PHOTOS: Philippines challenges China's Claim of West Philippine Sea at UNCLOS Tribunal in The Hague

Philippines challenges China's Claim of country's exclusive economic zone at UNCLOS Tribunal in The Hague. image: inquirer.net

IN PHOTOS: Philippines challenges China in The Hague

In photos emailed to Rappler, the Permanent Court of Arbitration gives us a glimpse of the closed-door hearings pitting Manila against Beijing

MANILA, Philippines – Behind closed doors, the Philippines recently waged a legal battle against China in The Hague, Netherlands, in a historic case over the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

The Philippines on Thursday, July 23, is set to submit a new document to The Hague to bolster its case.

While Manila pursues this, a question remains: What exactly happened during hearings from July 7 to 13?

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, which serves as the venue for the arbitration proceedings, emailed Rappler high-resolution photos to give us a glimpse of the closed-door hearings.

China claimed the shores of Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Japan as their own

The photos show a powerhouse team, led by internationally acclaimed lawyer Paul Reichler, defending the Philippines' case before an equally high-caliber arbitral tribunal in The Hague.

The tribunal said around 60 members joined the Philippine team. (READ: Binay hits Philippine team vs China in The Hague))

Check out these photos from the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague.

TOP DIPLOMAT. Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario delivers an opening statement. Photo courtesy of PCA

IN SESSION. Early on, the arbitral tribunal in The Hague decides to hold the hearings behind closed doors. Photo courtesy of PCA

TOP GOVERNMENT LAWYER. Philippine Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, who serves as agent for his country, delivers a statement. Photo courtesy of PCA

TEAM OF EXPERTS. The counsel team for the Philippines, including Professor Bernard Oxman, Professor Alan Boyle, and Mr Lawrence Martin, in the closed-door hearings. Photo courtesy of PCA

HISTORIC CASE. The arbitral tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, listens to the first country that brought China to court over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Photo courtesy of PCA

'GIANT SLAYER.' Internationally acclaimed lawyer Paul Reichler, the Philippines' chief counsel, delivers a statement. Photo courtesy of PCA

REPRESENTING GOVERNMENT. Members of the Philippine delegation, including Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, and Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Menardo Guevarra. Photo courtesy of PCA

OBSERVER DELEGATIONS. The tribunal allowed observers from the following countries – Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Japan – to attend the hearings. Photo courtesy of PCA

HIGH-CALIBER TRIBUNAL. The arbitral tribunal is led by Judge Thomas Mensah (president, C), the first president of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. The high-caliber tribunal also includes the following (L to R): Judge Jean-Pierre Cot, Judge Stanislaw Pawlak, Judge Rüdiger Wolfrum, and Professor Alfred H. A. Soons. Photo courtesy of PCA

TEAM PHILIPPINES. Representing all 3 branches of Philippine government, the Philippine delegation comes in full force in The Hague. Photo courtesy of PCA

The 5-member tribunal said it "now enters its deliberations" on whether it has the right to hear the Philippines' case. It said it expects to rule on this matter "before the end of the year."

The tribunal said it "is conscious of its duty under the Rules of Procedure to conduct proceedings 'to avoid unnecessary delay and expense and to provide a fair and efficient process.'"

Once the tribunal decides it has jurisdiction over the case, the Philippines can already present the meat of its arguments. (READ: EXPLAINER: Philippines' 5 arguments vs China)

The Philippines said it expects a definitive ruling against China by 2016 – Rappler.com

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Philippine Navy sends first patrol ship to West Philippine Sea anew -beg China to respect its sovereign territory

China asked United States of America to respect its national interest in Asia; the Philippines asked China to respect its sovereign territory and it's 370 Kilometers from its coast or 200 Nautical Miles (NM) Exclusive Economic Zone as grants from UNCLOS: US will respect china's interest.

As published in the Business World Online Thursday, The Philippine Government once again calls for China to respect the "territorial sovereignty" and the exclusive economic zone after the former sent its first patrol ship to the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement on Friday.

"The Philippines strongly objects to the Chinese patrol of Philippine maritime domain in the WPS [West Philippine Sea]," DFA Assistant Secretary and Spokesman Raul S. Hernandez said in a text message to reporters.

"Such patrol will not validate the 9-dash lines [China's claim] and is contrary to China's obligation under international law including UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea]," Mr. Hernandez added.

