Starting the year with a bang

A very happy new year to all! We have survived 2012, and have crossed into a brand new year! Thank God 2012 is over and done with! I’m sure there are those who would rather forget the year that was, and look forward to what this year has to offer. While the year is also fraught with uncertainties, the unfortunate events of the past year only make this one a lot more hopeful.

But there may be one thing that ruins the year outright, and that is China’s initiation of its so-called maritime patrols of disputed areas of the West Philippine Sea, which it claims the whole of! They have said that starting January 1, they will start patrolling the ocean and will board, search and expel vessels it deems entering its territory, which in this case is the whole ocean! If the reports are true that a patrol ship has indeed been deployed for such a task, then we have a problem right away.

Such a move already makes the presumption that they indeed own the seas, and that any vessel sailing on it is on its territory, therefore will be subject to the said actions! To date there has been no action on the claims by the Philippines in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It seems the UN does not want to tackle the issue for fear of economic reprisal from China! And while the United States is still fence-sitting on the matter, China proceeds with what many have called an unlawful act. Freedom of navigation of the West Philippine Sea is of paramount importance as it is used by a third of global trade. Having one country unilaterally controlling the shipping lanes simply will not do, or so they say, without being specific as to even threaten China.

It will be interesting, and of great concern, if China will make good on its maritime patrols and indeed, start boarding, searching and expelling vessels. When that happens, what next? Will countries simply file the usual diplomatic protests, or will actions from claimant countries turn the whole ocean into a battlefield of sorts, playing a dangerous cat and mouse game? I know it is customary to start the new year with a bang, but this is just ridiculous!

I believe the UN should already step in if such patrols are carried out by the Chinese. I’m certain there are international laws that will be broken once these patrols are carried out. If a ruling on the disputes cannot be made, then at least the offensive patrols must be stopped! These patrols should not be allowed to conduct the board and search activities, lest an incident occurs that throws the whole region into real trouble.

So much for a hopeful new year?