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Post by TheRomanSlayer on Mar 6, 2021 7:47:09 GMT
Chapter Forty-One: Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon
COLLINS REEF COMES UNDER HEAVY CHINESE NAVAL ATTACK AS VIETNAMESE NAVAL VESSELS FEND OFF ATTACK, PLA NAVY OFFICIALS CONDEMN VIETNAM’S PRESENCE IN DISPUTED ISLANDS
Taipei Times
March 14, 1994
(Disputed) SPRATLY ISLANDS – A spokesperson working on behalf of the Vietnamese Navy has reported that four Vietnamese vessels had come under attack by what appeared to be a small armada of surface destroyers and cruisers, belonging to the People’s Liberation Army Navy. Spokesperson Phan Chiem Lanh has also confirmed with his Vietnamese Army counterpart that several Vietnamese border towns, as well as the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, have been subjected to Chinese aerial bombardment. The sudden Chinese attack on the Vietnamese positions in the South China Sea was a nasty surprise that the international community received, but several intelligence agencies had loudly insisted that the military actions are a part of a diversion campaign aimed at domestic audiences, to prevent them from protesting the communist dictatorship, through the promotion of patriotic fervor. China’s sudden turn to patriotic fervors, had also been mixed with old Chinese chauvinist rhetoric, referring to the ‘reconquest’ of SE Asia as the ‘era when China’s greatness will arise from the grave’.
“The People’s Liberation Army is fast becoming bold in its military aggression, having completed one foreign tour in Soviet Central Asia, where they engaged the Uyghur separatists that were based in Soviet Kazakhstan, to prevent them from staging attacks against Chinese positions in Xinjiang,” comments Phan Chiem Lanh after being asked about the behavior of the Chinese leadership. “In addition, they saw the unresolved issues of the Spratly Islands dispute as a festering wound that have to be taken care of, and most importantly, one of the Chinese figures made a bold prediction that no one will come to the aid of a Philippines under a fascist military junta when the PLAAF bombers will strike the Philippines at the same time as the Chinese naval attack against our positions in the Collins Reef.”
In addition to the People’s Republic of China, which has a claim on the Spratly Islands, other maritime SE Asian nations like Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, and of course, the democratic government of the Republic of China based in Taiwan, have legitimate claims as well. However, the tensions in the SE Asian region have become worse as of recently, with the Artemio Tadiar dictatorship in the Philippines engaged in a brutal war against the communist rebels in the south, as well as Muslim secessionists. The United Nations had also imposed an arms embargo on the Philippines, as well as economic sanctions, for various charges of human rights violations, and their military adventure in southeastern Mexico has also garnered criticism from the US government, which saw the involvement of not only Filipino, but Chilean volunteers on the side of the Mexican government in their suppression of an unheard-of left-wing group, as a destabilizing factor that threatens the stability of Latin America.
“Make no mistake about this: even if Vice President Brown and I are not educated in foreign policy, we know a potential powder keg when we see it, and if the Tadiar regime continues with its disregard for human lives, then the international community will see to it that the Philippines be punished further,” comments US President Jesse Jackson, in front of reporters during a briefing on the current Mexican situation. “We are also prepared to work with the Chinese government in reining in the Tadiar regime, and to come up with a compromise to prevent a potential war from breaking out in the South China Sea region.”
The Chinese government on the other hand, had issued a warning to the Vietnamese military, threatening them with additional attacks unless the Vietnamese Navy issues an order for their vessels to leave Collins Reef, which is under Vietnamese administration, but claimed by the PRC.
“China will not hesitate to use force to defend its territory, no matter what the other so-called claimants say about it,” warns Ye Fei, de facto commander of the PLA Navy. “However, we would like to reach out to our Vietnamese comrades and to come up with a peaceful compromise that will satisfy both sides while uniting against the fascist threat coming from Manila and Kabankalan.”
