Philippines Sends A Stark Warning To China Over South China Sea Dispute

Forbes.com ^ | Aug 28, 2016 | Panos Mourdoukoutas

[jcon40]

South China Sea disputes are turning worse. Last week, Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte had a loud and clear message for China: Stay away from our territory or else it could be a “bloody” confrontation.

Philippines’s warning comes shortly before China hosts the G20 Leaders’ Summit in the eastern city of Hangzhou on 4-5 September, and one week after a Japan Times editorial revealed that China has set a “red line” for Japan in the South China Sea. China warned Japan “not send Self-Defense Forces to join U.S. operations that test the freedom of navigation in the disputed South China Sea.

Philippines and China’s “hardcore” diplomacy is bad news for the economic integration of the region and bad news for investors in the countries involved in the disputes. A military confrontation would disrupt the economic integration and growth of the region and hurt the global economy — most notably China, which needs a market frontier for its manufacturing products.

[Berosus]

So did China, in 1979. That’s one of the forgotten wars of the past century.

[dfwgator]

And the French in 1954.

[buwaya]

The South China Sea is critical as a shipping route.
If the Chinese own it and are able to license access through it, they have the keys to the economies of all the Asian “tigers”, being in a position to control their economies.
Their economies are collectively larger than Chinas.

[Does so]

And all for what? So China can claim some worthless chunks of coral in the South China Sea? Doesn’t make any sense.

Building before the Pearl Harbor attack, Japan was rolling out aircraft runways on "worthless" Pacific islands snatched from Germany after WWI.

[IronJack]

And that made sense back in the days when bombers and fighters had such limited range. Now? Not so much.

I think this is just muscle-flexing by the Red Dragon.

There's almost nothing to be gained by starting a hot war with most of the civilized world. China would be reduced to rubble in pretty short order and even if they "won," they'd be pariahs on the world market, so their economy would collapse.

It makes a lot more sense to remain peaceful and milk the Western idiots for all they're worth.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Did you see that Obama is taking over the elections?
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/homeland-eyes-special-declaration-to-take-charge-of-elections/article/2600592

[Jack Hydrazine]

Maybe they are preparing for this?

Banks prepare for ‘economic nuclear winter’ Senior banking analyst warns of EU APOCALYPSE
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/704996/Banks-preparing-for-economic-nuclear-winter-Senior-banking-analyst-warns-of-EU-APOCALYP

[buwaya]

No idea.
The Chinese are spending a great deal on these artificial islands and on a large modern fleet. They have intentions but what these are isnt clear. I dont think anyone has a source inside their decision making circles good enough to understand their motivations.

[Laser_Ray]

Oh brother. As much as I want to admire their stance, the Phillies would get completely squashed in anything resembling an actual war. I have a strong hunch their backbone is all on loan from Uncle Sam, and I hear their president is a big leftard as well.