South China Sea – History versus geography

I normally would not care to comment on what the lunatics said. There was one that posted a comment in the Today forum calling Singapore to take sides with the Americans against China in the South China Sea dispute. He urged Singapore not to remain neutral as neutrality was a sign of appeasement. This kind of thought must come from the same mindset that Singapore could punch above its weight and would make a difference in geopolitical struggle. Many Singaporeans still did not know that standing on the head of a tiger and shouting out loud did not really mean anything as the power came from the tiger and not the mouse.

Another forumer replied in the Today paper calling the one suggesting that Singapore must take sides with the Americans against China as naïve. The naïve in his own way thought he was the judge of the South China Sea dispute and already decided that China was wrong in his deluded mind. No need to ask why he thought he was the one to judge the right or wrong of such a dispute.

The norms of international relations went through many phases starting with historical claims. Every native today claimed ownership of the land on historical grounds. They were the first settlers or founded the land first. Even the Jews were claiming their rights from history to own Israel as a God given land. Removing the historical justification, then all the natives in South East Asia or the whole world would have no rights to their land.

The next unwritten law was conquest. Past civilizations and their empires were decided by conquest. Then you have the Egyptian Empire, the Persian Empire, Ottoman Empire, Greek and Roman Empire also the Chinese Empire. And their territories grew or shrank according to their power and influence.

This was eclipsed by a moderated version of power and conquest in colonialism. The rule then was based on the western version of the Doctrine of Christian Discovery originated from the Vatican. The papal bull proclaimed that all the non Christian land is occupied by sub humans and the Christian Europeans had the right to conquer and seized their lands.

Many countries today were established on the above principles, historical rights, conquest or the Doctrine of Christian Discovery. Anyone wants to rubbish all these precedence and historical claims to start afresh? The law of history, conquest and the Doctrine of Christian Discovery no longer relevant, to be overruled by the new Rule of Law of the Sea based on geography?

The lunatic claimed that geography and the Rule of Law of the Sea now stand supreme and override historical claims, and the claims of conquest and colonialism? Well, in the asylum, the lunatics are the kings and they can claim anything they want.

Singapore to take sides with the Americans to fight the Chinese over claims in the South China Sea that it has nothing to do with? Or Singapore must guarantee freedom of navigation of the high seas and must defend this right. Oh, I see, Singapore can punch above its weight and its voice means a lot and the super powers are trembling when Singapore opens its mouth and decides to take sides.