. And closest to them.

If the US did do that in the Spratly islands chain it would be no different to Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, PRC doing it.

 

I just don't think China has been unduly aggressive in that region. There have been minor handbags, but mostly due to China giving the FIlipinos fishing rights. And yes, that standoff in 2012.

 

But in essence all the neighbours in that region have been flocking to that area to stake claims that are flimsy at best. All for economic exploitation. 

 

What the Philiippines is doing of late, sending boats with reporters etc, smacks of outright provocation. It's like they want an incident to happen, so they can involve the States, which has clearly stated it doesn't really want to be involved when push comes to shove.

 

 

[Cameroni]

30 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Condescending much?

 

I do find the adoration of the US in the Phililppines quite distasteful, but I suppose the Philippines is a very young nation that has not even implemented a common language properly yet. When it grows up the Phillippines may  see the US differently. 

[placeholder]

1 minute ago, Cameroni said:

 

I do find the adoration of the US in the Phililppines quite distasteful, but I suppose the Philippines is a very young nation that has not even implemented a common language properly yet. When it grows up the Phillippines may  see the US differently. 

Condescending much more?

[placeholder]

2 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

If the US did do that in the Spratly islands chain it would be no different to Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, PRC doing it.

 

I just don't think China has been unduly aggressive in that region. There have been minor handbags, but mostly due to China giving the FIlipinos fishing rights. And yes, that standoff in 2012.

 

But in essence all the neighbours in that region have been flocking to that area to stake claims that are flimsy at best. All for economic exploitation. 

 

What the Philiippines is doing of late, sending boats with reporters etc, smacks of outright provocation. It's like they want an incident to happen, so they can involve the States, which has clearly stated it doesn't really want to be involved when push comes to shove.

 

 

Please. China claims it owns everything within the nine-dash line, which encompasses about 90% of the South China Sea. No other country is making a claim that is anywhere close to that.

[Cameroni]

1 minute ago, placeholder said:

Please. China claims it owns everything within the nine-dash line, which encompasses about 90% of the South China Sea. No other country is making a claim that is anywhere close to that.

 

A perfectly rational negotiating position completely vindicated by China's means. Since 2014 they have been outbuilding Vietnam and Philippins in that area and it's not as if Philippines and Vietnam were not building artificial islands and militarising the place, you do realise?

[placeholder]

Just now, Cameroni said:

 

A perfectly rational negotiating position completely vindicated by China's means. Since 2014 they have been outbuilding Vietnam and Philippins in that area and it's not as if Philippines and Vietnam were not building artificial islands and militarising the place, you do realise?

Rational because China is rich enough and powerful enough to do it? What has rationality got to do with this?

[Cameroni]

38 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Rational because China is rich enough and powerful enough to do it? What has rationality got to do with this?

 

What would Philippines do with the Spratly islands, realistically? It's much better for  humanity if China develops this place. Why would anyone defend Philippines' claim to these islands? What can we gain by this? Nothing.

[Gweiloman]

China has to lay claim to all these islands and shoals to prevent America from doing it via its vassals. It’s the threat of America (and with good reason seeing how often and frequently America has invaded other countries around the world in the past few decades) that is causing all these so called regional instability.