IN our dealings with China, the Philippines has been criticized for not dealing with our more powerful neighbor as friends and fellow Asians. We have been criticized for bringing our dispute with out more powerful neighbor to an international body complaining about the Chinese bully. It turns out that we did the right thing,
On October 11, 2011, Vietnam and China entered into an “Agreement on the basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related matters”.
This is one of the most important legal documents between Vietnam and China as the two countries experienced untold ups and downs in the bilateral ties in more than one thousand years of history.
In light of this document, one can expect that the two countries could sail well in its disputed sea. However, by a recent decision to send a state-of-the-art oil rig within Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone to operate from May 2 until August 15, 2014, China has proved to be an unreliable partner, an undependable friend and an outright bully.
Read more: http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/opinion/how-china-treats-its-%E2%80%98friends%E2%80%99#sthash.PMpQQAL9.dpuf