Courcy’s Intelligence Brief

We continue to monitor closely China’s relations with its neighbours.  Two developments in the past week are worth noting.

First, on 24 August, two Chinese fishery patrol boats entered Japanese waters around the Senkaku Islands (controlled by Japan but claimed by China as the Diaoyu Islands).  When the Chinese vessels were challenged by a Japanese patrol boat, the Chinese crew responded by radioing back: “Diaoyu and its neighbouring islands are Chinese indigenous territories.  We are discharging our legitimate duties in Chinese waters.”  The Chinese boats spent about 40 minutes in Japanese waters.  According to Japanese officials this was the first time that Chinese fishery patrol boats had entered Japanese territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands.  Since last September when a Chinese fishing boat collided with Japanese patrol vessels near the islands Chinese vessels have approached the islands 11 times without crossing into Japanese waters.

Secondly, on 23 August, Philippines President Benigno Aquino inspected the country’s newly acquired warship BRP Gregorio del Pilar, a refurbished US Coast Guard cutter.  On 1 August China’s People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, had attacked the Philippines following a report that Philippine navy engineers were building a structure on the Feixin Islet in the disputed Spratly archipelago.  The paper said:  “Parties concerned must soberly realize that [China’s policy of ‘shelving disputes and developing together’] does not mean that China will casually let certain countries take advantage of this opportunity to ‘nibble away’ Chinese territories.  Any serious misjudgement will inevitably pay a necessary price.”

Aquino has clearly not taken the warning in the way China intended.  On the contrary, during his inspection of the newly acquired warship, Aquino promised increased modernization of the armed forces and pledged: “This ship symbolizes our newly acquired ability to guard, protect, and if necessary fight for the interests of our country.  This is just the beginning.  Expect more good news because we will not stop at one ship.”  In particular, the president said, “this will upgrade our capability to guard our exclusive economic zone...”