IMOA
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Philippines: China Defends Aggressive Arrogance
August 19, 2019: The Philippines is trying to be more realistic about resisting the Chinese effort to take possession of the South China Sea. The Chinese effort is massive. For example, during the first three months of 2019 China deployed 900 navy, coast guard and naval militia ships around Pagasa Island to block access […]
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Chinese warships, POGOs and the trip to Beijing “I hope it’s not too late.”
President Rodrigo Duterte says that when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing end-August, he would finally raise the 2016 arbitral court ruling, which nullified China’s nine-dash line encroaching on the Philippines exclusive economic zone. If the event indeed transpires, then that puts him on the right track. What’s clear for now is […]
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Maritime domain awareness in South China Sea top priority of US Air Force
MANILA, Philippines — The US Air Force has been playing a big role in maritime domain awareness in the South China Sea to ensure that the disputed waterway will remain free and open. US Pacific Air Forces commander Gen. Charles Brown said they are supplying “accurate information” for the decision-makers and to their partners […]
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South China Sea: ‘No let up’ – US vow to keep sea-lanes open after Beijing’s ‘violations’
US Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein vows “there will be no let up in our willingness or our ability to fly or sail where we need to and when we need to” in US commitments to defend the Philippines in the South China Sea. The US has emphasised its commitment to […]
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De Lima to Duterte: Stop Chinese plan on 3 PH isles
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Leila de Lima on Saturday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to cancel agreements with Chinese investors’ to turn three strategic islands in the Philippines into economic and tourism zones. De Lima, a staunch critic of the President, filed Senate Resolution No. 93, seeking the cancellation of the planned development on Fuga […]
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Justice chief: Government ‘tightening up’ visa upon arrival rules
MANILA – Government is tightening up rules for the issuance of visas upon arrival for visiting Chinese nationals, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Saturday, weeks after several officials expressed concern over the influx of travelers here from China. In a statement, Guevarra said the Department of Justice and its attached agency the Bureau of Immigration […]
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Extracting WPS resources beyond the arbitral award
Just after our people were getting united in our goals and methods of asserting our rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), and after President Duterte publicly promised he would take up the arbitral award with President Xi Jinping, Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua strongly reiterated China’s rejection of the award, firmly saying that China “will […]
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China trip ‘right time’ for Duterte to raise arbitral ruling – Panelo
Malacañang on Saturday further raised expectations that President Rodrigo Duterte would discuss the landmark ruling on the South China Sea when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month. “His trip to China now, to him, it’s the right time to raise the arbitration ruling,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told reporters. “There […]
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‘Irritant’ maritime survey issue ‘important’ to raise in Duterte-Xi meeting: Panelo
MANILA – It is important for President Rodrigo Duterte to raise with his Chinese counterpart the maritime surveys being conducted by Beijing in Philippine waters without consent from Manila. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said this Saturday, in the wake of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s statements Friday hitting the secrecy of the passage of 9 […]
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Duterte Should Visit Vietnam And Malaysia Before Visiting China
Before visiting his “friends” in Beijing at the end of this month, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte needs a strategy lesson or two on how to stop Chinese vessels from invading Philippine waters. And he needs a lesson on how to stop China from turning the Philippines into a modern day semi-colony. Duterte’s visit to Beijing […]