Letters | South China Sea: 4 points to consider on China-Philippines ‘gentleman’s agreement’
- Readers discuss China’s position on the South China Sea, and US action against student protesters
Second, this “agreement” was simply verbal with no evidence in writing.
Third, China had said in 1995 that its installations at Mischief Reef were not military in nature, but shelter for fishermen. Now we have what looks like a full-blown military base complete with radars and a runway near the Philippine island of Palawan.
These rocks – which are roughly 1,000km from Hainan – cannot support human life. Therefore, they cannot have their own exclusive economic zone. Meanwhile, the closest EEZ-generating island here is Palawan in the Philippines.
R. Paas, New York
US hypocrisy on display in crackdown on student protests
The US government’s support for Israel despite its expansion of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory is a stark display of hypocrisy. While claiming to champion freedom, democracy and human rights, the US has turned a blind eye to the displacement, land confiscation and human rights violations inflicted upon the Palestinian people.
Peaceful student protests and activism demanding an end to military aggression are met with excessive force, arrests and intimidation tactics aimed at silencing dissent and stifling the Palestinian narrative. This heavy-handed approach not only undermines the principles of freedom and justice but also damages the credibility of the US as a defender of human rights on the international stage.
The US selectively applies human rights principles based on political convenience rather than a commitment to justice and equality. Americans should support the students’ quest for justice and peace in the Middle East.
Jordan C.M. Tam, Tseung Kwan O