Source: http://afpc.org/issues/codelrohr.htm
December 15, 1998
Attention:
The Honorable Robert Livingston
Speaker of the House
The Honorable Benjamin Gilman
Chairman, House International Relations Committee
Congressman Dana Rohrabacher and Special Assistant Al Santoli traveled to Kuwait, Taiwan and the Republic of the Philippines, including a low altitude fly-over of Chinese military installations on Mischief Reef in the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone on the edge of the Spratly Islands, during November 30 to December 11. Joining the delegation on private funding was Jeffrey Baxter, a missile-defense consultant to the U.S. Defense Department and Lawrence Livermore Laboratory.
Each of the countries visited are under direct threat from neighboring dictatorships, potential conflicts' that directly affect American interests and treaty obligations, as well as the lives of U.S. military personnel. In the Philippines, the Codel observed and photographed the alarming Chinese military buildup off the Philippine coast in the Spratly Island area. In Kuwait, the Code] visited U.S. military forces near the Iraq border. In Taiwan, the Codel observed the hotly contested national legislative elections and discussed anti-missile defense with Taiwanese military leaders. In each country, the Codel met with top political and military leaders, American embassy officials and local experts on key issues.
The Codel's objectives in the Philippines were to, 1) meet with President Joseph Estrada; 2) visit Mischief Reef and the Spratly Islands to investigate the Chinese communist navy's patrols and construction of military bases in the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone; 3) visit with Muslim leaders in southern Mindanao province to observe the implementation of their peace process with the central government and the newly-formed militant groups led by terrorists trained and financed by Osama bin Laden; and, 4) meet with military leaders to discuss their military modernization plans.
President Estrada took time from a dinner with the country's mayors to meet with the Codel. The President described his priority agenda, which emphasizes domestic economic development and anti- poverty programs based on empowering the poor through small business opportunities, cooperative ventures and home ownership. He emphasized that although the Philippines was not as hard hit by the region's economic crisis as neighbors, the national poverty rate remains above 20 percent. In addition, drought and other negative climate conditions have seriously hurt the agricultural sector. The Codel also had an extensive meeting in the President's office with his Poverty Elimination coordinator, Donna Gasgonia. The Congressman congratulated President Estrada for his "courageous stand" on human rights during the APEC meeting in Malaysia. The President agreed that democracy and human rights are universal values, that are not alien to "Asian values." He said that his hero and political role model is Ronald Reagan.
President Estrada considers the most serious national security crisis facing the Philippines is the expanding Chinese military presence and buildup of military bases in the Spratly Islands and inside of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone [EEZ] of the South China Sea at Mischief Reef. The reef, which is some 150 nautical miles from the Philippine Palawan coastal region, borders a large recently discovered oil and natural gas reserve. Revenues expected from this energy reserve are expected to generate revenues to meet the nation's energy needs and to fund economic development projects. The President was supportive of the Codel flying over Mischief Reef with the assistance of the Philippines Air Force. In addition, President Estrada's National Security Advisor, Alexander Aquirre, gave us a detailed briefing of the Chinese military buildup in the Spratlys, including detailed maps and aerial photos of recently built Chinese naval bases.
Encircling Strategy: The pattern of Chinese naval bases in the Spratlys shows an encircling strategy of the energy-rich islands and an intimidating military presence along the vital sea route that connects the strategic Strait of Malacca with the Taiwan Strait, the only viable sea route that connects northern Asia to the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf, a route that carries 70 percent of Japan's, South Korea's and Taiwan's vital energy and natural resource supplies. Equally important, it is a vital sea lane for U.S. trade and naval forces, especially for a Pacific Fleet response to crises in southern Asia and the Middle East.
The Chinese have constructed naval bases -- that serve, in effect, as stationary aircraft or helicopter carriers -- that include anti-aircraft guns, field artillery, barracks and satellite communication antennas in the center of the South China Sea on Johnson Reef, Chigua Reef, Subi Reef and especially at Fiery Cross. Almost all these facilities have helicopter landing pads, with helicopter-carrying warships patrolling the area. The Chinese, in addition to expanding the size of their blue water fleet, now have helicopter-borne C-701 anti-ship missiles, which alter the military balance in the region. A number of Chinese "fishing boats" seen around the reefs are believed to be intelligence ships which are capable of targeting ships for over-the-horizon weapons, as well as spying on naval traffic. Chinese fisherman are indiscriminately using dynamite and cyanide poison for catching fish which is seriously damaging the area's eco structure.
