Nobody wants a war in our part of the world. But China, it seems, is getting bolder and more aggressive in building more artificial islands in the South China Sea. That the Chinese have built military installations on Scarborough Shoal and Fiery Cross Reef is no longer encroachment on our sovereign territorial waters. This is already an invasion.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, speaking out more strongly than President Rodrigo Duterte and Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr., said this is unacceptable. Scarborough Shoal is only 124 nautical miles west of Zambales and more than 800 miles from Hainan province, the nearest Chinese coastline. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea mandated that waters 200 miles from any country’s coastline is the exclusive economic zone of that nation. China, as the community of nations now knows, has no respect for international laws. The Philippines and China are both signatories to UNCLOS.
The recent ruling of the Permanent Arbitration Court in The Hague rejected China’s sweeping nine-dash line, claiming nearly 90 percent of the resource-rich South China Sea. Manila filed the case challenging China’s outrageous claim but Duterte, who is cozying up to Beijing and disengaging from Washington, is allowing the Chinese to get away with grabbing our territorial waters.
Who can and will stop China’s aggressive moves in the South China Sea? The answer of course is only the US can. But is it willing to risk a war with a rising China? The US pivot and rebalancing of its military forces to Asia puts pressure on America to maintain its credibility with treaty allies—the Philippines, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan The US also has the global duty to keep free international shipping lanes in the South China Sea. The military buildup by China in the area would impede the free flow of cargo vessels in the vital waterway.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the US will stand by Japan in its territorial dispute over China in the Senkaku-Diaoyu Island. That is a reassuring indication of US intent and interest in the region. The Chinese foreign ministry in a rare and sober reaction said a war between China and the US would be disastrous.
China should take the Tillerson statement as a cautionary sign and step back or else a collision course between the two superpowers cannot be headed off anymore in this flashpoint in Southeast Asia. While China can count on North Korea for help, it is doubtful these two rogue nations can stand up to the US and allies—Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and even Australia which has a stake in the South China Sea because of its economic interest in an unimpeded shipping lanes.
Gina and the mining companies
The running feud of 23 mining companies and Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez is hurting the country’s economic stability. Lopez ordered the shutdown of the mining firms last week. The value of minerals extracted from the country exceeds the total revenue of the country’s tourism industry. The government could lose P653 million if the 23 mines are closed down by the DENR, not to mention the thousands of jobs lost related to extraction and shipping of minerals such as ore, copper, phosphate and iron. Lopez said the DENR would extend financial aid to miners dislocated by her closure order.
Chamber of Mines Vice President Ronald Recidoro explained the industry’s side quite well when interviewed by ANC’s Karen Davila. ANC, or the ABS-CBN News Channel, is owned by the Lopez family of Gina. She ordered the mines’ closure for alleged violation of environmental safeguards and disposal of hazardous waste material into community rivers.
The mining companies were wary when President Duterte appointed her as DENR secretary. To be fair, Gina’s concern for the environment is well meaning. But how can you appoint someone as Environment Secretary who has already pre-conceived adversarial view of mining? The lines are drawn and unless asked, mining company officials are not seeking a dialogu—meeting with Lopez. They would rather talk to Finance Secretary Carlos “Sonny” Dominguez who they believe has a better understanding of mining’s economic impact on the country.
Dominguez who is from Davao like Duterte is closer to the President than Lopez is. Duterte yesterday reversed Lopez’s order fully aware of the economic implications of stopping the mining operations. It’s a loss of face for Gina Lopez and puts her in a corner where she has no option but to resign.
Not too many know that the Philippines is the third-largest producer of gold in the world. This is because we have a wealth of copper in our mines. Copper is the cousin of gold.
