West Philippine Sea
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South China Sea: A Chinese ‘Invasion’ Near the Philippines’ Pag-asa Island in the Spratlys?
Recent events near Pag-asa Island raise distressing questions. Last week, a Philippine lawmaker, Congressman Gary Alejano, released images showing Chinese coast guard, naval, and civilian vessels within a stone’s throw of Pag-asa, or Thitu, Island — a significant Philippine possession in the disputed Spratly group. Pag-asa, which is administered as part of Kalayaan municipality, an archipelagic cluster in the South…
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Justice Carpio bares invasion of PH islet
Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio urged the government to act on what he called an “invasion of Philippine territory by China” as he confirmed Chinese ships were now guarding a newly created island well within Philippine territorial waters in the West Philippine Sea. In a statement on Saturday, Carpio said two…
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Global Geo-political Series: U.S. toughens stance on China over South China Sea
The United States is toughening its stance over the South China Sea on China, which considers most of the energy rich sea as its own sovereign territory and has built artificial islands and converted them as military outposts. Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and defense secretary Jim Mattis held a joint meeting with their Japanese counterparts…
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World View: Chinese Vessels Massing Near Philippines Island in South China Sea
A statement by Philippines Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio warns that government must act in response to an “invasion of Philippine territory by China” in the South China Sea. The warning was triggered when Rep. Gary Alejano said that the military reported early last week that Chinese vessels appeared to be massing north of Pag-asa Island…
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China barred PH ship from Pagasa Island – lawmaker
Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano on Tuesday claimed Chinese vessels barred a Philippine government ship from going to Pagasa Island and have deployed vessels one to three nautical miles north of the contested territory in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). “I received information from my sources in the military, stating that since thrree days ago, China has…
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Beijing faces fresh challenges over its South China Sea claims
At the gathering in Manila, Association of Southeast Asian Nations members avoided using any expressions that might displease Beijing in their statement regarding the territorial disputes. But Beijing is facing a more vocal rival claimant in Hanoi, and ties are strained with Singapore, which is edging closer to the United States and will take over as chair of…
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South China Sea: Beijing raises the temperature again
Something significant is happening in the South China Sea. Philippine media has reported that, over the past week, a flotilla of Chinese fishing vessels, accompanied by PLA Navy frigates and Chinese Coast Guard vessels, have maintained a presence very close to Thitu (which Manila calls ‘Pagasa’), the largest feature occupied by the Philippines in the Spratly Islands. While…
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China stealing soil from different parts of the Philippines
China is not only stealing and occupying Philippine Territories at the West Philippine Sea or Spratly islands but at the same time, they also stealing massive quantities of soil from different parts of the Philippines for both mining and island-building purposes. In Davao Oriental alone, huge cargo ships from China have been regularly loading and shipping out tons…
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Our new foreign policy: appeasement and isolation
It is official: Our policy on the West Philippine Sea is the appeasement of China. This is confirmed by the statement of Foreign Secretary Alan Cayetano at the recent meeting of Asean ministers that “…South China Sea claimants will suffer if they are harsh on China.” What acts will be harsh on China will presumably be decided by China, with…
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South China Sea: Vietnam takes up fight against China
(CNN)When it comes to the disputed waters of the South China Sea, Vietnam’s leaders must feel very lonely these days. Their fellow Southeast Asian claimants have either reversed course after years of escalating tensions with Beijing, or are keeping their heads down and letting Hanoi take up the fight. In June, the Vietnamese government refused a Chinese demand…