China, Philippines locked in naval standoff

[Ry_Tower]

you call that greatness? if they're so great the 2008 financial crisis wouldnt have happened. bigtime kapalpakan yan

lots of people saw it coming but the USG and Fed didnt do anything

they're reactive. not proactive. hanggang ngayon the Fed is still fighting to keep deflation from coming back

And they favor the rich and powerful...

[uls]

OB believes the myth that the US govt is guardian of democracy and protector of the weak

[ghosthunter]

OB believes the myth that the US govt is guardian of democracy and protector of the weak

When is that movie coming out? hehehe

[chrismarte]

And di lang toys and candy ang ginagawa ng China. Even your precious IPhone and IPad has a "Made in China" label.

Only God made the World and the rest MADE IN CHINA

OB yung mga explanation mo puro galing sa imagination

di sya magiging si OB pag di galing sa ganun ang explanation nya... hehehe


So if ever na maback out ang pinas....at nakuha ng china ang shoal... sa tingin nyo ba mga sir titigil na sila?

[Walter]

alam niyo yung mga may sayad na paulit ulit pinagmamalaki pinoy ang nagimbento ng fluorescent lamp?

ever met people like that?

OB reminds me of those people

Let's not forget the infamous Daniel Dingel.

[pop3corn]

OB yung mga explanation mo puro galing sa imagination

*uls "“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand." - Albert Einstein

wala eh tlaga ganun ako wired eh. sometimes I can skip an entire book or any circular or white paper and still I can come with valid arguments kahit first paragraph lang binasa ko. though i'm really proud of this gift bec. somehow I also consider this a curse more than a gift. kasi nga parang nalalaman ko kagad ang motive/interest/takbo ng things and sometimes napapa-sit na lang ako doing nothing.

[robot.sonic]

ayos ka talaga OB. ibang klase yang kakulitan mo. try mo kaya script writer sa mga gag shows.

[uls]

*uls "“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand." - Albert Einstein

wala eh tlaga ganun ako wired eh. sometimes I can skip an entire book or any circular or white paper and still I can come with valid arguments kahit first paragraph lang binasa ko. though i'm really proud of this gift bec. somehow I also consider this a curse more than a gift. kasi nga parang nalalaman ko kagad ang motive/interest/takbo ng things and sometimes napapa-sit na lang ako doing nothing.

ideas are only ideas if you kust keep thinking about them

do you materialize your ideas ba?

nagagamit mo ba ang gift mo to make life better for mankind?

where's your revolutionary product OB?

where's your revolutionary dotcom?

[Monseratto]

wala eh tlaga ganun ako wired eh. sometimes I can skip an entire book or any circular or white paper and still I can come with valid arguments kahit first paragraph lang binasa ko. though i'm really proud of this gift bec. somehow I also consider this a curse more than a gift. kasi nga parang nalalaman ko kagad ang motive/interest/takbo ng things and sometimes napapa-sit na lang ako doing nothing.

Hinde iyan gift OB, symptoms iyan ng sakit... Do you see aliens or dead people?

Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder that makes it difficult to:

•Tell the difference between real and unreal experiences

•Think logically

•Have normal emotional responses,

•Behave normally in social situations


As the illness continues, problems with thinking, emotions and behavior develop, including:

•Lack of emotion (flat affect)

•Strongly held beliefs that are not based in reality (delusions)

•Hearing or seeing things that are not there (hallucinations)

•Problems paying attention

•Thoughts "jump" between unrelated topics ( “loose associations”)

•Bizarre behaviors

•Social isolation

Paranoid schizophrenia symptoms may include:

•Anxious

•Angry or argumentative

•False believes that others are trying to harm you or your loved ones.



Call your health care provider if:

•Voices are telling you to hurt yourself or others.

•You feel the urge to hurt yourself or others.

•You are feeling hopeless or overwhelmed.

•You are seeing things that aren't really there.

•You feel you cannot leave the house.

•You are unable to care for yourself.

