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Monday, April 16, 2012

Friends in High Places

Chinese and Philippines naval assets remain in a stand-off over disputed waters near the Philippines:


The Philippines said Sunday it remained locked in a stalemate with China over a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

The statement came a day after the Philippine side reported that two Chinese vessels remained in Scarborough Shoal, just as the week-old standoff appeared to have eased.

Eight Chinese fishing vessels which sparked the standoff however had already left the area.

China is much bigger than the Philippines, of course. But the Philippines have a large friend:

On Monday, the Philippines and the United States are due to begin joint annual war games to boost its military alliance amid fears of China's growing power in the region.

China would rather that their neighbors just buckle under to Chinese power. The region is supposed to revolve around the middle kingdom, after all.

I hope our leaders will keep in mind that small neighbors of China (and who isn't smaller?) will stand up to China if they have reason to believe their resistance is not futile.