TAIWAN AND THE PHILIPPINES

TAIWANESE PROTEST KILLING OF FISHERMAN BY PHILIPPINES COAST GUARD IN DISPUTED WATERS

Associated Press

The Washington Post, May 13, 2013

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Some 200 Taiwanese gathered outside the Philippines representative office in Taipei on Monday to protest the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Philippines coast guard in disputed waters.

Burning Philippines flags and waving banners with legends like “You can’t kill our people, you can’t insult our country,” the demonstrators demanded that the Philippines apologize for Thursday’s incident in the Bashi Strait, where Philippines coast guard personnel opened fire on a Taiwanese fishing vessel, killing 65-year-old Hung Shih-cheng. The strait is between Taiwan and the northern Philippines.

With upward of 75 police officers in attendance, Monday’s demonstration was peaceful.

President Ma Ying-jeou has given the Philippines until Tuesday to apologize for the incident and provide compensation to the dead man’s family. If the Philippines refuses, Ma has said he will order Taiwanese representatives in Manila back to Taipei and deny Filipinos permission to work in Taiwan.

Approximately 87,000 Filipinos are employed on the island, many in the manufacturing sector, where their English-language skills are seen as a boon to the island’s export-oriented high-tech industries.

The Philippines coast guard has admitted it fired the shots that killed the Taiwanese fisherman, but said it acted in self-defense because the Taiwanese vessel was about to ram it.

China has sought to make common cause with Taiwan against Manila, deploring the shooting in harsh rhetoric that threatened to spark another diplomatic tussle between Beijing and the Philippines, a key U.S. ally.

(...) [article here]

INDIA AND ASEAN DISPUTES WITH CHINA

A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIA TO LEAD

Umesh Pandey

The Bangkok Post, December 24, 2012

The gathering of Asean leaders in New Delhi late last week was unprecedented in the history of India and the 10-member Southeast Asian grouping, and marks a new beginning to a relationship that could be crucial for the development of the two regions.

The heads of government were in the Indian capital to commemorate the 20th anniversary of engagement by once-introverted India with Asean. The timing and location were significant given the backdrop of rising tensions between various Asean members and China and between India and China.

The disputes in the South China Sea have been amply documented. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia all have claims that overlap those of China, and sometimes those of each other as well.

India and China have had border issues for decades, and lately Delhi has grown extremely wary of the growing might of the world’s second largest economy. The last straw came with the issuance this year of new Chinese passports with maps showing parts of northeastern India as Chinese territory.

In this respect New Delhi was not alone, as the ambitious Chinese mapmakers also managed to anger the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and possibly others.

Therefore, the meeting last week took on added significance. Many heads of government held bilateral talks with the Indian leaders, and expectations are that the two sides discussed ways to increase bilateral and multilateral cooperation, apart from raising the issue of the rising power of China.

In fairness, China has seldom been the aggressor and even in the 1962 war with India, which by the way India lost, China withdrew its forces from Indian territory. But that was then — China at the time was still not rich enough to support an all-out campaign of aggression against a large neighbour, while today things are very different.

China has the world’s largest foreign-exchange reserves, estimated at $3.3 trillion. It is the darling of all investors (except perhaps the Japanese lately), and has been spending heavily on upgrading its military power over the past decade. To top this off, nationalist propaganda has been on the rise, something that was very much evident from the protests and boycotts of Japanese products over the disputed Senkaku islands, which China refers to as the Diaoyu chain.

(...) [article here]

THE PHILIPPINES, THAILAND AND THE US

OLD ALLIES, NEW DYNAMICS IN US PIVOT

Julius Cesar I Trajano

Asia Times, August 31, 2012

SINGAPORE - The US's "pivot" strategy towards the Asia-Pacific aims to reinvigorate security alliances with its established partners in the region. In Southeast Asia, the Philippines and Thailand have long been US treaty allies, affording them privileged access to US armaments and in the case of the Philippines a mutual defense guarantee if attacked by a third party.

The Philippines and Thailand, however, have had decidedly different responses to the US's renewed security engagement with the region. While Manila has warmly welcomed the US's military presence, Bangkok has adopted a hedging strategy to preserve its vibrant ties with China. Washington's ties with Bangkok and Manila are now influenced by two crucial factors: (1) the perception of an existential threat and (2) domestic political and economic interests.

A key strategic hub for American forces, the Philippines has offered the US greater access to its military facilities in exchange for assistance in the modernization of its military. The Philippine government announced on August 24 that it welcomed America's plan to deploy "X-band", a powerful new early warning radar, in Japan and the Philippines. The plan is seen by some as the centerpiece of the US's defense build-up in Asia to counter threats from nuclear North Korea and to contain China's rising military power.

