04-09-2019, 10:28 AM
(This post was last modified: 04-09-2019, 06:14 PM by John J. Xenakis.)
** 09-Apr-2019 World View: Philippines president Duterte threatens China with 'suicide mission'
The Philippines military is reporting that hundreds of Chinese
coastguard and fishing vessels, including some military warships, had
“swarmed” the Philippines island Pagasa (or Pag-asa or Thitu):
The Chinese flotilla began appearing around Thitu in December and
January, about the time the Philippines began its own construction on
one of its islands.
In a speech last week, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said:
Duterte's first acts when he took office in 2016 were to cut off
relations with the United States, and to take a trip to Beijing, where
he was given the red carpet treatment by China's president Xi Jinping.
Duterte indicated that he would not enforce the earlier ruling by the
United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague. By
refusing to enforce the ruling, Duterte appeared to be giving
Scarborough Shoal away to the Chinese.
In May of last year, Duterte explained his decision to not enforce the
Tribunal ruling by recounting a conversation he had with Xi Jinping in
2016, in which Xi threatened war:
Note that Xi's claims of historical claims to the South China Sea are
total bullshit, as I've described in detail in my forthcoming book,
"War Between China and Japan."
After recounting the conversation, Duterte added:
So Duterte decided that he had to accede to China's threats.
Last week's threat of a "suicide mission" seems to be a logical
consequence of Duterte's statements in the past. He says that the
Philippines military is willing to fight, even though it would lose a
war to China and "destroy everything," and now he reaffirms that
statement by threatening a suicide mission.
In the last few years, China has become increasingly nationalistic,
xenophobic, hostile and belligerent, so it seems unlikely that
China's military will back down.
So Duterte has committed to launch is "suicide mission." It remains
to be seen whether he'll follow through.
---- Sources:
-- Duterte’s suicide mission to Pag-asa Island
https://opinion.inquirer.net/120636/dute...asa-island
(Inquirer, Manila)
-- Philippines / Duterte just threatened to go on a "suicide mission"
against China
https://www.vice.com/en_in/article/mbz8d...inst-china
(Vice)
-- Philippines Slams China's South China Sea Flotilla
https://thediplomat.com/2019/04/philippi...-flotilla/
(Diplomat)
---- Related:
** 21-Nov-18 World View -- Philippines president Duterte renews policy of China appeasement
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/x...tm#e181121
** 11-Sep-18 World View -- Tensions grow in Philippines as Duterte turns against China in South China Sea
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/x...tm#e180911
** 30-May-18 World View -- Philippine President Duterte reverses position, says he would go to war with China over South China Sea
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/x...tm#e180530
The Philippines military is reporting that hundreds of Chinese
coastguard and fishing vessels, including some military warships, had
“swarmed” the Philippines island Pagasa (or Pag-asa or Thitu):
Quote:> "It has been observed that Chinese vessels have been
> present in large numbers and for sustained and recurring
> periods—what is commonly referred to as ‘swarming’ tactics—raising
> questions about their intent as well as concerns over their role
> in support of coercive objectives."
The Chinese flotilla began appearing around Thitu in December and
January, about the time the Philippines began its own construction on
one of its islands.
In a speech last week, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said:
Quote:> "Let us be friends, but do not touch Pagasa Island and
> the rest. If you make moves there, that's a different story. I
> will tell my soldiers, 'Prepare for suicide
> mission'."
Duterte's first acts when he took office in 2016 were to cut off
relations with the United States, and to take a trip to Beijing, where
he was given the red carpet treatment by China's president Xi Jinping.
Duterte indicated that he would not enforce the earlier ruling by the
United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague. By
refusing to enforce the ruling, Duterte appeared to be giving
Scarborough Shoal away to the Chinese.
In May of last year, Duterte explained his decision to not enforce the
Tribunal ruling by recounting a conversation he had with Xi Jinping in
2016, in which Xi threatened war:
Quote:> "Duterte: Mr. Xi Jinping, I will insist that it is
> ours and we will drill oil. [T]hat is ours and we intend to drill
> oil there. My view is I can drill the oil.
> Xi: Well we are friends. We don’t want to quarrel with you. We
> want to maintain warm relationship, but if you force the issue we
> will go to war.
> Duterte: I’ll drill the oil.
> Xi: Please do not do that because that is ours.
> Duterte: That is according to you. But I have the arbitral
> [referring to the Hague tribunal ruling].
> Xi: Yes, but ours is historical and yours is legal of recent
> memory.
> Duterte: But that’s too far away. It’s almost alien to us to hear
> those words because we were never under Chinese jurisdiction.
> Xi: Well, if you force the issue, we’ll be forced to tell you the
> truth.
> Duterte: So what is the truth?
> Xi: We will go to war. We will fight you."
Note that Xi's claims of historical claims to the South China Sea are
total bullshit, as I've described in detail in my forthcoming book,
"War Between China and Japan."
After recounting the conversation, Duterte added:
Quote:> "Are they willing to fight? Because if they are
> willing to fight, we are. But why would I do that? It will result
> in a massacre and it will just destroy everything."
So Duterte decided that he had to accede to China's threats.
Last week's threat of a "suicide mission" seems to be a logical
consequence of Duterte's statements in the past. He says that the
Philippines military is willing to fight, even though it would lose a
war to China and "destroy everything," and now he reaffirms that
statement by threatening a suicide mission.
In the last few years, China has become increasingly nationalistic,
xenophobic, hostile and belligerent, so it seems unlikely that
China's military will back down.
So Duterte has committed to launch is "suicide mission." It remains
to be seen whether he'll follow through.
---- Sources:
-- Duterte’s suicide mission to Pag-asa Island
https://opinion.inquirer.net/120636/dute...asa-island
(Inquirer, Manila)
-- Philippines / Duterte just threatened to go on a "suicide mission"
against China
https://www.vice.com/en_in/article/mbz8d...inst-china
(Vice)
-- Philippines Slams China's South China Sea Flotilla
https://thediplomat.com/2019/04/philippi...-flotilla/
(Diplomat)
---- Related:
** 21-Nov-18 World View -- Philippines president Duterte renews policy of China appeasement
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/x...tm#e181121
** 11-Sep-18 World View -- Tensions grow in Philippines as Duterte turns against China in South China Sea
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/x...tm#e180911
** 30-May-18 World View -- Philippine President Duterte reverses position, says he would go to war with China over South China Sea
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/x...tm#e180530