The government reacted to the reports that a patrol ship was sent from China in the disputed areas in the West Philippines Sea.

The dispute between the Philippines and China escalated after the Scarborough Shoal issue. Other countries such as Malaysia and Taiwan claim ownership of parts of the disputed seas. (read further in the Business World Online)

Philippines objections to new Chinese gunboat in the Spratly

MSN News also published that the  Philippines on Friday said it "strongly objects" to China's deployment of a new patrol vessel in the South China Sea, where the two countries have a seething maritime territorial dispute.

Such patrols will not boost China's claim to the disputed territory where the two countries have had a standoff since April, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said in a statement.

"The Philippines strongly objects to the Chinese patrol of Philippine maritime domain in the West Philippine Sea," the statement said, using the local name for the South China Sea.

It called on China to respect the country's "territorial sovereignty and EEZ", referring to the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

China's official Xinhua news agency said on Thursday an ocean-going patrol vessel equipped with a helipad would be deployed to the South China Sea, the first of its kind in the area.

In late November, China said it had granted its border patrol police the right to board and turn away foreign ships entering the disputed waters, raising fears of a confrontation.

Both the Philippines and China have overlapping claims over parts of the South China Sea, a major shipping route that is also believed to hold vast mineral resources.

Tensions between China and the Philippines have risen in the area since April after ships from both countries had a standoff over a rock outcropping known as the Scarborough Shoal.

While the Philippines has withdrawn its ships, it says China reneged on an agreement to pull out its own vessels.

China claims the shoal as well as nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters close to the coasts of neighbouring countries. The Philippines says the shoal is well within its EEZ. (read further in MSN News)

Philippines claims South China Sea islands, How Filipinos Discovered the Paradise in the Kalayaan Group of Islands?

Filipinos have settled on Thitu Island as a means to strengthen the country's claim on the Spratlys.

hitu Island is at the centre of one of the biggest territorial disputes in the world.

It is part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, which are believed to be sitting on billions of dollars' worth of oil and gas reserves.

Six countries claim ownership of the tiny archipelago, including the Philippines, which has people living on Thitu Island as a means to strengthen its claim on the Spratlys.

Article published in Jazeera's Jamela Alindogan reports from the Spratlys in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Watch the Video of the Pagasa Island (Thitu Island) of the Paradise Kalayaan Group of Islands, Spratlys, Province of Palawan, (Old Sultanate of Sulu) Philippines.

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World’s newest & stealthiest $3Billion USD destroyer will counter China in West Philippines

This file image released by Bath Iron Works shows a rendering of the DDG-1000 Zumwalt, the U.S. Navy's next-generation destroyer, which has been funded to be built at Bath Iron Works in Maine and at Northrop Grumman's shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss. (AP/Bath Iron Works)

A super-stealthy warship that could underpin the U.S. navy's China strategy will be able to sneak up on coastlines virtually undetected and pound targets with electromagnetic "railguns" right out of a sci-fi movie.

But at more than $3 billion a pop, critics say the new DDG-1000 destroyer sucks away funds that could be better used to bolster a thinly stretched conventional fleet. One outspoken admiral in China has scoffed that all it would take to sink the high-tech American ship is an armada of explosive-laden fishing boats.

With the first of the new ships set to be delivered in 2014, the stealth destroyer is being heavily promoted by the Pentagon as the most advanced destroyer in history -- a silver bullet of stealth. It has been called a perfect fit for what Washington now considers the most strategically important region in the world -- Asia and the Pacific.

Though it could come in handy elsewhere, like in the Gulf region, its ability to carry out missions both on the high seas and in shallows closer to shore is especially important in Asia because of the region's many island nations and China's long Pacific coast.

"With its stealth, incredibly capable sonar system, strike capability and lower manning requirements -- this is our future," Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, said in April after visiting the shipyard in Maine where they are being built.

On a visit to a major regional security conference in Singapore that ended Sunday, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the Navy will be deploying 60 percent of its fleet worldwide to the Pacific by 2020, and though he didn't cite the stealth destroyers he said new high-tech ships will be a big part of its shift.