[chua_riwap]

Galit ang china sa pagbili natin ng "weapons"........
noon pa man, plano ng govt. natin yan, nagyon lang natuloy.


China blasts Philippines' weapons purchase | ABS-CBN News

MANILA, Philippines - China warned the Philippines on Wednesday that the 2 countries' territorial dispute over Scarborough shoal will get worse because of Manila's decision to buy weapons abroad.

China's Foreign Ministry, in a press statement published by state-owned China.org.cn, lashed out at the Philippines' impending acquisition of a second Hamilton class cutter from the United States, as well as President Benigno Aquino's plans to buy fighter jets for the the Philippine Air Force.

Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary earlier said Manila will buy 12 patrol ships from Japan, aircraft from South Korea, as well as search and rescue ships from Australia.

China quoted Del Rosario as saying that the Philippines is getting the help of other countries to build a "minimum credible defense posture."

"The Philippine decision to draw a third party into the incident in any way will further escalate the situation and even change the nature of the issue," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.

Beijing also quoted an official of China Institute of International Studies as saying that while the Philippines can buy weapons to improve its armed forces, it can't be compared to China's military.

"And with the Philippine economy performing worse since Aquino became president, the country will face rising financial dangers if it spends too much on its military, Qu said," according to China's Foreign Ministry.

'Philippines no match to China'

It said Major General Xu Yan, an official of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) National Defense University, sees the Philippines as no match to China even if Manila buys new weapons and equipment.

"Once (the Philippines) dares escalate the movements of maritime police into military operations, it will suffer a great calamity from China's strike in response to their attack," Xu said.

Xu added that China now has "a large batch" of large and advanced ships that can be immediately deployed to Scarborough shoal.

According to the US Department of Defense's latest report on China's military forces, Beijing has 203 destroyers, frigates, amphibious transport, landing ships, diesel and nuclear attack submarines, and coastal patrol vessels deployed in the South and East China seas alone.

"The PLA Navy has the largest force of principal combatants, submarines, and amphibious warfare ships in Asia," the Pentagon report said.

China also has around 2,120 operational combat aircraft consisting of air defense and multi-role fighters, ground attack aircraft, fighter-bombers, and bombers.

It also has an undetermined number of ballistic and cruise missiles at its disposal.

Japan-Philippines alliance

A separate commentary published by China.org.cn, meanwhile, criticized Japan over its proposed patrol ships deal with the Philippines.

"At a summit held last September, the leaders of Japan and the Philippines agreed that Japan would aid the Philippines in terms of strengthening its garrison force in the South China Sea and training the Philippine Coast Guard. In addition, both sides will share intelligence regarding matters in the South China Sea. It is therefore clear that Japan is establishing a platform of full engagement in the region," said the commentary written by Chen Guangwen.

"As Japan is already engaged in a dispute with China over the sovereignty of Diaoyu Island, aiding the Philippines in its territorial disputes with China in this way could dramatically escalate tensions in the region," Chen added.

"It is not hard to understand Japan's intentions. As a country outside the region, Japan's active engagement has two main purposes. One is to distract China's attention from Diaoyu Island and the East China Sea. Japan wants to use the disputes between China and other South East Asian countries as bargaining chips in its negotiations with China on the issue of Diaoyu Island. The second purpose is to protect its interests relating to its freedom of navigation and resource development in the South China Sea," Chen said.

"Both Japan and the Philippines are concerned about China's peaceful rise, despite its good intentions based on the policy of 'building an amicable, tranquil and prosperous neighborhood. The Philippines has already benefited from China's rise and concomitant bilateral trade. Even in the Huangyan Island dispute, China did not react with force to Philippine stubbornness. By contrast, the recent warming of relations between Japan and the Philippines is clearly based on the intention to counter China's growing regional influence," he said.

China still sending ships to Scarborough

The DFA on Wednesday said contrary to China's claims that it is easing the tension on Scarborough, the Philippine Coast Guard has monitored an increasing number Chinese government vessels and fishing vessels in the area.

