IMOA
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Amid Chinese presence, Navy wants to stay in Sangley Point
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy is opposing a plan by the Cavite provincial government to boot the military service command out of Sangley Point in Cavite as part of a P500-billion airport project that is expected to ease congestion at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) in neighboring Manila. Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, the Navy’s flag officer in command,…
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China’s two aircraft carriers in apparent simultaneous exercises for 1st time: reports
After China’s second aircraft carrier, the Shandong, embarked on a training voyage in the Bohai Sea last week, the country’s first carrier, the Liaoning, was spotted leaving its base and sailing in the Yellow Sea during the weekend. This was the first time known to the general public that China had two active aircraft carriers out at sea for apparent…
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China creating a flashpoint in South China Sea
China’s foray into the controversial and disputed South China Sea is not a new phenomenon. It is part of Beijing’s long term strategy to bring a large area of land and sea into its sphere of influence. This is being done by China mainly to harness resources exclusively. More recently, China’s firing of medium range missiles into the South China…
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Yes, elevate ruling to UN but not now
To the question of whether we should elevate the arbitral ruling upholding our maritime rights to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for enforcement, my answer is “Yes, but not now, not during this regime.” Why “Yes”? Because the UNGA is the best forum to help us enforce the ruling. Should the UNGA side with us, China — the…
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As tensions simmer, is Taiwan prepared to counter China’s growing military threat?
The geography of the Taiwan Strait, characterised by choppy seas, and rugged and mountainous terrain between potential landing zones and Taipei, provides the island with a defensive advantage. China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific over the last few months, from its strategic maneuvring of maritime forces in the South China Sea, to the successful passage of new legislation in Hong…
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South China Sea warning: Risk of all-out conflict in area as dangerous waters ‘on radar’
SOUTH CHINA SEA IS IN REAL DANGER OF SPARKING “ALL-OUT CONFLICT” AFTER DECADES OF ISOLATED INCIDENTS IN THE DISPUTED WATERS. China claims it has historic right of ownership to almost the entire South China Sea, despite a 2016 international arbitration ruling saying Beijing’s claim had no legal basis under international law. But the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also…
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Germany Joins the ‘Indo-Pacific’ Club
On Wednesday, Germany’s Federal Foreign Office announced a set of Indo-Pacific policy guidelines, becoming the second European nation after France to formally adopt a strategy for the Indo-Pacific region. According to a press release accompanying the announcement (the full 40-page guideline is yet to appear in English translation), the strategy is designed to allow Germany to make “an active contribution…
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The China trap
THIS is not about the Chinese people, lest someone accuse me of being engaged in racist rhetoric and Sinophobia. This is about the Chinese state, the one headed by Xi Jinping and his Communist Party, the one that is taunting us like barbarians at the gate that we call the West Philippine Sea. This is the one that has…
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US imposes visa restrictions on Chinese officials for transgressions in South China Sea
“The United States hopes countries will examine their dealings with the China Communications and Construction Company (CCCC) which is specially targeted. Colombo, September 4 (US Embassy/newsin.asia): On August 26, the U.S. Department of State imposed visa restrictions on People’s Republic of China (PRC) individuals responsible for, or complicit in, either the large-scale reclamation, construction, or militarization of disputed outposts…
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Has Taiwan Shot-Down Chinese SU-35 Fighter Jet For Violating Its Airspace?
According to another unconfirmed and trending social media reports, the SU-35 jet crashed in Guangxi, an autonomous coastal region in southern China, bordering Vietnam, after intruding into the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. However, many users have flagged the report calling it false while some said that the fighter jet crashed due to technical glitch. There is…