Tensions in the South China Sea got red hot a few years ago as the People’s Republic of China (PRC) pressed maritime claims involving a host of nations in the region – most notably The Philippines. Now that a trade war with the United States is in full swing, things are heating up once again […]
Enhanced security cooperation between Taiwan and the United States could easily expand as the pair work to balance against China’s increased military presence in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea . On Nov. 5, Taiwanese Defense Minister Yen Teh-fa told legislators that his government would consider allowing the U.S. Navy access to Taiping […]
Presidential Salvador Panelo provides reasons why the complaint of former foreign secretary Albert del Rosario and ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales may not prosper at the International Criminal Court MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Saturday, March 23, downplayed the complaint of former Philippine officials against Chinese President Xi Jinping before the International Criminal Court (ICC) as […]
Duterte’s hostility and Obama’s errors threaten an old and once valued alliance The United States-Philippines alliance has been under stress since the election of the vocally anti-American Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016, but Washington bears plenty of responsibility for the downturn in relations. Most frustrating for the Philippines was American inaction as China launched […]
Filipinos, including a former cabinet minister, have filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court in The Hague against China’s development of islands in the disputed South China Sea. Albert del Rosario was foreign affairs secretary during the administration of Benigno Aquino. He now leads an international affairs research institute based in the Philippines. del […]
The two former Philippines officials asking the International Criminal Court to investigate Chinese President Xi Jinping for his “crimes against humanity” in the South China Sea say their aim is to improve the lives of Filipino fishermen and Beijing should take their move seriously. Former Philippine foreign secretary Albert del Rosario and former ombudsman Conchita […]
Indonesia joined Vietnam recently to challenge Duterte’s doctrine in the South China Sea. That’s the notion that any Asian-Pacific country that dares to tame Beijing’s ambitions to control the entire South China Sea will face war with China. This week, Indonesia drew a “red line” in the South China Sea establishing fishing rights in areas […]
Rendering the Mutual Defense Treaty into ‘scrap paper’ In December 2018, Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana declared that he wanted a review of the 1951 Philippine-US Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT). He stated that it is high time for the two allies to examine the treaty’s provision in light of the growing […]
CHINA will develop a new island city in the disputed South China Sea despite Donald Trump’s administration branding it “illegal”. The Beijing regime will plough ahead with turning sites near the city of Sansha into a “national key strategic service and logistics base”, the South China Morning Post reports. US experts fear the move could […]
On March 1, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated: “any armed attack on Philippine forces, aircraft or public vessels in the South China Sea will trigger mutual defense obligations under Article IV of our mutual defense treaty.” To many analysts, Pompeo’s statement appeared to be the most significant action the Trump administration has taken to […]