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Excerpts from “When Civilizations Collide: America in the Era of Rogue Generals”
By: Paul Manafort
Simon and Schuster, published 2019
Chapter Three: A Painful Decision
The situation in the now-renamed West Philippine Sea area had become such a disaster to the Jackson administration, and I can clearly see the inexperience that both President Jackson and Vice President Brown had displayed regarding foreign policy. For that purpose, they relied more on Madeleine Albright, who had connections to the Council of Foreign Relations, for advice on how to deal with the external threats of Chinese military adventurism, and an issue that is too close for comfort, the recent adventures that the Philippine and Chilean militaries had in southeastern Mexico. The war in Mexico’s Chiapas province had escalated, thanks to the Zapatistas’ claims of human rights violations committed by the mercenaries employed by the Chilean government and the Tadiar regime. Although Augusto Pinochet is no longer the dictator of Chile, reports of Alvaro Corbalan’s ambitions for the restoration of the junta is coming out of Santiago. I do not deny that I had joined the CIA, primarily because I felt determined to fight the incoming rise of China. However, it seems that the ghost of the Nixon administration had come back to haunt us, and it proved to be a lethal combination. I distinctly remember the time back in 1986, when an international headline blared out to the world media about a foiled airplane bombing attempt involving Pan Am and a flight that was supposed to go to Detroit from Frankfurt, West Germany, thanks to the intervention of an airport security officer who was recently hired at that time. We do not know which nation was responsible for the planned attack, but I had a nagging suspicion that Iran may have been responsible for the foiled attack. Since then, the previous Dole administration paid more attention to foreign policy, but the three natural disasters that struck the United States forced President Dole to pay attention to what is going on within America. I was impressed by how he swiftly banned the construction of double stacked viaducts and invested much of America’s funds into researching earthquake-resistant construction techniques. I can imagine that America will never be the same after President Dole was defeated by Jesse Jackson. I have nothing against the man, but his naivety along with Vice President Brown’s lack of foreign policy experience is a disaster in the making.
I was stationed back in Langley, Virginia, where the main office of the CIA is located, and while I was an official CIA agent, I was not affiliated with either the Cowboys or Corsairs. I did however, worked as a consultant for both sides, as my connections to certain people within the Council of Foreign Relations had given me a valuable insight to what America needs to do in the international stage. Right now, I had to accompany Director Robert James Woolsey into President Jackson’s office, along with several other consultants, and Madam Albright herself. I was impressed by the amount of paperwork that President Jackson had on his table, but upon a closer look at his face, I can tell that he was burning the midnight oil to finish the paperwork.
“Mr. President, have you taken a rest yet?” I asked the President. Madam Albright beckoned for one of our staff to hand him a cup of coffee and a plate of sausages and eggs, with a pair of toast on the side. “Here is your breakfast, Mr. President.”
“Thank you.” President Jackson sipped the coffee and took a bite out of the toast before looking at us with a weird look. “Has the situation in Mexico changed yet?”
Madam Albright shook her head in frustration. “Not yet, Mr. President. The Mexican military has commandeered several police units within the state of Chiapas and has struggled against the Zapatista rebels. A word from General Chaparro reveals the lack of heavy weapons in terms of vehicles has hindered the operation.”
Suddenly, we heard a knock on the door. We turned around to see Defense Secretary Joulwan with three Manila folders in his hand, who waited for President Jackson’s permission to enter. When the President gave his silent approval, Defense Secretary Joulwan entered and handed him the folders.
“Did the Mexican government made a request for our assistance in quelling this rebellion in Chiapas yet?” President Jackson asked us.
“Officially, not yet. Unofficially, the request for assistance went through back channels. I believe that we can provide enough M551 Sheridans to the Mexican military for additional support against the Zapatistas, but if this Subcomandante Marcos guy is resorting to propaganda to broadcast his cause, then we can easily counter that with counter-propaganda of our own,” I suggested. There was silence for a few seconds, before I continued. “The unofficial assistance, as we all know, comes in the form of Filipino and Chilean volunteers sent by the Chilean government and the Tadiar dictatorship.”
“I suppose the rumors of human rights violations made by the Zapatistas are tragically proven right,” said President Jackson sadly. “Anything else?”
