China Backs Away as Philippines and U.S. Send Impressive Fleet to West Philippine Sea

© Provided by Esquire Philippines


In a surprising move, the Philippines sent its strongest response yet against China’s expansion into the West Philippine Sea. Not since 2012 has the Philippines moved its naval forces to the West Philippine Sea to challenge China’s militarization of the area. The move is a highly coordinated response with the United States.

In March, the Philippines reported the presence of 220 Chinese vessels at Julian Felipe Reef. That number has been reduced to fewer than 10 as of April 13.

"The Chinese have blinked," retired U.S. Navy officer Jerry Hendrix told You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..

Below are photos taken by the Philippine Coast Guard on April 13 and 14 showing Philippine and Chinese vessels at Julian Felipe Reef.



© Provided by Esquire Philippines
Photo by Philippine Coast Guard.


© Provided by Esquire Philippines
Photo by Philippine Coast Guard.


© Provided by Esquire Philippines
Photo by Philippine Coast Guard.


© Provided by Esquire Philippines

Photo by Philippine Coast Guard.
The Philippines sent four of its most advanced warships to the West Philippine Sea to challenge China’s increasing activities at Julian Felipe Reef. Among the units it deployed are its two brand-new missile-guided frigates, the BRP Jose Rizal and the BRP Antonio Luna. It also deployed warplanes to monitor the area.

Meanwhile, the U.S. also sent its aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt to the area. But an American aircraft carrier never travels alone. With every sighting of a U.S. carrier, you can expect it brings along a large ****** of submarines, destroyers, and cruisers protecting it from other vessels. This is on top of the dozens of aircraft it carries (it can carry up to 90 aircraft and can accommodate 4,500 personnel).

The U.S. also deployed the USS Makin Island, a formidable assault ship that can carry up to 20 attack aircraft or s†éálth strike-fighters. It also has its own escorts of submarines, destroyers, and cruisers.

USS Theodore Roosevelt​

© Provided by Esquire Philippines
Photo by United States Navy | Public Domain.

USS Makin Island​

© Provided by Esquire Philippines
Photo by United States Navy | Public Domain.
In March 2021, the Philippine Coast Guard raised the alarm over the presence of 220 Chinese ships forming a phalanx at Julian Felipe Reef, which is within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It was what prompted the coordinated military response from the Philippines and the United States.

By April, the Chinese vessels have dissipated to a couple of dozen, a clear sign of China backing down in response to the forceful reaction from the Philippines and the U.S.

China used the same strategy in the past whenever it wanted to militarize a Philippine reef: It would send a large flotilla of paramilitary "fishing boats" to the area to scare away other vessels, then its dredgers would follow, destroying precious corals to create artificial islands over the reef. Julian Felipe Reef would have ended up with the same fate.

An Unexpected Philippine Response​

Ever since the 2012 standoff at Scarborough Shoal between China and the Philippines, the latter has opted not to send warships from the navy but relied on vessels from the Philippine Coast Guard instead to assert its presence in the West Philippine Sea. It was because of the ongoing international arbitration with China that the Philippines eventually won in 2016—the Philippines did not want to jeopardize its case and be construed as an aggressor.

But ever since then, the country had downplayed Chinese incursions into the West Philippine Sea.

The latest development proves significant, not only because the Philippines actually challenged China, but also because it is the first time it has sent a weapon of war to assert itself. To the Chinese generals, that is something to be very serious about. Historically, China respects force, no matter how seemingly small it is.

BRP Jose Rizal​

©
Provided by Esquire Philippines
Photo by Philippine Navy | Public Domain.

China Respects Force​

According to professor and geopolitical analyst Richard Heydarian, China respects power.

"Chinese statecraft has contempt for the weak and the naive," Heydarian told Esquire Philippines in 2020. "But China grudgingly respects those with strategic dignity and courage."

For example, Indonesia, which has taken a very strong stance against China on its sea disputes and even sunk a number of confiscated Chinese vessels, has already received 1.2 million initial doses of the vaccine delivered from China in November. Another 1.8 million doses were delivered in January, and more are expected to come.

It also helps that the U.S. has specifically stated any attack on Philippine vessels would trigger its Mutual Defense Treaty obligations.

"An armed attack against the Philippines armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea, will trigger our obligations under the Mutual Defense Treaty," the U.S. State Department You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now..

In the past, the U.S. had been vague about the Mutual Defense Treaty and its scope, saying obligations would only be triggered if they happen within the Philippines’ territorial waters, not its EEZ. It looks like they are changing that position now.

In any case, it looks like China will not be militarizing Julian Felipe Reef anytime soon.

