Friday, December 28, 2012

Going Over the Cliff

China appears to have selected the Philippines to be the target of their new policy of treating the South China Sea as Chinese territorial waters subject to civilian law enforcement.

The Philippines is protesting:

“The Philippines again calls on China to respect our territorial sovereignty and exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Philippines strongly objects to the Chinese patrol of Philippine maritime domain in the West Philippine Sea,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez said in a statement sent to reporters.

“Such patrol will not validate the nine-dash lines (claim of China) and is contrary to China’s obligation under international law including Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” the statement added. ...

The state-run Xinhua news agency reported that the patrol ship Haixun 21 sailed into the high seas under the administration of the Maritime Safety Administration of Hainan province, from which China administers the West Philippine Sea.

China is edging toward war and doesn't seem to think there is any problem with this.