Defense Secretary Joulwan opened the folder he handed to the President. “The Chinese military has started to engage the Vietnamese Navy in the disputed Spratlys region. Much of the armada that was spotted in the West Philippine Sea region consists of four DD vessels, mainly the Jinan, Hefei, Kaifeng, Zhuhai, and Harbin. All are Type 051 destroyers, and they are accompanied by twelve Type 033 Changcheng-class submarines. The PLA Navy has also deployed their latest frigates, mainly Type 053H2G frigates, codename Jiangwei I.”
“That many vessels in the South China Sea?” asked one CIA agent, before I turned to face him.
“We call that sea the West Philippine Sea. We do not recognize China’s so-called claims in that region, and if anything, China’s presence in Mischief Reef threatens the security of our SE Asian allies,” I reminded everyone in the room.
“Would those allies also have to include the current Tadiar dictatorship? Because the last time I checked, we imposed economic sanctions and an arms embargo on the Philippines for numerous human rights violations committed by its military, and already, we are seeing more Filipinos arrive in foreign embassies in Manila, asking for political asylum. Even the Canadian Embassy in Manila is receiving more visitors than any other embassy in the Philippine capital,” Madam Albright told the President.
President Jackson shook his head. “Right now, the Filipino people are our allies. Artemio Tadiar is not a suitable ally for the United States, and the fact that we are operation on a Cold War mentality when communism has all but collapsed means that we need to plan for a post-Cold War future. This may also mean that both SE Asia and China must learn to get along. We cannot always be there to fix their problems. We cannot burden ourselves with the security of the world when there are things to fix at home as well.”
“That may be the case, Mr. President, but let us not forget that for a moment, we are still in the Cold War. The Soviet Union may be no more, but China has now effectively taken its position as the leader of the communist movement,” I replied in a serious tone. “How will we react when China starts attacking SE Asia, just so it can re-assert itself on the world stage?”
No one knew what the answer was to the question I asked, since we all presumed that China is too weak to flex its muscles on the world stage, but their military intervention in the rump Soviet Union has proven us wrong. I remember Dmitry Yazov’s speech, comparing the collapse of the Soviet Union to the fall of the Roman Empire, with what is left of the USSR and now China becoming the communist Byzantium, while the territories of the Soviet Union were taken over by pro-independence forces in the same manner as the Germanic tribes that have taken over parts of the former Roman Empire, like the Franks in Gaul, the Visigoths in Hispania, the Ostrogoths in Italy and the Balkans, the Huns in Pannonia, and the Anglo-Saxons in the British Isles. Now that the rump Soviet Union is virtually a de facto Chinese puppet and colony at this point, even the independent nations that seceded from the Soviet Union are now mopping up their country of any leftover communist loyalists, who are now making their way into the rump Soviet Union in Central Asia.
“Perhaps it might be time for me to do what Reagan did, and meet with the Chinese government.” President Jackson raised his hand to stop anyone from responding. “I know what you will say: that this is an insane idea. However, let me explain it this way: in a community, there are various neighbors who do not like each other, but eventually they must collaborate and depend on each other to survive and thrive. I have always emphasized the necessity of interdependence among the members of the community when I preached this sermon as a priest. We should approach the Chinese government, like a neighbor would approach one another, and come to a pragmatic agreement. If they moderate their stance, we can be great neighbors and allies. All we ask in return, is for you to negotiate in good faith with your neighbors in SE Asia. They are not comfortable living under a Chinese giant, so China must demonstrate its good intentions.”
“That sermon may work in a church, but this is geopolitics at its core. Chaos is but a ladder to order, Mr. President. Right now, SE Asia will enter a new era of chaos with Chinese military vessels attacking the Vietnamese. Yes, we have no love for the Vietnamese, but at least they are not in the wrong here,” I spoke back firmly. “Do not forget, we still have the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines to uphold.”
“If only we were attacked on our soil, or if the Philippines was attacked on its soil, not on the territory that it has a dispute with another nation,” Madam Albright reminded everyone in the room.
Suddenly, another military personnel knocked on the President’s door. President Jackson simply let the man in and handed him another folder. He read the contents and trembled for a bit, before recomposing himself once more.
“Everyone, it seems that we need to change our defense readiness to DEFCON 4. The conflict in the South China has just gotten worse,” President Jackson said gravely. “It looks like the Philippines has been dragged into the conflict between China and Vietnam. Can you please explain the situation to everyone here?”