The DDG-1000 and other stealth destroyers of the Zumwalt class feature a wave-piercing hull that leaves almost no wake, electric drive propulsion and advanced sonar and missiles. They are longer and heavier than existing destroyers -- but will have half the crew because of automated systems and appear to be little more than a small fishing boat on enemy radar.

Down the road, the ship is to be equipped with an electromagnetic railgun, which uses a magnetic field and electric current to fire a projectile at several times the speed of sound.

But cost overruns and technical delays have left many defense experts wondering if the whole endeavor was too focused on futuristic technologies for its own good.

They point to the problem-ridden F-22 stealth jet fighter, which was hailed as the most advanced fighter ever built but was cut short because of prohibitive costs. Its successor, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, has swelled up into the most expensive procurement program in Defense Department history.

"Whether the Navy can afford to buy many DDG-1000s must be balanced against the need for over 300 surface ships to fulfill the various missions that confront it," said Dean Cheng, a China expert with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative research institute in Washington. "Buying hyperexpensive ships hurts that ability, but buying ships that can't do the job, or worse can't survive in the face of the enemy, is even more irresponsible."

The Navy says it's money well spent. The rise of China has been cited as the best reason for keeping the revolutionary ship afloat, although the specifics of where it will be deployed have yet to be announced. Navy officials also say the technologies developed for the ship will inevitably be used in other vessels in the decades ahead.

But the destroyers' $3.1 billion price tag, which is about twice the cost of the current destroyers and balloons to $7 billion each when research and development is added in, nearly sank it in Congress. Though the Navy originally wanted 32 of them, that was cut to 24, then seven.

Now, just three are in the works.

"Costs spiraled -- surprise, surprise -- and the program basically fell in on itself," said Richard Bitzinger, a security expert at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. "The DDG-1000 was a nice idea for a new modernistic surface combatant, but it contained too many unproven, disruptive technologies."

The U.S. Defense Department is concerned that China is modernizing its navy with a near-term goal of stopping or delaying U.S. intervention in conflicts over disputed territory in the South China Sea or involving Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province.

China is now working on building up a credible aircraft carrier capability and developing missiles and submarines that could deny American ships access to crucial sea lanes.

The U.S. has a big advantage on the high seas, but improvements in China's navy could make it harder for U.S. ships to fight in shallower waters, called littorals. The stealth destroyers designed to do both. In the meantime, the Navy will begin deploying smaller Littoral Combat Ships to Singapore later this year.

Officially, China has been quiet on the possible addition of the destroyers to Asian waters.

But Rear Adm. Zhang Zhaozhong, an outspoken commentator affiliated with China's National Defense University, scoffed at the hype surrounding the ship, saying that despite its high-tech design it could be overwhelmed by a swarm of fishing boats laden with explosives. If enough boats were mobilized some could get through to blow a hole in its hull, he said.

"It would be a goner," he said recently on state broadcaster CCTV's military channel.

Foxnews

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Philippines & China Send Warship to Disputed Seas

The tensions is fueled again for China vs. Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam and ASEAN Nation

Breaking News: The Philippines has relaunched an U.S. Coast Guard Hamilton Cutter Class as its biggest and most modern warship to guard potentially oil-rich waters that are at the center of a dispute with China.

President Benigno Aquino III witnessed the commissioning of the 3,390-ton Philippine navy frigate BRP Gregorio del Pilar in an austere ceremony Wednesday (December 14, 2011)  that he said symbolized his country's struggle to modernize its underfunded military despite many obstacles.

Aquino said the Philippines cannot guard its territorial waters and islands "with dilapidated vessels and old and faulty equipment."

The newly repainted warship can carry a surveillance helicopter and is mounted with anti-aircraft guns. The navy says it will be deployed near contested waters in the South China Sea.

China sends patrol ship to disputed waters

China has sent its largest patrol ship to the East China Sea to guard the country's territorial rights, state media said Wednesday (December 14, 2011), in a move likely to fuel tensions over the disputed waters.

China has repeatedly locked horns with its neighbors Japan and Taiwan over a group of uninhabited islands -- called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in Chinese -- which Beijing claims are in its territorial waters.

Japan and Taiwan also claim sovereignty over the area, which is believed to be rich in oil and gas.

The 3,000-tonne Haijian 50 began its maiden voyage on Tuesday, the Global Times reported, citing the head of the East China Sea branch of the country's marine law enforcement agency.

