As noted in our feature from Vietnam this week, for now at least, Hanoi appears keen to move to tamp down tensions with Beijing after a difficult month in which both sides traded barbs over a territorial dispute in the South China Sea.
But it’s not just Vietnam that has decided to turn to talks. Philippines Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario has reportedly arrived in China for bilateral discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi over the Spratly Islands, as well as to prepare the way for a visit in August by Philippine President Benigno Aquino.
The talks will begin Friday, but in the meantime I asked our Filipino ASEAN Beat writers for their take on the recent tensions and, more broadly, how China is perceived in the Philippines.
Lawmaker Mong Palatino noted that a resolution has been introduced in the Philippine parliament calling for an inquiry into ‘Chinese incursions’ in the oil-rich Spratly Islands. According to the resolution:
‘In May, satellite photographs showing Chinese military garrisons and outposts within Philippine-claimed areas in the Spratly islands were released to the public. Months before that, there were reports of Chinese patrol boats harassing a Philippine oil exploration ship while the Philippine Air Force reported sightings of foreign fighter jets flying near an island occupied by Filipino troops…These reported intrusions into Philippine-claimed territories are clearly violative of the 2002 Declaration which states that parties concerned should “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.”’
So how have these claims affected the bilateral relationship? Palatino says there’s growing concern among Filipinos about the ‘aggressive behavior’ of China, with more people now perceiving China as a bully. ‘The row fans anti-china sentiments, which is unfortunate since it has considerable investments here and the relationship between the two countries has been friendly in the past,’ he told me. ‘Because of the China threat, real or imagined, the presence of US troops is being demanded by some quarters.’
ASEAN Beat Julius Rocas agreed that there has been growing concern about China’s more muscular approach, as well as Palatino’s implicit caution over an increased role in the row by the United States.
‘We resent China's aggression and violation of our territory. However, we can only say so much about it because we know we are no match for China's military,’ he told me.‘The government quickly ran to the US for help because of our colonial past…But it blinds us from realizing that American intervention just polarizes the countries involved. In the blink of an eye, ASEAN's promise of regional unity vanished.’
Rocas is far from alone in thinking this, and that last point, on the collective failure of ASEAN, has been made by a number of our writers here.
Reddit
Digg
StumbleUpon
Delicious
Technorati
Yahoo
Google
Plurk
Anti_Justice
It’s too sad but true that everyone know China is a bullier but no one in surrounding area are match with China in term of military power in one on one combat.
By SECRETLY negotiation bilateral with each single nation in this area, China have a collective information of situation when at the same time creat a confusion among it’s competitor. Look like China is winning in it’s traditional game of divide and conquer.
The only two chance that might stop this madness expansion of China:
First solution is the true Union and surrounding, consist of public all of that bilateral negotiation to other party as it is multilateral negotiation. (Their citizen may be shock if they find out thier nation already been sold by a little group of coward high rank officer). Knowing that China expansion is not only problem of single other nation but will sooner or later will be the prolem of thier nation as well. The miliraty power of China indeed strong, but if it must devide per km of China border line it’s not that strong, event worse if divide per km2 of China area.
So if all nation surround China can really united to say the same voice agains China terriory violation it will be still effect no matter each nation is weaker than China.
Second is the superior suppress, any force with superior power can take down China and suppress their aggressive will be well supported in this surround area in term of right of passage, usage of miliary base and anything else.
Both solution look like ideal enought but still have chance to execute if we all really care about the great threat of greedy China in near future.
Jenibelle
Enlihetgning the world, one helpful article at a time.
Zhuang Fu Lai
Negotiating with the Philippines will be easy. China must soon focus on obtaining Russian Far East back. Maybe offer $150 billion for the oil and mineral rich area and provide Russia with small royalty from hard currency earnings we obtain from intensive development of these resources. China has rightful, indisputable sovereignty. Remember this vast territory was stolen from China by unequal treaty of 1860; it should have been returned to China in 1950’s. Russians can be crazy sometimes but they will learn about fairness quickly.
Finetea
China will form a defence pact with Russia against the belligerant USA. The USA, acting as agent provocateur with Philippines and Vietnam is trying to provoke China using proxies. China needs to form good relations with its neighbour Vietnam since they have a lot to gain.
The US has already created in the Philippines the most unequal, violent and poor Asian nation through its colonialism and advice since. A developing world version of itself. If the Philippines thinks that America will help it, it should realise that America ONLY acts in its own interests and will sell the Philippines down the river to help itself. This is why America is now pushing the Philippines to conflict with China. To help America push down China, not to help the Philippines. It is better for the Philippines to ignore America and to form constructive relations with China and resolve disputes in a mature way, not the childish provocation that America wants.
Zhuang Fu Lai
Exactly! You get A+ in geostrategic and economic positioning thinking. Chinese must use seduction in all territorial disputes, Philippines are not exception. Seduction of Philippines must be cloaked as friendly, constructive and mutually beneficial relations. Then, we strive for upper hand in our high level negotiations and the Philippines will soon be licking China’s boots.