The unknown military officer nodded but paused for a minute. “This explanation cannot be heard by non-security personnel, so I would wait until everyone has left.” All the non-security personnel had started to leave as the President continued to eat his breakfast. Only after the last personnel had left, including Madam Albright, the general started. “Mr. Manafort, you will need to stay here.:
“All right.”
“OK then. A Chinese Type 037 corvette, the 770 Yangjiang, has engaged at least two vessels of the Philippine Navy, namely the BRP Cebu and the BRP Iloilo. Additional Chinese naval reinforcements are making their way into Mischief Reef, while a second Chinese fleet from Hainan Island has left for the disputed territories.” The general showed the photos of the Chinese vessels. “We will expect to see the deployment of destroyers and frigates into the region. Basically, your typical heavy hitter vessels.”
“What about the submarines?” President Jackson replied.
The general nodded in agreement. “We are expecting to see the Chinese Navy deploy all of the Ming-class submarines within the South Sea Fleet.”
“In that case, have the 7th Fleet monitor the situation at hand, but do not provoke the Chinese Navy. The last thing we need is a shooting war when I gave the order for our troops in Nicaragua to get the hell out,” President Jackson told the general, who also nodded in agreement. “May I ask what your name is, sir?”
The general saluted. “General Tommy Franks, Mr. President.”
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“The Government of the People’s Republic of China condemns the actions taken by the wayward fraternal comrades of the Vietnamese Navy in the Nansha Island chain and has urged the Vietnamese government to show its restraint. On the other hand, the People’s Republic of China clearly intends to show a different resolve towards Philippine fascism, by striking against the source of this new fascist threat. Artemio Tadiar is a threat to the stability of the Asia-Pacific region, and even his puppet master has punished the rabid dog by depriving it of supplies and ammunition. We therefore show a stronger response to the increasingly erratic behavior of General Tadiar and his band of thugs, who have shown themselves to be merciless butchers who kill the workers and peasants of the Philippines that are fighting against Western imperialism, neo-fascism, and unbridled capitalism. They have also committed crimes against humanity, with the heinous acts of atrocities against the working and rural class of Latin America, through massacres and torture. We will teach the Filipino fascists a lesson they shall never forget. As of today, the People’s Republic of China has announced an anti-fascist offensive against the Tadiar clique in the Philippines.” An unnamed Chinese spokesperson, announcing China’s opening stages of the war against the Philippines, and to a lesser extent, Vietnam, October 23, 1994.
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Excerpts from “A Nation in Mourning”
By: Arturo Tolentino
Atlas Publishing, published 2002
Chapter Seventeen: Slip into Insanity
The news that China has all but declared war on us and Vietnam in the aftermath of the West Philippine Sea conflict in which the Chinese had scored two major victories against Vietnam in Collins Reef, and the Johnson South Reef. We were shocked that in those campaigns, the PLA Navy had captured around seven Vietnamese Navy vessels, with their crew as practically prisoners of war. However, the December 1994 conflict that saw the BRP Cebu and BRP Iloilo sunk by the PLA Navy vessel, the 770 Yangjiang, had been terrible. I knew that the arms embargo was going to hurt us, and the Chinese government was the mastermind behind the arms embargo. At the same time, I was beginning to see a darker side of Artemio Tadiar, as he often lost his temper far quicker than usual. I had to calm him down most of the time, or Lieutenant Colonels Aromin and Doromal would do that as well. Luckily, we still had the anti-air defense weapons that we obtained from our special friends, but nothing could prepare us for what is yet to come.
“Mr. Tolentino, it’s good to see you here,” Tadiar said as I came into his office. I noticed that his face looked more haggard than usual. “I am grieving for the poor sailors who lost their lives at the hands of those damn barbarians from across the sea.”
“As we all, sir,” I replied curtly. “However, the arms embargo will only make things worse for our supply situation.”
