April 2021
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China to Philippine officials: Stop ‘hyping’ issue on vessels in West Philippine Sea
Chinese Foreign Ministry appealed to some Philippine officials to stop “hyping up” and giving negative reactions to the situation in the West Philippine Sea despite the continued tension in the disputed waters. “We hope certain Philippine officials can stop hyping up the issue and avoid producing a negative impact on bilateral relations and peace and […]
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UNCLOS will collapse if Beijing succeeds in taking South China Sea — Carpio
MANILA, Philippines — The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, an international treaty adopted in 1982, will collapse if China succeeds in taking over the rest of the South China Sea, retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said. Speaking at a virtual forum organized by Stratbase ADRi Wednesday, Carpio noted how Beijing […]
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China Militarizing South China Sea with Warships and Militia: Manila
China has been accused of militarizing the contested South China Sea and jeopardizing peace in the region after the Philippines reported sightings of 261 suspected armed fishing vessels and Chinese navy warships, including hundreds within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Philippine Foreign Minister Teddy Locsin Jr. said he had ordered his office to lodge a […]
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Philippines files new diplomatic protests over Chinese boats in disputed waters
MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines filed fresh diplomatic protests to China on Wednesday after accusing its giant neighbour of undertaking illegal fishing and massing more than 240 boats within the Southeast Asian country’s territorial waters. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said that two protests had been lodged, days after Manila summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang […]
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South China Sea: US-China rivalry leaves Whitsun Reef and the Philippines in deep and dangerous waters
Far more important than who is right in the contretemps between China and the Philippines over Chinese boats massing at Whitsun Reef in the South China Sea, is what the contest reveals about the political forces at work. What should have been a storm in a teacup has became dangerous because of the US-China struggle […]
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The territorial dispute in the Spratlys
There are two kinds of dispute in the Spratlys, the territorial dispute and the maritime dispute. The territorial dispute involves the issue of sovereignty over the geologic features above water at high tide and their surrounding territorial seas. The maritime dispute involves the economic right to exploit the resources in the waters and seabed beyond […]
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US and China deploy aircraft carriers in South China Sea as tensions simmer
Hong Kong (CNN)Military activity in the South China Sea spiked over the weekend as a Chinese aircraft carrier entered the region and a US Navy expeditionary strike group wrapped up exercises. Meanwhile, the US and Philippines were preparing for joint drills as the US secretary of defense proposed ways to deepen military cooperation between Washington […]
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Philippines and US boost defense ties amid South China Sea feud
MANILA — The Philippines and the U.S. on Monday kick off two weeks of military drills in a showcase of their defense alliance amid a fresh feud between Manila and Beijing over the disputed South China Sea. The resumption of the annual exercises comes as officials from both countries recently discussed tensions in the disputed […]
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Beijing has a navy it doesn’t even admit exists, experts say. And it’s swarming parts of the South China Sea
Hong Kong (CNN)They’ve been dubbed China’s “Little Blue Men,” an allegedly Beijing-controlled maritime militia that analysts say could be hundreds of boats and thousands of crew members strong. China doesn’t acknowledge their existence and when questioned, refers to them as a “so-called maritime militia.” But Western experts say the alleged militia is an integral part […]