BEIJING - China on Sunday called for greater efforts towards "peace and stability" in the region, after the Philippines offered to allow more US troops on its territory.
Manila said Friday it planned to hold more joint exercises and to let more US troops rotate through the Southeast Asian country -- an offer welcomed by the United States as it seeks to expand its military power in Asia.
"We hope that relevant parties will make more effort towards peace and stability in the region," China's foreign ministry said in a brief statement faxed to AFP.
The government's response was in sharp contrast to a blistering editorial in the Global Times -- known for its nationalistic stance -- which said Beijing should impose sanctions against the Philippines over the move.
China should use its "leverage to cut economic activities" between the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries and consider "cooling down" business links with its smaller neighbor, according to the editorial published in the Chinese and English versions of the newspaper.
"It should show China's neighboring areas that balancing China by siding with the US is not a good choice," it said.
"Well-measured sanctions against the Philippines will make it ponder the choice of losing a friend such as China and being a vain partner with the US."
China and the Philippines, along with Vietnam, have rival claims to parts of the South China Sea, home to some of the world's most important shipping lanes and believed to hold vast deposits of fossil fuels.
Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia also have claims in the South China Sea.
Manila and Hanoi complained repeatedly last year of what they said were increasingly aggressive acts by China in the decades-long rift.
The alleged acts, which included a Chinese naval ship reportedly firing warning shots at Filipino fishermen, fuelled fears among some nations in the region about China as its military and political strength grows.
The US has been looking to increase its military presence across Asia Pacific in a strategic shift that has angered China.
US President Barack Obama said in November the United States would deploy up to 2,500 Marines to northern Australia. The following month, a US admiral wrote that the US expected to station several combat ships in Singapore.
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The WORLD SHOULD PUNISH CHINA!!!
- Contaminated food and toxic toys
- Supplying arms to enemies of the world
- Fake products from bag to pants to software to electronics
- For causing environmental damage due to mining in different parts of the world
- For claiming territories not theirs
They provide loans to developing countries but demanded that these countries used Chinese Companies, Chinese Engineers, and China-made materials.
Boycott China!
Punish China for UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICE, HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AND POISONING THE WORLD!!!
- Contaminated food and toxic
- Contaminated food and toxic toys
- Supplying arms to enemies of the world
- Fake products from bag to pants to software to electronics
- For causing environmental damage due to mining in different parts of the world
- For claiming territories not theirs
They provide loans to developing countries but demanded that these countries used Chinese Companies, Chinese Engineers, and China-made materials.
Boycott China!
Punish China for UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICE, HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AND POISONING THE WORLD!!!
Cge maria, magpapasakop na
Cge maria, magpapasakop na lng tayo ng china, para maging kumyunista na rin tayo kagaya nila. Para maging mayaman daw ang Inang Pilipinas kahit sa totoo ang mga filipino ay para na ring mga insik, c buddha lang ang mataba. Pero ok din yan ah, slim and healthy, diba? Kaya magdiwang na ang mga leftists, dahil may longest bridge of d world na ang pinas - from china to pinas, d new china province!
Our only protection against
Our only protection against the Chinese military might is our alliance with the US. Without the US assurance the Philippines is a sitting duck.
AQUINO ADMINISTRATION AND CHINA ADMINISTRATION
Nagamit tayo ng mga Chinese businessmen para mapapunta lahat ang mga company sa kanila.Naagaw lahat nila ang factories na dati ay nasa Pilipinas.TINAKOT NI CORY AQUINO ANG LAHAT NG MGA BUSINESSMAN,NA GUSTONG MAGBUSINESS SA ATIN.NARIYAN ANG CPP/NPA NA SUPORTADO NILA AT MGA SALVAGE O PATAYAN PARA HIKAYATIN ANG MGA MAYAYAMANG BUSINESS COMPANY NA PUMUNTA NA CHINA.ANG LAHAT NG ITO MGA KABABAYAN AY NANGYARI NOONG AQUINO ADMINISTRATION.
You are not making any sense.
You are not making any sense. There is no shortage of Chinese businessmen in this country. In fact the majority of large businesses in this country are owned by the Chinese. The top 5 billionaires in this country are Chinese (Henry Sy, Lucio Tan, John Gokongwei Jr., Andrew Tan, and David Consunji). Inviting multinationals businesses from other countries other than China is a good thing because they have better business practices.
@maria cristina
you should wake up yourself. marami tayong laban against china, you just can't see them. if the chinese apply sanction to us, we'll boycott all their products, stop the chinese from having business here, etc. etc.
those US products you mention are most probably sourced here our country, made by our kababayans and are of higher quality, hindi murang kalidad.
CHina - Pack Up and Leave Spratlys
For lasting peace in Asia, pack up your belongings - and soldiers - in the Spratlys and go back to your mainland where you belong. Then there will be truly lasting peace and stability in the region.
I believe the peace and stability talk.
Let's put a US military base in Palawan for good measure.
China needs to stop bullying
Chinese government is calling for calm, but in their sense is like a "calm before a storm". Philippines did the right thing to protect its sovereign territory. China needs to stop bullying to other smaller nations.