News
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South China Sea: Beijing ‘attack’ on Philippines boat could trigger US war treaty
Sung Kim reiterated the US commitment to the treaty following reports Beijing sunk a Philippine fishing boat. The Chinese vessel reportedly rammed a fishing boat in Reed Bank. A total of 22 crew members on the boat were rescued by a nearby Vietnamese vessel. Mr Kim said on Cignal TV’s One News: “(US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo) made clear…
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Things Filipinos must know about China’s fishing militia in the South China Sea
They appear as ordinary Chinese fishermen manning trawlers in the South China Sea, but they are military-trained militia deployed as another “gray zone tactic,” that is, an action to gain advantage without provoking a convention military response. The relatively new sea force in the strategic waterway has recently been believed to be behind laser attacks against an Australian naval helicopter…
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Restraint in South China Sea Asean’s mantra once again
SOUTHEAST Asian leaders, including President Duterte, have vowed to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities in the South China Sea as they agreed to “avoid actions that may further complicate the situation.” All the 10 leaders attended the 34th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit (Asean) in Thailand. In the Asean Leaders’ Vision Statement on Partnership for Sustainability, all…
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Recent developments surrounding the South China Sea
BEIJING — A look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves: ___ EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a weekly look at developments in the South China Sea, the…
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Recent developments surrounding the South China Sea
BEIJING — A look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves: ___ EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a weekly look at developments in the South China Sea, the…
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DND reaffirms commitment in securing PH waters
The Department of National Defense (DND) remains committed in ensuring the Philippines’ maritime security amid multifaceted challenges and competing interests in the regional waters. This was emphasized by Defense Undersecretary Cardozo Luna in his speech at the 146th Maritime Forum at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. However, the official said the Philippines will need the help of…
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China’s Paramilitary Navy Just Sank a Philippine Fishing Boat (and the U.S. Said Nothing)
As the media fixates on the U.S. response to the June 13 attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf of Oman, simmering tensions more than 3,700 miles away in the South China Sea may soon come to a boil. On June 12, the Philippine government released a statement on the sinking of an anchored Philippine fishing boat, the FB…
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De Lima backs US bill to impose sanctions on China for WPS activities
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Leila De Lima on Saturday expressed support for a proposed U.S. Senate bill which seeks to sanction China on its activities in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). “Amid China’s continued military activities on the South China Sea that threatens the security of the Philippines and the entire Asean region, I hope that this…
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Duterte accepts China’s proposal to jointly investigate South China Sea boat collision
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday (June 22) rebuffed his own top diplomat, as he accepted an offer from China to jointly probe the sinking of a Philippine fishing boat by a Chinese trawler early this month. Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement that Mr Duterte wants “highly qualified and competent” representatives from the Philippines, China…
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‘Duterte coward’: Filipinos’ opinions of president and Beijing government sour after South China Sea sinking
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has come under fire for his response to the sinking of a Philippine vessel that collided with a Chinese ship in the South China Sea. Photo: EPAPhilippine public opinion is on a slow boil over recent Chinese actions and Manila’s seeming rush to defend Beijing. Two incidents have seen many Filipinos expressing outrage on social…
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Asean leaders get behind stalled China-led trade pact
BANGKOK: Asean leaders meeting this weekend in Bangkok are determined to drive forward the world’s largest trade pact, more than three years behind schedule, with the trade war between the US and China clouding the outlook for their export-led economies. Disputes in the flashpoint South China Sea, Myanmar’s persecution of Rohingya Muslims and plastic pollution in the seas are…
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South China Sea situation worrisome: Vietnam PM
Despite progress in negotiations between Asean and China towards establishing a Code of Conduct (COC) for the contentious South China Sea, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on Saturday that the situation on the ground remained complicated. “Unlawful unilateral activities, including land reclamation to change the status quo, militarisation, collisions that put lives of fishermen in danger are worrisome,”…