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[Ooooooooo]

[XX='bananamilk, c: 1096109, m: 1464212'][/XX] That will depend na sa stand ng president kung ano yung magiging next na galaw niya. Kasi yung military sabi na nga natin haggang ganun lang naman, tayong mga tao wala tayong magagawa sa ganyan, Yun yung malaking tanong ngayon, ano yung next move ng gobyerno natin.

 

[bananamilk]

[XX='Ooooooooo, c: 1096475, m: 1757659'][/XX] D yan kay duts lang nakasalalay. We must pray that US does not drop us midway when they get more beneficial offers from other countries . The international arena is the playground for countries to gain benefits and reshuffle or reinforce alliances. Ala silang paki sa feelings ng mga pilino.

 

[Ooooooooo]

[XX='bananamilk, c: 1096542, m: 1464212'][/XX] Yan na nga mismo ang point, sinabi mo na, "wala silang paki sa feelings ng mga pilipino". So nasa sarili nating gobyerno ang desisyon kung ano ang magiging aksyon nila. Like what's next? Nasa gobyerno ang desisyon, aatras ba tayo? mananatili doon? hahayaan ang China na gumalaw doon? ipaglalaban pa ba natin ang teritoryo natin? That's for them to decide.

 

[bananamilk]

[XX='Ooooooooo, c: 1096659, m: 1757659'][/XX] Again sa US nakasalalay ang next move natin kasi sila ang big tree na sinasandalan natin. If our reliance on this big tree is taken from us babalik tayo sa status quo. Wala nanaman tayong choice pag nagkataon. Duts is merely nemo in the sea of sharks and barracudas. Wala actually bargaining power ang pilipinas except for our strategic location. Don't be disillusioned na sobrang astig natin and we can demand help from the US kasi again d tayo actually ganun ka importante in the international scene. Wag din isisi kay duts lahat kasi he has to dance to the tune of the military powers. Actually he's so kawawa. We are kawawa for being weak .

 

[Ooooooooo]

[XX='bananamilk, c: 1096694, m: 1464212'][/XX] He showed so much weakness to China, its funny how he address China as a friend and now look at what they've done. He's not "kawawa", he's pathetic! he hated US, he wanted US soldiers to leave the country, he wanted to terminate the VFA, he clearly hated the US, It's also funny how the country that he call's a friend terrorizes us in our own territory, while the country that he hated so much is the one lending us a hand on this mess, that's just pathetic! We don't need to suck US or China's d*ck, we can just be neutral and then have both benefits from them, but he was just favouring and pleasing China. Sure you can say that US and China might have hidden agendas, but clearly China's the one that's causing the harm, showing their true color and bad intentions.

 

[bananamilk]

Actually napapansin ko na hater ka ni duts so hats of to you but I'm kind of neutral kasi politics ang inaaral namin sa skwelahan so this topic is fun for me. I just think na the issue of WPS is bigger than the PH lang. It's an international issue involving multiple countries with multiple alliances involving military powers. It's so easy sabihin na bahag ang buntot ni duts or tuta siya ng china but you don't realize na wala siyang choice.

We won in the arbitration courts pero china doesn't recognize the ruling. That's the essential element that we lack, recognition.

You must realize that international tribunals do not have its own police force nor armed forces kaya it relies on member nations to enforce rulings. Panalo tayo pero walang bansang nag step up to help us enforce our win. So pano na yung iniinsist na panalo if nobody cares. Tsaka d rin natin pde iinsist yung tayo mismo ang mag implement kasi China only recognizes might, we also lack that .

 

[bananamilk]

[XX='Ooooooooo, c: 1096781, m: 1757659'][/XX] The Philippines can never be neutral because we are at the heart of the controversy. Pano tayo magiging neutral if territorial dispute natin ang usapan?

"China is a friend". In international diplomacy everyone who's not your enemy is your friend. Even your enemies, if they give you enough benefits they'll become cute in your eyes. Literal plastican when it comes to politics.

"US hater". Back to my conjecture na tinangihan siya ni trump kaya he was so angry. Remember trump's policy of focusing on america. In short ala siguro siyang mahihita if dun siya magpa cute kasi kaya da china siya nagpa cute.

Also VFA. It had problems which needed renegotiation. Highlighted during Pemberton fiasco. Same yung past Subic base na napalayas issues on rent and forces misconduct. D ako agree on how it was handled but Trump wasn't bothered. Savings daw sa kanila. So it seems tayo actually ang may gusto sa vfa but Trump couldn't be bothered to renegotiate.

 

[Ooooooooo]

[XX='bananamilk, c: 1096828, m: 1464212'][/XX] I'm not talking about the territorial dispute when I said be neutral, read this again: " We don't need to suck US or China's d*ck, we can just be neutral and then have both benefits from them, but he was just favouring and pleasing China." I'm talking about our relations with other country in general. The dispute in WPS has worsened, why? because where to soft, so China think's they can do whatever they want since were not gonna do anything about it.