The vessel will visit Rixiang Rock, Suyan Rock and the offshore oil and gas fields of Chunxiao and Pinghu, as well as China-Japan joint development zones, Liu Zhendong was quoted saying.

The Chinese-made vessel is equipped with the country's "most advanced marine technology and is capable of accommodating China's Z9A helicopters", the report said.

It will conduct joint patrols with the Haijian 66, a 1,350-tonne ship deployed in March.

Disputes over the East China Sea and South China Sea have intensified recently, with Chinese President Hu Jintao earlier this month urging the navy to prepare for military combat and a US campaign to assert itself as a Pacific power.

Several Asian nations have competing claims over parts of the South China Sea, believed to encompass huge oil and gas reserves, while China claims it all.

Separately, Beijing and Seoul are involved in a dispute over the Yellow Sea, where a South Korean coastguard was stabbed to death by a Chinese fisherman this week.

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Japan lawmaker eyes Military base on China-claimed islands

Nobuteru Ishihara (pictured in 2008), sometimes seen as a future prime minister if his Liberal Democratic Party returns to power, on Monday said that Japan should look more broadly at stepping up defense spending in the face of a rising China, during his visit to the United States

Japan should consider building a military base on islands disputed with China to counter Beijing's rising assertiveness, a leader of Japan's opposition said on a visit to the United States.

Nobuteru Ishihara, sometimes seen as a future prime minister if his Liberal Democratic Party returns to power, on Monday said that Japan should also look more broadly at stepping up defense spending in the face of a rising China.

Asia's two largest economic powers dispute control of a set of uninhabited islands -- known as the Senkaku in Japanese and the Diaoyu in Chinese - where Japan's arrest last year of a Chinese fishing captain led to a standoff.

Ishihara, secretary general of the conservative opposition party, said that Japan should move "quickly" to put the islands under public control. Tokyo considers most of the area to be privately owned by Japanese citizens.

"Following this change, a port should be developed where fishing boats may take refuge," Ishihara said at the Hudson Institute, a Washington think-tank.

"I further believe that we must seriously begin contemplating the establishment of a permanent post for the Self-Defense Force in this area," he said, referring to officially pacifist Japan's armed forces.

Japan said in 2008 that it reached an agreement with China for joint development of potentially lucrative gas fields near the disputed islands. But the deal has gone nowhere, with China saying its stance has not changed.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's Democratic Party of Japan - which swept out the long-ruling Liberal Democrats in a 2009 election -- has mostly sought smooth ties with China, which says its growing military spending is for peaceful purposes.

Noda asked Chinese President Hu Jintao for movement ahead on the 2008 deal during talks last month on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit in Hawaii, although Japanese officials said Hu was non-committal.

But Ishihara said that China has become "assertive, one may even say aggressive," in recent years and pointed to its actions in separate maritime disputes with the Philippines, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations.

"Emboldened by its new economic weight and growing military might, China's proclamations of its 'peaceful rise' appear more and more at odds with the emerging reality," Ishihara said.

Ishihara, 54, is the son of Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara, an outspoken nationalist who has often caused controversy by urging Japan to develop nuclear weapons and to be less dependent on its alliance with the United States.

The younger Ishihara distanced himself from his father's positions, calling for close ties with Washington and saying that his party's current leadership has not discussed seeking nuclear weapons.

Ishihara, however, said that Japan should consider boosting its overall defense budget which has long been equivalent to one percent or less of the economy.

Ishihara, leading a delegation from his party, was in Washington partly to ease concerns over the opposition's stance on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed Pacific Rim trade pact championed by President Barack Obama.

Noda announced last month that Japan would enter talks but has faced strong opposition from farmers worried over foreign competition and threats of a censure motion by the Liberal Democrats, who consider the countryside a key political base.

Ishihara said that discussions on the Trans-Pacific Partnership were "at the starting line" and that Japan's government must do all it can to address public concerns and ensure food security.

"We would like to understand what the US wants to get out of the TPP. If it's an effective tool to establish a free trade zone for the Pacific that benefits both the US and Japan, that would be reason to pursue it," he said.

"But if we cannot identify enough merit for Japan and the US, then maybe we should pursue another way to establish a free trade zone," he said.

