Defying China’s reckless actions in the West Philippine Sea – [Comment by Victor Andres C. Manhit, president of the Stratbase ADR Institute]
Just when we thought we had seen enough of China’s mischief right in our own waters, a few days ago we learned that China outdid itself yet again.
On Feb. 18, a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy helicopter performed aggressive maneuvers near a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) plane. The BFAR plane was a civilian one, conducting a lawful maritime patrol within Philippine territory. Without any provocation, the PLA helicopter harassed it, flying as close as three meters above the aircraft and endangering the lives of the Filipinos who were on board.
What reckless, hostile, and arrogant behavior. What a flat-out disregard of international law and, in fact, basic decency.
Then again, this incident is not isolated. On Feb. 11, the Australian government expressed grave concern about an “unsafe and unprofessional interaction with a PLA Air Force Aircraft.” It turns out that this PLA aircraft released flares in close proximity to an Australian aircraft which was conducting a routine maritime surveillance patrol in the South China Sea, flying in international airspace.
Rightly so, China’s acts of aerial mischief have earned it the condemnation of the international community.
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In China you can’t even found a company as a European, you always need a Chinese partner that would own the majority of your joint venture (the only fully foreign owned subsidiary in China is Tesla, btw, it’s the only exception). The whole country is a closed, China-only shop, and the US is just in the process to build its own China-like firewall around its country. What double standards …
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