US bolsters presence in South China Sea

 "Word of advice to U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on his aggression in Asia - from a Filipino nationalist columnist of the Malaya newspaper Diego Cagahastian" - HTL
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COMMENTARY
November 8, 2015
 
US bolsters presence in South China Sea
By DIEGO C. CAGAHASTIAN



First it was the guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen that sailed more than a week ago near the reefs and atolls that had been upgraded by China as artificial islands in the South China Sea, particularly the Subi Reef in the Spratlys island chain.

Now, it is the turn of the massive aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt to sail in that sea, accompanied still by the USS Lassen.

These naval initiatives, the US said, are being done in furtherance of their self-imposed mission to ensure that freedom of navigation is maintained in the region.

As the Theodore Roosevelt sailed, US Department of Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told a forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California that "the United States joins virtually everyone else in the region in being deeply concerned about the pace and scope of land reclamation in the South China Sea."

Carter stressed that he was worried about the prospect of further militarization, as well as the potential for these activities to increase the risk of miscalculation or conflict among claimant states."

US officials have charged that China is dredging the area to turn reefs into larger land masses for runways and military facilities. For China, this is just a normal thing to do, since it believes that the area belongs to their territory, and they exercise sovereignty over it. However, freedom of navigation is not threatened, China stressed.

In fact, in his speech before the 36th Singapore Lecture of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore on Nov. 7, President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China promised to safeguard freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, amid the ongoing regional tension.

Xi said there has never been any problem with freedom of navigation and overflight, nor will there be in the future.

There is truth to what he said, that China needs unimpeded passage through the waters more than anyone else.

Xi said, "We have absolute confidence and capability in maintaining the peace and stability. This can be done through negotiations and the establishment of reasonable maritime rights."

China has protested as illegal the earlier presence of USS Lassen there, and had called it a "deliberate provocation." It has sent two warships to shadow the US vessel and issue warnings. Although no international law was violated because the Lassen can just claim "innocent passage," clearly the combative pronouncements from Washington by officials like Carter reveal that the passage was premeditated and planned, cleared even by the highest authorities in the US capital.

Xi Jingping is correct in pointing out that China is "committed to working with countries with direct stake in the issue to solve the dispute on the basis of respect of historical facts, according to international laws and through discussions and negotiations." This is the same legal line taken by the Philippines in pursuing its claim -- by going to the United Nations arbitration court, although this route was rendered ineffective with China's insistence that the issue is one of sovereignty, and not maritime matter.

It stands to reason, however, why Secretary Carter has been using the argument that countries in the region, especially the claimants like the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Brunei are deeply concerned about the Chinese construction efforts.

What deep concern is Carter talking about? The defense chiefs of these countries, together will all defense chiefs of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have concluded a high-level meeting and even refused to issue a statement concerning the South China Sea dispute. So, where is the deep regional concern that would merit American naval presence there, that would justify as emergency the sailing of the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the USS Lassen in the troubled waters west of the Philippines?

Isn't Carter and his ilk in Washington stoking the fire to create a conflagration in the region?

The Philippines, the nearest claimant to the place, is not even talking tough as much as the Pentagon chief.

This American stance which is fleshed out by Carter has long been anticipated by many observers in the Philippines and in the region, since the US indicated unequivocally that it will defend the international freedom of navigation in these waters, challenging the Chinese argument that the reefs and atolls are part of Chinese territory.

Recall what Carter said in a defense and security forum last Oct. 13. He said, "Make no mistake, the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, as we do around the world, and the South China Sea is not and will not be an exception."

He added that they will do it "at a time and places of our choosing."

To these strong words, Chinese diplomat Zhu Haiquan in Washington could only meekly assure that China will respect the, freedom of navigation, and that this freedom, along with overflight, should not be used as an excuse to flex muscle and undermine other countries' sovereignty.

As this exchange of contrasting arguments happen, the Philippines remains an observer with little voice, and possible venue of conflict between the two superpowers.

Especially so because the US State Department defines any US action in support of freedom of navigation as something sanctioned by international law, and does not need consultations with other countries or allies before implementation.

The Philippines admittedly has a weak military force compared to China, with logistics and resources of the economy not even comparable to this giant neighbor.

