Posted on 03/03/2011 12:11:55 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Philippines deploys 2 warplanes after local ship reports harassment by Chinese patrol boats
By Jim Gomez (CP) – 8 hours ago
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine military deployed two warplanes near the disputed South China Sea region after a local ship searching for oil complained it was harassed by two Chinese patrol boats, officials said Thursday.
The Chinese vessels later left without confrontation, said Philippine military commander Lt. Gen. Juancho Sabban.
The incident happened Wednesday at the Reed Bank, which is near the disputed Spratly Islands that are claimed by the Philippines, China and other nations, said Sabban, who heads the military's Western Command. Philippine officials said the Reed Bank is clearly within Philippine territory.
The Philippine government asked the Chinese Embassy to explain, presidential spokesman Ricky Carandang said.
"The boats approached in a way that the Philippine vessel thought it was better to back off," Carandang told The Associated Press.
Chinese Embassy spokesman Ethan Sun declined to immediately comment.
The Spratlys, a group of islands, reefs and atolls believed to be sitting stop vast oil and gas reserves, has been claimed in whole or in part by China, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines. It has long been regarded as a potential flash point for conflict in Asia.
Sabban said he deployed an OV-10 bomber plane and an Islander light aircraft to the Reed Bank to undertake surveillance after the Philippine ship radioed his command that two suspected Chinese patrol boats approached and ordered it to leave the area.
When the planes reached the area, the foreign vessels have left, he said.
"It's clearly our territory," Sabban told the AP. "If they'll bully us, well, even children will fight back."
The vast sea area where the incident
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
I bet they wish they had not driven us out of Clark now.
Happens a lot more than they’re saying.
We’re going to see LOTS more of this.
Good post.
I thought Mount Pinatubo drove us out of Clark. Or were we pushed out before that?
The RP government passed a measure either saying they didn’t want us anymore, or not extending our lease at Clark and Subic. I don’t remember which. So, we had a plan to leave. Pinatubo accelerated the plan.
Ahh.. Thanks.
The Chinese claim on the Spratlys is nuttier than squirrel chit. The islands are twice as close to the Philippines and Malaysia as they are to China. It would be like Cuba claiming Martha’s Vineyard.
I found a map that shows China’s “line of claim” and it encircles the whole Spratly archipelago and seems to run right
up next to the wast coast of the Philippines.
It’s just goofy.
Yes, this will become a more frequent event as the chicoms flex their muscle. I see a new Asian Sphere of “Cooperation” forming.
It’s not goofy if you got the fire power to take it. Look where the Falklands are and who owns them.
The Chinese call the Spratleys and the Philippines, the “Southern Resource Zone”. The dominoes will fall when we abandon Taiwan.
Geologists state that below the Spratlys there are huge reserves of OIL —this is about energy, or more specifically current Chinese views of their future dire needs for energy, and control over sea lanes to those energy sources.
Deep within Hainan Island (where the Chinese forced down that Navy EP-3 about 8 years ago), there is (was?) a secret submarine base.
The Chinese have plans for basing/servicing of 20 nuclear submarines there, eventually.
It has underwater entryways, and everything —verrrrry James Bond.
Your timing is correct, it was after Mt. Pinatubo but the driver was unfavorable lease rates they were trying to extort.
Good point.
I think the Philippines and Malaysia better divide em up (ignore Vietnam) and figure out how to keep them. I can’t imagine, given our history with the Philippines that we would sit idle and let China be aggressive against the Philippines with impunity.
“I see a new Asian Sphere of “Cooperation” forming”
_________________________________________________________
Hehe... Whose sphere? and whose cooperation??
“The Chinese call the Spratleys and the Philippines, the “Southern Resource Zone”. The dominoes will fall when we abandon Taiwan”
_____________________________________________________________
What’s the timeline on that? A decade? sooner?
Perhaps the best way to approach this is by doing the unexpected. Bring along an independent, neutral country film documentary crew, with their own GPS equipment and a live, satellite feed. When the harassment commences, advise the Chinese that they are on live television conducting an act of aggression in international waters.
Then demand to know the name of their commanding officer. Bet they would beat feet out of there. Hopefully the cameras would show their faces and uniforms as well.
And send an official diplomatic complaint from the government of the Philippines to the government of China even before the ships had returned to harbor. Along with posting the video to the Internet.
walang anuman banka!
IIRC the Philippine gov’t raised the rent considerably, but otherwise it was as you said.
I spent 18 months at Clark 61-62 and had no idea that Pinatubo was a dormant volcano. Does anyone if Pinatubo used to be called Lily Hill? The stories we were told that the Japanese had a garrison on Lily Hill, and the Huks sneaked into their barracks and cut every other Japanese soldiers' throats. Don't know if it's true or not, but it makes for a good story.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.