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New Philippine navy chief 'defends' Beijing's S China Sea activities
The Philippines' new navy chief may have inadvertently defended China's activities in the South China Sea by declaring that Beijing is merely guarding its own interests and that "no expansion is happening" in the region.
According to the Philippine Star, Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad made the remarks as he took over his new post at a ceremony on Monday.
"It's much heated before. I think we are in a better position now," Taccad said in response to questions about Beijing's aggressive moves in the South China Sea to assert sovereignty over the disputed Spratly islands. "We are communicating with China and more or less not as threatened as before. You know what they are trying to do and we try to maintain more or less peaceful co-existence or settlement of what issue we have."
"They have been there for a long time and they are guarding what they think is their interest in the South China Sea. No expansion is happening. They are just pursuing their interest," he added.
The comments may have been viewed as a slap in the face to President Benigno Aquino III, who was also present at the ceremony. Aquino has long been one of the most vocal critics of China's land reclamation activities and military construction in the Spratlys, having earlier this year compared China to Nazi Germany.
Taccad's statements also run contrary to congressman Ashley Acedillo's recent claims that a Chinese coast guard ship is now permanently anchored near Second Thomas Shoal, where a Philippine logistics ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, has been grounded since 1999 and serves as an outpost for a Philippine detachment. China has long maintained that the Philippines deliberately ran the ship aground to strengthen its presence and claims over the shoal. "This is now a big problem, because once BRP Sierra Madre disintegrates and we leave the area, the Chinese can immediately take over," Acedillo said.
A senior naval officer was also reported by the Philippine Star as saying that China's naval blockade is continually trying to block the Western Command of the Philippine Armed Forces from conducting troop rotations and re-provisioning operations at the shoal.
Meanwhile, China's foreign ministry has fired back at Beijing's critics, especially the Philippines and Japan, after China was singled out for its conduct in the South China Sea during the East Asia Summit foreign minister meeting in Kuala Lumpur last week.
On Aug. 6, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi defended "groundless accusations from the Philippines and Japan," noting that "the situation in the South China Sea is stable on the whole, and there is no possibility of major conflicts."
"Up to now, there has not been a single case in which freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is impeded," Wang said before adding, "China stands ready to work with other parties to continue to ensure freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea."
Wang then complained about the Philippines' grounding of the Sierra Madre and Manila's use of dubious excuses as to why it cannot tow the ship away, and blasted Japan for building its own artificial island at Okinotori, which Japan calls an "island" but China claims is a "reef."
Recent live-fire drills and naval training exercises being conducted by the People's Liberation Army Navy in several areas of the South China Sea from Aug. 11 to 14 is also being construed as a response to the criticisms from the Philippines and Japan.
According to the US-based outlet Business Insider, China could potentially continue to expand its presence in the South China Sea by installing newly developed Very Large Floating Structures (VLSFs). China's Jidong Development Group unveiled its first VLSF in late July at the National Defense Science and Technology Achievement exhibition in Beijing, showing off a structure comprised of numerous smaller floating modules that can be assembled together at sea to create larger floating platforms.
The report notes that VLSFs have multiple purposes, though the Chinese design appears to be geared towards a floating military base. If properly constructed, such a VLSF would hypothetically be able to carry aircraft and supplies like a much less mobile aircraft carrier, the report added.
2015-08-12
The Philippines' new navy chief may have inadvertently defended China's activities in the South China Sea by declaring that Beijing is merely guarding its own interests and that "no expansion is happening" in the region.
According to the Philippine Star, Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad made the remarks as he took over his new post at a ceremony on Monday.
"It's much heated before. I think we are in a better position now," Taccad said in response to questions about Beijing's aggressive moves in the South China Sea to assert sovereignty over the disputed Spratly islands. "We are communicating with China and more or less not as threatened as before. You know what they are trying to do and we try to maintain more or less peaceful co-existence or settlement of what issue we have."
"They have been there for a long time and they are guarding what they think is their interest in the South China Sea. No expansion is happening. They are just pursuing their interest," he added.
The comments may have been viewed as a slap in the face to President Benigno Aquino III, who was also present at the ceremony. Aquino has long been one of the most vocal critics of China's land reclamation activities and military construction in the Spratlys, having earlier this year compared China to Nazi Germany.
Taccad's statements also run contrary to congressman Ashley Acedillo's recent claims that a Chinese coast guard ship is now permanently anchored near Second Thomas Shoal, where a Philippine logistics ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, has been grounded since 1999 and serves as an outpost for a Philippine detachment. China has long maintained that the Philippines deliberately ran the ship aground to strengthen its presence and claims over the shoal. "This is now a big problem, because once BRP Sierra Madre disintegrates and we leave the area, the Chinese can immediately take over," Acedillo said.
A senior naval officer was also reported by the Philippine Star as saying that China's naval blockade is continually trying to block the Western Command of the Philippine Armed Forces from conducting troop rotations and re-provisioning operations at the shoal.
Meanwhile, China's foreign ministry has fired back at Beijing's critics, especially the Philippines and Japan, after China was singled out for its conduct in the South China Sea during the East Asia Summit foreign minister meeting in Kuala Lumpur last week.
On Aug. 6, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi defended "groundless accusations from the Philippines and Japan," noting that "the situation in the South China Sea is stable on the whole, and there is no possibility of major conflicts."
"Up to now, there has not been a single case in which freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is impeded," Wang said before adding, "China stands ready to work with other parties to continue to ensure freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea."
Wang then complained about the Philippines' grounding of the Sierra Madre and Manila's use of dubious excuses as to why it cannot tow the ship away, and blasted Japan for building its own artificial island at Okinotori, which Japan calls an "island" but China claims is a "reef."
Recent live-fire drills and naval training exercises being conducted by the People's Liberation Army Navy in several areas of the South China Sea from Aug. 11 to 14 is also being construed as a response to the criticisms from the Philippines and Japan.
According to the US-based outlet Business Insider, China could potentially continue to expand its presence in the South China Sea by installing newly developed Very Large Floating Structures (VLSFs). China's Jidong Development Group unveiled its first VLSF in late July at the National Defense Science and Technology Achievement exhibition in Beijing, showing off a structure comprised of numerous smaller floating modules that can be assembled together at sea to create larger floating platforms.
The report notes that VLSFs have multiple purposes, though the Chinese design appears to be geared towards a floating military base. If properly constructed, such a VLSF would hypothetically be able to carry aircraft and supplies like a much less mobile aircraft carrier, the report added.