 

[bananamilk]

[XX='kramsuiluj, c: 1096852, m: 388797'][/XX] Neutral in what aspect?

Just to humor your stance on neutrality. Politics is very heavily tied with economics.
You have to be economically robust para d ka tamaan ng geopolitical pressure. Kaya ba natin maging neutral?

 

[Ooooooooo]

What do you mean when you say walang choice si Duterte? Wala naman sana problema kung nag bebenefit tayo sa ginagawa niya, halimbawa nalang yung di niya pag ban ng flight from China nung start ng Covid, why? kasi ma ooffend China? wtf! It's very clear that he's showing so much weakness when it comes to China, and like what I've said ok lang sana kung nag bebenefit tayo, pero may benefit nga ba? is it worth it?

Sabi nga sa article sa thread na to:

The latest development proves significant, not only because the Philippines actually challenged China, but also because it is the first time it has sent a weapon of war to assert itself. To the Chinese generals, that is something to be very serious about. Historically, China respects force, no matter how seemingly small it is.

Clearly pinabayaan lang talaga yung WPS kasi baka maooffend nanaman yung China.

 

[bananamilk]

[XX='Ooooooooo, c: 1096891, m: 1757659'][/XX] Literal na ala siyang choice. Ano ba dapat gawin nya with a favorable ruling without implementing power?

Also anong force pala ang ipapakita natin sa china when the Philippine Constitution provides that we are prohibited from exhibiting any form of aggression. Hanggang depensa lang tayo unless you wana change the consti.

About banning flights from china. I can't really remember dahil na sstress ako sa covid na yan but it seems the ph has adopted all WHO recommendations? I disagree with the wait and see attitude ng PH. Hindi proactive . It's quite childish to say ayaw nya ma offend ang china. I'll make another conjecture in saying baka nasasayangan sila sa pera na papasok sa pilipinas if borders are closed, bilyones din kasi ang loses when country borders are closed. Baka lang kasi d talaga ako agree sa lamya ng covid response ng WHO CDC at DOH. Silang lahat mga lechugas

 

[easytodoitdotcom]

Lumayas na ba mga barko ng China? Last I've heard nandoon pa din naman sa WPS.

 

[smaug152]

lods pengeng popcorn..hahahaha

 

[smaug152]

Credits to The Manila Times Editorial Cartoon..

 

[arsenal1205]

lumayas na daw pero IDK kung bumalik ulit ahaha

 

[CodeZeroPH]

yung set back the clock ganyan nangyari sa Iran ngayon sa patuloy na pag sabotahe ng Israel sa Nuclear program nila. yan ang ayaw mangyari ng China dahil sa ambisyon nilang higitan pa ang U.S.

 

[CodeZeroPH]

Kaibigan natin ang lahat kasi parte yan ng international treaty. Ang mga tao lang naman sa Social Media ang pilit binibigyan ng kahulogan ang relasyon ng Pilipinas sa China when in fact lahat ng mga bansang may embahada dito sa Pinas ay kaibigan natin.

 

[Ninong Ng Bayan]

[XX='HighF15e, c: 1093756, m: 1361846'][/XX] kung icocompare mo pinas sa taiwan its not even fair an laki ng ang pagkakaiba natin sa kanila and these are the primary reasons

the biggest one is its location they are near japan and south korea which usa has a big bases.

second one is tsmc which is the worlds largest semiconductor producer which is usa and nato countries and even china is highly relient on, china wont gable a serious beef with them dahil lahat makakalaban nila.

the third one is taiwans army has state of the art equipment and may usa airforce base din sa taiwan that houses a ton of f16 tas nag deploy pa ng army brigade ang usa which consists of 5,000 usa artillery support soldiers .

kaya taas noo ang taiwan dahil andaming resouces at assets sa pilipinas ano assest at resouces natin?
natural gas ang konti .
precious metals halos wala din.
techonological assest wala .
state of the art army wala din.

this is just my fivecents .
ph detering china agression is not gonna happen any time soon 2 administration na naupo pnoy at duterte parehong walang nanyari. kahit sino paupuin nyo jan sa malacañang hanggat walang improvement sa armed forces ng pinas we will be stuck at this shit . hindi ko din kasi maitindihan bat tinigil ung nuclear program nung panahon ni marcos sana wala tayong problemang ganyan ngayon kung nuclear country tayo.

 

[k4m0t3QT]

Nagpa-gas lang po hahahaha

 

[arsenal1205]

[XX='Power ćP Gals, c: 1101297, m: 245236'][/XX] bwiset yan AHAHAH