China, Philippines locked in naval standoff

[robot.sonic]

ito ang solution dyan.

mag bangka papuntang scarborough shoal parang ganito:

[Monseratto]

ito ang solution dyan.

mag bangka papuntang scarborough shoal parang ganito:

Remind me of this scene from the Mission before the natives were massacred by the Spaniards...

[pop3corn]

di pa din tapos dito. tsk tsk ano ba naman magmula ng nag-surface na Nuclear Sub ni Big Bro this issue is finished. kaya nga di na ako nag-popost ng madaling araw, nakakatulog na ako

[Monseratto]

Dasal ka pa OB, di tumatalab yung mind power mo sa mga tsino...

[robot.sonic]

ang galing mo naman OB. akalain mong tama yung sabi mo na may sub na sa west philippine sea.

[pop3corn]

di lang kaya US Sub meron, meron ata tayo 2 teams ng US special forces na permanently based dito, di ko lang matandaan kung pareho SEAL o isang SEAL team at isang Delta company. or pwede din G.I. Joe

[chua_riwap]

di lang kaya US Sub meron, meron ata tayo 2 teams ng US special forces na permanently based dito, di ko lang matandaan kung pareho SEAL o isang SEAL team at isang Delta company. or pwede din G.I. Joe

saan naka-base OB sa mindanao ba?

[Syuryuken]

di lang kaya US Sub meron, meron ata tayo 2 teams ng US special forces na permanently based dito, di ko lang matandaan kung pareho SEAL o isang SEAL team at isang Delta company. or pwede din G.I. Joe

Grabe na rin pala talaga pagkasira ng tuktok mo OB

Ikaw ba at si Bongbong iisa?

[timrev]

China pursuing steady military buildup: Pentagon

WASHINGTON - China is exploiting Western commercial technology, conducting aggressive cyber espionage and buying more anti-ship missiles as part of a steady military buildup, the Pentagon said Friday.

Beijing aims to take advantage of "mostly US" defense-related technologies in the private sector as part of a concerted effort to modernize the country's armed forces and extend China's reach in the Asia-Pacific region, the Pentagon wrote in a report to Congress.

The annual assessment of China's military resembled previous reports but adopted more diplomatic language, possibly to avoid aggravating delicate relations with Beijing, analysts said.

"I am struck by the decidedly mellow tone," Christopher Johnson of the Center for Strategic and International Studies told AFP.

Chinese officials will privately welcome the report's wording, after having been irritated by a strategy document issued by President Barack Obama in January that portrayed China as a military rival, Johnson said.

The report said Beijing had a goal of leveraging "legally and illegally acquired dual-use and military-related technologies to its advantage," it said.

And China, which has the world's second-largest defense budget behind the United States, "openly espouses the need to exploit civilian technologies for use in its military modernization."

The Pentagon warned that "interactions with Western aviation manufacturing firms may also inadvertently benefit China's defense aviation industry."

Echoing recent warnings from intelligence officials, the Pentagon blamed China for "many" of the world's cyber intrusions over the past year that have targeted US government and commercial networks, including companies "that directly support US defense programs."

"Chinese actors are the world's most active and persistent perpetrators of economic espionage," the report warned, predicting that those spying efforts would continue.

China's investments in cyber warfare were cause for "concern," said David Helvey, acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia and Asia Pacific security affairs.

Beijing was clearly "looking at ways to use cyber for offensive operations," Helvey told reporters.

The American military has long worried that China could potentially limit the reach of US naval ships in the western Pacific with new weapons, and the Pentagon report underlined those concerns.

China "is also acquiring and fielding greater numbers of conventional medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) to increase the range at which it can conduct precision strikes against land targets and naval ships, including aircraft carriers, operating far from China's shores beyond the first island chain," said the report.

Beijing is pouring money into advanced air defenses, submarines, anti-satellite weapons and anti-ship missiles that could all be used to deny an adversary access to strategic areas, such as the South China Sea, it said.

US strategists -- and some defense contractors -- often refer to the threat posed by China's so-called "carrier-killer" missiles but Helvey said the anti-ship weapons currently have "limited operational capability."

China's military budget officially reached $106 billion in 2012, an 11.2 percent increase.

But the US report said China's defense budget does not include major expenditures, such as improvements to nuclear forces or purchases of foreign-made weapons. Real defense spending amounts to $120 to $180 billion, the report said.

