The conflict between the Philippines and China is calming down

A strained stalemate between China and the Philippines, since April 10, when the Philippines' Navy blamed Chinese boats of illegally fishing off the Scarborough Shoal, appears to have calmed down on Friday.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Raul Hernandez, the Philippine diplomats "are endeavoring to undertake a new diplomatic initiative, which we hope will help defuse the situation."

The diplomatic damage were centered on the Scarborough Shoal, which is located roughly 130 miles from the Philippine island, Luzon. China's armed forces would not allow anyone to challenge the country's rule over the tiny island outcrop in the South China Sea. Philippine navy sailors tried to arrest the crew but were blocked by the Chinese surveillance ships that had been sent out to the area. Both countries claim the Shoal, which is believed to have plenty of mineral resources, natural gas, and oil.

"We want to say that anyone's attempt to take away China's sovereignty over Huangyan Island will not be allowed by the Chinese government, people and armed forces," said the PLA Daily, the official newspaper of the People's Liberation Army of China. "Don't attempt to take away half an inch of China's territory," it warned.

An editorial in China's Global Times stated that the people of the world should not be "completely surprised" if the standoff escalates into a military battle. "Peace will be a luxury if tensions continue to rise," it added.

"Fu Ying, China's Vice Foreign Minister, said that China was not optimistic about the situation, and that the country was ready to respond to any sort of escalation. Chinese chips would remain on alert around Huangyan due to continued provocation by the Philippine side. Because of this, travel agencies in China are suspending tours to the Philippines

"The Philippines has been repeatedly making strong-worded remarks over the Huangyan Island," said Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hong Lei. "China hopes the Philippines will not take any actions to magnify the dispute in a way that may affect the relationship between the two countries. China remains unchanged in insisting on diplomatic dialogue to solve the Huangyan Island dispute. We urge the Philippine side to make a positive response, and move back on the right track."

Beijing and Manila have been adamant that their territorial arguments were justified.

"They both have claims," said Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt, the North East Asia project director and China adviser for the International Crisis Group. "China goes back centuries, but the Philippines also says it has maps from the 18th century showing it belongs them."

The Philippine government wants to resolve the dispute via international negotiation, however China is rejecting this as they have a long-standing distrust of the Western-dominated mediators.

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"There are a dozen ships in a standoff there right now," Kleine-Ahlbrandt said. "Both sides are really using this for all it is worth, whipping up nationalistic sentiment -- what is needed is something to de-escalate the situation."

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