In a June 7, 2014 International Business Times online article titled, "South Korea Gives Philippines Warship to Monitor China," author Mark Piggot describes the ongoing debacle in the Pacific between China and countries with territory in and around the South and East China seas. Most importantly over the course of the past week, the Philippines have purchased 12 FA-50 jets from South Korea, the South Koreans also loaned the Philippines a battleship to keep an eye on the Chinese, possibly for deterrence purposes, but definitely not for provocative purposes. Perhaps the real agenda is to show China that these countries, albeit small, are not afraid and will band together to defend themselves, if necessary.
The Chinese are also at odds with Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Brunei, as well as the United States. Recently, the United States released statements condemning China for being a bully in the region. It is clear that Chinese interests are economically motivated in their slow, but steady takeover of the $4 trillion trade route. The United States also signed a mutual defense agreement with the Philippines and also have interests to protect Japan. The United States' presence in the region has increased greatly over the past decade, but still are not near the level of involvement pre-1990's.
The possible implications of this disagreement in the Pacific are grave. Hopefully an agreement can be reached, but that would involve Chinese cooperation of which they have refused on multiple occasions.
By Christopher M. Vacek
1 comment:
The Philippines wants a ship like this so badly because their Navy is basically non-existent, hardly even rates as a Coast Guard.
China plays games with the Philippines and other neighbors that dispute all the South China sea islands that involve sailing little groups of civilians or military personnel out to these tiny little islands to plant the flag and claim it, taunt all the other countries.
China does this on one island. Philippines responds by trying to do it on another. They put their men there, but the Chinese put a couple of their own ships around the island. When the Filipinos try to sail back and supply these men, the Chinese ships will block the resupply vessel and the Filipinos will either have to sneak around them somehow or surrender by agreeing to take their men off the island.
China has lots of ships to play these games, and lots of them are fast and new. Philippines doesn't have many at all and the ones they do have are slow, rusting scrap.
Hence Philippines wants a shiny new vessel that can keep up with the Chinese ones.
As for why South Korea's deciding to do the Philippines a favor? My guess is that it's a perk they through in to help that arms deal with the aircraft go through.
Why do that? Because the United States is the Philippines' traditional arms supplier and the South Koreans are looking to establish themselves as an alternative.
And why is it important that it was a deal for aircraft?
South Korea is not one of the long-established fighter jet manufacturing nations (those being the US, Russia, Britain, France, Sweden, China, etc), but it is trying to get itself off the ground and design new aircraft for itself.
Problem is, when it comes to exporting its new fighters, it's hard to find buyers when there are other brands out there like American or Russian that have been around a lot longer.
So the South Koreans likely saw that the Filipinos really wanted new warships on the cheap and decided to throw this one in as a package deal to help sell the fighters that South Korea really wants to sell but is having a hard time finding a buyer for.
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