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From the Newsrooms: March 17 to 23, 2024
By: CMFR StaffPosted on: March 25, 2024, 8:00 amUpdated on: March 25, 2024, 1:00 am THIS WEEK, "From the Newsrooms" looks at the media coverage of two events. On March 20, a hearing in the House on the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) revealed that Chinese nationals were included in the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA). On March 21, Arnolfo Teves, the alleged mastermind of the Pamplona.....»»
Heads should roll over Chinese recruitment in PCG – lawmaker
Whether in good faith or not, recruiting Chinese nationals into the Philippine Coast Guard should make the concerned government officials “accountable” even if the foreigners were just members of an auxiliary group, a lawmaker said yesterday......»»
Generals, flag officers: China harassment disregards sea rules
China has clearly disregarded the international conventions on the Safety of Life at Sea and International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea following its Coast Guard’s latest aggressive actions against Philippine resupply boats in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippines, according to the Association of General and Flag Officers. AGFO strongly denounced the “dangerous maneuvers” of the Chinese Coast Guard and the Chinese maritime militia boats that collided with the Armed Forces of the Philippines-contracted resupply boat and Philippine Coast Guard escort vessel during the country’s re-provisioning mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, grounded in the Ayungin Shoal. “The latest harassments clearly reflect China's disregard of international conventions on Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS 1974) and International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS 1972),” the AGFO statement read. AGFO believes China's intrusion in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone “aims to subvert the sovereign rights of the Filipino people, by unrestricted fishing, willful destruction of corals, and continued illegal presence.” As a signatory of the 1982 UNCLOS and a "party" to the 2016 Arbitral Ruling, China is “fully aware of maritime rights of coastal states” — that includes exploration and exploitation of marine and seabed resources and the preservation of the marine environment. But it continues to propagate contrary narratives, said the group. “From its actions and narratives, China has maintained its strategy in South China -- ignoring the 2016 Arbitral Ruling, employing its seagoing forces, reinforcing its artificially-built island bases, and wearing off other claimants -- to exercise undisputed control over the waterway,” AGFO underscored. “This strategy clearly reflects China's hegemonic behavior that intimidates weak nations, threatens the freedom of navigation therein and deprives the other claimants of their patrimony,” it added. AGFO expressed support to the Philippine government in considering crafting and implementing all necessary initiatives to preserve the country’s maritime entitlements in the West Philippine Sea. The post Generals, flag officers: China harassment disregards sea rules appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Save BRP Sierra Madre
Geopolitical tensions rise by the week at the West Philippine Sea with the consistent occurrence of untoward incidents deliberately committed towards our citizens. This week, Chinese sea vessels collided with Philippine boats on their way to resupply the troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre. This type of news breaks out so often that we feel it is a regular thing. What we might be missing is that this might blow up to gargantuan proportions, which we may fail to control. We must save the BRP Sierra Madre at all costs. This relic of a military jewel has gained enormous significance in our territorial claim over the disputed islands, specifically the Spratlys. It is symbolic of our culture and socially specific mannerisms. The ship was built for the US Navy, passed to Vietnam, and went to the Philippines. At the peak of the territorial tensions before the victorious UNCLOS ruling, the Philippines ran the ship aground on Ayungin Shoal, located in the Spratly Islands, to stake our claim. Reminiscent of the Filipino jeepney — an artifact and mode of transportation that we inherited from the Americans that still plies our roads nationwide — the BRP Sierra Madre is here to stay. Just like the jeepney drivers who refuse to give up their affordable and practical way of transporting passengers to make a living, the Philippine Navy refuses to give up the grounded BRP Sierra Madre, leaving several troops there to guard it, to stake the Philippines’ sovereign claim over the West Philippine Sea. It may be unfortunate that this is the best that we can do. This is saddening, especially since the Chinese emphasize their claim by building artificial islands and military outposts and bullying our people by exhibiting their high-powered sea vessels. But the Filipinos are resilient and will come into a fight, bringing whatever they can pick up, which, in this case, is a dilapidated and retired navy ship. The National Security Council categorically stated that we will not be deterred by the collisions caused by the Chinese Coast Guard. The Department of Foreign Affairs filed another diplomatic protest, but the Chinese envoy did not show up at their offices. Instead, we received news that the Chinese government is no longer interested in funding several projects in the Philippines. The first project that bit the dust was the Mindanao Railway, a much-heralded transportation system that would have linked key cities in Mindanao. If we recall, the Chinese also backed out of the Makati Subway System, even after right-of-way acquisitions had been made. In diplomatic relations, the key skill is making everyone happy, which is highly improbable. The President’s evident closeness to the US is manifested by the routine war games conducted by American and Filipino soldiers. The expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement to other military bases early in the Marcos administration showed the preference of our President. The question here is if there will be a US payback to the Philippines for the renewed and strengthened relations by the administration, considering that there are still five years until the next presidential election. What we must worry about is the possibility of war erupting in the West Philippine Sea, where we would surely be the victims if we fail to associate ourselves with strong countries. And we hope China is not taking note of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Destructive wars should be avoided, and it would be advisable for our President to exercise due diligence in dealing with the USA and China. For comments, email him at darren.dejesus@gmail.com. The post Save BRP Sierra Madre appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Collision or ramming?
