Philippines
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Why Aquino calls disputed areas ‘rocks,’ not islands
MANILA – President Benigno Aquino summarized the Philippines’ case against China when he called some of the disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea as mere “rocks” and not islands. Aquino, during his press briefing at the Palace on Monday with his US counterpart, Barack Obama, described the disputed areas as a “few rocks that […]
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Philippines-China ties: What went wrong?
Ayungin Shoal, China, Diplomatic Relations, EDCA, Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, Foreign Policy, Memorial, Panatag Shoal, Philippines, South China Sea Dispute“IS this how the Philippines should deal with its powerhouse neighbor?” Former President Fidel V. Ramos raised this question in 2011 following conflicting reports on the dates of President Benigno S. Aquino’s state visit to China. But back then, relations between the Philippines and China were still in good shape. Hu Jintao was then the […]
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New PHL, US defense cooperation to help modernize AFP — Goldberg
China, EDCA, Enhanced Defense Coorperation Agreement, Mutual Defence Treaty, Philippines, South China Sea Dispute, USAAs the Filipino and American governments formally signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) Monday, US Ambassador Philip Goldberg said that the forging of this latest initiative will greatly aid in the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). “It (EDCA) will also support the shared goal of promoting the long term modernization […]
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US-China naval standoff
During his recent China visit, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel reportedly got an earful from his Chinese counterpart and others on his country’s perceived meddling in regional affairs. While maintaining necessary courtesies during such visits, his Chinese hosts did not hold off from saying their piece. China’s Minister of Defence, Chang Wanquan, said that Beijing […]
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US, China ink pact on unintended sea conflict
Brunei, Cambodia, China, Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, CUES, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, South China Sea Dispute, Thailand, USA, VietnamBEIJING—China, the United States, Japan and more than a dozen other Asia-Pacific countries have signed a naval agreement aimed at ensuring miscommunication between ships at sea does not escalate into conflict. The Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, which was agreed Tuesday in the eastern port city of Qingdao, would reduce the potential for “situations […]
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South China Sea imperialism
Arbitration, China, Imperialism, Lee Kuan Yew, Philippines, Singapore, South China Sea Dispute, UNCLOSIn his April 14 Forbes Magazine column, former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew seems to justify China’s territorial expansionism in the South China Sea. “Much more is at stake than rocks and resources. China sees the South China Sea as one of its key interests. A rising China is asserting its position by claiming […]