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New Philippine military Chief will prioritize on Spratlys protection

 

Philippines' President Benigno Aquino III (L) and newly installed Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Lieutenant General Jessie Dellosa salute during the Armed Forces of the Philippines Change of Command ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Metro Manila December 12, 2011. The Philippine Catholic Church and military, the two most powerful institutions in the country that have helped topple two previous leaders, installed new heads on Monday as acrimony over investigations into another former president intensified. REUTERS/ Cheryl Ravelo (PHILIPPINES - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY)

MANILA, Philippines (AP) - A battle-scarred general took leadership of the underfunded Philippine military Monday, vowing to bolster his country's external defense so it could adequately respond to "untoward incidents" amid territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The 125,000-member Philippine military, one of Asia's weakest, has been struggling to modernize its dilapidated air force and navy and train its forces due to a lack of funds. President Benigno Aquino III recently said he would seek modern fighter jets from longtime ally Washington when he visits next year.

Army Lt. Gen. Jessie Dellosa, who took over the military leadership in austere ceremonies led by Aquino on Monday, said recent developments in the South China Sea - obviously referring to renewed territorial spats in the potentially oil-rich region  have made upgrading external defenses inevitable for the Philippines.

"It compels us to look into our maritime security deeply," Dellosa said in his speech. "Development of navy and air force bases and facilities to efficiently respond to untoward incidents is something we can no longer ignore."

Dellosa formerly was an army combat officer and was wounded twice while battling Muslim guerrillas and al-Qaida-linked militants in the southern Philippines. He also led an elite unit that helped Aquino's mother, the late pro-democracy Philippine leader Corazon Aquino, subdue coup attempts.

Filipino soldiers march in honor of new Philippine Forces Chief Lt. Gen. Jessie Dellosa during the turnover-of-command ceremony Monday Dec. 12, 2011 at the Armed Forces headquarters at suburban Quezon city, northeastern Manila, Philippines. Gen. Dellosa is the 43rd armed forces chief in the history of the Philippine military. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Dellosa replaced Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr., who focused on battling graft and corruption in the military during his stint. Dellosa said he would also wage "an all-out-war" against military corruption.

Already spread thinly while dealing with raging Muslim and communist insurgencies, the military began to focus on external defense especially after Filipino officials accused Chinese government vessels of repeatedly intruding into Philippine-claimed territories in and near the South China Sea's disputed Spratly Islands in the first half of the year.

Philippine and Vietnamese authorities also accused Chinese vessels of trying to sabotage oil explorations within their territorial waters, an allegation Beijing has denied.

China, the Philippines and Vietnam, along with Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei claim the South China Sea and its cluster of islands, islets, reefs and coral outcrops partly or in its entirety. The region is believed to be sitting atop vast deposits of oil and natural gas and also straddle busy sealanes.

The South China Sea has long been regarded as Asia's next flashpoint for conflict.

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Chinese Illegal poaching After the Philippines then Korea

A body of a South Korean coast guard officer is carried by his colleagues at a hospital

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A Chinese fishing boat captain stabbed two South Korean coast guard officers Monday, killing one and injuring the other, after his boat was stopped for illegally fishing in South Korean waters, officials said.

The Chinese captain pulled an unidentified weapon after officers from two coast guard ships boarded the fishing boat over suspicions that it was illegally operating in Yellow Sea waters rich in blue crabs, anchovies and croaker, coast guard spokesman Kim Dong-jin said.

A South Korean officer stabbed in the side was taken by helicopter to a hospital in the port city of Incheon but later died, Kim said. Also brought to the hospital were an officer stabbed in the abdomen, who was to undergo surgery, and the Chinese captain, who had minor injuries from the fight, he said.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry summoned China's ambassador in Seoul later Monday and lodged a strong protest over the fight.

2 weeks past, Chinese illegal fishermen captured in the Philippines for illegally poaching endangered sea green turtle and now detained in Palawan. The same incident happened year past and with court charges on progress when they pouched sea green turtle with the tag of the University of the Philippines in the West Philippines Sea near the Spratly Islands.

Last week in South Korea, Foreign Ministry officials said they asked the ambassador to make efforts to prevent illegal Chinese fishing from undermining bilateral ties.

