Beijing tells Manila "Do not internationalize" Panatag Shoal dispute: A commentary

Beijing tells Manila “Do not internationalize” Panatag Shoal dispute: A reaction

By

Dhreff

Anchor for Allvoices

Beijing issued a stern warning on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 to Manila not to "internationalise" the two countries' simmering territorial dispute in the South China Sea, as US and Philippine forces staged war games in the area” AFP reported on Yahoo.

According to Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told reporters as quoted from Yahoo, “Internationalizing this issue will only complicate and magnify the situation.” "We do not wish to see the Philippines get other countries involved and get them to take sides over the issue." What Beijing meant by this? This suggests that Beijing does not want the Philippines to bring the issue to a third party like the International Court of Justice for arbitration and eventual resolution. It indicates China’s stubborn defiance towards diplomatic and peace solution.

China’s persistent display of naval and military muscles in the area shows its ultimate intention to use force to take Panatag Shoal from Philippines’ hands. Its felt arms and military superiority over the Philippines emboldens an unusually stupid behavior towards the intensely disputed shoal.

China’s unreasonable and undiplomatic behavior and opposes to bring the Panatag crisis to a world body like the International Court of Justice (ICJ} means that the problem remains to linger to affect the relations between Beijing and Manila.