HONG KONG, Nov 15 (Reuters) - While the navies of the United States and its allies rushed to the aid of the typhoon-hit Philippines, a state-of-the-art Chinese hospital ship has stayed at home and in doing so has become a symbol of Chinas tepid response to the crisis. The decision not to deploy the 14,000-tonne Peace Ark, one of the newest and biggest hospital ships in the world, is one that contrasts with a recent charm offensive across Southeast Asia by China as it seeks to bolster ties and ease tension over the disputed South China Sea. Even Chinas usually hawkish Global Times, a tabloid owned by the Peoples Daily state mouthpiece, on Friday called for the Ark to sail to the Philippines, where an international naval flotilla, headed by a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group, is delivering food, water and medicine. Initially, China pledged $100,000 in aid to the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan roared across central islands a week ago, and a further $100,000 through the Chinese Red Cross - figures dwarfed by multi-million dollar donations from countries and corporations around the world. While tension between China and the Philippines has escalated recently over Manilas bid for a U.N. court ruling against Beijings claim to much of the South China Sea, analysts and diplomats say its paltry response to the humanitarian crisis could undermine diplomatic gains.
Posted on: Sat, 16 Nov 2013 01:09:41 +0000
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