Who needs "Game of Thrones"?

"In other news" - the International Tribunal on The Law of the Sea has unanimously agreed that it does have jurisdiction to hear the Philippines' case against China over the West Philippine Sea

That's good.
Although I'm sure China will continue to neither recognise nor participate in the proceedings.

Agreed, and in due course China will lose the case (as it really cannot find any evidence, there being none!) and then sanctions will be applied. In particular, ships will ignore its claims of sovereignty.

This they (the US Navy) have already done which caused the Chinese Foreign Ministry to summon the American Ambassador and give him a dressing down.

As for sanctions, they will be imposed by China, not on China; any attempt to do the latter will simply be ignored or brushed-off. The US, in particular, will be very keen to avoid upsetting Beijing too much due to the amount of debt China holds and the US' reliance on Chinese manufacturing.

Even if the Philippines win in all the proceedings, it won't compel China to follow the rulings. Why should they? They already have structures built upon the islands. They have their ships stationed. Their air-force are ready to strike anytime.

It will be like evicting a squatter armed to the teeth.

But it would damage their reputation further, both internationally and nationally.
Their citizens will question their government regarding it.

Also, every time Chinese officials will visit other countries, or there's an international summit or event in China,
the issue will always be in people's minds. Just like the issues with Tibet, with Taiwan, with Xinjiang, Tiannamen Massacre, etc.

They will be seen as nothing but brutes, nothing but bullies. If the Philippines win, it would be the start of China's downfall.

It would push the South East Asian integration further, which is one of China's fears. Weaker nations would band together. The economy will be first. Next would be the culture. Then the military would follow suit.

I would not be surprised if that South East Asian Union decides to have a joint-maritime/navy force.

Also, it will lessen the Chinese citizens' ultra-nationalism. It would probably even lead to some insurrection.

For a world power, you need both 'hard and soft' power. You can't always just flaunt your guns, ships, jets and bombs.
You also have to be diplomatic.

As far as China is concerned, the matter has already been decided. By history. I doubt it will be too long before China indicates it is seeking to resolve its claims to Luzon and Mindanao.

Corrected it for you!!

Do you really think other countries care about what China does or its less than stellar recognition of Human Rights? Only last week the British Government sucked-up to the Chinese President Big Time to get him to commit to China financing Britain's nuclear expansion. There's precious few British jobs in it as construction will go to a French company.

I'm afraid that China's seizure of the Spratley and Paracel islands - along with most of the South China Sea - will all be forgotten quite quickly. There'll be the usual parade of the great and the good, wringing their hands and sucking air through their teeth. But that will die away once the TV cameras are switched-off. Remember the English journalistic truism: "Today's news is tomorrow's fish-and-chip wrapper."

UK is sucking up to China because:

1. Chinese tourists/students
2. Demand for British goods from China's middle and upper class
3. Business/Infrastructure deals

UK doesn't have any jurisdiction or any other big issue with China. Hence, the suck up. I mean why shouldn't the UK not do so? If I was the Prime Minister, I'll do the same thing.

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It won't be forgotten. It will be forgotten probably by the Brits and other Westerners (except by the US), because they don't care much about Asian politics. And they don't have a stake/claim on those islands/waters. But definitely not from those in the Asian region .

Do you think Taiwan, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan will just let it slide? Of course not, it's not only about the jurisdiction and imaginary lines. Those waters have economic and trading values. They have natural deposits and also those waters are routes for international trading.

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South East Asian Union is already being planned by the way. Thailand has just lowered their income tax from 30 to 20. Indonesia is following suit.

Philippines is being pressured. Senators are arguing with each other about it.

This jurisdiction issue will just make the stoke the flame further. It will just motivate the weak to band together to stand up against the strong.

The diplomatic view of saying 'UK sucking up to China' is somewhat different, whether or not anyone agrees with that.

China is very much more powerful than those countries in dispute with it.
How do any of those countries see the best way to manage these disputes ?

The answer to your question is the one being discussed right now.
Philippines is trying to do it with arbitration.

Other countries, meanwhile, are playing the 'wait and react game'- to see what will happen with the arbitration. If it works (unlikely), they would most likely follow suit. If not, back to the drawing board.

Hence why they sent observers to Hague.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/98775-philippines-china-vietnam-observers-hague

Philippines will be the 'guinea pig/the sacrificial lamb.'

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/oct/24/britains-deals-with-china-billions-what-do-they-mean

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices...ld-out-a-friendly-hand-to-china-a6697351.html

China is a Problem. It seems to me to be rather reminiscent of Wilhelmine Germany. Its politicians are focussed almost entirely on domestic issues; its knowledge of the world beyond its borders is limited and its understanding of the rest of the world is weak. In China's case we also have a dangerous element of wanting to "get back to being Top Nation.

Xi has accumulated power, but the economy is not looking too good. Surrounded as I am by Chinese colleagues I often hear "It is safer to do business with state owned enterprises - you are less likely to be accused of corruption!" Yet the SOEs are by no means models of efficiency. The constant threat of being "dobbed in" for corruption in a society where corruption is deeply embedded tends to make people do nothing.

I think there is a very real danger of China stumbling into a war, out of sheer ignorance. There is no historical basis for the claims to the West Philippine Sea, but nobody in China knows this or is even aware that the claims are disputed.

They don't need historical basis.

All they need are guns and bombs and they can easily make someone history...
That's one of their logic.

The things that China really wants, right now, are women. A few million women. They get a certain number from North Korea - women and girls who slip over the border and who are then trafficked into slavery - and they could use a very great many more.

As we probably don't need to tell her - check his mother very carefully indeed before accepting a proposal. Women in China don't do badly, but they are not as much in control of their lives as they are in the Philippines. All Chinese mother in law jokes, of which there are many, revolve around the husband's mother's unrealistic demands on the girl who has been lucky enough to be allowed to marry her treasured SON!

It can't be helped. They had the 'One Child Policy.' Because of it, most Chinese families (those that are not rich) favoured having a son over a daughter since a son will enable them to pass on the family name. Also China is still very much a patriarchal society.

So Chinese families really consider sons as treasures.

They lifted the policy now though. It's now 'Two Children Policy.'

THE CITY government on Monday turned over 28 new motorcycles to different traffic and law enforcement agencies.

Apart from 28 motorcycles, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte also personally distributed 18 hand-held radios and five garret metal detectors to different offices.

Duterte handed the 10 motorcycles and 10 hand-held radios to City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO); five motorcycles and five hand-held radios to Traffic Group three motorcycles and hand-held radios to the Highway Patrol Group; while the Task Force Davao received 10 motorcycle units and five garret metal detectors.

The mayor said the vehicles and gadgets are intended for the implementation of the traffic rules in the city.

In August, the city government issued ID cards to alltraffic enforcers after receiving complaints of extortion.

Duterte also issued a warning to traffic officers that they will face dismissal once caught extorting the traffic violators.

“May I remind you that extortion is the no different from robbery,” he said. “Maybe, next time if I can identify you, it’s gonna be summary dismissal both for the traffic personnel and the police.”

“Those from the Land Transportation Office, maybe I will just run you over if I will see you (mulcting a motorist),” he added.

http://mindanaotimes...g-traffic-laws/

Duterte suspended all traffic law violations for ten days in August after a CTTMO allegedly obtained money by extortion. It was really rather refreshing to be able to drive on the city centre's dual carriageways at a speed greater than 30 kph (18 mph)!