PRESENCE / CHINA: ASIA NEEDS PEACE
WASHINGTON, JANUARY 31, 2012
(INQUIRER) Agence France-Presse - The United States has welcomed
the Philippines' offer to allow more US troops on its territory, saying it would
boost US power in Asia, and assured it was not seeking to re-establish bases in
the former colony.
The Philippines said earlier Friday that it planned to hold more joint
exercises and to let more US troops rotate through the Southeast Asian country,
which is embroiled in increasingly tense territorial disputes with China.
"We would welcome discussions with the Philippines along those lines, but
there's no aspiration for bases in Southeast Asia," said Admiral Robert Willard,
head of the US Pacific Command.
Willard said that the United States -- which stations more than 85,000 troops
in Japan and South Korea -- wanted more flexible ways to bring troops into
Southeast Asia without the costs of permanent bases.
He also pointed to Australia's offer to station US Marines -- announced by
President Barack Obama on a visit in November -- and plans to forward-deploy
littoral combat ships in Singapore.
"There is no desire nor view right now that the US is seeking basing options
anywhere in the Asia-Pacific theater," Willard told a news conference in
Washington.
"Initiatives such as Australia offered or such as Singapore offered to allow
us to rotate forces from locations that are closer and more adjacent to
Southeast Asia afford Pacific Command the opportunity to more conveniently have
its presence there and felt," Willard said.
Senior officials from the Philippines and the United States held talks
Thursday and Friday in Washington aimed at boosting security cooperation.
In a joint statement after the meeting, the two countries said that their
six-decade alliance was important for "the peace, security and prosperity of the
Asia-Pacific."
"We committed to further enhance cooperation, including in security, defense,
commerce, law enforcement, human rights and disaster relief. We agreed to deepen
and broaden our maritime security cooperation," the statement said.
The statement also recognized "positive developments" in the Philippines'
prosecution of abuses. The United States has pressed the Philippines to improve
its human rights record, including in the insurgency-torn island of Mindanao.
Despite Manila's desire for closer security cooperation, any large-scale
presence of US troops would be politically sensitive in the Philippines which
voted to close down US bases in 1992.
FROM THE PHILSTAR
China: Asia needs peace, stability (The Philippine
Star) Updated January 30, 2012 12:00 AMComments (3)
BEIJING – China called for greater efforts toward "peace and
stability" in the region yesterday after the Philippines offered to allow more
US troops on its territory.
The Philippine government said Friday it planned to hold more joint exercises
and to let more US troops rotate through the Southeast Asian country – an offer
welcomed by the United States as it seeks to expand its military power in Asia.
"We hope that relevant parties will make more effort towards peace and
stability in the region," China's foreign ministry said in a brief statement
faxed to AFP.
The government's response was in sharp contrast to a blistering editorial in
the Global Times – known for its nationalistic stance – which said Beijing
should impose sanctions against the Philippines over the move.
China should use its "leverage to cut economic activities" between the
Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries and consider "cooling down"
business links with its smaller neighbor, according to the editorial published
in the Chinese and English versions of the newspaper.
"It should show China's neighboring areas that balancing China by siding with
the US is not a good choice," it said.
"Well-measured sanctions against the Philippines will make it ponder the
choice of losing a friend such as China and being a vain partner with the US."
China and the Philippines, along with Vietnam, have rival claims to parts of
the South China Sea, home to some of the world's most important shipping lanes
and believed to hold vast deposits of fossil fuels.
Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia also have claims in the South China Sea.
Manila and Hanoi complained repeatedly last year of what they said were
increasingly aggressive acts by China in the decades-long rift.
The alleged acts, which included a Chinese naval ship reportedly firing
warning shots at Filipino fishermen, fuelled fears among some nations in the
region about China as its military and political strength grows.
The US has been looking to increase its military presence across Asia Pacific
in a strategic shift that has angered China.
US President Barack Obama said in November the United States would deploy up
to 2,500 Marines to northern Australia. The following month, a US admiral wrote
that the US expected to station several combat ships in Singapore.
In an editorial titled "Make Philippines pay for balancing act," Global Times
said China should isolate the Philippines economically while keeping a reserved
stance in the West Philippine Sea dispute.
Manila earlier announced that US presence in the areas claimed by the
Philippines in the West Philippine Sea will be more pronounced and more joint
military exercises would be conducted.
The article said that the actions of the US in the West Philippine Sea
dispute should be dealt with but it also recognized that the US is a tough
opponent.
"Given the recent active maneuvers of the US military in China's neighboring
area, the lack of a response from China would be inappropriate, though it is
also impossible to react strongly toward every move by the US. It is thus
necessary to single out a few cases and apply due punishment" the opinion piece
said.
The Philippines therefore, is a "suitable" target for the imposition of
sanctions because the country can be economically isolated.
