China has sent a third ship into the territorial waters of the Philippines after Filipino warships attempted to arrest the crews of a Chinese fishing fleet and were stopped by the arrival of two Chinese surveillance ships.
This latest nautical standoff arises from longstanding tensions between the Asian states over the waters, which are not only rich fishing grounds but hold potentially vast reserves of oil and gas. Increased U.S. military expansion throughout Asia-Pacific, and specifically a deal facilitating greater U.S. military and naval access to the Philippines, has heightened tensions with China.
The Philippines, late on Thursday, withdrew their warship, easing the standoff.
China’s claim to the territory is dubious, as the ships came into contact only 200 nautical miles off the shores of the Philippines. “We’re not retreating from our own territory,” Alexander Pama, Chief Vice Admiral of the Philippine navy said.
But the undercurrents of imperial competition and regional hegemony are more relevant. “The timing of the dispute suggests China is keen to send a message to the Philippines and the U.S. ahead of their bilateral military exercise, and to assert its authority in the disputed area,” Maria Patrikainen, a global insight analyst at IHS told Fox News.
One of the primary strategies Washington has used to gain military and economic hegemony over the world has been to establish mutual defense treaties with nations in strategically important areas.
Washington’s 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines states, “Each Party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific Area on either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.” The treaty essentially obligates the U.S. to confront China to defend the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has its own ridiculous claims to the territorial waters of the South China Sea. Washington holds that it can patrol China’s two-hundred-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with naval warships without China’s permission, an opinion China disagrees with. Of course, the U.S. would certainly object to Chinese naval vessels patrolling the western seaboard along Californian shores. But such rules are only considered to apply to states other than America.
Greater U.S. involvement in with the Philippines and surrounding areas are part of a broader imperial plan to counter China’s regional influence and unnecessarily provoke China and increase tensions. Such confrontations like this one could lead to gratuitous violence for a petty imperial contest.
American Exceptionalism strikes again, do as we say not as we do! I really wonder what the US would really do if the russians aor China actuall decided to play the Americans Bluff and steam up and down the US coasts 12 miles from shore on a continuing basis.
I can bet though that Lieberman and McCain would be champing at the bit that it wouldnt be allowed, and that the Military should immediately attack the interlopers What audcacity!
They should do so – with the aid of the rest of the world. Time to lay American exceptionalism (imperialism) to rest. Only serves the interests of our corrupt oligarchy.
Each and every US move is about militarization of the world, all that talks about illegality of US attacking Iran and Etc. is a cyber delusions mad possible as social psychological warfare, US is about its militarism no matter who is in charge, history have shown it and history will show more of US-NATO militarization of the world, Cameron – England is in Japan selling English weapon to Japan, US wanting to occupy Philippines expending its militarism, you figure the rest.
The real power which is the submarine and nuclear weapons is alway present off the USA coast. The old statement that if you enemy is making a mistake do not stop him. The USA is going broke with it present policy. We have been able to do it because we have become the most powerful and we basically have the last word. The USA will have to find a way to pay for all the military expansion and our dear friend in the middle east is in a bad situation. They are pissing off the world and their major source of money is going broke. The old shame Germany is ending with new people who feel not shame at WWII. What will they do when they actually have to pay the real cost of that wonderful democracy for the right religion.
China should do everything in its power to instill fear in the US war machine. China would decimate any US navel presence near its waters if threatened period.All of those aircraft carriers are just floating coffins.
Oh, you- you know the US never attacks any nation that can credibly defend itself.
Of course, this raises some interesting questions. If the US fought a war with China, would the Chinese pay for it? What would happen to our economy if all the cheap manufactured goods from China were cut off? If the Chinese suddenly dumped all of their massive holdings of Treasury securities on the market? What about all the US corporations that profit from selling in the Chinese market? It seems to me that the US and China are co-dependent, whether they like it or not.