Also last week, South Korean authorities raised fines levied on foreign fishing vessels caught operating in Seoul's self-declared exclusive economic zone, an apparent reflection of Seoul's impatience with a rising number of Chinese boats found fishing in the waters.

"Eradicating Chinese boats' illegal fishing in our waters is a most urgent task to safeguard our fishermen and fisheries resources," South Korea's Yonhap news agency said in a recent editorial. "The government should mobilize every possible means and continue the crackdown on illegal fishing."

Besides the captain, eight other Chinese fishermen on the boat were arrested and taken to Incheon, the coast guard said in a statement.

The coast guard says it has seized about 470 Chinese ships for illegal fishing in the Yellow Sea so far this year, up from 370 last year. The coast guard usually releases the ships after a fine is paid, though violence occasionally occurs.

Chinese fishing fleets have been going farther afield to feed growing domestic demand for seafood.

In 2008, one South Korean coast guard officer was killed and six others injured in a fight with Chinese fishermen in South Korean waters.

Last year, a collision between a Chinese fishing boat and Japanese coast guard vessels led to a diplomatic spat between the countries over disputed islands in the East China Sea.

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China’s President Hu urges navy to prepare for combat - Drill oil in Spratlys begin

Chinese President Hu Jintao urging his Military to prepare for a war

Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday (December 6, 2011) urged the Chinese navy to prepare for military combat, amid growing regional tensions over maritime disputes and a US campaign to assert itself as a Pacific power.

The navy should "accelerate its transformation and modernization in a sturdy way, and make extended preparations for military combat in order to make greater contributions to safeguard national security," he said.

Addressing the powerful Central Military Commission, Hu said: "Our work must closely encircle the main theme of national defense and military building."

His comments, which were posted in a statement on a government website, come as the United States and Beijing's neighbors have expressed concerns over its naval ambitions, particularly in the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea).

Several Asian nations have competing claims over parts of the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea), believed to encompass huge oil and gas reserves, while China claims it all. One-third of global seaborne trade passes through the region.

Vietnam and the Philippines have accused Chinese forces of increasing aggression there.

In a translation of Hu's comments, the official Xinhua news agency quoted the president as saying China's navy should "make extended preparations for warfare."

The Pentagon however downplayed Hu's speech, saying that Beijing had the right to develop its military, although it should do so transparently.

"They have a right to develop military capabilities and to plan, just as we do," said Pentagon spokesman George Little, but he added, "We have repeatedly called for transparency from the Chinese and that's part of the relationship we're continuing to build with the Chinese military."

"Nobody's looking for a scrap here," insisted another spokesman, Admiral John Kirby.

"Certainly we wouldn't begrudge any other nation the opportunity, the right to develop naval forces to be ready.

"Our naval forces are ready and they'll stay ready."

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said: "We want to see stronger military-to-military ties with China and we want to see greater transparency. That helps answer questions we might have about Chinese intentions."

Hu's announcement comes in the wake of trips to Asia by several senior US officials, including President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

US undersecretary of defense Michelle Flournoy is due to meet in Beijing with her Chinese counterparts on Wednesday for military-to-military talks.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao last month warned against interference by "external forces" in regional territorial disputes including those in the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea).

And China said late last month it would conduct naval exercises in the Pacific Ocean, after Obama, who has dubbed himself America's first Pacific president, said the US would deploy up to 2,500 Marines to Australia.

China's People's Liberation Army, the largest military in the world, is primarily a land force, but its navy is playing an increasingly important role as Beijing grows more assertive about its territorial claims.

Earlier this year, the Pentagon warned that Beijing was increasingly focused on its naval power and had invested in high-tech weaponry that would extend its reach in the Pacific and beyond.

China's first aircraft carrier began its second sea trial last week after undergoing refurbishments and testing, the government said.

The 300-meter (990-foot) ship, a refitted former Soviet carrier, underwent five days of trials in August that sparked international concern about China's widening naval reach.

Beijing only confirmed this year that it was revamping the old Soviet ship and has repeatedly insisted that the carrier poses no threat to its neighbors and will be used mainly for training and research purposes.

But the August sea trials were met with concern from regional powers including Japan and the United States, which called on Beijing to explain why it needs an aircraft carrier.

China, which publicly announced around 50 separate naval exercises in the seas off its coast over the past two years — usually after the event — says its military is only focused on defending the country's territory.