When nations compete for dominance, the concepts of fairness and sovereignty often go by the wayside. This weekend’s collision of Philippine vessels with Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea should serve as a vivid reminder of China’s aggressive expansionism in this crucial maritime region. While troubling, this incident is just part of a larger pattern of Chinese harassment of Philippine vessels within our territorial waters. China once again relied on its victim-blaming strategy, accusing the Philippines of “deliberately stirring up trouble” in an incident that the Philippine Coast Guard allegedly planned. These claims are ridiculous and unfounded, part of China’s long-running endeavor to legitimize its illegal acts in the West Philippine Sea. But regardless of Beijing’s bluster, the Philippines has the right to stand up to a neighborhood bully. Its claim to sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea is firmly rooted in the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s 2016 ruling, which categorically rejected China’s extensive claims over nearly the entire South China Sea, including areas that overlap with the West Philippine Sea. This landmark decision made it evident that China’s historical claims do not hold up under international law, in an area where competing claims by other countries like Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan have sparked geopolitical concerns. Historically, the territorial irritants that have the potential to become full-blown conflicts have centered on fishing rights, oil and gas reserves, and the strategic importance of controlling these waterways. Still, unlike China’s bold territorial expansion and contempt for international jurisprudence, the Philippines’ approach is founded on the rule of law. China’s predilections extend beyond the assertion of spurious territorial claims, as it includes the unauthorized construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea. These man-made islands function as military outposts, providing China with a strategic regional advantage. Such acts are not only illegal, but they also pose a direct threat to regional peace and stability. As the Philippines struggles for its rights, exposing China’s duplicity on a global scale is critical. While China portrays itself as a rational and responsible nation in international crises such as the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the Israel-Hamas conflict, its actions in the South China Sea reflect a different face — that of a regional bully. China cannot preach peace and diplomacy while actively pursuing territorial expansion and disregarding international law when it does not support its aspirations. The collision (or was it an intentional incident of ramming by China of Philippine vessels?) near the Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands is just the latest chapter in China’s unrelenting pursuit of regional supremacy. Philippine efforts to safeguard its sovereignty and defend international law merit support not only from its neighbors, but also from the world community at large. The West Philippine Sea is more than just a body of water; it represents sovereignty, justice, and the triumph of law over aggression. The Philippines’ resistance to China’s bullying is a fight for the rights of all nations that value international norms, territorial integrity, and conflict resolution through peaceful means. China’s activities in the West Philippine Sea and its disrespect for the verdict of the Permanent Court of Arbitration must be countered by the international community with the position that in the South China Sea, might does not equal right. As we consider the perilous situation in the West Philippine Sea, it’s critical to understand that this is not a one-off occurrence but part of a larger pattern. The Philippines has been subjected to constant harassment by Chinese vessels within its own waters. Filipino fishermen are being harassed, maritime resources (like coral reefs) are being pillaged, and Filipino military troops are being put in danger by Chinese warships that have no business being in Philippine waters. There can never be a repeat of the 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff, which allowed China to build bases on man-made islands. As it stands resolute against China’s gunboat diplomacy, the Philippines serves as a beacon of hope for all nations confronting unjustified hostility. The Philippines’ dedication to upholding international law, maintaining its sovereignty, and defending its people’s rights is admirable. The post Collision or ramming? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
4 Chinese working illegally nabbed
The Bureau of Immigration announced on Friday in Manila the arrest of four Chinese nationals in separate operations in Palawan. The four were identified as Lin Yongzhen, 45; Zhang Haicong, 49; Lin Tsung-Te, 58; and Zhang Jinfei, 47. They were arrested over immigration-related violations, including working without the proper permits, misrepresenting themselves as Filipino citizens, and involvement with a crime group. According to BI Intelligence Division Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr., the operations were conducted in coordination with government intelligence units, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the National Bureau of Investigation. The foreigners were held at the BI’s detention facility in Bicutan, Taguig, while facing deportation cases. Lin Yongzhen and Zhang Haicong were arrested in El Nido. Lin was found to be working under a tourist visa, while Zhang was found to be working under a working visa under a separate company. Zhang Haicong and Lin Tsung-Te, on the other hand, were arrested in Taytay. Zhang possessed a working visa, but he was working at a different worksite. Lin failed to present his passport and was found to have been overstaying since 2016. Meanwhile, Zhang Jinfei was arrested in Puerto Princesa. He was found to be working in the area despite holding a working visa in a different location, in violation of immigration rules. The BI said the Chinese were all found to be working in fisheries near naval bases. The post 4 Chinese working illegally nabbed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Not a fan of Donald
With a parting shot at his former boss Donald Trump, General Mark Milley resigned as the top US military official on Friday. He said that no soldier had ever taken an oath to serve a “wannabe dictator.” On his final day as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Milley delivered a shocking reprimand that perfectly exemplified how the US military has been drawn into the increasingly combustible political landscape since the Trump administration. Milley did not specifically mention Trump during a lavish military ceremony for his leaving, but it was clear who he was criticizing. