West Philippine Sea
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Duterte not setting aside arbitral court ruling, says Lorenzana
There may have been warmer ties between the Philippines and China since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office, but it does not mean he is setting aside the international arbitral court ruling that dismissed China’s case in the South China Sea. “There is a misperception among us the Filipinos that the President really set aside the […]
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Lorenzana: US stopped China from building in Scarborough Shoal
China planned to start reclamation in the Scarborough Shoal (Panatag) in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) last year but it was stopped by the United States, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana revealed on Thursday. “There was a plan by the Chinese in June to reclaim Scarborough Shoal. In fact, we received reports from the […]
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U.S. stopped China’s plan to build on Scarborough
MANILA, Philippines – China was set last year to build on Scarborough Shoal but the US was able to stop the plan, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana revealed on Thursday, March 9. “There was a plan by the Chinese in June to reclaim Scarborough Shoal. We received a report from the Americans that there were barges […]
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Asean-China Code of Conduct: Never-ending negotiations
Yesterday, China expressed satisfaction over finalising a first draft of a Code of Conduct with Asean on South China Sea issues. It has taken 21 years – and it is by no means certain that a substantive final agreement can be reached. The Philippines’ chairmanship of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) comes at […]
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Science Offers Peace-building Mechanism in South China Sea Dispute
Protecting marine environments and ensuring the ocean’s sustainability is a global issue that is vital for all life, and nowhere is this more important than in the South China Sea. Extending across tropical and semi-tropical zones, this body of water offers an abundant and complex marine ecosystem. However, the territorial claims among China, Vietnam, Taiwan, […]
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China launches world’s largest oil exploration sea platform
The 42,000-tonne Bluewhale 1 is bigger, faster and can drill deeper than its rivals in disputed waters China has put into service what it claims is the world’s largest and deepest-operating offshore oil exploration platform, the Bluewhale I, the state broadcaster reported on Saturday. The rig has a total deck area about the size of […]
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Future of South China Sea disputes depends on Washington, says China’s legislature spokeswoman
The future of the longstanding South China Sea disputes will largely depend on Washington, Beijing says, and it is ready to deal with any challenges US President Donald Trump may pose to the relations between the countries. Speaking on the eve of the opening of the annual session of the National People’s Congress, Fu Ying, […]
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Proposed China-US ‘new normal’ relations and the UNCLOS arbitration
WITH its new status as an economic superpower, China proposed “new normal” relations with the United States to the previous Obama administration, based on the following principles: 1) recognition of each other’s core interests; 2) no conflicts; 3) no threats or intimidation; and 4) mutual respect. According to Ambassador Wu Hailong, the president of the […]
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‘We Will Be Here’: US Admiral Defies China In Contested Seas
A top U.S. admiral stated Friday while standing aboard an American aircraft carrier on patrol in the disputed South China Sea that the U.S. military is not going anywhere. “We will be here,” Rear Adm. James Kilby said as F-18 fighter jets took off from the deck of the USS Carl Vinson, a Nimitz-class supercarrier […]
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Beijing Plans South China Sea Observatory to Find Resources, Exert Control
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — An underwater observation network planned as the first project of its kind in the South China Sea will reassert Beijing’s sovereignty over the disputed body of water while offering the country information valuable for oil exploration, mineral searches and possible military uses. The Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Acoustics and Tongji […]