Mischief Reef is located around 150 nautical miles from the Philippine coast of Palawan, on the edge of the Spratly Island archipelago, well within Philippine EEZ. The reef is also some 800 nautical miles from the coast of mainland China. It strategically borders the Palawan Passage which leads directly to the Taiwan Strait and links the passage of oil and commodity transport ships from the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean to Japan and Korea. The area is also vital to the economic future of the Philippines due to a substantial discovery of oil and natural gas worth hundreds of billions of dollars which in the Reed Bank area, located between 50 and 100 nautical miles of Palawan. The mayor of the Palawan capital, Puerta Princessa, showed us a national plan that is being developed for a pipeline to enable this energy reserve to power Manila and surrounding areas. Revenues can be used to fund developmental programs throughout the country, critical to President Estrada's anti-poverty plans. In strife-torn Mindanao province, energy revenues could be vital for economic programs essential to assure the success of the peace process involving a restive Muslim population.
Prior to our fly-over of Mischief Reef and the Spratly Islands area of the South China Sea, the Codel had separate meetings with Secretary of Defense Orlando Mercado and Foreign Minister Domingo Siazon. The Foreign Ministry initially expressed reservation about the Codel flying over Mischief Reef, along the line of the cable sent to Manila by the U.S. State Department, which steadfastly opposed our fact-finding efforts for fear of upsetting the communist Chinese. However, the Codel met with Mr. Siazon after President Estrada expressed support for our efforts which adjusted the Foreign Ministry's attitude.
Mr. Siazon's general attitude was that the Chinese have not been responsive to repeated Philippine overtures for a regional political solution regarding the Spratlys. In addition, the Chinese are signatories to and in violation of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea which recognizes each nation's 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zones [EEZ] extending from their shore. Defense Minister Mercado was very adamant about China's "creeping invasion" of Philippine territory. Commenting on China's President Jiang Zemin having sung "Love Me Tender" during a formal event with President Estrada, Mercado said given China's military aggressiveness, at the next meeting Jiang should sing, "You Ain't Nothing But a Houndog."
Due to rain and a low cloud ceiling over the South China Sea, The Philippines Air Force provided a C-130 airplane for the Mischief Reef flyover. The Codel was accompanied by Philippine Congressman Roilo Golez, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a leader in efforts to protect Philippine sovereignty in the Mischief Reef dispute; senior Philippine Air Force officers; Presidential advisor Bud Melcher and around 20 television, radio and print news reporters and cameramen. Pointedly, the U.S. embassy sent no representatives of the U.S. State or Defense Departments to accompany us on the flight.
In order to enhance visibility, the C-130 flew at less than 1,000 feet over Mischief Reef, where the Codel and reporters photographed two Chinese navy LST combatant ships and a cargo ship docked near the reef, as well as a number of Chinese fishing vessels in the surrounding water. The Philippine Air Force publicly stated because of prior warning to the Codel's flight, the Chinese removed a large helicopter-carrying ship from the reef We also photographed four separate facilities being constructed on the 2.5 mile long horse-shoe-shaped reef, which includes barracks, satellite communications antennas and an apparent helicopter landing pad similar to the facility on Fiery Cross. There are currently at least 200 Chinese sailors and construction workers at the reef.
We observed the Chinese using dredging pumps to clear parts of the reef of its water cover in order to further expand construction. The Chinese may be attempting to transform the reef into an "island" in order to bolster its strong-arm claim that all islands in the South China Sea belong to China under an antiquated colonial claim by the Ching Dynasty. This is as invalid a claim as if Mongolia used maps of Genghis Khan's Mongol Dynasty to claim Beijing and Shanghai as present-day Mongol territory.
The military officers on board expressed views similar to Defense Secretary Mercado that China was using "bully" tactics to stake a claim to oil and natural gas reserves that belong to the Philippines. It is, in fact, a "creeping invasion" of the Philippines. The Chinese began building structures on Mischief Reef and stationing its warships in the area in 1995. Since then, Beijing has maintained a constant and growing presence in the area. Although Philippine armed forces have conducted aerial and seaborne reconnaissance, they have no military capability to defend their territory from Chinese incursions. The Chinese have warned that they could consider as a provocation and shoot at any aircraft flying at less than 5,000 feet over the reef.
Since 1995, while building its blue water navy and submarine forces, the Chinese navy has conducted a de facto encirclement of the Spratly Islands through a growing number of permanent military installations that serve as stationary aircraft and helicopter carriers, as well as intelligence and communications sites. Beijing's aggression, which threatens trade and military sea lanes vital to the United States and our allies, has now extended into an area that legally belongs to the Philippines and that is vital to that democratic country's economic stability. For two years the State Department and the Pentagon have pursued an "ostrich policy" of burying their heads in the sand and downplaying these dangerous developments. In order to deter a future war that could engulf the United States, China and most of Asia, the United States must develop a proactive policy to convince the Chinese to withdraw their forces from Mischief Reef and the Spratlys.