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and President Joe Biden were both present. Milley remarked of American soldiers “We don’t take an oath to a king, or queen, or a tyrant, or a dictator.” And we don’t swear an oath to a would-be autocrat. Air Force General Charles “CQ” Brown, the second African American to hold the position of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will take Milley’s place. Milley, a barrel-chested army veteran with four decades of service, has held numerous high-level leadership positions and numerous foreign deployments. But he had his most difficult task when Trump gave him the career apex position of senior military advisor to the president in 2019. Milley oversaw the daunting withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, special operations in Syria, and a sizable program to support Ukraine in its valiant struggle against Russian invasion during a four-year term that will continue under Biden starting in 2021. Crisis after crisis Milley told AFP last month that during his tenure as chairman, “it was one crisis after another.” However, under Milley’s tenure at the head, the military became embroiled in an unusually high number of politicized incidents. Senior Republicans have regularly attacked what they allege are “woke” leftist practices inside the ranks, even as the Biden administration has pushed for measures such as renaming bases named after Confederate generals in the Civil War. And even that was not as dangerous as the delicate predicament Milley was in before and after the 2020 presidential election, when Trump, in a first-ever political nightmare for the United States, refused to concede loss. According to the book “Peril” by Bob Woodward, at the height of the crisis following the invasion of the US Capitol by Trump supporters on 6 January 2021, Milley discreetly called his Chinese counterpart to reassure Beijing that the US was “stable” and had no intention of attacking China. With AFP The post Not a fan of Donald appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Spins, deceptions, barrage
Chinese propaganda was in full force yesterday as the country’s state media again referred to the Philippines’ removal of the floating barrier as done to further the interest of the Americans. The narrative that China wants the world to follow is that the actions of the Philippines are all being dictated by the United States, to which the country has a long history of subservience. Thus, the Philippines’ sovereign interests are really at stake in the challenges to China’s aggressive assertions. Beijing’s propaganda mill has been busy since the expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement increased from five to nine the number of Philippine military bases US forces have access to. It initially raised the bogey of the broader military pact being the launch pad for an American defense of Taiwan if China attacked, which is farthest from the truth since it presumes that Filipinos would be stupid enough to risk their country for another’s interest. The latest volley from China was related to removing the floating barrier that cordoned off Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc to Filipino fishermen. The Philippine Coast Guard should check the contraption to determine where it was manufactured. Recall the suspicion that the rocks and other materials used for China’s reclamation of Philippine islands had come from Zambales with the collusion of local government officials. Wang Wenbin, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, said the Philippine statement was just what it wanted to believe itself. “China’s resolve in safeguarding its sovereignty and maritime rights and interests over Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal) is unwavering. We call on the Philippines not to make provocations or stir up trouble,” Wang said. Moreover, China parrots the line that opening four additional military bases was a move “to win US support for its claims in the South China Sea.” The US then wants to exploit the Philippines so that “it can intervene in the Taiwan question and the South China Sea issue from a closer range.” The US is using the Philippines as a pawn in its campaign to “contain China,” according to the propaganda minions. EDCA was an offshoot of the Mutual Defense Treaty, a post-World War II pact in which the Philippines and the United States committed to come to each other’s aid in case of attack. Based on the hype generated in Beijing, the Philippines has made several “failed” attempts to deliver building materials to reinforce the “grounded warship” on China’s Ren’ai Jiao, also known as Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal, since August. Indeed, attempts to reinforce the BRP Sierra Madre ended in a cat-and-mouse chase that succeeded, revealing that China is out of touch with reality. Also, the Sierra Madre is not a warship but a landing craft. It is an LST 542-class tank landing ship, previously known as the USS Harnett County, built for the United States Navy during World War II. The paid hacks and lapdogs of the Chinese government want to create an image that the venture between the Philippines and the US is meant to contain Beijing. The fundamental issue, however, remains the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, that has under it the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, or ITLOS. The Permanent Court of Arbitration, or PCA, issued the 2016 ruling favoring the Philippines was formed under ITLOS. Thus, UNCLOS invalidated China’s historical claims and upheld the exclusive economic zone from which the Philippines can derive economic benefits. Any argument that strays from the guiding principle must be treated with a grain of salt, if not doused with cold water. The post Spins, deceptions, barrage appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Upping the ante
Beijing always ups the ante when it senses that its rival for the region’s security, the United States, is making its move to challenge its dominance in the region, which was probably how the 10-dash line came to be. With the release of the new map showing an expanded “historical” claim that included parts of India, China issued a strong criticism of the Americans with Senior Col. Wu Qian, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, saying the US should “stop meddling in the South China Sea issue, stop sowing discord and fanning the flames, and stop disrupting regional peace and stability.” The comment was in response to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III’s statement that “the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling is binding on all parties” and “the Mutual Defense Treaty extends to Philippine public vessels, aircraft and armed forces — to include those of its Coast Guard — in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea.” Vice Admiral Karl Thomas, commander of the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet, backed the American position, saying the recent use of a water cannon by China’s Coast Guard against a Philippine vessel “must be challenged and checked.” He also “assured the Philippines of US backing.” Wu reiterated China’s position that the Philippines infringed on its sovereignty and violated the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea to justify the China Coast Guard’s action. “We hope regional countries can stay vigilant, faithfully implement the DoC, and work with the Chinese side to maintain peace and stability in the region. The Chinese military will resolutely safeguard China’s national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea,” the spokesperson stressed. The increasing challenge from China should be matched by the US, according to geopolitical experts. A former Pentagon official, Michael Rubin, suggested the “reflagging” of islands in the disputed areas to send a clear message to China. Rubin recalled an incident in 1987 when President Ronald Reagan ordered the reflagging of nearly a dozen Kuwaiti tankers to stop Iran from attacking them to force the emirate to cease its trade with and loans to Iraq. “Reagan ignored criticism that reflagging