PHNO-HL: CHINA PUSHES AGGRESSION: PALACE DOWNPLAYS ONGOING CONFLICT

CHINA PUSHES AGGRESSION: PALACE DOWNPLAYS
ONGOING CONFLICT

[PHOTO -Military
eyes air, water spaces in disputed sea]
MANILA, JULY
27, 2012 (STANDARD) By Sara Fabunan - Despite
Malacañang's efforts to downplay the ongoing conflict in the South China Sea,
Beijing on Thursday continued its aggressive stance on the issue following a
statement from a high-ranking military officer asking the Chinese government to
put up "maritime and air spaces" there.
The latest development happened even as Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines
Ma Keqing was conspicuously absent during the 114th anniversary of the
Department of Foreign Affairs Thursday morning, an affair usually attended by
all diplomats stationed in Manila.

[PHOTO -Special guest. President Benigno Aquino III delivers his speech
during celebrations marking the 114th foundation of the Department of Foreign
Affairs.]
Chinese Embassy spokesman Zhang Hua said Ma was "out of town" and instead
sent Chinese Senior Col. Chen Fagming in her behalf. Zhang said Ma would also
not be able to attend the 85th anniversary of the founding of the People's
Liberation Army on July 31 in Beijing.
Ma's absence has fueled speculation that Beijing is slowly distancing itself
from Manila due to their spat in the South China Sea.
People's Liberation Army Maj. Gen. Lou Yuan, meanwhile, suggested to Beijing
that it establish three maritime spaces and three air spaces to underscore
China's military presence in the South China Sea.
"We didn't clearly define these three maritime spaces in the past, but they
will be clarified from now on," Luo said.
The "air space" or air identification zone, meanwhile, will be tasked to
identify and monitor any aircraft flying over Chinese territories.
"The air identification zone serves mainly to identify what model the
aircraft is, whether the aircraft is a civilian one or a military one, what
country the aircraft belongs to, and so on," Luo said.
"The defense zone is our country's air territory, where any hostile aircraft
will definitely be shot down if they are trespassing."
Lou said the classification criteria for the "air spaces" would be set up in
accordance with international standards and formulated with references to
"relevant" rules and regulations.
"In this way, the defense tasks of the garrison command can go by the book
and follow rules and regulations with the reasons, advantages, and controls
justified," he said.
Luo said the establishment of the garrison aimed to "maintain an effective
deterrence against those countries with inordinate ambition towards Beijing's
national territories."
"After establishing defenses in Sansha City, China is bound to arouse a new
round of 'China's military threat theory' in the neighboring countries, which we
should just disregard," he said.
The fishery administration and the Navy, according to Lou, are responsible
for protecting China's fishing maritime territories and managing conflict in the
South China Sea.
Beijing's standoff with Manila at Scarborough Shoal may have sparked China's
aggressive claim over the islands in the South China Sea. Last month, it
established Sansha City to administer control over the three major islands in
the South Sea—the Spratlys, the Paracels and the Macclesfiled Bank–despite
strong objections from Manila and Hanoi.
The city government, which is located on the 2.13–square km Yongxing Island,
has a small airport, a sea port, roads, a clinic, a post office, a radar and an
observatory. Its establishment was followed by the establishment of a military
garrison and the deployment of troops from the PLA.
In his speech during Foreign Affairs' anniversary , President Benigno Aquino
III said talks of a possible armed conflict over the territorial disputes in the
West Philippine Sea would only escalate the tensions in the region.
"Let us reiterate: our interest is a peaceful resolution of this conflict,"
the President said in an interview. With Joyce Pangco
Pañares



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/