(...) [artículo aquí]

RISKS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

US SEES RISK OF WAR OVER SOUTH CHINA SEA

Peter Hartcher

The Sydney Morning Herald, July 21, 2012

THE White House has warned of the rising risk of accidental war in the South China Sea and called for countries in the region urgently to agree to a code of conduct.

China resists such a code as it jostles for ownership of resource-rich seabeds claimed by six south-east Asian nations. But the top Asia policy official in the White House has said a recent two-month maritime standoff between China and the Philippines ''threatened to escalate'' and created ''a scenario of grave concern to all countries in the region''. The standoff ended only when a hurricane sent the Philippine vessels back to port.

Analysts say the South China Sea is the new flashpoint of Asia. Most world shipping - and Australian exports - pass through it. ''A code of conduct, in our view, is a matter of commonsense,'' the National Security Council's senior director for Asia, Danny Russell, said. In a call implicitly aimed at China, Mr Russell said 10 years ago China had agreed to negotiate such a code of conduct. It has repeatedly said it will agree to discussions ''when the time is ripe''. A Pentagon official with responsibility for US defence policy in Asia, Vikram Singh, said: ''The time is ripe now''.

China has said the US is meddling in the region's affairs by encouraging a code of conduct. The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, responded: ''The US is a resident Pacific power''.

(...) [artículo aquí]

US AND SOUTHEAST ASIA: MILITARY BASES

U.S. EYES RETURN TO SOME SOUTHEAST ASIA MILITARY BASES

Craig Whitlock

The Washington Post, June 23, 2012

As the Obama administration revamps its Asian strategy in response to a rising China, the U.S. military is eyeing a return to some familiar bases from its last conflict in the region — the Vietnam War.

In recent weeks, the Pentagon has intensified discussions with Thailand about creating a regional disaster-relief hub at an American-built airfield that housed B-52 bombers during the 1960s and 1970s. U.S. officials said they are also interested in more naval visits to Thai ports and joint surveillance flights to monitor trade routes and military movements.

In next-door Vietnam, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta this month became the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the naval and air base at Cam Ranh Bay since the end of the war. Citing the “tremendous potential here,” Panetta enthused about the prospect of U.S. ships again becoming a common sight at the deep-water port.

The Pentagon is also seeking greater accommodations in the Philippines, including at the Subic Bay naval base and the former Clark Air Base, once the largest U.S. military installations in Asia as well as key repair and supply hubs during the Vietnam War.

The U.S. military either abandoned or was evicted from its Southeast Asian bases decades ago. Amid concerns about China’s growing military power and its claims to disputed territories, however, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines have cautiously put out the welcome mat for the Americans again.

(...) [artículo aquí]

THE PHILIPPINES IN 2050

THE PHILIPPINES IN 2050

Fernando Fajardo

The Inquirer, February 29, 2012

From number 43 in 2010, the Philippine economy will become the 16th biggest in the world in 2050. This forecast is from HSBC’s report on “The World in 2050” released last January this year. Is this possible? Can we make it? What does it mean being in number 16? The HSBC itself has some answer if it is possible or not: “We openly admit that behind these projections we assume governments build on their recent progress and remain solely focused on increasing the living standards for their populations. Of course, this may be an overly glossy way of viewing the world, and we conclude there are a number of reasons our ‘World in 2050’ could turn out a little different.”

There are many possible reasons why its forecast may go nowhere? But before that, let us look at how the HSBC arrived at the Philippines becoming number 16 in 2050.

At the outset, HSBC grouped the country into three categories—the fast economies, growth economies and stable economies. The fast-growth economies are those that are at a low level of development but which have sufficiently strong underlying fundamentals so that they catch up with more developed economies with similarly strong fundamentals. The HSBC assigned the Philippines in this category together with China, India Malaysia and Vietnam, among others. The “growth” group, which are also set to outperform many of the developed world economies, includes Indonesia and Thailand, along with Pakistan because of sheer size of its working population. The stable group of countries offer more limited growth prospects. These largely include the high growth, ageing economies in the developed world, of which Europe fares particularly badly.

(...) [artículo aquí]

PHILIPPINES-US DEFENCE TIES

PHILIPPINES SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN US DEFENCE TIES

The Philippines has confirmed that it is discussing ways to "maximise" defence ties with the US amid territorial disputes in the region.

BBC News, January 27, 2012

In a statement, the foreign affairs secretary cited the need for more joint military exercises to protect national interests.

