West Philippine Sea
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Philippines: Activists Protest against Chinese Blocking Fishing Boats
Philippine soldiers conduct a flag raising ceremony on Pag-asa Island in the South China Sea, May 11, 2015. AP Activists on Monday protested outside the Chinese embassy over reports of its boats chasing away Filipino fishermen from a string of sandbars close to a Philippine-occupied island in the South China Sea. The activists slammed what […]
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Southeast Asian nations feel squeeze between US and China
Freedom of navigation operations conducted by the US and its allies in the South China Sea have heightened the dilemma faced by Southeast Asian nations caught between China and the United States, diplomatic sources and observers have said. Many say that the more frequent naval operations by the US and its allies in the contested […]
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No reports of Pinoy fishermen shooed from Pag-asa Island: military
MANILA – The military said Tuesday it has not received reports of Filipino fishermen being prevented by Chinese vessels from fishing or landing on the sandbars around Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea. On the contrary, the Armed Forces’ Western Command (WesCom) has received information that Filipino fishermen have been able to successfully fish […]
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China’s defense spending is growing more slowly. But that doesn’t mean military tensions are easing
China announced Tuesday that military spending will grow at a slower pace than last year, but one analyst cautioned that it should not be interpreted to mean that military tensions with the United States will ease. At its annual parliamentary meeting, the National People’s Congress, Beijing set its 2019 defense spending at 7.5 percent higher […]
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Asean key to peace in South China Sea
KUALA LUMPUR: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) continues to play a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, including the disputed claims over the Spratlys. Maritime Institute of Malaysia (Mima) director-general First-Admiral (Rtd) Datuk Chin Yoon Chin said one of Asean’s important initiatives was the Declaration on the […]
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Lorenzana says 67-yr old MDT could become cause, not deterent, for chaos
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana Tuesday said he didn’t believe that the ambiguity or vagueness of the Philippines-United States Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) will serve as a deterrent but, in fact, could even cause confusion and chaos during a crisis. “The fact that the security environment now is so vastly different and much more complex than […]
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[OPINION] Moving forward with Philippine-U.S. relations
‘It was an imperative for our disruptive northern neighbor to be forewarned of the significance of our mutual defense treaty alliance’ We, at the Stratbase ADR Institute Incorporated, fully welcome the official US statement that, “As the South China Sea is part of the Pacific, any armed attack on Philippine forces, aircraft, or public vessels […]
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Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Tuesday the defense department was checking a report that Chinese vessels have been blocking Filipino fishermen from approaching sandbars near Philippine-occupied Thitu Island, which is called Pag-asa by Filipinos, in the disputed waters.
Philippines worried defense treaty with U.S. may draw it into a war in South China Sea MANILA – The United States is more likely to be involved in a “shooting war” in the disputed South China Sea than the Philippines but the latter would be embroiled in such a conflict just the same because of […]
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Why US Navy’s South China Sea operations tighten squeeze on Southeast Asian nations caught between Washington and Beijing
Freedom of navigation operations conducted by the US and its allies in the South China Sea have heightened the dilemma faced by Southeast Asian nations caught between China and the United States, diplomatic sources and observers have said. Many say that the more frequent naval operations by the US and its allies in the contested […]
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Mutual defense treaty review needed: expert
MANILA — Although the United States repeatedly gave its assurance to the Philippine government that any armed attack against the Philippines, including on the disputed South China Sea, would trigger its defense pact, the government should still push for a review of the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), a political expert said Thursday. “In case of […]