Here is StrategyPage discussing some of the issues.
Like in WWII, the Philippine is in the way of the fights between world powers.
I already posted about the aggression of China against the Philippine Coast Guard, but this has been going on for years: First China tribed to bribe our lovely president in the ZTE scandal to take over the resources there, and then under another president, they started chasing the fishermen, surrounding the shoals and then destroying the ecosystem by digging up and building artificial islands, which whty have since militarized.
sigh
This is not just about the Philippines: their takeover threatens the sea routes from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific
China is not the only one who is playing cold war games in the western Pacific:
A detachment of Russia’s navy warships returned from more than three weeks of joint-patrolling of the Pacific Ocean with Chinese navy ships, the Russian Interfax news agency reported on Sunday. | @Reuters https://t.co/eiJjRKfSCO
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 27, 2023
PhilINquirer article here.
During the patrol, the Russian-Chinese detachment passed along the Kuril ridge, the agency reported. The islands, off the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, are known in Russia as the Kurils and in Japan as the Northern Territories and have been at the core of decades of tension between the neighbors.
The Russian-Chinese warships also circled part of the Aleutian Islands archipelago. Most of the Aleutian Islands belong to the U.S. state of Alaska, but the Commander Islands near the Kamchatka Peninsula are part of Russia.
Few people are aware of the big naval battle in the Aleutians in WWII, and even fewer are aware that some of the Native Americans who lived on one of those islands were taken to Japan to live as POWS. THey were treated well but did suffer with the food shortages etc. that happened during the war.
Of course two can play the game of "Look at us we are scary":
LOOK: The Japanese Navy’s JS Izumo (DDH-183) and the US Navy’s USS America (LHA-6) are at Pier 15, Manila. | @FMangosingINQ /PDI pic.twitter.com/Df5Ee1ZNwn
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 27, 2023
A yahoonews articlefrom last week says:
U.S., Japan and Australia plan joint navy drills in disputed South China Sea, Philippine officials say
The Russian-Chinese warships also circled part of the Aleutian Islands archipelago. Most of the Aleutian Islands belong to the U.S. state of Alaska, but the Commander Islands near the Kamchatka Peninsula are part of Russia.
Few people are aware of the big naval battle in the Aleutians in WWII, and even fewer are aware that some of the Native Americans who lived on one of those islands were taken to Japan to live as POWS. THey were treated well but did suffer with the food shortages etc. that happened during the war.
Of course two can play the game of "Look at us we are scary":
LOOK: The Japanese Navy’s JS Izumo (DDH-183) and the US Navy’s USS America (LHA-6) are at Pier 15, Manila. | @FMangosingINQ /PDI pic.twitter.com/Df5Ee1ZNwn
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 27, 2023
A yahoonews articlefrom last week says:
U.S., Japan and Australia plan joint navy drills in disputed South China Sea, Philippine officials say
it is a response to the increased Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea. Earlier aggression in the area was ignred: in the past, China had their civilian proxies block the Philippine ships going to their small outpost, and last month they shot lasers at the supply ships (which could blind those on board). But of course, both incidents could be written off because China would say it was an accident. But using a water cannon weapon is close to the line of an act of war, because it could have sunk the ships, and there is no way it could be blamed on an accident.
this is not just about stealing the fishing and natural gas resources of the Philippines and being able to block the sealanes and internet cables: this is about Taiwan, of course. Frightening the Philippines not to cooperate with the Yanks is the aim.
It might not work.
Duterte had a feud with the US because of CIA shennanigans when he was mayor in Davao, and the CIA did their best to demonize him via manipulating the press to paint him as terrible, but the end result was to push him into getting needed help from China and Russia.
But even Duterte was not China's lackey, and didn't give them the west Philippine sea, especially after their promises to fight drugs etc went sour.
But Marcos has a different history. His father was supported for years by the USA, and although the US told him to leave when there was a peaceful uprising after he tried to steal the election, Marcos father was allowed to just move to Hawaii and not jailed
Marcos the son is persuing pro American policies, and although most of the Chinese take over in the West Philippine sea was done under PNoy and Duterte, he is now not letting China take over.
I am waiting for the left to start protesting this, but even the left here is anti China more than anti America.
In the meanwhile, the economy seems to be booming at least in our area.
Building all over, including new shops and businesses.
and Kuya reports he is negotiating with the firm that is putting a lot of solar panels in our area.
Most of our rice fields are too productive to sell or lease (although with the high price of fertilizer and diesel for farm equipment, our profit margin has gone down).
But he has some land on slightly higher ground that needs irrigation even in the rainy season (which costs money) so he is negotiating with them to let them use the land for solar panels.
By the way, this explains why the farmers there were visited by thugs saying someone wants to buy the land, and the farmers refused to tell them where we lived. (meaning they were not local thug: everyone here knows us).
The Philippine is devoted to ecological and green policies. and lots of solar panels being put all over the place.... and with the booming economy, there is a great need for electricity.
