A national park in the South China Sea is needed to better preserve the marine ecology in the region, deputies from China’s top legislature said Tuesday on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC). Protection of unique and rich resources in the South China Sea has always been given great […]

The Philippines is close to accepting loans from China that are 1,100% more expensive than ones from Japan. The country’s chief economist said it will accept the loan as it needs “more friends,” as relations between the two countries warm after years of territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The loan is part of […]

Roque: Arbitral ruling stands no matter what China does Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 6) — China and the Philippines are far from reaching a deal on joint exploration in the disputed South China Sea, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Tuesday. “We declared a moratorium on all exploration activities. Talks are ongoing, but we’re […]

The Philippines has identified two areas in the crowded waterway suitable for joint exploration and the two countries are seeking ways to tackle the diplomatic and legal headaches of jointly exploring in the waters, but without addressing the issue of sovereignty. Reed Bank is claimed by both sides, but international law says it falls within […]

MANILA – Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Monday said it is incorrect to refer to the areas in the South China Sea formerly contested by the Philippines and China as “disputed.” Carpio, who was part of the team which argued for the Philippines’ ownership of the areas before the arbitration court, previously explained that […]

MANILA: Any deal between the Philippines and a Chinese firm to jointly explore for gas in the Reed Bank of the South China Sea will be illegal unless China recognises the southeast Asian nation’s sovereign rights there, a Philippine judge said on Monday. Manila has identified two areas in the crowded waterway suitable for joint […]

TAIPEI — A U.S. aircraft carrier group is preparing to sail through the contested South China Sea later this month, and observers expect an angry Beijing to register its opposition and quicken its militarization of small islands in the region. The group of ships led by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and guided missile […]