South China Sea and China (2011-2017)

[Dayuhan]

http://www.malaya.com.ph/index.php/n...so-does-aquino

China declares Scarborough fishing ban, and so does Aquino

CHINA and the Philippines are set to enforce fishing bans in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) waters where their ships have been engaged in a tense standoff for a month.

China’s official Xinhua News Agency cited a fisheries official Sunday as saying the annual ban includes waters around Scarborough Shoal which China calls Huangyan island and which the Philippines calls Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario initially rejected China’s ban but said President Aquino has decided that the Philippines should impose its own ban.

The last line of the article suggests that neither side is being very aggressive:

There were 11 Chinese and four Filipino fishing vessels inside the shoal as of yesterday morning, Sumangan said.

The fishing bans are largely verbiage and an excuse to pull back, as nobody fishes there June-August anyway. The SW monsoon is already blowing and sea conditions will be deteriorating rapidly by June. Shoals, strong wind, rough water and fishing boats are not a great combination.

Huffington Post had this to say...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel...b_1531623.html

Earlier this week, the USS North Carolina -- a Virginia class fast attack submarine -- took Chinese and Philippine authorities alike by surprise after resurfacing in Philippine waters and docking in Subic Bay -- the economic free port zone in the Philippine province of Zambales.

I personally think that a bit overstated, I doubt the USN would sail a sub into a foreign port with no previous coordination with host government.

We probably won't get much information, but it would be interesting to see if the Chinese Naval vessels reportedly operating in the SCS move any closer. The sub's departure might give an opportunity for them to test their ability to observe and track.