Diplomatic Relations
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Taiwan’s president to propose peace plan for disputed waters
TAIPEI – Taiwan’s president will propose a peace initiative on Tuesday to resolve territorial disputes in the South China Sea that have put Beijing at odds with its neighbors and with the United States, the official Central News Agency reported. It said President Ma Ying-jeou’s plan would be along the lines of his 2012 proposal […]
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China, U.S. head toward faceoff in South China Sea
WASHINGTON — The Chinese government gave a stern warning Wednesday that it will protect its sovereignty in the South China Sea after a cat-and-mouse pursuit of a U.S. warship by a Chinese frigate. “The Chinese side will take resolute measures to safeguard national sovereignty and safety. We will keep an eye on the situation in […]
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Prudent diplomacy best in handling maritime row
Our dispute with China over its claims on certain islets, reefs and shoals in the South China/West Philippine Sea may not be resolved soon. Of late, China’s aggressive unilateral acts have been making news – it has been frenetically undertaking land reclamations and construction in some of the contested maritime areas. This has spurred, besides […]
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Beijing’s Fait Accompli in the South China Sea
Unprecedented? Or perhaps even refreshing? For the first time, Beijing has offered a more elaborate clarification about its recent activities in the South China Sea? Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Hua Chunying, in response to a question posed during the ministry press conference on April 9 about Chinese land reclamation around the Meiji Reef […]
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DFA chief: 50 meetings with China reached dead end
MANILA, Philippines — The country’s top diplomat on Wednesday dismissed Vice President Jejomar Binay’s position that the country should resume bilateral talks with China on the sea row. Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said Manila had exhausted all means to deal with Beijing directly in attempting to resolve or at least de-escalate the maritime […]
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Binay: ‘China has money, we need capital’
MANILA, Philippines – In a preview of his approach toward China if elected president, Vice President Jejomar Binay stressed China’s economic might as he pushed for bilateral talks between Manila and Beijing over the disputed South China Sea. “May pera po ang China, kailangan po natin ng kapital (China has money, we need capital),” Binay […]
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In the global game of power in Asia, America is beating China hands down
When Hillary Clinton joined Barack Obama’s “Team of Rivals” in 2009 she announced her foreign policy priorities by flying straight to Tokyo, Jakarta, Seoul and Beijing. This realignment from George W. Bush’s adventures in Iraq grew into her “pivot” to Asia, and Obama’s “rebalancing” and, eventually, a region-wide hedge against Chinese aggression. In contrast, when […]
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China cementing reach in South China Sea with civilian infrastructure
(Reuters) – China’s plans for islands it is creating in the South China Sea show for the first time the scale of civilian architecture it will extend across the disputed waterway, entrenching its reach in the maritime heart of Southeast Asia, experts say. China’s Foreign Ministry gave rare detail on Thursday, saying reclamation and building […]
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China, Vietnam must manage sea dispute well to keep peace: Xi
(Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping told the visiting head of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party on Tuesday that the two countries must manage their dispute over the South China Sea well to maintain peace and stability, state media reported. Communist parties rule both countries and trade has swelled to $50 billion annually, but Vietnam has […]
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Philippines making waves over China’s moves in disputed waters
China’s moves to explore for oil and undertake land reclamation projects on contested islets in the South China Sea have upset a number of its neighbors, including Vietnam. But none has taken a tougher stance against Beijing’s moves than the Philippines. The archipelago has shaped up as the loudest voice in Southeast Asia against China’s […]