the tankers could embroil the United States in war because he understood that at stake were not only Kuwait’s oil exports but also freedom of navigation and the rules-based order,” Rubin explained. He said that while skirmishes did occur, “once the ayatollahs understood Reagan stood firm, Iranian forces suspended their provocations.” Rubin believes that since China challenges the freedom of navigation and the broader liberal order, “perhaps the US could take a page from Reagan’s playbook and reflag not ships but rather some of the rocks, reefs, and atolls over which China now erroneously claims sovereignty.” The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated in 2016 the historical claim of China through its nine-dash line as being without basis. The root of the claim was a 1947 map the authenticity of which historians dismissed. “That Beijing bases its claim on supposed historic Chinese fishing activity further displays the emptiness of the Chinese Communist Party’s logic. After all, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Malay, Filipino and Indonesian fishermen also plied the same waters and perhaps even some closer to China,” Rubin noted. “Regardless, using the fictional map, China, in one fell swoop, claimed the bulk of the South China Sea and its considerable fishing and oil reserves,” he said. His proposal would be based on “leases drawn between the US government and its regional partners.” The leases would be backed by the arbitral award. “While the current US legal position supports the 2016 Hague tribunal judgment that finds no power can legally exercise sovereignty over disputed territories, the White House might reconsider this (stance),” Rubin added. But Rubin admitted that a greater problem might be the unwillingness of the regional states to offer leases. The proposal breaks with the usual conventions in the settling of disputes. Americans have a term for that, however: “It’s so crazy, it just might work.” The post Upping the ante appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Proxies and agents
The country has been the focus of China’s foreign influence operations, or FIOs, over the past few years, which are activities that had intensified in parallel to the worsening situation in the West Philippine Sea. The Philippines has been the focus for the bulk of the People’s Republic of China FIOs relating to the WPS, as much of the offshore territory claimed by the PRC in this area that lies within the Philippines’ EEZ, based on a report of Dr. Peter Chalk, a former senior analyst with the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, CA. United Front Work, which is a euphemism for covert activities in the Philippines, is allegedly undertaken mostly by five local groups: China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification, which promotes universal adherence to the CCP’s One China Principle by advocating against recognition of Taiwan and, presumably, its claims in the SCS; Chinese People’s Association of Friendship with Foreign Countries, which works to foster cordial relations with other countries to “improve” their opinions of the PRC; China Overseas Friendship Association, which acts as a platform for information exchanges, and people-to-people links and provides networking across the global overseas China diaspora; and China Zhi Gong Party, which focuses on outreach to overseas Chinese individuals and communities. The groups act as proxies of the United Front Work Department, or UFWD, of the Chinese government which have specific tasks to coopt influential Filipinos and members of the Filipino-Chinese community into backing the PRC’s position on regional affairs. With respect to the WPS, the UFWD focuses on swaying businessmen, civic leaders, academics, journalists, and politicians to act as pliable conduits for promoting and endorsing Beijing’s presence in the littoral area. Chalk then recounted the overarching influence of Beijing that extended to the May 2022 national elections, when the UFWD reportedly attempted to manipulate candidates including one in northern Luzon, who was instrumental in Beijing’s effort to oppose the annual US-Philippines Balikatan exercise. “Though the drill ultimately went ahead, the official issued a statement that he would not support US forces rotating through two military bases” in his province, Chalk stressed. “This reticence may reflect that the governor remains under some degree of PRC influence, at least in terms of his opposition to an American military presence in strategically significant regions of the archipelago,” Chalk continued. Chalk also identified “pseudo-strategic think tanks” in the country as promoting one-sided analyses and commentaries supporting President Xi Jinping’s Indo-Pacific maritime policies. He cited the Philippines Association for China Studies, the Asia Pacific Pathways to Progress Association, and the Integrated Development Studies Institute as examples. Apart from using these centers as a means for spreading pro-PRC propaganda, the UFWD has allegedly compromised these organizations’ senior leadership to penetrate the highest echelons of the Philippine government and security establishment. Chalk mentioned a case in point which was in August 2022, when the President of PACS had to withdraw his candidacy to become the deputy national security advisor to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. after officials with the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency sent an unsigned letter accusing him of having close links to China and selling classified information on the WPS disputes. The post Proxies and agents appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Of China’s ‘One Belt One Road’
Sometime in August 2016, I attended the formal media launch of One Belt One Road, or OBOR, in Beijing, China. I thought then that OBOR, also referred to later as Belt and Road Initiative, must be one of the most, if not the most, significant programs of President Xi Jinping, as it was attended by hundreds of print and broadcast journalists from around the world, the Philippines included. OBOR was to revive the “Silk Road” economic belt of ancient China, a land trade route carrying its finest silk and other goods to its neighboring Central Asian countries and later to as far as Europe; whereas today’s Road refers to the 21st Century land and maritime silk route to Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The land route was launched, I think in 2013, while the maritime route was given a big push in 2017. Early on, China set up the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as part of the OBOR mechanism. China sank in the initial capital and was joined later by other member countries. The Philippines was the last country to join AIIB when the late President Noynoy Aquino signed its Charter in the last few minutes of 31 December 2015, and this was ratified a year later during Duterte’s term. In sum, AIIB had 106 members to start. The Philippines, if we look at the records, derived from loans and infrastructure projects, was quite slow in availing of cheap money from this BRI initiative. Indonesia, Singapore, and other ASEAN and African countries had done so for various infra projects, among these railways, dams, and ports. The small loan amount we obtained was later topped up by China in terms of gifts which came in the form of bridges, schools, medical supplies, and vaccines when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. Add to that are the much-needed arms for our armed