China's will start drilling for Oil in Spratlys December 2011 or January 2012

China is targeting to drill for oil in the Spratlys near the main island of Palawan Province, Philippines

Chinese offshore oil and gas specialist CNOOC Ltd will drill its first deepsea exploration well in a northern area of the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea) in coming weeks, a company official told Reuters news.

The china's president Hu urging for preparation for combat might be in line with their oil exploration in the Spratlys which might result to sparks opposition between claimant countries more particularly the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Although missing an earlier schedule by nearly half a year, the wildcat, an exploration well drilled in an unproven area, marks the beginning of the company's long-planned foray into the geologically challenging deep waters offshore China.

"981 will start drilling late this month or in January," said a company official, referring to the country's first and only homemade deepsea rig Offshore Oil 981, which is designed to operate at a water depth of 3,000 metres and to drill up to 10,000 metres.

Hong Kong-listed CNOOC and international partners including Canada's Husky Energy Inc and U.S. Company Chevron Corp will step up exploration of the deepsea waters in the South China Sea in coming years, with the first major production from the Liwan gas project operated by Husky.

The companies would mostly drill in the northern part of the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea), industry officials and analysts have said, staying away from politically sensitive waters to the south to avoid territorial rows with neighbors such as Vietnam and the Philippines.

The CNOOC official did not say where the first well would be drilled, but over recent years the offshore major had carried out seismic work in the Qiongdongnan basin and the Pearl River Mouth Basin and identified "big oil and gas structures", Chinese geologists said.

Husky Energy, which struck the sole major deep-sea discovery offshore China in 2006, said in September that its Liwan gas project would begin production in 2014, with daily output to reach 500 million cubic feet in 2015.

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Military Buildup in West Philippines Sea Spratlys - Red to break a war

December 6, 2011: The Philippines is feared of losing the Spratlys as it is the weakest country claimant in Spratlys in terms of Military capability. Most Part of the Spratlys is just within the Philippines's territory's 200 Nautical Miles Exclusive Economic Zone as the Spratlys archipelago is just within Philippines proximity but the country's capability to defend its territory is very low reason why neighbors are invading in which former Administration must be blame for stealing government money and less funding for the armed capability.  Blaming Ramos, Estrada and Arroyo is too late.

Anxiety has come and the Spratlys now is tagged as the most dangerous and restive sea. Though the Spratlys is the same geographic feature with the main islands of the Philippines as Archipelagic States that links the islands of the country; the government could not flex its power as china remains the most powerful and just a kick to sink the Philippines' military capability.

Though china is very far from the Spratlys as it is just within Philippines Proximity, Philippines is nothing as invading china is powerful which ready to compete with US powers.

Several countries with overlapping claims in the Spratlys of the Philippines territory which is adjacent to the Main Island Palawan, province of the Philippines  are reportedly tripled building up their military powers in the territory — a move that may endanger regional security and stability and looks like ready to broke a war.

China has intensify building up in areas within the Philippines Territory's 200 Nautical Mile Exclusive Economic Zone and Malaysia build an airbase in Layang – layang  near the  edge of the Southwestern part of Main Island Palawan which is also claimed by the Philippines 200 N Miles.

According to Indonesian Center of Democracy, Diplomacy and Defense executive director Teuku Rezasyah, Malaysia has two battleships, the Philippines one and another coming 1, China 27 and Taiwan 26 operating in the South China Sea.

He said Vietnam had several escort vessels operating in the area, while no data was available for Brunei's operations in the Spratlys islands.

"China's 27 naval vessels do not even include the aircraft carrier and submarines [it operates in the South China Sea],"

He said a Type 093 Shang class nuclear-powered attack submarine was observed at the pier under construction.

Significant construction is still underway at the Yalong Bay Naval Base on Hainan Island, including a fourth submarine pier at the southern section of the base, increased camouflage over the submarine pen and a bunkered rail line on the eastern side of the basin peninsula, he said.

"China has successfully massively reclaimed shores on Nam Yit Island and Southwest Cay Island, which borders the Philippines. China has made those hubs for its aircraft carriers based on satellite imagery," Rezasyah said.

He said that China was likely preparing for a worst-case scenario, with Nam Yit Island able to support three aircraft carriers.