The statement was in response to a Washington Post story alleging a possible return of US bases.

Officials are currently in Washington discussing defence issues.

The Washington Post on Wednesday reported that officials were possibly in the early stages of negotiating the return of US bases to the country, "the latest in a series of strategic moves aimed at China".

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, however, did not address the issue of China in his statement.

"It is to our definite advantage to be exploring how to maximise our treaty alliance with the United States in ways that would be mutually acceptable and beneficial," he said.

He added that in the event of possible threats to national interest, "in terms of, say, territorial disputes", a "minimum credible defence" was needed in addition to dealing with the issues diplomatically.

(...)  [artículo aquí]

B2B AND P2P INSTEAD OF ARMS BUILDUPS

OBSERVATIONS ON CHINA'S 'PEACEFUL' RISE

Fidel V. Ramos

The Manila Bulletin, October 30, 2011

The Pearl River Delta mega-cluster

We were in South China last week, principally in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province (one of China’s most productive in terms of total GDP-contribution), as head of a Philippine delegation of some 60 entrepreneurs, professionals, and sportspeople to meet with Chinese partners under the auspices of the China-Philippines Chamber of Commerce (CPCC).

Organized on 25 January 2005, the CPCC was given the mandate by the PRoC’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Civil Affairs to promote Philippines-China bilateral trade and economic cooperation. CPCC serves as a valuable network for addressing trade and investment issues, and is an active link of private and state-owned companies among themselves, as well as with government agencies in the Philippines and China. Chaired by Filipino-Chinese Joseph Lim, CEO of the Solid Electronics Group, CPCC counts among its corporate members various pioneering and successful Filipino companies operating in China, principally: Solid Industrial Co., Premix Inve Nutrition Corporation, Handyware China Co., Liwayway Marketing Co., Atlanta Industries Co., and Richfield Corp.

Zhuhai, a prefecture-level city on the southern coast of Guangdong Province, borders Macau SAR and is considered one of China’s modern “windows” to East Asian countries, particularly because of its Formula One hi-speed motor racetrack and annual Aviation Show. Together with nine other cities of Guangdong and the SARs of Hong Kong and Macau, Zhuhai forms part of the so-called Pearl River Delta (PRD) mega-cluster.

Creating economies of scale

Three decades ago, the People’s Republic of China adopted the strategy of clustering its contiguous industrial centers to create economies of scale as well as enhance efficiency in the production and distribution of goods. This move proved to be a huge success and continues to be highly effective in exhibiting China’s progress to the world.

The interconnected, cross-border combination of Macau and Hong Kong SARs with the megacities of the Pearl River Delta notably Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Dongguan, and China’s eastern seaboard, have a combined population of 660 million and accounts for a GDP of more than USD300 billion.

According to experts, this PRD mega-cluster can attain a GDP of USD500 billion (roughly the equivalent of the economic performance of the 10th to 12th largest world economies) in 6-8 years. Other high-growth cross-border mega-aggrupations include the Cross-Taiwan Straits Economic Zone and the Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Cooperation (which is the official gateway at Nanning City to the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area).

This set-up provides the Philippines easy access to China’s huge eastern seaboard and southern markets with excellent opportunities for partnerships in trade, tourism, SMEs, services, education, technology exchange, and other business endeavors which should now be fully tapped and exploited.

(...) [artículo aquí]

CHINA, OIL AND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

CHINA HUNGRY FOR OIL, IS POTENTIAL THREAT

China's aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea appear to be motivated by a hunger to exploit the area's resources, say Philippines.

AsiaOne, July 24, 2011

Using uncharacteristic forceful language for a diplomat, Foreign Secretary Alberto del Rosario trashed China's claim over the entire West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) area, calling it "baseless" and a "potential threat" to navigation in the region at the opening of Asia's biggest security conference in the Indonesian resort island of Bali Saturday.

China's aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea appear to be motivated by a hunger to exploit the area's rich oil and gas resources, Del Rosario said.

In remarks at the 18th Asean Regional Forum (ARF) "retreat session" yesterday, Del Rosario said the Chinese claim had no validity under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), to which China is a signatory.

China's claim to all of the West Philippine Sea is based on a Chinese map with nine dashes outlining its territory.

This so-called "9-dash claim" to the West Philippine Sea would be rejected by an international court, said Del Rosario.

The Unclos gives a country sovereignty of up to 22 kilometers (12 nautical miles) from its coast, including islands.

There is also the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) that gives jurisdiction over natural resources, scientific research and building structures up to 370 kilometers (200 nautical miles).

(...) [artículo aquí]