"At around 1900H of May 21, 2012, there were five Chinese Government vessels (CMS-71, CMS-84, FLEC-301, FLEC-303 and FLEC-310), and 16 Chinese fishing boats, ten of which were inside the lagoon while six were outside. In addition, there were 56 utility boats, 27 of which were inside the lagoon and 29 were outside," the DFA said in a press statement.

It added that at least 16 Chinese fishing vessels and 76 utility boats were in the area on Tuesday.

"It is regrettable that these actions occurred at a time when China has been articulating for a deescalation of tensions and while the two sides have been discussing how to defuse the situation in the area," the DFA said.

"The Philippines protests these actions of China as clear violations of Philippine sovereignty and jurisdiction over the Shoal and sovereign rights over the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that covers the waters around Bajo de Masinloc," it added.

The DFA said China's actions violate the ASEAN-China Declaration of Conduct on the South China Sea.

"The recent actions of China are also in violation of the United Nations Charter, specifically Article 2.4, which provides the following: All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations," it added.

The DFA said it sent a note verbale to the Chinese embassy in Manila over China's actions.

"The Philippines demands that China’s vessels immediately pull out from Bajo de Masinloc and the Philippines’ EEZ and for China to refrain from taking further actions that exacerbate the situation in the West Philippine Sea," it added. "Discussions to defuse the tensions in Bajo de Masinloc are continuing cognizant of our mandate under the Philippine Constitution to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity."

[renzo_d10]

Gusto yata ng mga Chinese eh matakot tayo ng sobra sakanila & just give up Scarborough.

[Monseratto]

Manila driven by pursuit of oil, unemployment |Asia-Pacific |chinadaily.com.cn

Manila driven by pursuit of oil, unemployment
Updated: 2012-05-23 07:14

By Zhang Yunbi ( China Daily)

The pursuit of oil, rising jobless rates and the need to cover up domestic public fury are behind Manila's recent territorial claims and its drive for oil drilling in the South China Sea, experts said.

Tensions have been flaring up between Beijing and Manila amid an impasse on China's Huangyan Island as the Philippine government laid a groundless claim over the island and sent a gunboat in early April to harass Chinese fishermen within China's territorial waters off the island.

Media in Manila on Tuesday questioned attempts by some Philippine companies to speed up the joint development of oil and gas in the South China Sea, claiming that the so-called "sovereignty" issue is more important than business interests.

Beijing warned that any unilateral development by the Philippine side will violate China's rights and interests, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, who also urged Manila to show sincerity.

However, the looming fluctuations triggered by Manila in the South China Sea are, to some extent, showing the Philippines' need for energy, said Chen Qinghong, a researcher on Philippine studies with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

"The Philippine economy depends heavily on energy supplies from abroad, and rising oil prices are also prompting major Philippine oil producers to seek more deposits from the waters nearby," said Chen.

The oilfield at Liyue Bank in the South China Sea could hold nearly twice as much gas as the Philippines' largest known deposits, Philex Petroleum said last month.

Some prominent Philippine figures are believed to be connected to the oil companies, and the government has been using the profits from oil for arms purchases, analysts said.

The South China Sea, as the deepest and largest sea of China, boasts abundant natural resources, including 23 to 30 billion tons of oil resources and around 16 trillion cubic meters of natural gas deposit.

In another development, a survey result released on Monday showed that the Philippine jobless rate in the first quarter hit a record high, and President Benigno Aquino is believed to be facing mounting pressure from the public.

The number of jobless adults in the Philippines increased during the first quarter of this year, reaching 34.4 percent, according to a recent survey released by local research institute Social Weather Stations.

It is 10 points higher than the 24 percent recorded in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Yang Baoyun, a professor of Southeast Asia studies at Peking University, said that Aquino has been haunted by the job figures since taking office in June 2010.

"Given the current overall economic situation in the Philippines, Aquino is now having a hard time fulfilling his promises to voters, not to mention the domestic dissatisfaction about corruption and the rebels in the south," said Yang.

