SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ case against China over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) boils down to 5 basic arguments. Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario outlined these claims on Tuesday, July 7, the first day of arguments at The Hague. (READ: Philippines vows to smash China’s strongest argument) For the oral […]
Indonesia is developing a plan to build a new military base in the South China Sea, according to local media reports. On Friday, the Jakarta Post reported that Indonesian officials are preparing a plan to build a new military base somewhere in the South China Sea, which has seen an uptick in tensions over competing […]
In the face of growing international condemnation for its building artificial islands in the South China Sea from which to project its military power in the region, China appears to have reduced itself into an island. From world leaders and international organizations to opinion writers around the world, China has drawn criticism for its massive […]
Will the 21st-century global order be led primarily by might and military muscle or rights and norms? We may get an answer in the near future. The Philippines’ quest for peacefully resolving territorial disputes in the South China Sea has entered a critical stage. After more than two years of hard work and extensive preparations, […]
MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang yesterday rejected China’s renewed offer of bilateral talks to settle the West Philippine Sea dispute, saying only by engaging other members of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) can any negotiation on the issue be acceptable. “The Philippine position is clear: the principle of ASEAN centrality should be recognized in accordance […]
On July 7, the Arbitral Tribunal at The Hague began its hearing on the case submitted by the Philippines against China regarding its South China Sea claims. As we get bombarded with news updates in the coming weeks, it is important to keep the broader significance of the case in mind. In terms of principle, […]
According to American scholar Robert D. Kaplan, the South China Sea (SCS) has become “Asia’s Cauldron”. Some refer to the SCS as “unchartered waters”. All recent developments clearly indicate that the SCS has transformed into a dangerous playing field for global powers. During the 1970s, Southeast Asia was considered a“troubled” region as a result of […]
As far as Malaysia is concerned, the presence of Chinese Coast Guard vessels may potentially encourage it to respond aggressively by posturing and deploying military assets, which may in turn bring the two maritime forces close enough to cause a naval incident. Malaysia has preferred ‘quiet diplomacy’ to prevent any escalation in its relationship with […]
Foreign Affairs Sec. Albert del Rosario on Tuesday gave a statement before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands explaining why the Philippines filed the case against China. The full text of his speech, as it was delivered, was released by the Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday with the subtitle “Why the […]
MANILA, Philippines – Vietnam, one of China’s two toughest challengers in the South China Sea, and 4 other countries sent envoys to a historic hearing that pits Manila against Beijing. In a news release on Tuesday, July 7, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) explained that the tribunal handling the Philippines’ case “has decided not […]