State-run China Daily editorial urges tougher stance vs Phl

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines should be made to pay an “unaffordable price” if it continues to challenge China’s national interests, a state-run Chinese newspaper said.

A China Daily editorial published Tuesday labeled the Philippines as “a devoted hatchet man of foreign anti-China forces” and said Beijing has exercised restraint in dealing with conflicting territorial claims.

“Since the Philippines has singled itself out as a determined challenger of Chinese national interests and the devoted hatchet man of foreign anti-China forces, it needs to be convinced that it has made a choice that, if it persists, means paying an unaffordable price,” the editorial read.

The paper also chided the Philippines, Vietnam, and Japan for  escalating tensions and for “trying to portray China as a bully.”

“Reason is essential for a sensible resolution to any dispute. Those in a dispute must be reasonable and act reasonably. However, that is something that Japan, the Philippines, and now Vietnam, refuse to be, hypocritically accusing China of their own faults,” it said.

“While friends should be embraced, it is time to adopt a different stance to those that bear us ill will.”

China claims virtually the entire West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), a potential oil and gas resource,  while the Philippines and Vietnam as well as Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan have overlapping claims.

Japan, meanwhile, is embroiled in a territorial row with China over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

The editorial came out after Philippine authorities nabbed 11 Chinese poachers who were caught harvesting about 500 turtles in Half Moon Shoal, an area very close to mainland Palawan. Cases have been filed against nine of the 11 poachers while two of them will be released because they are minors.

Tensions between China and Vietnam also rose last week after Chinese vessels reportedly rammed and fired water cannons at Vietnamese ships in disputed waters.

Vietnam said the incident damaged many of its ships and left at least six Vietnamese sailors injured.

The China Daily editorial, however, claimed that the Chinese deep-sea oil rig near Xisha Islands was “harassed” by Vietnamese ships. It also accused Philippine authorities of prosecuting the Chinese fishermen “for unverifiable crimes.”

“The timing of such incidents is notable, coming as they have after US President Barack Obama's visit to the US' key Asia-Pacific allies and just before the 24th summit of the  leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations," it said.

China said it remains committed to talks with countries  that it has conflicting territorial claims with.

“In any consultations regarding territorial disputes, Beijing must make sure that every claimant knows blackmail and extortion will not work, and that it will not compromise its territorial integrity,” China Daily said.