forces to get rid of the marauding Maute ISIS terrorist group in Marawi City and additional help to rehabilitate it later. Alarmed by the inroads China was making with the BRI through the land and marine infrastructure built with the billions of dollars it loaned to countries along the silk routes, the West was quick to make a big issue of it when Sri Lanka defaulted, calling China’s loans a “debt trap.” Of course, not a few of those struggling economies defaulted as the impact of the new infrastructure on their development had yet to gain traction. However, President Xi Jinping waived the interest dues. How is it for China midway to the Road’s target completion date of 2049? The BRI has covered more than 68 countries with an estimated 65 percent of the world’s population. All told, the largesse from China resulted in the reduction of dependency on the US and it created new markets for Chinese products. The US of A is fast losing its dominance. China, once wallowing in the quagmire of poverty, is now the second-largest economy in the world and growing. Will China then go beyond firing water cannons at Philippine Coast Guard vessels? This could only be answered by another set of questions. Is China willing to cut the marine silk route that passes through or close to the West Philippine Sea? Will its land route suffice to bring its products to its export markets in the event the sea lane is altogether cut off? Will the Chinese people relish going back to poverty and isolation? The answers are a big NO. So why EDCA? Why not pursue the Philippines-China joint oil exploration in the WPS as the offer stands at a 60/40 sharing agreement in favor of the Philippines? Why build more military bases when these are veritable beckons to war which we as a policy abhor? Why not take advantage of the short maritime link between China and the Philippines to enhance our economy? The price of fuel is skyrocketing. Our peso is depreciating as in a free fall. We have solutions and yet these, too have become problems. The post Of China’s ‘One Belt One Road’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gray zone heats up (1)
Security experts believe that what is playing out in the West Philippine Sea is the product of a well-laid-out program of China to challenge the United States’ Pacific presence under a gray zone scenario. Last 5 August, a China Coast Guard vessel blasted its water cannon at a Philippine resupply mission to the disputed Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal. The Philippines sent a protest note but China merely reiterated its demand for the removal of the grounded warship BRP Sierra Madre which stands as a small marine base on the shoal. China knows the United States would not act immediately as it does not consider the water cannon incident or China’s gray zone tactics to be armed attacks against the Philippines. As a result, the incidents did not trigger the US defense commitment under the Mutual Defense Treaty. The gray zone tactics intensified after the expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA, with the US. Washington’s timid reaction to the incident could embolden China to conduct more assertive maritime action. On 6 February, the Chinese coast guard flashed a military-grade laser at a Philippine vessel, causing temporary blindness to its crew. Raymond Powell, a 35-year veteran of the US Air Force who retired in 2021, has proposed measures to counter Beijing’s “gray zone” tactics. Powell now runs Project Myoushu which is part of Stanford University’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. “What makes the South China Sea a hotbed of gray zone activity is that most of what happens there happens outside the public eye,” Powell said. If China, for example, harasses a Filipino fisherman or points a laser at a Philippine Coast Guard ship, it can reason “That didn’t actually happen, you’re making that up; how do you know it was us?” Powell said the Philippines correctly countered such denials by releasing photos and videos of the incidents. He said China started to evolve its military strategy after the Scarborough Shoal incident in 2012, “where they essentially took the shoal from the Philippines and then started their island-building campaign, where we saw them turn reefs and rocks into islands and military bases and station Navy and Coast Guard militia ships at those places.” China began patrolling around those places in a way that expanded the assertion of their sovereignty. Now that China has these bases, Powell said the Asian giant can project power outward in a way that it is very much more about the water, and who has a presence there. It became a game of who has an actual military or paramilitary force that can push forward into the exclusive economic zones and take possession, either physically “by rafting a whole bunch of malicious ships together or just by patrolling.” Even patrolling is a gray zone activity since the presence of a China Coast Guard ship in Malaysia’s oil and gas activities is an assertion of jurisdiction. It is saying, “We have sovereign rights over your exclusive economic zone because it falls within our nine-dash line.” Its coast guard and the maritime militia have become China’s instruments of power projection. Its maritime militia’s activities are very much a gray zone because they’re very deniable. They can say, “Well, they’re fishing vessels.” But they don’t fish, Powell said. They exist to patrol or simply to lay claim by their sheer presence in an area. (To be continued) The post Gray zone heats up (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Teodoro scores EDCA ‘paranoia’
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Thursday said the “proximity” of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA, sites to Taiwan may be considered a mere “geographical accident.” Teodoro said the locations of the sites that would host American military forces were chosen with the country’s national interest in mind. “You know, what if its proximity to Taiwan is a geographical accident, and other people are paranoid about it — it’s their problem,” the Defense chief told reporters in Cagayan, which hosts two new EDCA sites. “For me, my concern is the Philippine national interest and national security and we will have to put bases, not necessarily EDCA, throughout our archipelago,” he said. Teodoro was at the Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan, a new EDCA site, accompanied by Armed Forces Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner Jr. The other EDCA site in the province is in the town of Sta. Ana. Some geopolitical experts pointed out most of the new EDCA sites face the South China Sea so that American forces could easily respond to any Chinese aggression or invasion of Taiwan. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., however, had said he would not allow the Philippines to serve as a staging ground for any attack on another nation. “We have to protect that. The paranoia of other people may be, rightly so, taken into consideration, but national security is paramount in this country,” Teodoro said. Teodoro emphasized that the Philippines is not allowed by its Constitution to wage war or take any offensive action. The post Teodoro scores EDCA ‘paranoia’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Possible Chinese malware in US systems a ‘ticking time bomb’: report