This forces Manila to take only the next best thing, which is to go to the United Nations arbitration court to press its claim over the Spratly archipelago of reefs, atolls and islets, and hope that China would toe the line if a favorable ruling is given.

The problem is China does not recognize that the UN panel has jurisdiction over the matter, it being a sovereignty issue and not one involving maritime or navigation.

The government of President Aquino should not just stand by the wayside and wait for the consummation of the disaster-waiting-to-happen. It should at least tell the US officially not to fan the embers of regional trouble by turning the issue from diplomacy to military.

Filipino fishermen in coastal communities of Zambales and Palawan have suffered enough from Chinese bullying, as the diplomats in Manila try to contain the problem by working through UN channels.

A wrong move by the US would be considered meddling, giving China the alibi to react, and devour us all in a conflagration nobody in the Philippines wanted.

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(emphasis ours)

Videos of the day

Every so often we will post two kinds of videos form the various Internet sources like You Tube or Vimeo, etc., on two subjects: Kindness and U.S. Artocities - so that we can feed our compassion and passion for peace with.

This first one if about "Meals ready", from Malaysia, how one son feeds his mothers each day.... the second is about the atrocities of U.S. Imperialism including its cruelties in the Philippines...

Carpio likes to carp, but everything normal on the South China Sea

Carpio likes to carp, but everything normal on the South China Sea

hermantiuaurel2015.blgspot.com Daily News Briefs/Analysis

Carpio has been carping about the what a “disaster” it would be for the Philippines if any of the presidential candidates would upon winning withdraw the country’s case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration against China’s claims over disputed islands and sea formations. Carpio wants the issue to be raised for the candidates to address at the Comelec sponsored debates, obviously to pressure all candidates to commit to a position of pursuing the case through the next administration.

But the case doesn’t have to be withdrawn as it will eventually gather corals over time naturally, China will never engage the court on the issue and there’s no way to enforce anything that it may decide. It is irrelevant. Carpio himself in an interview with Jessica Soho on GMA said that it would take up to “three generations” and it may not still be resolved. To that Jessica Soho innocently and wisely reacted, “But there would be nothing left for the Philippines by that time!?”

Not only will there be nothing left for the Philippines under those circumstances but it’ll be losing hundreds of billions in economic benefits in engagement with China which all other nations of Asean, including Vietnam, and the World including the cousins of the American in the U.K. and across the Atlantic in France, are taking advantage of even as Carpio continues his carping against China and serious, constructive Philippine engagement with China.

Presidential suck-ups to business

Presidential suck-ups to business.

Herman Tiu Laurel, November 1, 2015, Sunday.

A week ago the top presidential candidates bared their economic plans at the 2-day 41-st Philippine Business Conference & Expo at a Manila hotel carrying “One. Global. Filipino: Synergies in partnerships for Global Competitiveness”.

Essentially, aside from the flap with Grace Poe who declined upon hearing the event was on a debate format but suddenly popped up when it was changed to simple exposition, the candidates lines “showed no marked departure from current  policies, validating analyst expectations of continuity under a new political leadership that would provide solid ground for continued strong growth” a report by Victor V. Saulon of the Manila Times described.

The situation reminded us of a quote from Mark Twain who said once, “If voting made any difference they wouldn’t let us do it.” Or 20^th century American political activist Emma Goldman who said, “If voting changed anything they’d make it illegal.”

The real power in Philippine society today is in the hands of Big Business connected to the global financial oligarchy. In the hands of cold-hearted businessmen especially the likes of the Ayalas, Aboitizes, Pangilinan, Lopezes, et al who have taken public utilities like electricity, water, public transportation infrastructure as cash cows for their financial empires – with Wall Street financiers such as Goldman Sachs etc. behind and the U.S. State Department’s protection racket.

INQUIRER ERASES POE’S “DE-MILITARIZED” DNA.

The biggest political development for the next few days should be the rejection of Poe’s “natural citizenship” status by the incontrovertible proof that she and her lawyers provided – the DNA test of a daughter of Edgardo Militar, Imelda Militar Hofileña which failed to show a match with Grace Poe’s DNA.