US military spending, however, still dwarfs Chinese investments, with the Pentagon's proposed budget for 2013 exceeding $600 billion.

Despite a sustained increase in defense spending over the past decade, China has experienced setbacks with some satellite launches and ambitious projects to produce a fifth-generation fighter jet and modern aircraft carrier still face challenges, the report said.

Although looking to expand its traditional missions to include counter-piracy and humanitarian efforts, the top priority of the People's Liberation Army's remained a possible conflict in the Taiwan Strait, with China focused on preventing the United States from intervening successfully in support of Taiwan, according to the report.

The document was released as the House of Representatives voted to force the US government to sell 66 new fighter jets to Taiwan.

President Barack Obama's administration, anxious to keep ties with China on track, is only planning to upgrade existing planes. The measure still needs Senate approval.

[donbuggy]

According to Victor N. Arches II, a Filipino "retired investment and merchant banker, a retired Certified Public Accountant, and a retired economist who loves to dabble in history and political science", Scarborough Shoal belongs to China.

http://opinion.manilastandardtoday.c...ongs-to-china/

It belongs to China

Posted April 28th, 2012 by Manila Standard Today & filed under Opinion.

By Victor N. Arches II

The Scarborough Shoal does belong to China which discovered it and drew it in a map as early as 1279 during the Yuan Dynasty. Chinese fishermen, from both the Mainland and Taiwan, have since used it. As a matter of fact, Guo Shoujing, (the Chinese astronomer, engineer and mathematician who worked under the Mongol ruler, Kublai Khan) performed surveying of the South China Sea, and the surveying point was the Scarborough Shoal which is considered part of the Zhongsha Islands (renamed Huangyan Island in 1983).

By contrast, the “old maps” being relied upon by our Department of Foreign Affairs in its spurious claim on the same territory were drawn up only in 1820, or 541 years after China’s. I am surprised that Senator Edgardo Angara—supposedly a renowned lawyer—can claim that a map drawn 5 centuries and 4 decades after, takes precedence over the much earlier map of China.

But I am all the more astonished that Fr. Joaquin Bernas, in his April 22 article in another newspaper, being one of the main framers of the 1987 Constitution, uses the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as his basis to defend the Philippine claim. This, despite and after acknowledging the fact that, indeed, “the Scarborough Shoal is OUTSIDE THE LIMITS set by the Treaty of Paris for Philippine territory.” What kind of double-speak is that?

So, what exactly was the territory we declared independence from the US in 1946? Why is it that NONE of our constitutions, past and present, from 1899, 1935, 1943, 1973, 1986 and 1987, include either the Spratlys or the Scarborough Shoal within our declared national territory? Where, or from whom, did we, all of a sudden, acquire title to these? Out of thin air?

In the late 1970s, China organized many scientific expeditions in the Shoal and around that area. In fact, in 1980, a stone marker reading “South China Sea Scientific Expedition” was installed by China on the South Rock. This Chinese marker was removed, without authority, by the Philippines in 1997.

All official maps published by the Philippines until the 1990s excluded both the Spratlys and Scarborough Shoal from its territorial boundaries. Our own Republic Act No. 3046, passed by our Congress and approved in 1961, stopped us from our claim. Yet, we had the temerity to amend this law on March 10, 2009, after 48 long years, to unilaterally include the disputed territories.

But what takes the cake is the fact that China holds three international treaties in support of its claim over the territories in question—namely, the 1898 Treaty of Paris between the US and Spain, the 1900 Treaty of Washington between Spain and the US, and the 1930 Treaty between Great Britain and the US, all limiting Philippine territorial limits to the 118th degree meridian of longitude east of Greenwich.

On the other hand, the basis of the Philippine claim is restricted to proximity, relying solely on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. As far as I know, a mere “convention” cannot overturn or supersede a treaty or an agreement reached between colonial powers. And even if it were considered a “law”, it cannot be made to take effect retroactively.

Whom are we fooling?

Mr. Arches is from San Juan City. He is a retired investment and merchant banker, a retired Certified Public Accountant, and a retired economist who loves to dabble in history and political science, among many other interests.

[Monseratto]

Kasalanan ni OB at ang kanyang submarine... They're going sub-hunting.

China deploys warships, US submarine blamed
Sunday, 20 May 2012 12:03 Angeli Sabillo

Five Chinese warships were reportedly deployed near Philippine waters following the visit of a nuclear-powered submarine from the United States.