The Biden administration believes China has implanted malware in key US power and communications networks in a "ticking time bomb" that could disrupt the military in event of a conflict, The New York Times reported Saturday. The Times, quoting US military, intelligence and security officials, said the malware potentially gave China's People's Liberation Army the ability to disrupt US military operations if Beijing were to move against Taiwan at some point. The systems affected, the Times said, could allow China not only to cut off water, power and communications to US military bases, but also to homes and businesses across the United States. The report comes two months after Microsoft warned that state-sponsored Chinese hackers had infiltrated critical US infrastructure networks. Microsoft singled out Guam, a US Pacific territory with a vital military outpost, as one target but said malicious activity had also been detected elsewhere in the United States. It said the stealthy attack, carried out since mid-2021, was likely aimed at hampering the United States in the event of a regional conflict. Authorities in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Britain warned at the same time that Chinese hacking was likely taking place globally, affecting an extensive range of infrastructure. Discovery of the malware, the Times said, sparked a series of meetings in the White House Situation Room involving top military, intelligence and national security officials in an effort to track down and eradicate the code. The newspaper quoted one congressional official as saying the malware operation amounted to "a ticking time bomb." The White House issued a statement Friday that made no mention of China or military bases. "The Biden administration is working relentlessly to defend the United States from any disruptions to our critical infrastructure, including by coordinating interagency efforts to protect water systems, pipelines, rail and aviation systems, among others," said Adam Hodge, acting spokesman for the National Security Council. He added that President Joe Biden "has also mandated rigorous cybersecurity practices for the first time." Reports of the malware operation come at a particularly strained point in US-China relations, with China aggressively asserting its claim that Taiwan is Chinese territory and the US seeking to ban sales of sophisticated semiconductors to Beijing. bbk/dw © Agence France-Presse The post Possible Chinese malware in US systems a ‘ticking time bomb’: report appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China visit
There has been a torrent of wild speculations about the recent visit of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte to China and it focused mainly on the meeting between him and China’s President Xi Jinping. Actually, what brought Duterte to China was an invitation from Fuzhou City, the strategic capital of Fujian Province in southeastern China. The city inaugurated a school building and named it after Soledad Roa Duterte, the venerable late mother of the former president. Unknown to many but not forgotten by the early Chinese migrants in Davao who came from Fujian province, our Nanay Soleng, who was an educator, was among the pioneer teachers of the Davao City Chinese School in the 1950s. Given the rise in prominence of the former president’s mother, who on her own carved an important role as a teacher, wife of Governor Vicente Duterte of then undivided Davao province, civic leader, political activist, and mother of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte who became president of the Philippines, and grandmother of incumbent Vice President Inday Sara Z. Duterte, it comes as no surprise why the grand matriarch of Davao City occupies a special affinity and pride among the Fujian Chinese. Former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, who accompanied private citizen Duterte, said the visit to China was personal. He intimated that since they were already in China and not far from Beijing, his former boss and friend suggested they visit President Xi Jinping. Duterte, he said, wanted to personally thank the Chinese leader for helping the Philippines with the millions of vaccine doses, hundreds of thousands of which were donated, and personal protective equipment at the time when the United States and Europe imposed an embargo on the Covid-19 vaccines they produced. Duterte, too, was grateful to China for helping him with much-needed logistics to fight the Maute ISIS terrorists who laid siege to Marawi and attempted to convert the once pristine city into an ISIS caliphate. It can be recalled that the US refused to sell arms to the Philippines on the stupid claim by some American senators that the Duterte government would use firearms against its own people. Then, of course, there were the multi-billion-peso bridges that now span the Pasig River and help ease the traffic in the metropolis, not to mention the grants and cheap loans with incredibly long grace periods that funded some of the government’s big-ticket projects. Truly, former President Duterte still has an avuncular space in the heart of the Chinese leader. His Beijing visit was personal but it rekindled the spark of friendship between China and the Philippines that was being snuffed out by the gale spawned by the much-ballyhooed Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement bases. Duterte, now using a cane to keep his balance, demonstrated what it is to be strong and independent even now that he is a private citizen of a sovereign state. President Bongbong Marcos, in an ambush interview, said he was aware of the visit of his predecessor to China and that Duterte needed no permission to travel. But, of course. He also hoped that the visit would enhance the relationship between China and the Philippines. He better watch, listen and learn how diplomacy and sovereignty work. The post China visit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hurry up
Looking back to the first year of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration leads us to believe that he has pivoted out of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte’s tight embrace of China and rebuilt friendships with old allies, particularly the US and Europe. In his official trips abroad to meet with leaders of other Association of Southeast Asian Nations, he never failed to be emphatic about the need to comply with international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Explicit appeals had also been made to European nations to support the enforcement of UNCLOS and the historic decision of the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Arbitration (Philippines v. People’s Republic of China) of 12 July 2016 that unanimously favored our beloved Philippines in its dispute against Chinese claims on Philippine territorial waters. In rebuilding ties with the US, four more US bases were added to the existing five sites under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA that was signed to bolster the Visiting Forces Agreement between the two countries. While we leave the wisdom of more EDCA sites to the security sector, which should prioritize the national interest above anything else, there is another equally important sector confronted by challenges. