Chinese General: Philippines Faces ‘Last Chance’

April 9, 2012, 7:59 PM HKT

Chinese General: Philippines Faces ‘Last Chance’

A Chinese general warned the Philippines that it was facing its “last chance” to resolve simmering territorial disputes in the potentially resource-rich South China Sea, a rhetorical uptick in what has emerged as the region’s hottest potential military flashpoint.

Reuters
An aerial view shows Pagasa (Hope) Island, which belongs to the disputed Spratly group of islands, in the South China Sea located off the coast of western Philippines in this July 20, 2011 file photo.

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Luo Yuan, a Chinese major general known for his hawkish views, in a commentary published Monday in the popular Global Times newspaper, accused the Philippines of hijacking a recent ASEAN summit and said Manila’s continuing provocations were bound to fail.

“The biggest miscalculation of the Philippines is that it has misestimated the strength and willpower of China to defend its territorial integrity,” Gen. Luo wrote (in Chinese).

Gen. Luo’s comments, appearing in a tabloid published by the Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily, demonstrate a growing impatience within at least some parts of the People’s Liberation Army and the ruling Communist Party over disputes in the South China Sea, which are claimed in whole or part by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei.

Nonetheless, Mr. Luo’s remarks don’t necessarily reflect wider government thinking. While Beijing hasn’t ceded its claims of complete sovereignty over the sea, it continues to seek diplomatic resolutions with other claimants.

Mr. Luo’s hawkish stance is somewhat odd coming at a time when China already faces military and diplomatic pressure over escalating tensions in neighboring North Korea as well as in relation to Iran, a key Middle East ally.

The Philippines and Vietnam have emerged as the most aggressive opponents of China’s claims over the South China Sea, and allege Chinese naval vessels have harassed their oil-exploration ships there.

The sea is thought to hold large oil and natural gas reserves, though exploration has been hamstrung by ongoing territorial disputes. China National Offshore Oil Corp. last year said it was opening bidding to help develop 19 blocks in the South China Sea. Vietnam subsequently lodged a protest.

At last week’s ASEAN summit, southeast Asian leaders struggled to find common ground on how to deal with disputes in the South China Sea. The Philippines urged leaders to draft an ASEAN “code of conduct” for resolving sea disputes.

A unified “code of conduct” would help smaller southeast Asian states present a stronger front in negotiating with regional powerhouse China. Vietnam backed the Philippines’ proposal, but it remains unclear whether calls to draft a joint code were supported by Cambodia, an ally of China in the region.

China has long said it opposes what it calls attempts to “internationalize” territorial disputes in the China Sea, and says it wants to resolve conflicts with claimants on a bilateral basis.

–Brian Spegele. Follow him on Twitter @bspegele.

http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2012/04/09/chinese-general-philippines-faces-last-chance/tab/print/