News
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Declare South China Sea a ‘global common’ — expert
MANILA, Philippines — Instead engaging in military posturing to press maritime claims, a defense and security expert suggested all claimant states should agree to declare the entire South China Sea as a global common. Clarita Carlos, a political science and foreign policy professor of the University of the Philippines, said claimant states should also talk about regional fishing agreements.…
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Duterte urges restraint, caution in South China Sea
BEIJING – The Philippines and China should exercise “restraint and caution” to prevent an escalation of the tension in the South China Sea, President Duterte declared during his recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The President pushed for peace and stability in the disputed waters after raising the Philippines’ concerns on the West Philippine Sea when he met…
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The Philippines’ Rodrigo Duterte broached South China Sea ruling in meeting with China’s Xi Jinping
BEIJING – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, in a meeting this week with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, brought up the thorny issue of a 2016 arbitration award favoring his country in a territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea, senior Philippine officials said Saturday. At the Thursday meeting in Beijing, Xi simply reiterated Beijing’s position of not…
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Duterte raised West Philippine Sea ‘irritants’ with Xi, Palace says
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to resolve issues like the reported presence of Chinese vessels in Philippine waters through bilateral dialogue, the Palace said. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing last week. It was their seventh time to meet. Presidential spokesperson Salvador…
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South China Sea: Tensions ERUPT as US destroyers make ‘illegal’ move through Taiwan Strait
SOUTH China Sea tensions have erupted following the transit of two US Navy destroyers through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday. The transit, which has been confirmed by officials, comes days after Beijing attacked France calling a similar transit “illegal”. There have been no reports of a response from China. The Pentagon said the voyage was to increase the frequency…
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In rare move, French warship passes through Taiwan Strait
WASHINGTON – A French warship passed through the strategic Taiwan Strait this month, U.S. officials told Reuters, a rare voyage by a vessel of a European country that is likely to be welcomed by Washington but increase tensions with Beijing. The passage is a sign that U.S. allies are increasingly asserting freedom of navigation in international waterways near China.…
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Giant clams still on sale in South China despite bans
The giant clam is still being traded illegally in Tanmen township, South China’s Hainan Province, even though the nation banned the trade in 2017, thepaper.cn reported Saturday. The Hainan provincial government has implemented a strict program for the protection of giant clams, prohibiting their removal and sale for reasons other than scientific research and other special cases from January 1,…
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FALSE: ‘China confirmed’ Noynoy Aquino, Trillanes ‘sold’ Scarborough Shoal
There is no official confirmation from China that the Aquino administration sold Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shoal) Claim: China confirmed that former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV sold Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shoal). On April 11, Facebook page Enlightened Pinoy posted a screenshot of a website article’s headline that reads, “China confirmed na si Trillanes at…
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FALSE: ‘China confirmed’ Noynoy Aquino, Trillanes ‘sold’ Scarborough Shoal
There is no official confirmation from China that the Aquino administration sold Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shoal) Claim: China confirmed that former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV sold Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shoal). On April 11, Facebook page Enlightened Pinoy posted a screenshot of a website article’s headline that reads, “China confirmed na si Trillanes at…
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China-Philippines ties getting better and better – Xi
BEIJING – For Chinese President Xi Jinping, relations between the Philippines and China are getting stronger and better. “We are happy to see Philippines-China relations getting better and better. The cooperation between the two sides is very good and getting stronger,” Xi said in his opening statement at a bilateral meeting with President Duterte at the Great Hall of…
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PHL won’t bar Chinese proposals for shipyard takeover
MANILA — All offers from potential buyers of a strategically located but debt-laden Philippine shipyard will be welcome, the trade minister said on Thursday, ruling out barring Chinese firms over national security fears. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the government would not, and could not, block interested buyers of distressed shipbuilder Hanjin Philippines, which defaulted on $1.3 billion in…
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How China is replacing America as Asia’s military titan
HONG KONG – In 1938, in the midst of a long campaign to bring China under Communist Party rule, revolutionary leader Mao Zedong wrote: “Whoever has an army has power.” Xi Jinping, Mao’s latest successor, has taken that dictum to heart. He has donned camouflage fatigues, installed himself as commander-in-chief and taken control of the 2 million-strong Chinese military,…