Public satisfaction with the performance of the president has also slipped from a "very good" net score of plus-56 in December to a "good" net score of plus-46 in March, according to another recent survey by the institute.

zhangyunbi*chinadaily.com.cn

[pop3corn]

i don't get it. if they are confident with the capability of their army, why do they do they seem irked at us for buying weapons for defense purposes. it's not as if all those ships/planes will be used to attack the Chinese mainland.

the problem with what China is doing to us, is anybody else can do it to us too, like Malaysia/Indonesia from the Southern Mindanao / Sabah. it's a precedent.

it's only natural for us to defend ourselves. wala ba tayo right to do that?

[Monseratto]

DFA files 7th protest over Scarborough; China says PH's insistence on intervention worsening rift - InterAksyon.com

MANILA, Philippines -- The Department of Foreign Affairs has filed its seventh diplomatic protest against China over Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal, this time over increased Chinese presence in the area, with the Philippine Coast Guard monitoring a total of 92 fishing vessels at the contested rock formation as of May 22.

The move came as China said the Philippine government’s insistence on third-party intervention to resolve the more than month-old standoff would only serve to escalate the rift between the two countries.

The number of Chinese ships increased to 92 from 77 the previous day, May 22, DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez Hernandez told a press conference.

He broke these down to: five Chinese government fisheries vessels (CMS-71, CMS-84, FLEC-301, FLEC-303, and FLEC-310), 16 fishing boats (10 inside the lagoon and six outside), and 56 utility boats (27 inside the lagoon and 29 outside).

“Yesterday (Tuesday), there were still 16 Chinese fishing vessels and the number of utility boats went up to 76,” Hernandez said, adding that the “utility boats” were dinghies that help the fishing boats collect their harvest of giant clams and corals by dredging.

He said two Philippine government vessels remain in the area, while no Philippine fishing boats are there.

In a related development, the Chinese embassy here admitted that the People’s Liberation Army recently conducted a “regular training program” in the “West Pacific waters.”

Citing the Information Office of China’s Ministry of Defense, the embassy said: “The recent drill by a naval fleet of China’s People’s Liberation Army in the West Pacific waters is a regular training program included in its annual plan, not aimed at any particular country or target.”

Citing Chinese Internet reports, local media reported that China sent five warships to the waters near the Philippines.

[Retz]

This reminded me of the Falkland claimed by the Argentinian that resulted into war with the Briton.

[Monseratto]

Philippine-China brawl a

Philippine-China brawl a ‘wag the dog’ diversion
By Doris C. Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
8:48 pm | Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012


MANILA, Philippines—Could China be blowing up its territorial brawl with the Philippines over Scarborough Shoal to divert the Chinese people’s attention from two major political scandals currently rocking Asia’s largest economy?

A research from leading online local stock brokerage COL Financial thinks so, suggesting that China – which is in the midst of potentially divisive scandals while in a transition to a new set of leaders – is never interested in going to war against the Philippines.

The recent talks in Beijing between Philex Petroleum chair Manuel Pangilinan and the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC), the COL Financial research said, showed China’s strong interest in doing business in the Philippines, particularly in a major oil and gas discovery along Recto Bank.

“Could it be that Scarborough was blown up to divert the attention of the public from these potentially divisive and anti-party scandals? Nothing rallies a nation more than a territorial dispute, and it seems the Philippines – small, ill-equipped, no chance of retaliating economically or militarily – is a good, convenient candidate for the diversion,” the research said.

The first scandal, which made it to the cover of Time Magazine earlier this month, referred to the downfall of Bo Xilai, a rising political star in China. This was after the politician’s right-hand man implicated Bo’s wife and a household aide in the killing of a British businessman. News reports also emerged implicating Bo and his family in corrupt activities

Another aspect worth analyzing, COL Financial said, was while the capture of Chinese fishermen in Philippine seas had been a regular event, the April 8 arrests triggered a different response. Later in April, Pangilinan-led Philex Mining Corp., together with its subsidiary Philex Petroleum Corp., disclosed for the first time, the results of the seismic data from the Sampaguita Gas Field, which suggested a resource much bigger than the Malampaya gas project.

