Will China face resistance in the South China Sea?
The Philippines on Monday claimed its Coast Guard drove away a Chinese warship that had intruded into its territorial waters. The Philippines has so far avoided a direct confrontation with Chinese forces despite multiple recent provocations by Beijing, and the incident is bound to raise temperatures in the disputed waters.
Fascinating. According to the article, the problem isn't China quietly squeezing the Philippines to take territory but Filipino resistance to China. I think the Philippines is gearing up to confront China and roll back some of the Chinese advances:
The Philippines will need to take the initiative at some point in the face of China's relentless pressure.
Escalating to a battle that the Philippines can win and digging in on an island, while essentially daring China to reverse its losses with a war is one option. Would China risk war with America to really bring in their fleet to teach Manila a lesson?
Another option is building up island outposts in defense of the Philippines' land claims through the Chinese naval blockades by airlift provided by American and other allies in a Berlin Airlift (East).
Which means that persistent threats by Philippines President Duterte to scrap the agreement that allows American troops to deploy into the Philippines are to be ended:
The U.S.-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement will be amended and not terminated, Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Wednesday.
China doesn't care that international law is on the side of the Philippines. As China might point out, what part of "everything under the Heavens" is unclear?
