Saturday, August 25, 2012

VIETNAM opposes Taiwan drills in Spratly Islands was a news headline a few days ago. There is Taiwans plan to conduct military live-in drills in Babinh island, which is part of Vietnams Truong Sa archipelago, the countrys name of the Spratly Islands the Philippines calls Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal) or Kapuluan ng Kalayaan.

Of the dispute on the ownership of the shoal with the Philippines and China, the recent tension started with a report of the sight of Chinese ships seen in the lagoon without permission.

Express your condolences to DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo's family

And the standoff started, and the Philippines sent its own ships there.

Turf disputes in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) have as island claimers the Philippines, the Peoples Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan). But there are other countries claiming an island or two, which includes Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Brunei.

It can be confusing to find out which islands which country claims and standoffs would be like a fuse that could blow up right where you are, among islands.

Islands have owners, the disputes seem to say.

One thing interesting about the earth are the islands, as though at one time in the far past, a whole worldfor deep reasons of change through the yearsbroke into big and small continents, into islands, islets, shoals.

Thats the attraction of the Philippine archipelago7,107 islands, much of the space untouched as only a total of 2000 islands and islets are peopled.

Read more:

Sun.Star Essay: Of islands