The U.S. Government must end its silence about the Chinese military buildup in the Spratlys. We should support the Philippines in demanding that the Chinese remove their facilities on Mischief Reef and respect the Philippines' EEZ. Silence by the Clinton Administration is, in effect, complicit support of Chinese military aggression against our democratic ally and treaty partner.
Hearings should be considered in the International Relations Committee to address the issue. It is dangerous for the Administration to continue to hide this issue from the Congress and the American people. Now is the time to impress upon the Chinese the need to end their aggression toward their neighbors. From the horrific consequences of the silence by democracies while Hitler invaded "German territories" in Czechoslovakia and when the Japanese invaded Manchuria, we should learn that the appeasement of dictators ultimately leads to greater conflicts.
The U.S. should support efforts being made by the Philippines and other democratic Asian governments for a multilateral treaty to include Joint development and energy exploration to peacefully resolve disputed claims in the Spratly islands which are outside of sovereign nations' EEZs according to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. Penalties on China should be considered if they continue to occupy Mischief Reef and continue belligerence toward their neighbors.
The U.S. Congress and the Administration should support a revitalization of Philippine defense capabilities through the transfer of surplus American air and naval equipment. A possible "lend-lease" program can also be explored to address the financial limitations of the Philippines during the current Asian economic crisis.
The Congress should support a Philippines request to receive a U.S. Coast Guard patrol craft that is due to be retired in early 1999. The U.S. Defense attache in Manila told us that the Defense Department is supportive of this request, which would be an important first step to revitalizing Philippine home-defense naval defense capability. The transfer of surplus F-5E airplanes would be an important cost-effective measure to enhance Philippine air defense capabilities.
Chairman Gilman may wish to consider leading a Congressional delegation to the Philippines to investigate the Spratly Islands and Mischief Reef situation, as well as the partnership between the United States and the Philippines on political, economic and security issues.
In Kuwait, the Codel's objectives were to 1) meet with U.S. troops stationed along the Iraq border to inspect their living conditions and the quality of their anti-missile defense systems; and 2) to discuss with Kuwaiti leaders their views on a democratic government replacing Saddam Hussein in Iraq and potential democratic Iraq resistance leaders that the United States may support. Kuwaiti leaders conferred profound concern that the Clinton Administration has empowered Saddam Hussein by not following through with an air strike in November. Kuwait officials believe they have lost political credibility in the region because they convinced Arab nations to support the air strikes that never happened.
U.S. troops and missile defense: The Codel visited Ali Al-Salem, the closest airbase to the Iraq border where some 1,000 American troops, including a U.S. Army Apache attack- helicopter unit and a forward missile defense unit share the sprawling desert base with a British Air Force "tornado" squadron and Kuwaiti Air Force units. The U.S. troops, some 15 percent female, are living in tents under very spartan conditions. We found their morale to be high, despite being away from their families during the holiday season and the ongoing threat from Iraq. Missile defense expert Jeffrey Baxter inspected the missile defense complex.
The Codel made trips on successive days to the larger paved airbase at Camp Doha, which houses U.S. forward-deployed armor vehicles and Patriot missile batteries. The first day's trip coincided with former President George Bush visiting with a U.S. armor brigade that had completed its three month training tour in the desert and was preparing to return to Ft. Stewart, Georgia. Although President Bush did not make any public statements to the soldiers about their mission, he did spend at least 30 minutes wading through the crowd shaking hands and posing for photos with the troops.
On the second day at Camp Doha, Jeffrey Baxter met with commanders and technicians of Patriot missile batteries, while Al Santoli toured the base to view anti-Chemical Biological Weapons [CBW] defenses. The missile battery technicians showed Baxter innovations they were developing to improve the system. Baxter will meet with his colleagues at the Defense Department's Ballistic Missile Defense Organization and will talk with defense industry officials to describe the soldiers' innovations and try to implement improvements into the overall missile program. Santoli is very concerned that CBW defenses remain inadequate, especially regarding deficiencies in the U.S. capability to operate medical facilities in a CBW-contaminated environment.
Kuwaiti views on Iraqi resistance: In meeting with high-level Kuwaiti political and defense officials, there was a unanimous consensus that the Clinton Administration may rush to spend the $ 100 million on opposition to Saddam Hussein by backing the wrong personalities and organizations that have little credibility in Iraq. United States has lost crediblity because of the earlier abandonment of Kurdish resistance organizations under attack by Saddam's forces. The Kuwaitis also voiced skepticism regarding the Iraqi Shiite personalities that the CIA and State Department have been meeting with. They emphasized that a broad-based coalition of Iraqis of all ethnic groups who believe in democratic reform is essential. An expansion of "freedom radio" broadcasts utilizing Iraqi military and political personalities who have fled Saddam. is necessary to coalesce popular opinion in Iraq.
