Filipino Americans, outraged at China’s plans to set up oil rigs in the Spratly Islands of the Philippines this July, are organizing protest actions in front of all the consular offices of the People’s Republic of China in the US at noon on July 8.
Xinhua News reported on May 24, 2011 that the China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) is deploying to the Philippine waters of the Spratlys its 31,000 ton “Marine Oil 981”, a giant deepwater oil drilling platform that carries out oil explorations up to a depth of 3,000 meters and is equipped with a drill that can go as deep as 12,000 meters.
Xinhua News quoted CNOOC Chairman Wang Yilin as declaring that “Marine Oil 981”, which costs $923 million to build over a three-year period, “will be a good opportunity to strengthen its efforts in deepwater oil exploration and ensure energy security” of China. Chairman Yilin promised that “the rig will be installed in the waters of the South China Sea and begin oil and gas prospecting in July 2011.”
Why is China in a rush to set up its oil rigs in the Spratlys?
In 2000, China represented only 6% of global oil demand but in the decade since then, it has accounted for nearly one-half of global oil demand growth and is now the largest vehicle market in the world. China has surpassed the United States as the world’s largest energy consumer.
To meet China’s insatiable demand for oil, Xinhua News reported that “CNOOC plans to invest 200 billion yuan ($30 billion) and drill 800 deepwater wells – which they expect to have an output of an equivalent 500 million barrels of oil by the year 2020.” This target production is equivalent to approximately $50 Billion USD per year.
China had previously assured the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2002 that it was willing to resolve sovereignty disputes peacefully through negotiations. But now, because of its massive energy needs and because it has determined that the Spratly Islands hold sufficient quantities of oil and natural gas deposits to meet its energy needs, China has changed its tune. In March 2010, China unilaterally declared the entire South China Sea a “core national interest” similar to its claims to Tibet and Taiwan and therefore “non-negotiable”.
China does not recognize the Philippine claim to the Spratly Islands which is based on the fact that the islands lie only 125 miles from the Philippine province of Palawan and, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas, a nation owns the oil, mineral and other resources within a two hundred mile radius from its base. In contrast, China is 585 miles away.
China’s claim is based on an old map drafted during the Han dynasty in 110 AD which referred to the Spratlys as the Nansha islands and part of the Middle Kingdom. The Philippine islands, known then as the Mayi islands, were also a part of China in the same map. If the Spratlys could be annexed because of a 2000 year old map, then could the Philippines or (Mayi islands for china) be next?
The concern about the hegemonic moves of China in the Spratlys was heightened by the recent disclosure of Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario that Chinese warships had intruded in Philippine territory on at least 9 occasions in the last few months.
These provocative activities, together with news of China’s deployment in Philippine waters of its giant oil rig, prompted Loida Nicolas Lewis, chair of US Pinoys for Good Governance, to call on the global Filipino community to “stand up to the Chinese bully” and demonstrate in front of Chinese consulates and embassies throughout the world on July 8.
A Filipino community town hall meeting to discuss this issue is set for Wednesday, July 6, at 6PM at the Philippine Consulate at 447 Sutter Street in San Francisco.
For more information, log on to epeoplepower.ph.
Please send your comments to Rodel50@gmail.com or mail them to the Law Offices of Rodel Rodis at 2429 Ocean Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94127 or call (415) 334.7800.
Filipinos around the Globe will rise up the highest protest against China’s Invasion
We call all Filipinos, OFW’s, ASEAN neighbors who are directly affected; Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, & Brunei to join our cause. We also call the support of other ASEAN neighbors and friends who are indirectly affected to be with us; Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, USA, European Union, Australia, Canada, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Russia.
We are in need of several Volunteers to lead for each and every country around the world. Be interested to solve this disputes as it will not just affects the surrounding countries but also around the world when the tension will rise up to a dangerous war. We will team up with Volunteers who want to lead the global protests and Volunteers to get involved in the international negotiation to solve the disputes. For more information contact:
Prince
Spratlys - Global Coordinating Network (SGCN)
Email: prince@highkot.com
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