“I am aware of that already, but I cannot surrender to the Chinese. Not with Ye Fei calling the shots, and his pal Wang Dongxing pulling the strings. Did you see what happened to the crew of the ships?” Tadiar asked back. I nodded, though I did not want to see the images of those sailors being gunned down on the high seas by the PLA Navy sailors, who were far too eager to show the ‘banana sellers’ their ‘proper place’. Then again, they are doing to our sailors what our troops are doing to those rebels in Mexico and the NPA, but I cannot say that it is fair game. Not in front of Tadiar, I suppose. “We will avenge their deaths.”
“A call for you, sir!” a junior officer said as he entered the room and saluted.
“Where’s Aromin and Doromal?” I asked again.
Tadiar grinned. “Lt. Col. Aromin is in Luzon, to oversee the anti-air defenses around the island, while Lt. Col. Doromal is inspecting the defenses around Mindanao. I suspect that the Chinese would try to attack Palawan, so that is why I had the Marines deployed there, with additional Marines being stationed in Bataan and Mariveles. The Chinese have not yet tried to mount an amphibious invasion of the Philippines, so if that was the case, then we will be prepared.”
“What about Scarborough Shoal? That must be defended too, or Manila will be exposed to a Chinese military attack,” I reminded Tadiar, who simply nodded in agreement.
“We will send whatever is left of our Marines, and our Army. 1st Scout Ranger Regiment has to stay in Luzon, in case the PLA actually sends their troops,” Tadiar answered. HE grabbed the phone and answered. “General Tadiar speaking. Really? You got the Yangjiang? With what, exactly? I see, so we lost both the Heracleo Alano and Hilario Ruiz, and we have the Yangjiang in return.”
I paused for a moment to see what Tadiar will do. His response was something that would haunt me forever.
“Round up the PLA Navy sailors and kill them all. Show them the same mercy they showed to our sailors. Kill them and throw their corpses into the sea. The sharks are hungry for some meat.”
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PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY AIR FORCE BOMBERS STRIKE TARGETS IN VIETNAM AND PHILIPPINES, INDONESIA’S MILITARY FULLY MOBILIZED AS CHINA DECLARES WAR ON MALAYSIA AND BRUNEI
Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 30, 1994
Manila, NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION – Leader of the Council for National Sovereignty Artemio Tadiar has announced to the entire nation that the People’s Republic of China has declared war on the other claimants of the Spratly Islands over the actual dispute of those islands, as Chinese bombers had struck at their first targets in the Philippines. The towns of Plaridel, Pulilan, and Baliuag in Bulacan came under a Chinese bombing raid, with over 324 civilians killed in the attack, though Philippine Air Force fighter planes were unable to sortie due to a fuel shortage. Additional Chinese cruise missile attacks, most notably the DF-3A missiles designed to target US military bases in the Philippines, had struck at various Philippine military bases in the country, most notably Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, where a confirmed report of 94 1st Scout Ranger Regiment troops were killed. Chinese bombers had also targeted the Vietnamese cities of Lao Cai, Lang Son, and Cao Bang, where a record of 753 civilians were killed in those three bombed cities alone. Moreover, satellite photos taken by the US has also revealed a massive troop build up by the People’s Liberation Army along the Sino-Vietnamese border, as well as in the Sino-Laotian border, where it is expected that the Chinese government will ask its Laotian counterpart for permission to use its territory for a possible ground invasion of Vietnam.
In addition, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has announced the mobilization of the Indonesian military for any possible military aggression from China, or any other claimants in the Spratly Islands dispute, though he has also kept his diplomatic channels open with all the claimants of the Spratly Islands in case anyone wanted to negotiate with each other, through Indonesian mediation. However, the Chinese government has also warned Indonesia to not get involved in the conflict, lest they find Chinese surgical missile strikes targeting Jakarta, Balikpapan, and Surabaya.
“We are worried about an increase in military activity in the South China Sea region, at a time when the global economy is starting to recover from the devastating effects of the Second Russian Civil War, and while the Soviet economy has declined before the civil war broke out, the declining value of the Soviet ruble, along with the recession in the United States, has resulted in less international trade being monitored,” says US Secretary of State Bob Kerrey in front of reporters during a briefing on the increased Chinese military activity in the West Philippine Sea region. “We call on all parties to de-escalate from the conflict, and to find a peaceful resolution before it turns into a major conflict.”
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