Monthly Archives: January 2014

Japan brushes off China ‘troublemaker’ criticism

apan on Thursday brushed off a bristling attack in which a Chinese diplomat branded Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a “troublemaker”, saying Beijing’s sentiment is inaccurate and ignores the facts. The rebuttal came after China’s envoy to the African Union fired the latest salvo in an increasingly bitter war of words between Asia’s two largest economies […]

Phl eyes more US warships

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines wants to acquire two more navy ships from the United States to boost its maritime defense capability amid threats from China, Armed Forces chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista said yesterday. The new acquisitions would come under the fresh US military assistance announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry when he […]

U.S.-China Relations and the Western Pacific

The middle of 2013 brought the possibility of a reset in U.S.-China relations, as new Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke of his desire for a “new kind of great power relations” as he enjoyed relaxed, heart-to-heart talks with U.S. President Barack Obama at a California resort. The year ended, however, with further evidence that strategic […]

US Congress Takes Hard-Line Stance on China’s Maritime Disputes

On Tuesday, the United States House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee and the House Foreign Affairs Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee held a hearing on China’s maritime disputes in the South and East China Sea. The hearing, according to a description posted on Rep. Randy Forbes’ website, was an “opportunity to assess how recent […]

What If China Did Invade Pag-asa Island?

In the midst of the furor over Hainan province’s new fishing regulations covering nearly sixty percent of the South China Sea, an unnamed Chinese writer penned an article in the Chinese-language publication Qianzhan (Prospects) arguing that China would recover Zhongye Island by force during 2014 as part of a long-term naval expansion plan. The article […]

Philippines Says Will Defy China Fishing Rules

MANILA — The Philippines will defy new Chinese fishing rules in disputed areas of the South China Sea and the navy will escort fishing boats to protect them if necessary, the defense secretary said on Thursday. China imposed fishing restrictions from the beginning of year, requiring foreign fishing vessels to obtain approval before entering the […]

China’s fishery law focus of Asean gab

The new fishing regulations in the South China Sea being implemented by Hainan, China’s southernmost province, was one of the topics that was discussed on Thursday during the Association of Southeast Nations Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Bagan, Myanmar. Filipino Fishermen prepare  their nets before sailing to the seas within the West Philippine Sea,  portions […]

China’s New Fishing Regulations: An Act of State Piracy?

On November 29, 2013, six days after China’s Ministry of National Defense announced the establishment of an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the East China Sea, Hainan province quietly issued new regulations on fishing in the South China Sea. These regulations were announced on December 3 and came into force on January 1, 2014. […]

DFA won’t comment on report about China’s plan to seize Pag-asa Island from PH

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday said it would not comment on reports regarding China’s plans to seize Pag-asa Island from the Philippines this year. DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez told reporters in a text message that the department normally does not want to comment on reports that come out in the media. […]

China chides Japan for carping over fishing curbs

BEIJING – Beijing reacted sharply on Monday to criticism by Japan of new fishing restrictions imposed by China in the South China Sea, expressing “resolute dissatisfaction” with a Japanese official’s comments at the weekend, and noting Japan has no direct stake in the issue. “The person who made these remarks, if he’s not ignorant, then […]