On Asian seas, Chinese ships steam past in a column in screenshot from Chinese military's recruitment video posted on YouTube.
The Philippine government Sunday called on China to join it in international arbitration over their maritime row, amid fears Beijing was bent on ramping up its military presence in the region following the issuance of a new recruitment video filled with nationalistic bombast.
The new video issued by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) was obviously meant to appeal to young Chinese citizens to join a well-funded, continually expanding military-defense establishment, but which analysts see as fanning even more fears of Chinese expansion.
The video's release came just days after Beijing announced it had completed its reclamation spree on disputed areas of the South China Sea, but admitted it was ramping up construction, on the reclaimed area, of new facilities. It insisted most of the structures being built were to boost maritime and meteorological science and invited other countries to check out its plans, but later admitted it was also building defense facilities.
Reacting to the 4-minute recruitment video, the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Sunday: "On the recent Chinese recruitment video, the Philippines reiterates its full commitment to the peaceful resolution of the South China Sea disputes, in conformity with the rule of law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as to the reduction of tensions through the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and an eventual ASEAN-China Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC)."
The Philippines, DFA pointed out, "has won international respect and recognition for resorting to arbitration, and we reiterate our invitation to China to join in this process."
Manila said it would "continue resolutely on this path, not only to protect our national interests, but also to promote regional and global peace, stability and prosperity."
In late July, Philippine officials, with help from a New York-based law firm hired by the Philippine government, argued before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, on why that tribunal should assume jurisdiction over the case filed in 2014 by Manila against Beijing. The PCA is expected to rule on jurisdiction after 90 days. If it does decide to assume jurisdiction, full hearings on the merits would follow.
China, however, has refused arbitration and snubbed the proceedings at The Hague.
Chinese video has 3 parts
The Chinese PLAN's 4 minute, 16 second video has three parts, beginning with a segment titled, “Our Dream,” obviously beamed toward China's youth.
The inspiring images then shift to more undeniably nationalistic themes: showing images of the disputed islets and rocks in the East China Sea - called Senkakus by Japan and Diaoyu by China.
The other images are obviously from islands in the South China Sea, including the infamous "fishermen's shelters" that Beijing built nearly 20 years ago and have since been expanded to huge garrison-like status.
The video's second part titled “Call of Duty,” says in part: “Seventy-one percent of the globe we depend on is blue water...wherever there is blue water, we will be there to secure navigation...China's oceanic and overseas interests are expanding rapidly...our land is vast but we will not yield an inch of our territory to foreigners.”
The video's third part is titled, “The Honor Gene,” and alludes to the many sea battles China has fought, concluding with the line, "we are prepared for war.”
The video's final part says "a strong motherland needs a strong navy" and invites young citizens to help "realize the dream of the great Chinese renaissance together.”
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/116103/manila-pushes-arbitration-as-china-military-recruitment-video-fans-war-drums-fear
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