Nationalism is being used as an ordering tool for its domestic affairs and Beijing’s maritime territorial claims come hand-in-hand with its Belt-Road Initiative which tries to funnel development to trouble areas like Xinjiang and Tibet in order to pacify them, as observed by Professor Christopher Hughes, a China expert at the London School of Economics. Chinese rhetoric over its “national rejuvenation” and so-called “peaceful rise” together with its geopolitical “island chain” philosophy reflects a state that is insecure. It is appropriate that the US and the Philippines have supported the freedom of navigation through what is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.Įxcessive entrenchment over sovereignty can be interpreted more as a sign of weakness rather than a show of strength. Washington did not use its military hardware to wrestle control of Scarborough Shoal for us in 2012 because the Americans effectively function as a security guarantor by being non-partisan in these disputes. Consequently, one should not expect the United States (US) to support any sovereignty claims. A “win” does not mean we own the place rather, we maintain special rights to the resources found within the 200 nautical miles from our shores. Philippine diplomats have emphasized this point, as did incoming Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. While China seeks to extend sovereignty over the area charted by its 9-Dash Line, the Philippines is merely protecting its entitlements within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). It is inappropriate to frame the case as a fight simply over territory. The court is widely expected to rule in the Philippines’ favor – a move likely to raise tensions considering China’s promised defiance.īut it is important to first qualify what a favorable ruling really means. With the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the legality of China’s 9-Dash Line drawing near, and a week since the commemoration of our 118th Independence Day, national pride is boosting the country’s expectations.
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