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration raised the El Niño alert, saying it may declare the start of the phenomenon this week as it expects it in the next two months with a probability of 70 percent. Defined as a climate phenomenon characterized by the abnormal warming of the surface waters of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, El Niño could have significant effects on global weather patterns, including on agriculture. Given that farmers, policymakers, and agricultural communities must monitor weather forecasts and adapt their practices to mitigate potential impacts, the President continues to take the lead in handling agriculture — a stand that has been met with askance by many, even among those in the government. Eyebrows were raised at the seeming inability to effectively address what bedeviled agriculture in the past year, including the ginormous prices of essential commodities like sugar, eggs, and onions, which at one point rocketed to as high as P700 a kilo. Behind the critical headaches in the agri sector are the already suffering Filipinos whose pockets are badly frayed by inflation rates, and farmers losing their only source of livelihood. A lingering controversy is the government’s addressing of the soaring rise in sugar prices through importation. In 2022, Sugar Order No. 4 was issued by the Sugar Regulatory Administration, giving the nod to import 300,000 metric tons of sugar. Who would forget that the denial resulted in the firing of SRA and DA officials, along with then-Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez? Likewise puzzling is the recent selection of just three entities to import 440,000 metric tons of sugar. It remains unclear who handpicked sugar traders All Asian Countertrade, Sucden Philippines Inc., and Edison Lee Marketing Corporation. Either way, it doesn’t look good and bears clarification. Everyone, including many of the President’s supporters, is clueless as to why, despite the myriad issues and problems that he has to attend to in all other sectors, a full-time secretary is yet to be appointed — someone who could give the department and the sector his/her full-time attention. Faced with the imminent threats of El Nîno, time is of the essence. Lowly Filipinos cannot afford to wait unprepared for the dry spell with shifts in rainfall patterns. Whatever it takes, it is crucial to act quickly, efficiently, and without delay. In the words of Albert Einstein, “We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.” To solve agricultural problems, we need to think beyond the existing mindset or approach that might have contributed to those problems in the first place. The post Hurry up appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
FPRRD: EDCA facilities can become ‘staging sites’ of ‘imminent China-US war’
Former President Rodrigo Duterte warned of the possibility that the Philippines will be implicated should conflict between the China and United States progress into a third world war due to the installations of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites in the country. “I have ignored the coming of EDCA here because I know the danger of it. Why would we involve ourselves, it’s not our battle. We are friends to America,” Duterte said in his program "Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa" aired on SMNI News channel Monday midnight. The Chinese government earlier warned the Philippines that granting the US military access to more military facilities will “seriously harm Philippine national interests and endanger regional peace and stability.” Duterte said EDCA locations in the Philippines could be used as “staging sites” once the conflict between China and the United States escalates. While stressing that he has nothing against the United States, Duterte slammed the Americans for being “psychologically disoriented” over their explanations that EDCA sites would only be used for humanitarian purposes. Duterte said he was only talking about the interest of the Philippines. “What I am uttering here is not really for America or China. It’s really that I’m discussing how would really impact the Philippines should war breaks out. That’s my only concern,” he added. “Because they are here, nuclear bombs will come whether we like it or not. And I’ve said, it would be stupid for us to think that we are so naive that there will be no nuclear war.” The former President described the First and Second Wars as convectional explosions, but the third world war, he lamented “would be an act of distraction for everybody, including China and America.” “The world will suffer and I do not know how civilization would thrive thereafter. But the attendant danger of a fall out total distraction radioactive contamination in the land will stay forever,” he said. Duterte said it must be necessary for the Philippines and the United States “to come clean” by telling the public how many American bases were established in the country. “And if it is true that there is in Mindanao, tell us the truth because it is our nation,” Duterte scored the US, noting that Filipinos will die first before America should war breaks out. Duterte sees that the Philippines would be caught in the middle case the conflict between China and the US will linger. “We are friends to America, we are friends to China. But when they fight, what will happen to us? The US has military bases here, while China doesn't have any,” he said. The former President lamented that the Philippines is not only near to China but also vulnerable to missiles and nuclear launching. “But of course, there’s no debate that America would also be sending to China nuclear warheads. It’s a mutual distraction,” he said noting that the Philippines will become a “graveyard and the future of all Filipinos will be "jeopardize” should war happens. Duterte said it would be painful for China to hurt the Philippines since many Chinese people are residing in the country. “I’d like to ask America, why should I die for you? What have you given us to get even our souls? And China also, we are friends, but you know, you would land your bomb here because Americans are here,” he said. Before pursuing war with America, Duterte said China should think a thousand times about whether it would be really necessary to start a war. "I've been posing this question to China, of what good it will do to you if you strike us? That was before. But if you would ask me now and I would answer, I would say—we will hit you because you entertain so many American bases here. So the American bases would be the staging ground for an attack by air or missiles or whatever from the Philippines to China,” he said. “The dispute is between the two of them. We are not involved," he added. Duterte stressed that it would be now difficult to "extract" because both US and China have "almost ironclad relations” with the Philippines in terms of military and defense. "Even our military would also be thinking of what would become of us if there's any conflict—the fact is that we cannot get out of it anymore. As a matter of fact, we added more places where they can exist and congregate, and these are the bases that were distributed in Luzon, in the Visayas, and maybe in Mindanao," he said. The post FPRRD: EDCA facilities can become ‘staging sites’ of ‘imminent China-US war’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
U.S. gets access to Papua New Guinea military bases
