Our ‘frenemy’ China

IIS CHINA our friend or our enemy? Or both, that is, a “frenemy”?

Increasingly, it looks like it’s the latter, because of its behavior in the South China Sea.

The latest incident that shows China considers us an enemy is the reported harassment by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) of a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel on February 6. According to the PCG, a China Coast Guard ship directed a “military-grade” laser at one of its vessels, putting the Filipino crew in danger.

The PCG vessel was supporting a rotation and resupply mission of the Philippine Navy in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

What happened was that the Chinese ship crossed the bow of the PCG ship at a distance of 7.4 km (4 nautical miles), as if to warn BRP Malapascua to stop or alter course.

This was followed by “dangerous maneuvers,” with CCG 5205 a close distance of about 150 yards from the starboard quarter of the Philippine vessel before the Chinese ship shone its laser.

But with no action on the part of Beijing to mend its ways, a ‘frenemy’ is really how we should consider them, and adjust our bilateral relations accordingly

The two sides exchanged radio challenges throughout, with the Chinese vessel warning the PCG ship was “in the jurisdiction of the People’s Republic of China.”

The PCG is correct in condemning the Chinese action.

This was a provocative act that could have led to an escalation of simmering tensions in the South China Sea.