A Loss For China And A Win For Russia In The Philippines – by Tim Treadgold (Forbes Magazine – July 14, 2016)

http://www.forbes.com/

Russia is a likely winner from changing government policy in the Philippines just as the South East Asian country emerges as a thorn in the side of China.

The problem between China and the Philippines is well understood and relates to disputed territorial claims by China to a vast area of the South China Sea that is close to other countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Earlier this week an international disputes court in the Netherlands found against China and in favor of a case taken by the Philippines against the Chinese claims which are based on ancient history and modern “island building”.

China has rejected the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, setting the scene for ongoing confrontation.

A Different Result For Russia

It’s a different matter when it comes the how Russia is likely to be viewing events in the Philippines, cheering on changes to environmental protection laws that could give Russia’s mining industry an unexpected boost.

An immediate Russian beneficiary of tighter laws in the Philippines is Norilsk Nickel, one of the world’s biggest producer of nickel, a steel-hardening metal.

For the rest of this article, click here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/timtreadgold/2016/07/14/a-loss-for-china-and-a-win-for-russia-in-the-philippines/#7b3df70b652b