MANILA, PhilippinesA Chinese state-run publication has called the Philippines a quasi-rogue state and

demanded a public apology from President Benigno Aquino III for what it called serial attacks on Chinese citizens.
Poor social governance, an anti-China sentiment, and a Western-style democratic system where nationalism can
foment wantonly make the Philippines a quasi-rogue state, the Global Times said in its editorial published on
September 16.
We demand that Philippine President Benigno Aquino III make a public apology for the serial attacks on Chinese
citizens and severely reprimand the criminals, which may add to our confidence in the Philippine government
ensuring the safety of Chinese citizens, it said.
Global Times is owned and published by Peoples Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of China.
The editorial cited the recent incident where a Chinese citizen was injured after being shot in Bulacan province and
the kidnapping of two Chinese nationals on Sept. 8 and 11.
Philippine police have not yet determined the motives for the crimes but the Global Times assumed in its editorial that
the ongoing maritime dispute between China and Philippines was the reason behind them.
Although the Philippines is suffering from a deteriorating security situation, the spate of incidents targeting the
Chinese over the past week inevitably prompts the public to connect them to the escalation in tension between
Beijing and Manila, it said.
Philippines and China are locked in an arbitration case before an international court over Chinas claim of
indisputable sovereignty in nearly the entire South China Sea including portions of the Philippines 200 nautical mile
exclusive economic zone.
Since the Scarborough Shoal Standoff in April 2012, China has maintained control of the Philippines entire western
seaboard including the waters of the Spratly Group of Islands.
Filipino fishermen have been repeatedly forced to leave the area by Chinese Coast Guard vessels patrolling the
waters.
The Philippines has previously called for a freeze on actions in the South China Sea after China was found to have
been conducting reclamation projects on several reefs believed to be a precursor to the construction on military
bases.
Global Times blamed Philippine government officials for promoting anti-China sentiments which it says criminals
may take advantage of.
To begin with, the Philippine authorities are a major agitator of a nationalist and anti-China sentiment among its
population, which can easily turn into extremism, Global Times said.
Consequently, certain criminals may take advantage of this anti-China mood as a cover to increase the likelihood of
escaping punishment for their crimes, it said.
Global Times cited the 2010 Manila Hostage Crisis that left eight tourists from Hong Kong dead and the 2013
shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman as incidents where the Philippine government failed to adopt immediate
measures each time.
The newspaper said that the recent travel advisory of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asking Chinese nationals to
refrain from going to the Philippines should serve as a warning.
We will not sever our engagement with the Philippines as it is our near neighbor. Nevertheless, given what it has
done recently, we are highly suspicious of whether it is capable of abiding by international laws, Global Times said.
We advise Chinese citizens not to travel there in the near future, which, while being an act of caution to ensure ones
safety, is also a warning signal to the Philippines, it said.


Read more: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/111266/china-calls-ph-quasi-rogue-state#ixzz3DaMLnDoS
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook