The South China Sea is bordered by China, Cochin China, (Viet Nam) and before Spain, the Philippines, were not named after the king of Spain.
Lots of people never bought the Colonial maps.
It was the Chinese who brought rice farming into southeast asia, and a lot of Chinese. This has been their backyard for a long time.
The Paracel Islands are 150 miles from China, and 400 miles from the Philippines. They are within the Chinese exclusive economic zone, 200 miles, As measured from the coast. The islands extend it south another 200 miles, and east to the Philippine 200 mile zone.
The real fight is over Spratly Island, way south.
This is the Shuda Shelf, one of the most likely great oil fields left.
While the Philippines is 400 miles away, Viet Nam is close. China is not threating Viet Nam, who also claims them.
In Asia, the Philippines is considered the abandoned bastard child of the Spanish Church. They speak English and Spanish, are Christian, and threaten people with the Spanish Armada.
No longer a Colony of Spain, or American loot, they are a real country now, and can start wars if they want to. As all this action starts 200 miles offshore, and they do not have a navy, and their claims extend another four or five hundred miles over open water, they can do nothing about it.
They have no oil field technology, China is the largest producer on earth. China has a navy, air force, and an attack on a Chinese oil rig would be an act of war. It would also bring a state of war to one of the major trade routes. Japan and South Korea get their oil through there.
The Philippines should go claim Spain, they might win.
10 May 2012, 6:46 pm
