By Mike Frialde
BEIJING – The mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China hinted that the ongoing naval standoff between the Philippines and China over Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Island) could drag on and that China should be ready for a small-scale war at sea with the Philippines.
China claimed that the shoal, known to them as Huanyan Island, is part of its national territory.
“What can we predict from the naval standoff between China and the Philippines near Huangyan Island in the South China Sea? The answer depends on the next action China is going to take,” the English language People’s Daily commentary said.
It added that the situation is further complicated by the forces led by the United States, which it said “seek to agitate hostility against China through the latest friction.”
“The dynamics surrounding the Huangyan Island crisis are complicated. The Philippines claims sovereignty over the shoal, whereas the US-led Western forces seek to agitate hostility… Countries like Vietnam and Japan, which have maritime territorial disputes with China, are also watching closely, trying to explore collective actions against this rising power,” it said.
Read the full story at The Philippine Star