Colliding with China

THE Philippines is now on a collision course with China over disputed territories that can be an international flashpoint.

A few days ago, a US spy plane making a “fly-by” over disputed territories in the Spratly’s] was challenged over radio by Chinese military on the ground and told to “go away.” Another commercial airplane flying overhead was similarly challenged. Earlier, Philippine vessels supplying provisions to Filipino soldiers stationed in the area were blockaded. Filipino fishermen were harassed, shooed away and fired upon with water cannons from Chinese vessels. Massive reclamation and building construction by the Chinese is on-going with China now telling the world that all territories in the South China Sea, irrespective of whether they are within the “exclusive eonomic zones” (EEZs) of diffirent countries, are considered Chinese territory.