1 Name: meteor : 2012-05-04 00:52 ID:00BVFjHm [Del]
The two countries have traded barbs for more than a week over a territorial dispute.
It centres on a disputed shoal not far from the Philippines' main island of Luzon, and has increased tensions in the region.
On Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying had summoned the charge d'affaires of the Philippines embassy on Sunday and Wednesday to lodge representations over the row.
Bear in mind
"We urge the Philippines to bear in mind the overall good relationship between China and the Philippines," Liu said.
The dispute centres on a group of islands known in the Philippines as Scarborough Shoal and called Huangyan island in Chinese and claimed by both countries.
It first erupted last week when Chinese vessels blocked a Filipino warship from arresting the crews of Chinese fishing boats in the area, and continued this week when Chinese vessels were accused of harassing a Filipino research ship.
Beijing, however, claims the warship harassed the fishing boats, and has urged the archaeological research vessel to "leave the area immediately".
"Philippine military vessels' harassment of Chinese fishing vessels around Huangyan island have drawn the high concern of China," Liu told reporters.
"We hope the Philippine side will honour its commitments and withdraw its ships in relevant waters immediately so that the waters off Huangyan island can return to peace and stability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MANILA (AP) -- The Philippines on Friday accused China of escalating the countries' 10-day standoff in the disputed South China Sea by sending a third patrol vessel to a shoal where both sides claim sovereignty.
The standoff at the Scarborough Shoal, sparked April 10 when the Philippines accused Chinese fishermen of poaching in its territory, is being closely watched to see how far Beijing will go in its increasingly assertive stance on territorial claims in the region. The South China Sea is home to a myriad of competing claims, also involving Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.
The latest Chinese patrol vessel was dispatched after the Philippines refused to withdraw its coast guard ship from Scarborough Shoal, China's state-run Xinhua news agency said.
Philippine Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez told a news conference in Manila that China's move was seen as an escalation of the standoff originally sparked when two Chinese maritime surveillance ships prevented a Philippine warship from arresting several Chinese fishermen. The fishermen slipped away from the shoal, angering Philippine officials.
The Philippines subsequently replaced the warship with a smaller coast guard vessel that was facing off with the two Chinese ships, with each side demanding the other pull out first.
Hernandez said that his government plans to ask China's representatives why they violated an earlier agreement not to aggravate the situation.
"We understand that the world is watching, and the issue at hand has a wider implication on how China is asserting its territorial claims, which have no basis in international law," Hernandez said.
Foreign Secretary Alberto del Rosario, who is currently on a visit to the U.S., said earlier that the Philippines cannot compete with China militarily and was seeking a diplomatic solution.
Hernandez said the Philippines was ready to take the dispute to an international court despite China's earlier rejection of that idea.
"It is the proper and competent forum to decide the issue," he said.
In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said that the reason for the third ship was because the Philippines violated China's jurisdiction and interfered with Chinese fishermen.
He said Beijing hoped the Philippine side would "work with us to ease tension" and that senior Philippine officials "won't mislead the public any more."
The shoal, which lies in what the Philippines considers its 370-kilometer (230-mile) exclusive economic zone, is among numerous islands, reefs and coral outcrops in the South China Sea claimed by China, the Philippines and other nations for their potential oil and gas deposits, rich fishing grounds and proximity to busy commercial sea lanes.
About 100 Filipino demonstrators called on China to withdraw from the shoal in a third day of protests outside the Chinese Consulate in Manila."
__________________________
I don't know if you care. But if you do well write something. These two countries have been at it for years. Then they still have the Spratly Islands to quarrel about.
2 Name: Immortelle !06NY4sFIG. : 2012-05-05 08:14 ID:FAxG/RKh [Del]
As a Filipino, I'd say this is clearly some form of "bullying" from the Chinese government.
Maybe, they (the Chinese gov't) didn't think the Philippine admin won't be able to put up much of a fight especially now that the US has already withdrawn their forces from the Philippines.
But they are wrong.
Since we clearly won't win a battle of military strength against them, the government chose the most rational course of action, which is of course to settle the matter peacefully (and legally). And even though our plea for help has been turned down by the US, I don't really feel bad about it. In fact, if we actually win this one against China, THE China, without help from the US, I'd be very proud of our current government.
It just goes to show that we can actually do something on our own, we just have to try (I guess?). And our president is not really Noynoying (not doing anything).
And no, I don't totally hate the Chinese.
I have part-Chinese friends, seeing Chinese nationals is already part of my everyday life, and shopping has become a lot cheaper because of them (XD).
In fact I think our economy would be much worse than it is now if, by some miracle, they suddenly disappear from our land. Loads of shops and companies are owned by the Chinese and Filipno-Chinese in our country.
Our economy and the country itself is not that strong yet to go against the Chinese.
But, I am sick of being belittled by other countries. I don't wish for the Philippines to be a super-power (I think it's just gonna be a pain in the ass. or whatever.). I just don't like it when stronger countries take advantage of our weakness and take what's rightfully ours. We've already had 300+ years of it.
It would be really epic if this case closes with the Philippines being the victor. And I hope it does. :)
3 Name: Meow : 2012-05-06 11:40 ID:geb/129T [Del]
bump
4 Name: raneha!4gwArIGGFw : 2012-05-07 00:28 ID:YPA3oHeA [Del]
I do believe that the Chinese Government is bullying the Philippines. As far as I can tell, the Philippines claimed the shoal first and it's way closer to the Philippines than to China. Also, it's been on Spanish and US maps as Philippine territory since the early 1700s. Honestly, I really don't see how China can claim the shoal.
5 Name: Crisis !JjfHYEcdHQ : 2012-05-07 00:59 ID:DRBBc855 [Del]
>>2 We probably turned you guys down for help because it's still peaceful right now. Honestly, if China attacked you, and the peace ended, we might aid you. I'm not sure though how we would react since we have free trade with China (which I hate)
6 Name: meteor : 2012-05-07 01:35 ID:gMmEN24c [Del]
of course america would, considering how strategically important the phil. is.
7 Name: kuroji_shizue : 2012-05-11 18:58 ID:fBepUX06 [Del]
china just cancelled its tour (eco-tour, i think) in the philippines because of the tensions.
8 Name: Riipple : 2012-05-12 06:51 ID:WY1e1cdI [Del]
damn... what's with china and their squabbles? during spring break, it was korea, now its almost summer and its the philippines! now i can't travel there either! D: china needs to pick a better timing for these disputes...