“The analysis revealed what everyone had been speculating on for a long time – it is a major oil and gas discovery, revealing a potential elephant find and immense profit opportunity,” COL Financial said.

The research said it was also curious that at the peak of the diplomatic and nasty publicity fight between the Philippines and China (in the week of May 7 to 11), CNOOC invited Pangilinan for cordial meetings in Beijing to explore possible areas of cooperation between their companies.

“A case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing? Don’t think so. Carrot and stick is more like it,” COL Financial said.

“We have a feeling where this all can possibly lead to. You and I know that China is not about to go to war. In the end the war will not be fought in the sea, but in the boardrooms and conference rooms of the various companies that have vested interests in these resource-rich areas,” the research said.

[Monseratto]

CNOOC a solid partner in Recto Bank - Philex - The Philippine Star » News » Business

CNOOC a solid partner in Recto Bank - Philex
By Neil Jerome Morales (The Philippine Star)
Updated May 18, 2012 12:00 AM


Manila, Philippines - Pangilinan-led Philex Petroleum said state-run China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) is financially and technically viable partner in the potentially resource-rich Recto Bank.

Philex Petroleum the oil exploration unit of top gold producer Philex Mining Corp., held meetings with CNOOC in Beijing last month, its top executive said yesterday.

“What we want to satisfy ourselves is their interest in Service Contract 72 and they expressed their interest,” said Manuel V. Pangilinan, Philex Petroleum chairman.

“And of course their financial and technical capability and from the looks of it, they do have the resources available,” he said.

Officials of Philex Petroleum and CNOOC met three weeks ago in Beijing, a meeting Pangilinan described as “cordial and “productive.”

Last week, Philex Petroleum announced it is open to partnering with anyone that can help exploit the potential resources of Recto Bank, which lies near the disputed Spratly Islands.

Last month, Forum Energy revealed that the latest seismic survey on its offshore prospects in the Recto Bank showed the prospective resources could reach as high as 16.612 trillion cubic feet for natural gas and 416 million barrels for oil. The area is now believed to have 3.4 trillion cubic feet of gas and potentially 440 million barrels of oil – said to be bigger than the existing Malampaya gas field off Palawan.

Pangilinan said CNOOC is one of the largest companies in China, with revenues and profits reaching 250 billion renminbi and 67 billion renminbi, respectively, last year.

Pangilinan said the company is open to conducting more discussions with CNOOC.

However, Philex Petroleum has yet to firm up a farm-in deal with any potential partner.

It is important, if not critical for us, to partner with one or more than one international oil companies. We cannot do this on our own,” Pangilinan said.

Philex Petroleum, which listed in the local bourse by way of introduction in September, wants to plans to drill two appraisal wells in the Sampaguita gas field until August 2013 that needs an investment of $75 million.

[timrev]

i don't get it. if they are confident with the capability of their army, why do they do they seem irked at us for buying weapons for defense purposes. it's not as if all those ships/planes will be used to attack the Chinese mainland.

the problem with what China is doing to us, is anybody else can do it to us too, like Malaysia/Indonesia from the Southern Mindanao / Sabah. it's a precedent.

it's only natural for us to defend ourselves. wala ba tayo right to do that?

tama ka parekoy...bat nila tayo pagbabawalan bumuli ng armas...sili na nga ang bwisit na di tumutupad sa usapan...nakapirma pa sila sa UNCLOS...ang dami nila pinadala barko at fishing vessel sa scarbourough ngayon...alam kasi nila kayang kaya tayo...

[Syuryuken]

Tanga talagang China hindi lang naman sila ang binabantayan ng militar natin nandiyan ang mga teroristang muslim, NPA, pirata. Kung gusto nila ng giyera subukan nila yung bansang may nuke din hindi yung maliit na bansang gaya natin. Mga bading!!!

[Harangody]

Made in China rin kasi yung braincells.