The Kuwaitis expressed strong regret that the Administration pulled back air strikes on Iraq at "I minute to zero hour." The Kuwaitis expended much of their political capitol in the region on generating support for the U.S. strikes among reluctant Arab nations. The Kuwaitis now feel betrayed by the Administration's actions and lack of communication on policy developments.
In Taiwan the Codel's objectives were 1) to observe the process for the national legislative and mayoral elections; 2) meet with President Lee Teng-hui to discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations; 3) discuss anti-missile defense options with military and Congressional leaders. The final days of a hard-fought election campaign were an exiting display of democracy in action. Taking place at the same time that a new crackdown on democracy advocates was taking place in China, religious riots were occurring in Indonesia and a show-trial was underway in Malaysia, the non-violent free and fair elections we observed reinforced Taiwan's role as a role model in democratic politics for its neighbors.
The election campaign: The Codel visited with campaign headquarters of the three major parties, the ruling Kuomintang [KMT] of Taiwan President Lee, the Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] of incumbent Taipei mayor Chen Shui-ban and the New Party [NP] known for its support for expedited unification with China. The campaign fervor among scores of workers at both the KMT and DPP headquarters was high spirited. We saw hundreds of volunteers for both parties in the streets throughout the city, despite steady rain, handing out campaign literature. All parties had loudspeaker trucks cruising the streets throughout the day and evenings.
We attended election eve rallies at the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial [KMT] and near City Hall [DPP] that were attended in the rain by thousands of flag and banner waving supporters. Most telling of the difference between the parties, reflecting a split in Taiwanese society, at the DPP rally, politicians were speaking in Taiwanese dialect, while at the Kuomintang rally, politicians were speaking in Chinese dialect. The election's final results, in fact were tipped, through the defection of most New Party voters, who are exclusively of mainland Chinese origin, to support the KMT candidates. For example, in Taipei in the 1994 Taipei mayoral election, Chen Shui-ban [DPP] received 43% of the vote, compared to 30% for the New Party candidate and 26% for the KMT. However, in this election the KMT candidate Ma Ying-yeou won with 51 % of the vote over Chen Shui-ban's 45%, with the NP candidate receiving less than 3%.
This pattern of ethnic division was seen nationwide, with the DPP faring better in the southern areas of Taiwan where the population is majority native-born Taiwanese, who favor independent status for Taiwan. The New Party's uncompromising unification position was damaged by China's 1996 missile launches during Taiwan's presidential election, the plight of Hong Kong since unification with China and the current crackdown on democrats on the mainland. The KMT's stated goal of gradual reunification based on democratization on the mainland appears to have struck a resounding chord with Taiwanese citizens of mainland-origin.
President Lee Teng-hui: The Codel met with President Lee the day prior to the election. President Lee appeared upbeat about his Party's position and is steadfast in insisting that mainland China must implement democracy before Taiwan will consider unification. President Lee also warned that serious problems in China's state-controlled industries, which are currently laying off millions of workers, as well as a structurally flawed banking system, will cause serious problems in China. President Lee appeared very energetic and healthy, claiming that he plays at least one round of golf per week. He emphasized that anti-missile defense was an important need of Taiwan's military, especially with Beijing continuing to insist that military conquest of Taiwan was still an option. The President requested that his Joint Chiefs of Staff meet with our Codel to discuss anti-missile defense options and to develop an ongoing dialogue on defense issues.
Anti-Missile defense: The Codel met with Taiwan's Joint Chiefs of Staff to discuss anti-missile defense. There appears to be less inter-service rivalry, with the Air Force and Navy seeming to have more parity with the Army in decision making. Although Taiwan has made inquiries to the U.S. Government for acquiring sea-based anti-missile defense systems, the Chiefs expressed interest in discussing land-based anti-missile systems. Even if Taiwan purchased a sea-based Aegis system from the United States, it would be at least seven or eight years before they could utilize the systems.
Compared to discussions with Taiwanese officials during an April 1998 Rohrabacher Codel to the island republic, Taiwanese officials still seemed concerned, although less fearful, about the Clinton Administration's leaning toward Communist China. The overriding consensus in our discussions with elected Members of Congress, as well as officials in the Lee Administration, was a determination to preserve their freedom and democratic institutions. This determination was especially visible in the raw enthusiasm that we witnessed among ordinary Taiwanese citizens during the electoral process.
(Signature)
Dana Rohrabacher
Member of Congress
The Honorable Douglas Bereuter
Chairman, International Relations Subcommittee on Asia and
Pacific
The Honorable Floyd Spence
Chairman, House National Security Committee
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