U.S. Reaffirms Defense of Philippines in Standoff With China
By FLOYD WHALEY
Published: May 1, 2012
MANILA — With a standoff between Philippine and Chinese ships under way
in a disputed corner of the South China Sea, senior leaders from the
United States and the Philippines have reaffirmed their longstanding commitment to mutual defense.
“We oppose the threat or use of force by any party to advance its
claim,” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said after the meeting
Monday in Washington. “And we will remain in close contact with our
ally, the Philippines.”
Mrs. Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta met with their
Philippine counterparts, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario and
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. They discussed broadening their
military alliance as well as expanding economic and cultural ties,
though no specific new initiatives were announced.
The meeting took place as the standoff in the South China Sea entered its fourth week. Since April 8, maritime vessels from China
and the Philippines have been stationed at Scarborough Shoal, a
disputed string of rock outcroppings about 200 kilometers, or 125 miles,
west of Luzon Island in the northern Philippines. Both countries claim
the area and have demanded that the other leave.
Diplomatic negotiations are under way to resolve the standoff at the
shoal, and both sides say they are trying to calm the situation. Still,
belligerent rhetoric has continued in both Manila and Beijing.
The Philippine government has accused China of “bullying” its vessels in
the disputed area by making aggressive maneuvers, and Manila lawmakers
have called on the country to stand its ground. Late last week, a
Chinese general wrote in an online commentary
that his government should be open to taking military action.
“Considering the relative military strengths of China and the
Philippines, the Filipino people can judge for themselves the wisdom or
otherwise of their government’s decision to take this stand against
China,” Maj. Gen. Luo Yuan wrote.
At the meeting in Washington, Mr. del Rosario said his country was
seeking the help of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to
resolve the standoff. The association has been largely silent on the
issue. The Philippines is also seeking United Nations mediation in the dispute, but China opposes that option.
When asked whether the United States would come to the aid of the
Philippines if it were attacked at Scarborough Shoal, Mr. del Rosario
responded: “They have expressed that they will honor their obligations
under the mutual defense treaty.”
The treaty obligates the two nations to defend each another in the case
of attack, although it is not clear how that might be applied in a
disputed area.
Discussions of broader military cooperation have been under way since
last year, when the administration of President Barack Obama announced a
strategic “pivot” toward the Asia-Pacific region. In November, Mrs.
Clinton visited Manila and proclaimed continued American military
support from the deck of a warship.
The discussions on Monday were the highest-level talks between the two countries since those developments.
Any expansion of the American military presence in the Philippines, a
former American colony, would be controversial. The Philippine
government forced the United States to close its military bases in the
country in 1992, and any suggestion that the return of permanent
American facilities is being considered remains highly sensitive.
Mr. Gazmin appeared to acknowledge this after the meeting Monday. “We
are also mindful that our efforts to further our alliance need to be in
full consideration of our respective national laws and political
context,” he said. end quote from:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/02/world/asia/us-reaffirms-defense-of-philippines-in-standoff-with-china.html?src=recg
This is all very eerily familiar to the leadup to World War II only with China now playing the part of the then Tojo's Japan. I know that China is just trying to take care of the needs of its 1.4 billion population and sort of like a teenager with newfound power not experienced like this with this much potential power for over a Century or more as a nation, it is trying to see what it can get away with. Hopefully, other nations who are more used to their wealth and strength will be able to deal with this new Teenager rich nation awakening from the past. I have no idea where all this is going I just don't want a repeat of World War II in the Pacific only this time with China playing the part of Tojo's Japan.
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