China vs The Philippines @ The Spratly Islands Dispute (Spratlys)

by: Psychic August

In the next few years, the Philippines' claim to the Spratlys group of islands, which lies just approximately 14 km offshore from Palawan, will be visibly disregarded by the Chinese communist government as the latter strengthens it's hold upon the area by completing its recent military installations and adding more structures like ports, factories, and small settlements in the islands.

This has, in part, happened because while the Spratlys sit within the Philippines' territorial waters, they have been taken for granted by the Philippine government.  The Philippines is waking up to the rude reality that other more powerfully armed countries like China can easily lay claim to the chain of islands with it's vastly rich natural resources.

And this is what is currently happening - the Philippine influence in the area is gradually eroding as China slowly but firmly consolidates it's hold over the area.  It's current diplomatic approach through the UN is proving to be too slow, and ineffective in curbing the 'take over' style of China.  This is a blunt warning that more direct and immediate action should be taken by the Philippine government. 

In the very near future,  the Philippine government will still resort to diplomatic efforts in responding to this encroachment by the Chinese government, as the former makes its diplomatic call louder by bringing it's case across more countries as possible, thus creating international pressure upon China to halt its usurpation of the Spratlys.  In addition to this, the Philippine government will also build up and modernize its armed forces (AFP) to be able to respond to this threat.

The AFP will be prepared, and skirmishes will occur with the chinese armed forces occupying the Spratlys, though much of it will be kept away from public knowledge.  However, bits of these clashes will leak out every now and then to the media and Filipino public.  Apparent in all of these skirmishes is the subtle support of the US military to the AFP.  This starts in the remaining duration of the current administration and continues into the next

These 'secret wars' between the Chinese armed forces occupying the Spratlys and the US-supported AFP, and with other allies like Vietnam who also keeps a claim to the islands, will continue.  Visible diplomatic efforts exerted by all countries concerned for international arbitration on the Spratlys situation, will flourish in the next 4 - 5 years, until the islands are legally divided among all countries laying claim to it.

A foreign woman lawmaker, well known in the international community, will put efforts in helping the Philippine government bolster it's case concerning the spratlys to the international community.

Reading Date:  March 18, 2015