Was the President wrong?

President Aquino may have hit a Chinese nerve when he gave an interview with the New York Times. He likened China's current belligerence and arrogance in claiming the whole ocean and its islands in the region to Hitler's annexation of Sudetenland in the years leading to World War II. Of course, everyone knows who Hitler was, and his dreams of conquering the whole of Europe with the goal of establishing an Aryan state and a thousand year Reich. History teaches us that it did not end well for him.

Chinese media is currently filled with angry rhetoric, colored with personal insults directed at the President himself for his comments. But isn't it that when you hit a nerve, it's because it is true? It is true that China did fight the Japanese in their own bid to conquer Asia, being allied with Germany at the time. So in essence, they fought Hitler's ideals as well as the Japanese, angrily refuting the President's comparison. But is the President wrong?

It is a different world we live in. China has emerged as a dominant power both economically and militarily, fueled by their discovery of capitalism. And with tremendous growth comes tremendous needs as well. With the oceans thought to contain vast amounts of oil and natural gas, aside from the rich fishing, it is but natural for China to want it all. But not so fast.

There are several countries with similar claims to different islands in the sea. The only difference is, these countries, including ourselves, are not claiming the whole ocean. Something China is adamantly claiming with no compromise whatsoever. China continues to refuse to join the country in arbitration over these disputed islands and fishing grounds, demanding that consultations be done on one-on-one basis. That's practically allowing ourselves to be bullied and threatened through economic and military aspects. That's China wanting to play on an uneven field.

I've actually used the same analogy before. That China's expansionism seems similar to what the Nazis did in the years of 1935-1943, reaching as far as Egypt. This is a different world. No one country can just claim territory, just like that. It all needs to be discussed in proper international forums. I'm sure we would abide by whatever the decision is regarding our claims, which is to say we do have a good case. And that is why China is resorting to other methods, including insults. It is because the facts are not on their side. They probably have a right to some islands and some waters, but not all of it. And countries like us, Japan, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia would definitely not stand for it.

So I believe it is time for China to bring their claims to the proper forum, and not resort to the bullying for which it is starting to become notorious for. If they don't want to be compared to a despot, they should not act like one.