|
Ret General Says China Could Reclaim Disputed South China Sea Reef From Philippines 'By Force'
[International Bus Times] SHANGHAI -- In a further sign of rising tension between Beijing and Manila over the South China Sea, China's official Global Times newspaper has published an article by a retired senior military officer, calling for China to use force if the Philippines does not leave a disputed reef in the region.Major General Luo Yuan, a leading hawk, said the Philippines had recently been "reinforcing" its presence on an old warship, which has been stranded on the disputed Ren'ai Reef since the 1990s. He said Chinese sovereignty over the disputed area was "beyond all doubt," but Manila "stole the reef" -- known in English as Second Thomas Shoal, and in the Philippines as Ayungin Shoal -- by deliberately stranding the boat there. Luo said if Manila, which he called a perpetual "troublemaker in the South China Sea," was unable to remove the ship itself, it could pay China to repair and move it, adding that Beijing would treat the Philippines sailors on board "as refugees and give them humanitarian aid." If, however, Manila declined these "generous offers," Luo said, China "should drive away the ship and reclaim the reef by force," and he said the methods China could use to do so were "beyond the Philippines' imagination." The disputed reef has long been a source of tension between Manila and Beijing, and Luo, who is vice president of the China Strategy Culture Promotion Association, officially described as a non-governmental organization run by retired military officers, has previously spoken out on the issue. His views do not necessarily reflect those of China's top leadership. However, he is reported to be extremely well connected, and his latest comments come as China takes an increasingly assertive stance to what it says is its sovereignty over islands in the region -- including reclaiming an area of land large enough to build an airstrip on Fiery Cross Reef -- and may also reflect Beijing's concern at recent developments in the Philippines. Posted by: Besoeker 2015-07-22 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=424068 |