“Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.” – DALAI LAMA.
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China is acting like a circus clown, is it not?
First, when we were not looking, the chinky-eyed giant north of us suddenly flashed and waved a geographical 9-dash line claiming all the isalnds and reefs and shoals insaide it in the South China Sea belong to the People’s Republic of China.
So many developments have happened after that including a favorable decision handed down by the Permanent Arbitration Court in The Hague that the territory being claimed by CVhina in the 9-dash line map was the exclusive economic zone that belongs to the Philippines.
Today, from nine, the Chinese hegenonic attitude, corrected its aritmethical claim and added one more to make it a 10-dash line.
If you are flabbergasted, so am i.
And so is the rest of the Filipinos in the entire archipelago.
But I am more amused and doubly exasperated.
The Chinese attitude cannot be deciphered.
One day, they want to talk with us on a bilateral basis.
The next day, they take action unilaterally, ignoring diplomatic protocols..
What is this?
PBBM is thankful that our neighbors and other countries in the Western world continue to support the Philippine position.
More military drills with allied countries such as Canada, Australia, Japan and the US are willing to conduct them on a periodic basis.
China is aware of the growing interest of countries outside the ASEAN region who are expressing support for the Philippines outside of the long-time Philippine ally the US.
I say China is likely testing the waters.
It is actually behind the formation and organization of BRICS – alongside Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa.
They plan to veer away from using the US dollar as a trade currency and some countries not close to the US have expressed interest to join.
So, I think Chiona is actually belittling the diplomatic efforts of the Philippines to find out if the US will raise a hoot.
In the same manner that the American government has imposed economic sanctions on Iran and Russia, China may be applying the same tactical approach to the South China Sea issue.
Even as PBBM is in attendance at the ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, the ebncouraging signs are that ASEAN members will back any action the Marcos government will take against China’s issuance of the 10-dash line map.
Many Filipinos are gritting their teeth because we are a nation that thrives and abides in peace.
We are simply not war-freaks.
The Chines right foot is already inside our door but as civilized people, we adhere to the tenets and observance of international law.
That is why China continues to bully us.
The Chinese leadership extends a hand of friendship infront of us but behind that friendly handshake, its government policy keeps on pursuing a dark objecrtive.
We don’t need to hide this fact from the Filipino nation.
One of these days, Pinoys will wake up listening to the Chinese national anthem being played in all schools every mornign of every school day and the Chinese flag installed in all flag poles.
That is a dreadful and scary thought.
But you can’t say it will not happen.
The creeping occupation of one shoal and one reef after another in our EEZ is a clear signal that China has prepared for this eventuality.
Look, the impunity by which the Chinese Coast Guiard bombarded Philippine boats with water as they were on a supply mission to the Ayunin shoal where the BRP Sierra Madre is berthed, was clear proof that China does not recognize our territorial sovereignty over the WPS area.
So, how many hundreds of note verbale has the Depratment of Foreign Affairs sent to the Chinese embassy in the Philippines?
Quite a lot.
Perhaps, the Chinese embassy officials have a ready trash can for every note verbale the DFA sends them.
To avert a direct military confrontation – what is there left for the Philippines is a collective pre-emptive response which can be led by our closest ally – the United States and the European bloc.
Freedom of navigation is a big concern here.
China is already making it difficult for countries in the Indo-Pacific region and Oceania to freely navigate the waters in the South China Sea because of the contentious issues affecting ASEAN countries that have claims in the aforesaid area.
If China can tell it to our face that their 9-dash line map has expanded, why can’t it do it again when it increases its expansion to eleven? Or twelve? Or thirteen?
Isn’t it time to learn and speak Mandarin or Cantonese? (Email feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com). GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
