Posted on 04/10/2012 7:25:28 PM PDT by InvisibleChurch
The Philippines says its main naval vessel is engaged in a stand-off with Chinese surveillance ships at a disputed South China Sea shoal.
The Philippines said its warship tried to arrest Chinese fishermen anchored at the Scarborough Shoal, but was blocked by the two surveillance boats.
Both countries dispute the ownership of the shoal, which lies off the Philippines' northwestern coast.
The Philippine government said it would "assert sovereignty" over the area.
A statement from the county's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the naval vessel, the Gregorio Del Pilar, found eight Chinese fishing vessels at the shoal when it was patrolling the area on Sunday.
Two Chinese surveillance ships then apparently arrived in the area on Tuesday, placing themselves between the warship and the fishing vessels.
According to French news agency AFP, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario contacted China's ambassador to the Philippines, Ma Keqing, to emphasise that the Scarborough Shoal area was "an integral part of Philippine territory".
He is said to be seeking a diplomatic solution to the situation.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
I’m sure his excellency Mr Ma is drafting a cable to request
clarification will lilkely come in the form of another PLAN ‘survey’ ship and a couple of ‘fishing vessels’ parking on the Phillipine littoral waters.
Paying docking fees to the Chinese most likely.
This is not the only Spratly conflict.
They have always argued over the Spratly islands, along with a number of other countries, as the islands sit in the middle of the south China sea in a no man’s part of the sea.
Sort of like the weaker critter separated from the herd that the lion will attack
Well, I learned about the Spratley Islands many years ago, as I was a DX hound in amateur radio.
There was an expedition to put Spratleys on the air...I do not remember the year, but probably 20-30 years or more in the past. The call sign had the prefix 1S, but any call starting with “1” seems to be unofficial.
I no longer remember who authorized them or gave them the call sign, but I am somewhat sure it was the Philippines.
The DXpedition team was blown out of the water and one or more were killed by pirates.
Not part of this story, but related, piracy on the seas, especially in Africa/Asia, is a very serious problem, and
international law seems to prohibit ships and crews from
protecting themselves.
It is not just the US that is being subverted by the criminals, and their paid assistance by various countries.
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