"The Philippines is a suitable target to impose such a punishment. A
reasonable yet powerful enough sanction can be considered," it said.
"To this end, China may consider cooling down its business ties with the
Philippines. One step forward in military collaboration with the US means a step
backward in economic cooperation with China," the article said.
The newspaper article said that should China impose this kind of sanction on
the Philippines, the US is likely to help but in turn, the Philippines will
burden the US financially.
"During this tug of war, as long as China keeps its economic growth momentum,
it will have an advantage," the piece said.
"While isolating the Philippines economically, China should keep a reserved
military stance in South China Sea affairs, convincing neighboring countries of
its peaceful intentions and defusing fears of China's rise," it added.
In Manila, Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez, for his part said, "Our
relations with China, as we had said before, should be governed by mutual
respect, equality and observance of each other's sovereignty. We are certain
that China will fully concur with our stated position."
Upgrading defense is long overdue
Malacañang explained yesterday that upgrading the country's defense
capabilities had long been overdue and that it was important not because of
territorial disputes but to combat terrorism and other transnational crimes in
open seas.
"With or without the dispute, we believe that no one will dispute it when we
say that we have really been left behind when it comes to upgrading our
(defense) capabilities," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told
radio dzRB.
The Philippines maintains that the territorial disputes in the West
Philippine Sea must be settled through diplomatic and peaceful means among
claimant-countries, including China.
Manila is urging non-claimant countries such as the United States and Japan
to ensure safe and free passage in open seas and curb transnational crimes.
Valte said patrolling the country's territorial waters must be intensified
but the government has only a few ships to guard the shorelines.
"We should really upgrade this," Valte said.
President Aquino had issued Executive Order 57 to establish the National
Coast Watch System (NCWS) to expand the country's naval security operations to
preserve Philippine territory and protect its people and resources from maritime
threats.
In issuing EO 57, the President emphasized the government's firm commitment
to prioritize maritime security in the country, especially in the face of
maritime challenges and threats such as terrorism, transnational crime, drug and
firearms trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking, climate change, illegal
fishing, marine environment degradation and other security concerns.
The new EO harmonizes the policies, programs and activities on intelligence
work, border control, interdiction and law enforcement of several government
agencies such as the Philippine Navy, the Philippine Coast Guard and the
Philippine National Police-Maritime Group, among others, for better maritime
governance.
The Palace earlier said it was open to increased United States presence in
the region, including the Philippines, but denied American military bases would
again be established in the country. – Czeriza Valencia,
Aurea Calica
FROM YAHOO! NEWS ASIA
China should punish Philippines over US offer:
report
AFP
News – 17 hours ago
[PHOTO - A US Marine during a joint exercise with Philippine troops
in the Philippines in 2005. China should impose "sanctions" against the
Philippines after it offered to allow more US troops on its soil, state media
said Sunday, amid growing tensions over disputed waters in the South China
Sea]
China should impose "sanctions" against the Philippines after it offered to
allow more US troops on its soil, state media said Sunday, amid growing tensions
over disputed waters in the South China Sea.
Manila said Friday it planned to hold more joint exercises and to let more US
troops rotate through the Southeast Asian country -- an offer welcomed by the
United States as it seeks to expand its military power in Asia.
China has not yet officially responded to the announcement, which was made
during the country's week-long holiday for the Lunar New Year. The foreign
ministry on Sunday did not immediately respond to AFP requests for comment.
But an editorial in the Global Times, known for its nationalistic stance,
said Beijing "must respond" to the move by using its "leverage to cut economic
activities" between the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries.
China also should consider "cooling down" business links with its smaller
neighbour, according to the editorial published in the Chinese and English
versions of the newspaper.
"It should show China's neighbouring areas that balancing China by siding
with the US is not a good choice," it said.
"Well-measured sanctions against the Philippines will make it ponder the
choice of losing a friend such as China and being a vain partner with the US."
China and the Philippines, along with Vietnam, have rival claims to parts of
the South China Sea, home to some of the world's most important shipping lanes
and believed to hold vast deposits of fossil fuels.
Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia also have claims in the South China Sea.
Manila and Hanoi complained repeatedly last year of what they said were
increasingly aggressive acts by China in the decades-long rift.
The alleged acts, which included a Chinese naval ship reportedly firing
warning shots at Filipino fishermen, fuelled fears among some nations in the
region about China as its military and political strength grows.
The US has been looking to increase its military presence across the Asia
Pacific in a strategic shift that has angered China.
US President Barack Obama said in November the United States would deploy up
to 2,500 Marines to northern Australia. The following month a US admiral wrote
that the US expected to station several combat ships in Singapore.
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/phnotweet
This is the PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE (PHNO) Mailing List.
To stop receiving our news items, please send a blank e-mail addressed to: phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please visit our homepage at: http://www.newsflash.org/
(c) Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
phno-digest@yahoogroups.com
phno-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