The security pact between Papua New Guinea and the United States opens the door for Washington to establish a new military footprint in the western Pacific that is crucial to defending Taiwan in case of a Chinese invasion of the island. Details of the deal include the stationing of American troops and vessels at six key ports and airports of PNG, including Lombrum Naval Base on Manus Island and facilities in the capital Port Moresby. Washington would have “unimpeded access” to the sites to “pre-position equipment, supplies and materiel” and have “exclusive use” of some base zones, where development and “construction activities” could be carried out. The US fears that a Chinese military foothold in the South Pacific could outflank its facilities on Guam, and make the defense of Taiwan more complicated in the event of an invasion by mainland China. Last year, China inked a secretive security pact with nearby Solomon Islands that allows Beijing to deploy troops to the country. PNG Prime Minister James Marape has been forced to defend the deal against a wave of protests and criticism, with some opponents questioning whether Papua New Guinea was signing away its sovereignty. The post U.S. gets access to Papua New Guinea military bases appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Rody: China can attack U.S. via EDCA sites
Former President Rodrigo Duterte said the Philippines will only serve as a “buffer zone” should the brewing tension between the United States and China escalate. Duterte believes the US wanted to establish a military presence in the Philippines, through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, only with the “intention to make the country a buffer zone” to prevent Chinese forces from advancing into the Pacific. “EDCA means soldiers and arms. That’s about it. It has nothing to do with economic grants or any other relationship between nations. It simply means the presence of foreign troops in our country,” Duterte said recently on his program, “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa,” live streamed over SMNI News. Duterte questioned the decision of the current administration to allow the United States to expand its EDCA sites in the Philippines. “You know America is hostile to China. Before America gets to China, they have to pass through the Philippines,” he said. Duterte said he would have decided the other way around if he were still president. “In my time, our ties with America were at their lowest. I really ignored them during my administration. I never allowed any concession to them. They did not ask me for anything because I knew, they knew, I wouldn’t really allow them, for example, EDCA,” he said. The former president said the Philippines would be caught in the crossfire should China attack US military installations in the country. “With due respect to the President, when they allowed EDCA, they thought that was all, but slowly the wanted military bases in this country, from Luzon to Visayas and Mindanao, there will be a fallback position. America doesn’t want to listen to that. They are irritated and angry,” he said. The post Rody: China can attack U.S. via EDCA sites appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl-U.S. deal stands on its own — envoy
United States Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson on Wednesday reiterated that the defense and security pact between Manila and Washington does not concern any country, including China. In a television interview, Carlson said the US commitment to the Philippines “stands on its own,” citing the Mutual Defense Treaty which was signed in 1951. “Our commitment to the Philippines stands on its own. Our relationship stands on its own. It’s not about any third country. It’s not about any single challenge,” Carlson told ANC. She added: “It’s not about China. It’s certainly not about China alone. It’s about what we do together and it dates back decades. Carlson issued the remarks after Beijing repeatedly criticized the increasing presence of American troops in the country amid the growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific Region. Last month, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin particularly lambasted the locations of four additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreements sites between Manila and Washington in the country. The locations are in Camilo Osias Naval Base in Sta. Ana town and Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo town, both in Cagayan province; Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela province; and Balabac, the southernmost island in Palawan province. ‘EDCA sites, not US sites’ In the same interview, Carlson clarified that EDCA sites are not an extension of American military sites in the Philippines. “These are not US bases, let’s get that straight first and foremost. These are Philippine military bases, where we provide funding and insert capital to make improvements that are to the benefit of the Philippine military,” she said. She added: “(It) would also be helpful to the US military in the event of any threat against either one of the two members of this mutual defense treaty alliance.” Asked whether the additional EDCA sites could be used for offensive operations, the American ambassador said, “it can be used for whatever the Philippine government invites the United States to do.” “These are not our sites. We do not have any rights to these sites. It’s not as if somehow somebody snaps a finger and all of a sudden everything is open to the United States,” she said. “Everything that we do in the Philippines is at the invitation of the Philippine government and particularly, in this case, the two militaries working together,” she added. Carlson continued: “I understand people are concerned about that but we would not be here without the request of, and collaboration, and close contact — every aspect of this is coordinated between our two militaries with the approval of the Cabinet and with the highest levels of the Philippine government. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier said the additional EDCA sites would not be used for offensive actions. ‘EDCA sites for natural threats’ Carlson also defended the locations of three of the additional EDCA sites located in the northern part of the Philippines, near Taiwan. The establishment of EDCA sites in the northern part of the Philippines is about preserving the security and the safety of all Filipinos and their treaty allies in the United States working together. “It’s not about specifically targeting any single threat, it’s about making sure that you have a comprehensive response capability and to be able to interoperate with your partners and allies,” she said. The locations of the additional EDCA sites were heavily criticized by no less than the president’s eldest sister, Senator Imee Marcos. In a Senate hearing, Imee, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee questioned the locations of the four additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites in the country. “So, we have given up all claims on the east sector and West sector in the Philippine Seas, is that correct? We are now obsessed with the Taiwan Strait?” she asked. Two of the four new EDCA sites will be established in Cagayan province, one in Camilo Osias Naval Base in Sta. Ana and Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo. The two remaining EDCA sites will be in Camp Melchor dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela province; and Balabac, the southernmost island in Palawan province. Of the four additional EDCA sites, three are situated in the northern part of the country, with the naval base at Cagayan’s Santa Ana being about 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Taiwan. Taiwan, an ally of the United States, is considered by China as part of its territory that will reportedly be retaken one day — by force, if necessary. The post Phl-U.S. deal stands on its own — envoy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»