China police prepares to takeover Philippine Naval Ships patrolling in West Philippines Sea

China plans to board Philippine ships

THE commander of the military's Western Command yesterday protested a reported plan of China to board and search ships that will enter its claimed territories in the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea.

"That's a violation of the international passage," said Lt. Gen. Juancho Sabban, commander of Wescom which is in charge of protecting the country's interest in the disputed area.

"That's too much. While we are exerting all peaceful means (to solve the territorial dispute), that is what they are doing," he also said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs declined to comment.

"We need to get more information on that. There are details that we need to find out before we could comment on that," said DFA Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez.

"If it is true, it will pose a concern to the Philippines and the international community," he also said.

He said media should ask the Chinese Foreign Ministry or the Chinese embassy.

The Chinese Embassy usually does not immediately answer questions. If it does, it comes in the form of a statement that is issued days later.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Chinese national government should be asked if the position of the Hainan provincial government is the position of Chinese national leadership.

"Instead of asking the Philippine government to comment on a position taken by a local Chinese government official, why doesn't the press ask the Chinese Foreign Ministry or the Chinese Embassy here and confirm if that is also the position they are adopting?" Lacierda said, asking the same question asked by Hernandez.

The China Daily yesterday said that starting January 1, police in Hainan will board and search ships that China considers its territorial waters in the South China Sea, seize control of the ships and order them to change course or stop sailing. Hainan administers China's claims to the islets and atolls in the South China Sea.

China is claiming the whole Spratly Islands, a chain of islands and islets believed in the South China Sea, which is believed rich in oil and minerals deposits. The Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam are claiming parts of the islands and have stationed their troops.

Philippine troops are occupying nine islands including Pag-asa which is about 200 nautical miles of Puerto Princesa City.

Sabban, asked how the military would secure ships that may pass the territorial waters being claimed by China, said, "We have regular patrols (there). We have the Navy and the Coast Guard in the area."

Last week, Sabban visited the troops stationed at the nine Philippine-occupied areas in the Spratlys. It took Sabban four days to complete the visit of the nine islands, the first time for any Wescom commander.

He told the troops "to keep our flag flying mighty. (http://is.gd/8EiHIl)

Malaya

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Global Distrust to China Mount: Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia rejects Passport – USA Speaks Up!

New china passport depicting territories of Vietnam, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and India:  China said - Translation: Shut up, and take it.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — China's latest diplomatic train wreck, this time involving new passports containing watermarked maps of Beijing's hotly contested territorial claims, prompted the familiar protests of its oft enraged neighbors.  

It's just too bad nobody was at home to hear them.

"The aim of China's new electronic passports is to strengthen its technological abilities and make it convenient for Chinese citizens to enter or leave the country," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing on Wednesday.

"The issue of the maps in China's new passports should not be read too much into. China is willing to remain in touch with relevant countries and promote the healthy development of the exchange of people between China and the outside world."

Translation: Shut up, and take it.

"The Chinese are disingenuous. The maps are the latest example of them trying to fabricate a new precedent, but when countries protest, they pretend that everybody is delusional or overly emotional," said an official from Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Beijing attempted to cushion the diplomatic blow earlier this week by arguing the maps were "not made to target any specific country."

If that's true, they've done a pretty poor job of it. They've also done a pretty poor job of making it "more convenient for Chinese citizens." The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that Chinese travelers to Vietnam and the Philippines were encountering waits of "a few hours" at immigration checkpoints.

Vietnam and the Philippines — who along with Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia claim parts of the vast South China Sea — will not issue visas for Chinese nationals using the passports because they say it would be tacit acknowledgment of China's claims. Both countries are issuing visas on separate pieces of paper.

The maps, depicting China's demands of the entire resource-rich sea, Taiwan and parts of Indian-controlled Himalayas is just the latest spat involving the Asian superpower and a growing clique of its increasingly distrustful neighbors.

Distrust is mounting.

Taking a page out of China's book, India is stamping visas for Chinese nationals with its own competing map of the Himalayas. The US and Asean's top diplomats have said they will raise the matter with Beijing.

"We do have concerns about this map which is causing tension and anxiety between and among the states in the South China Sea," US State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland told a media this week. "We do intend to raise this with the Chinese in terms of it not being helpful to the environment we all seek to resolve these issues."

Taiwan, which mainland China considers a rogue province and has threatened to use force to annex the island republic, doesn't recognize Chinese passports and  issues visas to Chinese tourists on a separate travel document.

"It's unclear what Beijing's motivation was. It seems to be a hasty decision made by hardliners within the government. Given the strong reactions from several neighbors, it's apparent that the move has backfired," said Zhiqun Zhu, an expert on Chinese politics at Bucknell University.

Zhu says hawkish elements within China's military and the ruling Communist Party used the maps as a tool to "take advantage of the leadership transition to attempt to set the tone of China's foreign policy."

China unveiled a once-in-a-decade power transition earlier this month that ushered in Xi Jingping as paramount leader of the world's second largest economy.

Beijing argues its fishermen plied the South China Sea and established outposts on its rocky outcrops centuries ago, and as such, it is theirs by "historical right," despite much of it being within the exclusive economic zone of other countries. 

This year marked a rapid escalation of tensions in the region — with China taking a front row seat for all of it. China and the Philippines engaged in a naval standoff at a shoal close to the Philippine island of Luzon early this year.

In June, a state-owned Sino oil company called for foreign exploration rights bids for blocks close to the Vietnamese coast. A month later, it angered claimants further when it announced it would station troops on a South China Sea island it had seized from Vietnam at the end of the Vietnam War.

"This is not a domestic issue any more. Beijing may have to reflect upon this: What has it achieved by issuing the new passport?  And how should it remedy the prickly situation and pacify its infuriated neighbors," said Zhu.

In other news, the Voice of America reported Thursday that China will permit its border police to board and search foreign ships that enter waters in the sea. According to the Voice of America, "police in the southern island province of Hainan will soon be authorized to land on, check, seize and expel foreign ships that enter the area illegally." (http://is.gd/f2Dxxg)

Global Post

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