China threatens Philippines with military action
via Generational Dynamics
http://www.generationaldynamics.com/cgi-bin/D.PL?xct=gd.e120511#e120511
Xinhua
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-05/09/c_131578027.htm
South China Sea, with blue line added to show region claimed by China as part of its sovereign territory
A commentary in China's state-run media titled "Never test China's will to defend its own sovereignty" expresses contempt for Philippine people and leaders, and accuses them of "severely infringing China's sovereignty." The commentary comes out of a confrontation over an island (the Scarborough Shoal, or Huangyan Island) off the coast of Manila, and far from Chinese territory, that China is claiming as its sovereign territory. China is demanding control of vast regions of the South China Sea, including areas historically belonging to Brunei, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam, as well as to territories in central Asia, in a land grab reminiscent of Hitler's demand for "Lebensraum." In 2011, China appeared to be softening its rhetoric, calling for bilateral negotiations, but the latest incident has so infuriated the Chinese nationalists that the rhetoric has become extremely threatening. In the commentary, the Chinese use the code phrase "core interest" in the paragraph:
"China always adheres to friendly relationships with its neighbors. But territorial sovereignty is a core interest for China and there is no room for bargaining. Is there any country in the world that has not drawn clear lines to protect its territorial integrity?
China has made every preparation to respond if the Philippines government clings obstinately to its wrong course."
I suppose that whoever wrote that paragraph is too stupid to understand that it makes the case for the Philippines, since the Philippines have the right to protect their own territorial integrity. At any rate, the phrase "core interest" is used by the Chinese with Taiwan and other issues over which the country is willing to go to war.
China is now making it clear that it will use its vast military power to take control of other people's territory, if the country owning the territory does not back down. China is doing the same with countries like Taiwan, Japan and India, all of which have mutual defense treaties with the United States.
===
.