Korea: China and the West Philippine sea

talks are pending. Will this be a breakthru?

SP has the background.

more at AlJ.

I am not posting US press here because the breakthru has to do with Xi and Trumpiboy. Both want prosperity and are business oriented, and playing hardball with each other.

carrot and stick negotiations.

a lot of the stuff about trade and tariffs are the stick.

But why do I think that the West Philippine sea will be part of the carrot?

No evidence, but since Obama didn't stop China stealing and building islands there (and destroying the ecosystem... to the silence of the environmentalist wackos of course) and since PNoy's hands were tied by the Obama administration, it's a done deal.

. So who cares if international law is on the side of the Philippines? We don't have an army to throw them out by ourselves.

so Duterte, knowing he has no choice, is making nice with China (although most folks here don't like the Chinese who control our economy and encourage the corruption that makes it hard for outsiders to get opportunities)

and now the outsiders whose shipping lanes might be blocked are getting upset. Sheesh. Where were they when Arroyo gave away the place and PNoy obeyed obama and let them take the place over?