Philippine Star reported that a news outlet from Taiwan identified the ships as two Type-052B destroyers, two Type-054A frigates and one Type-071 amphibious transport vessel.

Media said the ships are on a training mission and are on their way to an unspecified location near the Philippines. They may also be sent to support China’s fishery administration ships around Panatag Shoal, a disputed island claimed by various nations including Philippines and China.

The cited news outlet Douwie News read, “With a displacement of just 3,200 tons, the Hamilton-class cutter of the Philippine Navy is no match for the four Chinese destroyers and frigates which together would carry about 48 C-802/803 anti-ship missiles. The Philippines has none.”

The news came after USS North Carolina suddenly surfaced in the former US Naval Base in Subic for reprovisioning. It is said to be among the most modern submarines in the US Navy. The visit is reportedly unannounced and came during the continuing standoff between the two countries.

[yebo]

funny that china seems to be marching to the very same tune that those commie demonstrators were singing just last week, that the US sub in subic will draw that very reaction from china. are they in cahoots?

[Harangody]

Masaya nanaman si Renato Reyes. Wala ba may balak barilin yun?

[timrev]

bat kaya spartlys at scarbourouh shoal ang puntiraya ng china e mas malinaw pa na sakanila dati ang taiwan na dapat iclaim din nila...yun tibet dapat di din sakanila pero nasakop na nila...
at bat ngayon lang sa tinagl tagal ng panahon ngayon lang...malinaw talaga na ang habol nila ay ang langis natin dun

[pop3corn]

bat kaya spartlys at scarbourouh shoal ang puntiraya ng china e mas malinaw pa na sakanila dati ang taiwan na dapat iclaim din nila...yun tibet dapat di din sakanila pero nasakop na nila...
at bat ngayon lang sa tinagl tagal ng panahon ngayon lang...malinaw talaga na ang habol nila ay ang langis natin dun

Hindi langis yun, they're expanding perimeters 1,200 km of it or the entire south china sea.

[oliver1013]

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/05...rough-backlash

Pentagon warns China on Spratlys, Scarborough backlash

[pop3corn]

hehe, at lumabas na din. the Philippines is owned by China. give up scarborough, next agenda, paalisin tayo mga Pinoy sa Pilipinas

[olidotcom]

im not sure if this was already discussed... I haven't heard or read from any news either...

how about the other countries where china is also getting their 'economic area' or 'territory' (not sure of the correct term) but anyway.. as we can see din sa map above clearly, pati malaysia, vietnam, cambodia, guam, palau, even japan, north and south korea.. inaankin na nila yung dagat.. parang hindi ata sila nag rereklamo??? (or i haven't heard any news that they are also disputing china's claim)

diba?

[Monseratto]

No missles, phalanx or other countermeasures. Just one cannon...

2nd US warship sold to Philippines also stripped of guns | Inquirer Global Nation

2nd US warship sold to Philippines also stripped of guns
By Dona Z. Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
4:56 am | Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012 share21 21


Washington has turned down Manila’s request to retain the entire weapons system in the second US Coast Guard cutter the Philippines is acquiring from the United States.

Top Filipino military officials flew to the US last weekend for the ceremonial turnover on May 23 of the 378-ft USCG Dallas in North Charleston, South Carolina.

According to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, the second cutter will also have most of its weapons removed as happened with the first cutter acquired from the US by the Philippine Navy last year.

In the case of what is now the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, all its weapons were removed except for a 76-mm Oto Melara automatic cannon.

In a meeting in Washington on April 30, Gazmin personally asked his counterpart, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, to keep the USCG Dallas in its original state and to restore the weapons that were removed from its sister ship, the Gregorio del Pilar.

The Gregorio del Pilar is currently the biggest and most modern warship in the Philippine Navy fleet which still relies on World War II-vintage vessels.

Symbolic turnover

Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Jessie Dellosa and Philippine Navy Fleet commander Rear Admiral Jose Luis Alano will take possession of the Dallas during a symbolic turnover on Wednesday.

The vessel will be renamed the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, after the World War II hero and former fleet commander, and will be under the command of Navy Captain Ernesto Baldovino.

In April 1942, Alcaraz was commander one of the Philippines’ three torpedo boats that shot down three of nine attacking Japanese fighter planes.

After the turnover, the Philippine Navy crew will undergo training before they sail the ship home to the Philippines.

[Beam Magnum]

Whats the reaction of Malaysia?