China, Philippines locked in naval standoff

[one...two...tree 2,762]

No way. The Philippines has a much better navy. They'll invade China if push comes to shove.

They should resolve this with a basketball game. That would be more fair.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Mr. Aquino insisted Scarborough Shoal is “our sovereign territory” and that Philippine officials had merely asked Beijing why it had intruded in its territory.

“But their answer to our charge d’affaires—and the worst part is, they turned the tables on us—China is claiming Scarborough Shoal, that it was its indisputable territory and even protested the entry of our ship there. So in effect, it’s like we are both saying the same thing from a different point of view,” he said.

The President stressed that the Philippines and China are signatories to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which specifies each country’s exclusive economic zones.

“No one will surely benefit if there will be an eruption of violence there. So we are hoping (for a peaceful resolution),” the Chief Executive said.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/32595/standoff-at-scarborough

Typical wimpy Filipino executive.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I would think the Chinese might not be so belligerent if that base was still up and running.

Didn't stop them before, even with someone with the bollocks the size of Marcos' in charge. The US Navy was just there for the deep port, and the friendly women.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Typical wimpy Filipino executive.

Kind of like Obumer ?

http://cnsnews.com/node/119514

Obama Administration Defends, Republicans Slam Taiwan Fighter-Jet Decision

By Patrick Goodenough

September 22, 2011

(CNSNews.com) – Republican critics accuse the Obama administration of bowing to Chinese pressure with its decision to upgrade aging Taiwanese warplanes rather than sell the island the later generation fighters it has requested.

The administration notified Congress Wednesday of its intention to help Taiwan retrofit its fleet of 145 F-16 Fighting Falcon A (single seater) and B (two-seater) fighters bought 19 years ago, as part of a $5.85 billion arms package that includes equipment, parts, logistical support and a pilot training program.

Taiwan’s government thanked the U.S. but said it would continue pressing for its priority request, first made in 2006, to buy 66 F-16 C/D jets, to help defend itself against potential aggression from China, which views Taiwan as a rebellious province whose “reunification” with the mainland is inevitable.

“The upgrade of F-16 A/Bs will help enhance our defense capability,” Taiwanese Foreign Affairs Minister Timothy Yang said during a late night press conference. “We will continue to push for U.S. sale of F-16 C/Ds.”

Separately, Defense Minister Kao Hua-chu pledged to continue urging the U.S. to provide new fighters, noting that the administration had not ruled out selling F-16 C/Ds in the future. Taiwan also has F-5s that are more than 30 years old.

Earlier this week, Taiwan’s deputy defense minister, Andrew Yang, was quoted as suggesting to an annual U.S.-Taiwan defense industry conference in Virginia that Chinese pressure was behind the holdup.

“These years, China is showing stronger and stronger reaction to U.S.-Taiwan arms sales, and that [has] turned your country more wary with arms sales,” he said.

The U.S.-Taiwan Business Council says the sale of the 66 F-16 C/Ds Taiwan has requested “would help secure over 23,000 American jobs.”

Critics of the administration’s decision not to sell Taiwan the fighters accused it of succumbing to Beijing.

“President Obama’s refusal to sell Taiwan new military jets is yet another example of his weak leadership in foreign policy,” said GOP presidential aspirant Mitt Romney.

“President Obama has ignored Taiwan’s request and caved into the unreasonable demands of China at the cost of well-paying American jobs,” he added.

“This deal has Beijing’s fingerprints all over it,” said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“The upgrade of older model F-16s is a modest step in the right direction but woefully insufficient to meet Taiwan’s increasingly urgent requirements for modern combat fighters and other defensive weapons systems,” she said.

Ros-Lehtinen said the decision to exclude F-16 C/Ds from the arms package called into question its “commitment to longstanding policy to ensure that Taiwan is able to defend itself from mainland China, as legislatively mandated in the Taiwan Relations Act.”

The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) commits the U.S. to provide Taiwan with the help it needs to defend itself against unprovoked aggression.

Also expressing disappointment was the Formosan Association for Public Affairs, a Washington-based Taiwanese-American lobby, whose president Bob Yang said it was “regrettable that the Obama administration is letting the PRC [Peoples Republic of China] set the terms for U.S. relations with a democratic Taiwan.”

“This decision simply means that if push comes to shove in the Taiwan Strait, the U.S. will have to bear a much heavier burden in keeping China at bay, as Taiwan will simply not have adequate means to defend itself,” Yang said.

“It is well known that China has been engaging in a major military buildup, while aging F-5 aircraft in Taiwan’s air force are falling out of the sky. Such an imbalance invites aggression.”

In its 2010 annual report on Chinese military power, published last month, the Pentagon said China has a total of 1,680 fighter aircraft, 330 of which are based within range of Taiwan; Taiwan has 388 fighters.

“The majority of [Chinese Air Force and Navy] aircraft are based in the eastern half of the country,” the report stated. “Currently, 490 aircraft [fighters, bombers and others] could conduct combat operations against Taiwan without refueling. However, this number could be significantly increased through any combination of aircraft forward deployment, decreased ordnance loads, or altered mission profiles.”

Edited April 12, 2012 by Why_Me

[웃 910]

[Kang 22]

Japan an korea still has US bases there and china manages to bully them every year. There is no assurance that china will not bully the philippines in cases the bases were still there esp that china finances us debt

[Kang 22]

Given the military state of the philippines, it is best to play the international community and media card. After all, japan, so kor, vietnam and india have the same problems with china

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Given the military state of the philippines, it is best to play the international community and media card. After all, japan, so kor, vietnam and india have the same problems with china

That ####### wouldn't be happening if Joe Biden was president and calling the shots.

Edited April 12, 2012 by Why_Me

[Darnell 8,478]

That ####### wouldn't be happening if Joe Biden was president and calling the shots.

Agree. He'd throw down the invoice from MicroSoft for the pirated software these last 30 years, and China would no longer think they owned us

[Kang 22]

Joe biden is not the international community. The stand off is making buzz in in indian defense forums. The philippines could tap on that

[Kang 22]

If china continues to behave this way, we might see a pan-asian military alliance in the coming decades

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

If china continues to behave this way, we might see a pan-asian military alliance in the coming decades

Something will change in West Pac, as China continues to become more dominant. But, does the US really want, say, Japan to take an active role in maintaining order in the region? When it comes to violating economic territories, Japan is probably the world's biggest offender. Would Green Peace be willing to confront Japanese "research" vessels when they are escorted by naval warships?

[Kang 22]

That is why i am saying pan asian, not an asian nation to replace us hegemony. It would probably even relieve the us military of financial constraints if a pan-asian alliance will arise

[Dan and Judy 614]

Didn't stop them before, even with someone with the bollocks the size of Marcos' in charge.

Marcos bought those islands fair and square.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

They should resolve this with a basketball game. That would be more fair.

Or a coin toss.