Years from now both sides might laugh at the spatLET’s handle with equanimity the ramming of a Philippine fishing boat by a steel-hulled Chinese vessel at the Recto (Reed) Bank in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea to us). The Chinese emissary said China would certainly punish the ship captain if he was found to have abandoned the fishermen swimming helplessly in the ocean. The emissary earlier broke the news to this columnist that 100 fishing boats had been withdrawn off Pag-asa Island in the South China Sea as a gesture of goodwill towards President Digong. There’s now a stand-off as both sides are investigating what really happened that fateful night at Recto or Reed Bank. Years from now, both countries might just be laughing together over this diplomatic spat.

Source: Manila Times June 17, 2019 16:20 UTC