You are also right about Russia. First we must USE Russia to counterbalance the belligerent US. But we will never ever forget that Russia stole the Russian Far East from Chinese by unequal treaty of 1860. After we put end to US strategic alliances in region and have dominance over Russia we will take Russian Far East back. This could easily be achieved by demographic expansionism, through gradual, silent process of annexation through Chinese “illegal” immigrations and business expansions. haha
Cyrus
Geo Politics the US is way ahead of you. Look at the MAP they have South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, and Australia. Now Vietnam is warming up with the United States relations have never been this friendly since the Vietnam War.
Russia would not also be accommodating especially with your conflict in the Russian Far East. Russia is also relatively busy with its interest in Central Asia and Eastern Europe than to turn to East Asia. Russia can’t also help China very much in the East since NATO is there keeping it busy.
Also, India and Russia are close. Since China is showing interest in India’s Sphere of influence, which explains India’s reluctance with China. If India is reluctant with China then the US is the lesser evil for them. If India supports the US in the Pacific then it would make harder for China to convince Russia into an East Asia Alliance.
Cash Mai Chek
Why create a divide between two countries? There were a lot of Chinese immigrants in the Philippines during Mao’s regime. You Chinese just want to take over everything. Taiwan does not belong to you, even if there are Chinese in Taiwan. And just because there are Chinese immigrants in Spratly islands, it does not mean that those island belong to China.
A lot of Chinese want to move out of China because of their unethical child birth policies. They don’t really care for females. Even if China’s economy is doing well, the Communist government is more corrupt than it seems. The privatization of some industry may seem like a good progress, but the employee salaries are so low, it might as well be a form of slavery.
Cyrus
There is were you are mistaken. We are the second Richest Nation after Japan in the past. What happened was Marcos arrived and until now we have hardly been able to stand up again. The America left the Philippines with strong fundamental which enable us to live in relative prosperity.
You are welcome to try and implement a treaty with the Philippines, if it is beneficial to our sovereignty and people then it will be heard. We are after all a Sovereign State that can decide for its own.
You have a disadvantage if your dreaming of an Alliance with Russia. Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines are friendly to the United States. Vietnam and the US has been warming up to each other because of Chinese Aggression. India is also coming into the anti China block with its concerns with Chinese interest in region.
You need also to note that NATO is there in Europe. So if you really must try winning Iran and the rest of the Middle East then you might have a chance. All I am saying is with the current set up China is on the loosing end.
Wakali09
sorry but I dont like what youve said about Marcos becoz Marcos is the greatest the most intelligent and the most brave President of the Philippines you know why because US is a greedy country, US kill president Ramon Magsaysay becoz RP did not help US to fight vietnam the result they lost the war what did they do they kill Magsaysay the next is when Marcos came he is the best among the rest until now you know the slogan PAST: We are happy becoz Marcos is gone PRESENT: We wish Marcos came back becoz Marcos is the one who shows to love our own country to have our own Identity until now our country Philippines dont have its own Identity, Marcos said “Palakihin nyo p ang ating teritoryo uwah bawasan” what did he do he build the CCP and also you the land in MOA it should be our now it was now in private companies!
Bismarck
Spoken like a true colonial imperialist Zhuang Fu Lai.
Too bad for you USA will put a stop to aggressive chinese imperialism, but you’re allowed to dream. Nazi-Germany also tried to bully their surroundings, but an united world stopped them in their tracks. The same will happen here when the rest of the world gets fed up with chinese bullying. It’s a reason China is not popular, and that is because you lack respect for sovereign rights and is an aggressive nation.
Asean United
OMG! The way these chinese people talk just shows the general perception of the chinese towards other people and their south-east asian cousins. China’s ambitions will be thwarted. India, japan South Korea, the US, Australia will help rein in this bully. Even Russia is wary of an expanding China in it’s doorstep. China’s perception of it’s territory is skewed…the Russian far east? lol . that was discovered by Russians all the way to Alaska. Are you kidding me?
China will never be a hegemonic respected power. Because it doesn’t know how to act as a true benevolent power worthy of it’s position. With great power comes great responsibility. You owe your economic success throught he stability and peace and security afforded by America. And your actions towards your nearest neghbors…Japan ASEAN South Korea shows how unpopular and hated you are. Sure we welcome yur business but you must understand that security always trumps economics. Asean through it’s collective soft power and influence on the USA and EU will blunt your aggressions!
yang tsup
now i know were china get its ambitious imagination.. just like japan in ww2 they thought they can dominate east asia and worst the world, then a united world slap the reality into their brain.. To bad so many innocent japs perished, same will happen to china if it will not woke up in its nightmare.
Cash Mai Chek
If you look on the map of Spratly Islands, it is literally next to the Palawan province of the Philippines and Malaysian Borneo. For China to claim that some of those islands are their is a bit absurd. In response to Zhuang Fu Lai’s rightful sovereignty over the islands is a bit delusional. The Itu Aba island is definitely not named by a Chinese even if it is administered by the Republic of China. There were Chinese fishermen in those islands, but those Chinese fishermen do not live in China. Note that there were a lot of Chinese migration throughout South East Asia for many centuries. Just because they were Chinese fishermen on an island, it does not mean that it belonged to them.
Why hog an island that is not yours?
Do you want to take over the rest of South East Asia too? Now that is a childish. BTW, a lot of Chinese are absolutely racist against Filipinos – there is no denying that they tend to treat Filipinos like dogs.