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The diplomatic row over the Huangyan Island in the South China Seais gradually quieting down as neither China nor the Philippineswants the situation to escalate, and the rest of the world iscautious about direct involvement. Observers say a kind of balance might be maintained for a period oftime on the issue as all parties involved have revealed theirhands. "The attitude of Washington toward the issue is strategic. It isvery cautious and will not be overreacting. Philippine PresidentBenigno Aquino III doesn't have any other card to play," said TangQifang, a researcher on Southeast Asian studies with the ChinaInstitute of International Studies. "China will not make anyconcession on the sovereignty of Huangyan Island. It will insist onresolving the issue through dialogue, which China believes is theonly way to reach a win-win result for both sides." Island crisis On April 10, the Philippines sent a warship to harass 12 Chinesefishing vessels that had sailed into the lagoon of Huangyan Islandto shelter from bad weather. The Philippines, which claims sovereignty over the island, alsoasserted it would take the dispute over the island to internationalarbitration. In addition, it tried to rename the island and removethe signs and monuments related to China. Huangyan Island, which is made up of a group of reefs and islets,is about 900 km from Hainan Island in south China. Its lagoon haslong provided shelter for Chinese fishing boats. The Chinese Government sent patrol ships to Huangyan Island torescue the fishermen immediately after the harassment occurred.Chinese administrative vessels remain deployed near the Island towatch over the waters. While protecting its sovereignty from thePhilippines' challenges, the Chinese Government showedself-restraint. In a recent article published in The Straits Times of Singapore, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying said HuangyanIsland has always belonged to China. China expects to solve thedispute with the Philippines through consultation and is makingendeavors to this end. Fu was a former Chinese ambassador to Manila(1998-2000). "If armed conflict broke out between China and the Philippines, bigdamage could be brought to both countries and the two peoples wouldsuffer," Tang said. The difference between the two countries on the South China Seaislands is, of course, not the whole of Sino-Philippine relations.Addressing the dispute through bilateral diplomatic consultationshows China is a responsible country, said Li Guoqiang, DeputyDirector of the Research Center for Chinese Borderland History andGeography at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Fu's article was published at a time when defense officials,experts and scholars from Asia-Pacific countries gathered at theAsia Security Summit in Singapore to discuss and reflect on how tobuild lasting security in East Asia. The summit is also known asthe Shangri-La Dialogue. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who attended the summit,called for the Sino-Philippine dispute to be resolved throughdialogue. "We call for restraint and for diplomatic resolution. We opposeprovocation, we oppose coercion and we oppose the use of force. Wedo not take sides when it comes to competing territorial claims,"Panetta said. "The United States' high-profile 'return' to the Asia-Pacificregion is on a strategic level. The Philippines is only one of thechess pieces of the U.S. strategy. Under the current situation, itis impossible that Washington would take more steps except thesymbolic mobilization of warships," Tang told Beijing Review . In addition, the Philippine proposal in recent years ofestablishing a "zone of peace, freedom, friendship and cooperation"in the South China Sea region did not receive a positive reactionamong other Southeast Asian countries. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as China Cast Iron Inoculation , China Ferro Silicon Alloys, and more. For more , please visit Magnesium Ferro Silicon today!
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