News
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US: No request from Philippines to review defense treaty
MANILA, Philippines — Despite calls to review the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the Philippines and the United States, there have been no requests from either side to do so. Patrick Murphy, US Department of State Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia, said the two countries have been regularly discussing the treaty. Lorenzana contradicts Locsin on US-Philippines treaty…
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Vietnam files protest over South China Sea boat sinking
HANOI – Vietnam has lodged an official protest with China following the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat which was being chased by a Chinese maritime surveillance vessel in the disputed South China Sea, Vietnam said late on Thursday. Vietnam and China have for years long been embroiled in a dispute over the potentially energy-rich stretch of waters, called the…
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U.S. Marines Get Ready For South China Sea Struggle
Tensions in the South China Sea got red hot a few years ago as the People’s Republic of China (PRC) pressed maritime claims involving a host of nations in the region – most notably The Philippines. Now that a trade war with the United States is in full swing, things are heating up once again … A hub of global…
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China’s Worst Nightmare: A U.S. Military Presence on Taiwan?
Enhanced security cooperation between Taiwan and the United States could easily expand as the pair work to balance against China’s increased military presence in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea . On Nov. 5, Taiwanese Defense Minister Yen Teh-fa told legislators that his government would consider allowing the U.S. Navy access to Taiping Island if Washington requested it.…
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Malacañang: Ex-PH officials’ ICC case vs Xi ‘a futile exercise’
Presidential Salvador Panelo provides reasons why the complaint of former foreign secretary Albert del Rosario and ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales may not prosper at the International Criminal Court MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Saturday, March 23, downplayed the complaint of former Philippine officials against Chinese President Xi Jinping before the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a “futile exercise.” President Spokesperson…
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US-Philippine defense tensions weaken regional security
Duterte’s hostility and Obama’s errors threaten an old and once valued alliance The United States-Philippines alliance has been under stress since the election of the vocally anti-American Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016, but Washington bears plenty of responsibility for the downturn in relations. Most frustrating for the Philippines was American inaction as China launched its march across the South…
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Filipinos file ICC complaint over S. China Sea
Filipinos, including a former cabinet minister, have filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court in The Hague against China’s development of islands in the disputed South China Sea. Albert del Rosario was foreign affairs secretary during the administration of Benigno Aquino. He now leads an international affairs research institute based in the Philippines. del Rosario argues that China’s construction…
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‘David vs. Goliath’ in South China Sea: Beijing must take us seriously, say ex-Philippine officials seeking ICC probe into Xi Jinping
The two former Philippines officials asking the International Criminal Court to investigate Chinese President Xi Jinping for his “crimes against humanity” in the South China Sea say their aim is to improve the lives of Filipino fishermen and Beijing should take their move seriously. Former Philippine foreign secretary Albert del Rosario and former ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales filed the complaint last…
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South China Sea: Indonesia And Vietnam Prove Duterte Wrong
Indonesia joined Vietnam recently to challenge Duterte’s doctrine in the South China Sea. That’s the notion that any Asian-Pacific country that dares to tame Beijing’s ambitions to control the entire South China Sea will face war with China. This week, Indonesia drew a “red line” in the South China Sea establishing fishing rights in areas where China claims “overlapping” rights,…
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Rendering the Mutual Defense Treaty into ‘scrap paper’
Rendering the Mutual Defense Treaty into ‘scrap paper’ In December 2018, Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana declared that he wanted a review of the 1951 Philippine-US Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT). He stated that it is high time for the two allies to examine the treaty’s provision in light of the growing tension in the South China…
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South China Sea: Beijing builds new ‘ILLEGAL’ island city risking infuriating Trump
CHINA will develop a new island city in the disputed South China Sea despite Donald Trump’s administration branding it “illegal”. The Beijing regime will plough ahead with turning sites near the city of Sansha into a “national key strategic service and logistics base”, the South China Morning Post reports. US experts fear the move could flare up tensions as China…
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The U.S. quietly made a big splash about the South China Sea
On March 1, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated: “any armed attack on Philippine forces, aircraft or public vessels in the South China Sea will trigger mutual defense obligations under Article IV of our mutual defense treaty.” To many analysts, Pompeo’s statement appeared to be the most significant action the Trump administration has taken to “redouble our commitment to established…