China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam and Taiwan all have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, which is estimated to have oil and natural gas reserves amounting to 17.7 billion tons, making it the world's fourth-largest reserve bed.

The Paracels are claimed by China and Vietnam; Scarborough Shoals and Reed Bank  which described by Philippines president Aquinos as just like the Recto Avenue in manila as it is just in the side of few kilometers from the Philippines shore is claimed by China; Tungsha is claimed by China and Taiwan; the Spratlys are claimed by China, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, according to the ASEAN Secretariat.

According to Reza, Malaysia has built military bases on Layang-layang, a resort island that has a 1,356-meter-long airplane runway and is only 300 kilometers away from Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia's (Philippines' North Borneo) Sabah.

Northeast Cay Island, which is claimed by the Philippines, is integrated with the United States 7th Fleet. Although it is hard to physically verify it, "planes that are used in that area are the same planes used by the US 7th Fleet", he said.

Taiwan is building up its military forces in Tai Ping Dao Island (Itu Aba Island), which is also claimed by China, the Philippines and Vietnam, he said.

"The most fearful  for Taiwan is if China seizes Tai Ping Dao Island, which is claimed by Taiwan and China, because there will be no one who can do anything to help, not even ASEAN, thanks to the one China policy," Rezasyah said.

The territorial disputes in the South China Sea have brought the US into the field that is anticipating the risk of Chinese aggression possibly through its plan to deploy 2,500 US marines in Australia's Darwin, which is only 820 kilometers away from Indonesia.

Already, the US has 29,086 military personnel at its bases in South Korea and 35,688 military personnel at its bases in Japan, according to various sources.

The US also allegedly asked for Indonesia's help to counter China by asking Indonesia to use its newly granted F-16 fighter jets to help the US deal with China "if anything bad happens in the South China Sea", a source told the Post.

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6 Chinese fishermen charged for endangered sea turtle catch in Philippines Spratlys

MANILA, Philippines — A court in the Philippines charged six Chinese fishermen with poaching endangered sea turtles in proceedings Monday aimed at protecting threatened wildlife along the country's coastline.

Authorities discovered a batch of giant green turtles after intercepting the fishermen's speedboat in waters off the western province of Palawan on Friday, said military spokesman Major Niel Estrella. A joint team from the Philippine navy, coast guard and the Environment Department made the seizure.

The boat was likely attached to a mother ship that escaped after the fishermen were detained, Estrella said.

Nine of the turtles were already dead, but three were released alive into the waters after being tagged, Glenda Cadigal, a wildlife specialist at the Palawan Council, told The Associated Press.

The sea turtles, also known as Chelonia mydas, are often caught for food and for use in traditional medicine. They can grow as long as 5 feet (150 centimeters) and weigh as much as 290 pounds (130 kilograms). They are endangered because of overharvesting of both eggs and adults.

On Monday, authorities filed criminal charges under the Philippines' Wildlife Act and Fisheries Code at the Palawan Regional Trial Court in the capital Puerto Princessa, said Adelina Villena, chief lawyer for the government's Palawan Council for Sustainable Development.

If found guilty on all charges, the fishermen would face up to 24 years in prison. They were not requested to enter a plea Monday and a date for their arraignment was not immediately set, Villena said.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China was "paying attention to the incident" and asked the Philippines to ensure the safety and legal rights of the fishermen. "The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has sent staff to visit the detained fishermen," Hong said.

Last year, six Chinese fishermen also on a speedboat were arrested near the same area with more than 50 turtles, many of them already butchered and one bearing a monitoring tag of the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute, said Cadrigal, the wildlife specialist.

The trial of those fishermen is still continuing.

"These kinds of practices endanger the lives of other creatures in the sea because marine turtles have their function in the balance of the ecosystem," Cadigal said.

Sea turtles feed on sea grass, which keeps the blades short and promotes their growth across the sea bed, and also provide sand beaches with nutrients, partly because of the eggs they lay that remain unhatched.

Palawan, about 510 miles (820 kilometers) southwest of Manila, is the nearest Philippine province to the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, which are claimed by China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei.

Relations between the Philippines and China have recently soured after Manila accused Beijing of interfering with its oil exploration activities in the sea China claims in its entirety.

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Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. Associated Press writer Louise Watt in Beijing contributed to this report.

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