[VietVet876]

Duterte is a pragmatist. China could stomp on Indonesia and Vietnam like cockroaches caught in the kitchen when the light is turned on.

[SeekAndFind]

Philippine President Duterte wants peaceful co-existence with China. The only problem is this — it has come at a price — the Chicoms ignoring the UN Law of the Sea and in effect, capturing several islands that belongs to the Philippines.

[butlerweave]

Did Duterte declare War on Canada yet because of recycling ? LOL

[Wuli]

I will hand one thing positive to some of China’s recent activities in the South China Sea; but this one area alone and no other.

Unlike the U.S. China is not behaving politely or sticking to what the U.N. wants when it comes to dealing with pirates on the open seas. The U.S. has hamstrung itself keeping to “international ‘treaties’ “ on piracy. China is not doing that. When Chinese patrol ships observe or are notified of pirate activities in the international shipping lanes of the South China sea, it blasts them out of the water, no questions asked. Sorry folks, and I am as American as the next Conservative, but when it comes to the pirates harassing international shipping, I agree with China - they have no “rights”.

[alexander_busek]

Indonesia joined Vietnam recently to challenge President Duterte’s doctrine in the South China Sea. That’s the notion that any Asian-Pacific country that dares to tame Beijing’s ambitions to control the entire South China Sea will face war with China

Doesn't necessarily prove that either Indonesia or Vietnam are particularly courageous.

They may merely be staking out fishing rights / establishing legal claims that they fully intend to later cede to Peking in exchange for some "bone" that the Communists might throw them.

Regards,