But the Inquirer’s Internet (which can be updated anytime) edition’s front page still did not have this among its headline news or any part of its visible front page up to this time as I write this flash commentary on the news that had appeared as headline already in ABS-CBN and surprisingly, since it is published just he night before, the Daily Tribune.

Imelda Militar Hofileña was not the only individual they tried to get a DNA match from to establish a blood link to any “natural born Filipino” parent. Unfortunate for Poe supporters Grace used the plural when reporting the results of the tests, “… aaminin ko sa inyo yung aming mga nakuha na ay di po nagtugma ang aming DNA," so this rules out the other DNA test. For those not familiar with Pilipino, Poe said, “… I will admit that the tests we took did not match our DNA.” So what is the Poe legal team banking on to prove “natural born citizenship”?

Grace Poe added, “Be that as it may, I am not losing hope, nor strength of resolve in this, because our legal basis does not stand on the DNA proof alone. This stands on the right of children born in this country of our’s. ("Gayunpaman, hindi naman ako nawawalan din ng loob, lakas ng loob dito, sapagkat ang aming tinatayunan na legal na basehan ay hindi lang naman sa DNA nakasalalay. Nakasalalay po ito sa karapatan ng mga bata bilang mga ipinanganak dito sa ating bansa,… ")
             
No one is denying Grace Poe’s Filipino citizenship, just her claim to being a natural born citizen to comply with the basic requirement of the Philippine Constitution in running for and holding national elective office. We can understand how Grace Poe continues to find legal loopholes by which she can delay and/or overcome her disqualification but there is no excuse for the Philippine Daily Inquirer to shut out news of Poe’s “de-Militarized” and de-naturalized status and cheat its daily readers of the complete story.

An Indian View of the South China Sea issues

"India is a major new power in the World, its views are of serious import to theglobal community and our Asean and national realties. The Indian view of the SCS controversy is that the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea must be firmed up by Consensus. It is a wise counsel and an Asian approach, unlike the U.S. which insists to "lord it over" and have its way... towing its vassal state along, i.e. the Philippines. - HTL

Pull-Back from U.S. in Asia—Indonesia Denounces USS Lassen Stunt; Australia Does Joint Naval Exercise with China

Philippine mainstream media like the Inquirer and Philippine Star makes endless effort to create the impression that a significant number of Asean members are rooting for BS Aquino and the anti-China agitators alignment with U.S. provocations. This news report from EIRNS shows that Indonesia is particularly unhappy with U.S. interventionist actions in the region, rejecting the USS Lassen's arrogant interference in the Asean community's affairs.

On the other hand, Australia is balancing its relations between China and the U.S. preferring to maintain its goodwill with the former in the midst of pressure from its U.S. cousins. The strategic picture, however, will always see Australia accommodating the U.S. "Pivot to Asia" against strategic Asian and Asean sovereignty and independence from Western hegemonism. - HTL, November 4, 2015

 

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https://larouchepac.com/20151031/pull-back-us-asia-indonesia-denounces-uss-lassen-stunt-australia-does-joint-naval-exercise

 

The Oct. 27 U.S. provocation against China, by the deployment of USS Lassen within the 12-nautical-mile limit of Chinese territorial waters at Subi Reef in the South China Sea, is provoking a pull-back against the United States in the Pacific.

A top official of Indonesia has slammed the U.S. action. "We disagree; we don't like any power projection," said Luhut Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for POlitical, Legal and Security Affairs, of Indonesia. This reflects deepening fissures in ASEAN against U.S. gunboat foreign policy.

In Australia, a joint China-Australia naval exercise in the South China Sea will take place as planned next week. The Australian government officials released a statement Thursday, that, "There have been no changes or delays to the schedule of the HMAS Arunta and HMAS Stuart since the United States activity in the South China Sea on 27 October 2015."

On Friday, the leading Indian daily, The Hindu, noted, "The underlying tensions between China and the U.S. in the South China Sea are also having a fall-out on the bonding between Washington and its top allies. Australia, which has already defied the U.S. by joining the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), has announced that it would continue to hold the proposed naval drills with China in the South China Sea, notwithstanding the latest bout of tensions between Beijing and Washington."

On Oct. 28, a French frigate tied up at Zhanjiang, a few days ahead of the visit to China next week by French President Francois Hollande.