Linggo, Oktubre 23, 2016

Understanding Duterte’s Position on South China Sea vs. The Interest of the West

The South China Sea area is actually more important to the US and Europe than to the Philippines. Lying in that vast body of water is an international waterway where 5 Trillion US Dollars in global trade passes every year going to the Western countries. If China controls the whole stretch of the waterway, including overflight thereon, global trade to Europe and US will become more expensive. The adverse impact of it to the west will be very costly. This explains why US and Europe were supportive of the Philippines and they were all urging China to respect the decision of the Permanent Arbitral Tribunal favoring Philippines on our claim. Duterte’s position on the issue however, is not subservient to the West. When he declared that he is pursuing an independent foreign policy, he is bent on negotiating with China directly instead of becoming confrontational as the West wants him to be. Duterte is aware that our court victory is an empty one for lack of enforcement mechanisms on the decision. Neither the US nor the west and even any of the UN instrumentalities can help the Philippines enforce that decision. It solely relies on China’s recognition for which it has already repeatedly rejected.
If we decide to confront China by force, which country will come to help us? The NATO military arsenal cannot be stretched to the South china sea because its forces are confined to Europe in an attempt to contain the Russian military flexing in Europe and mid-east. Germany will never come to aid the Philippines because of its trading relations with China. France will be a reluctant potential ally because of the external threats it has been facing. Great Britain will never send its military planes to the Philippines because it has been courting China for trading relations as an aftermath of the Brexit. If we use diplomacy, particularly by bringing the issue to the halls of the UN and asking the members to enjoin China into accepting the decision, we should take note of the fact that more than half of the countries in the UN are having trading relations with China for which they cannot afford to severe ties with, much less with ASEAN. What we see here is purely “politics among nations” at work and Philippines must be careful on its approach and for which Duterte has shown a great deal of expertise in terms of diplomatic maneuvering.
Given that scenario, we are left with US and Japan at our side to help us in our confrontation with China. However, America is heavily indebted to China and the level of its trading relations with China outweighs any possibility for any war between the two. But the more serious question which should bug us is this: Is US really a true ally in this conflict? When Duterte brought out the issue on Bud Dajo Massacre in 1906, he wanted the Filipinos to revisit our alliance with the US in the light of his intention to adopt an independent foreign policy. During World War II in 1941, we fought side by side with America where we lost more than a million Filipino lives. It was never our war, yet we were invaded by Japan because America was with us. After the war, US government helped Japan in its reconstruction efforts financially and economically until it became the world’s second largest economy next to US until to date. What happened to the Philippines as an ally which gave up more than a million lives defending America? While a miniscule of assistance were given to us since World War II, these were handed out with strings attached and were designed to continue US interference in our internal affairs.
Now, America and its allies in Europe want to use us again as a pawn to serve its economic and political interest in the South China Sea – to keep that international water way navigation-free. On the other hand, our main interest in the area is fishing right as well as exploiting the rich mineral resources underneath. From all indications, China is mainly interested in the control over that stretch of international waterway militarily as part of its hegemony over the region. Duterte believes that by negotiating directly with China using the decision of the court as our leverage, we can get most of what we want.
However, Duterte believes that we cannot successfully negotiate with China if we remain under the shadow of Uncle Sam. Hence, the need to project an independent image to convince China that we are negotiating with them in good faith sans any influence from the West. This left US and Europe in quandary on how to protect their interest over South China Sea with the revolting posture of Duterte. The only way is to get Duterte out and replace him with a pro west Philippine President.
This partly explains why the West is anti Duterte and all forces including traitors from our country are nowbb in global conspiracy to get him out of the presidency by using all sorts of issues to discredit him, e.g.

By: Mariano Ong Tan Ka
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 Biblical Perspective:
"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matt. 24:6,7,8,14)
"And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment," (Heb. 9:27)
"...behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor. 6:2)
You can receive the gift of eternal life now, click here.

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When things are out of balance, there is a great tendency for things not to work.
Too much stress makes you sick while too much rest makes you lazy.

Too much spending makes you a shopaholic while too much saving makes you a hoarder.
Too much eating makes you fat while too much dieting makes you skinny.
Too much emphasis on prosperity does not necessarily imply it is a sign of God's favor. Too much emphasis on poverty as a sign of closeness to God is equally erroneous. Both extremes are not good ways to understand how God's kingdom principles work.

But there is one thing that you will never get out of balance   when it comes to the assurance of your salvation or eternal life for it is the most important gift that you must receive from God especially now that we are in the last days.

About the last days is the reason for this blog  and to make us   aware of any impending perils or disasters that might caught us off guard.   We must be   able to discern the signs of times by knowing and validate the current news around the globe and always be prepared more than ever for the soon coming of our Lord "Jesus Christ," the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Meanwhile, do what you are told to do in season or out season especially in sharing and preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Though no one knows about the exact time or date of the Rapture or His soon return, let us be watchful and spiritually  vigilant, always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your labor of love will not be in vain, be the salt and light in this dark world. God bless us and always be guided and empowered by His Holy Spirit.

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