Philippine’s and China’s South China Sea Claims Create Tensions
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Conatus News/Uncommon Ground Media Inc.
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2017/04/14
According to the Straits Times, President Rodrigo Duterte stated that he would like to keep a consistent “geopolitical balance” within the South China Sea for the time being.
Philippine president Duterte “announced that he was planning a trip to raise the Philippine flag on the largest island in the Spratlys that the Philippines has occupied.”
He has ordered the Philippine military to “fortify the islands and reefs…in the disputed waterway.” However, he has stated to China that there are no offensive weapons that will be placed within the Philippine-occupied site.
Of course, this does raise questions. The spectre increased tensions between the two nations because of the contested nature of the South China Sea. It has been disclosed by Duterte that he wanted to “fortify” the nine islands in the South China Sea, which the Philippines are claiming.
This set off alarm bells for Beijing. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did express concerns about his plans because of the intense and rising geopolitical tensions in the area.
“I ordered the occupation of the… islands that are just near our shores because there’s a heightening of the geopolitical issues and eventually maybe a violent low-intensity war over here,” President Duterte said. “China can relax. We are friends. We will not go to war with you. We’re just trying to maintain the balance of the geopolitical situation there.”
President Duterte stated that if there was ever a fight between the United States and China, then the Philippines would be caught in the middle of conflict. With regards to the territorial claims of China, it “claims most of the South China Sea.”
However, “Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also” have claims in the waterway.
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