China gets too much blame; Japan, not enough The call is for Australia, Japan and other willing partners to cooperate with the US to counter Beijing’s allegedly expansionist activities in the South China Sea. But wait a moment. Did not the US itself, in its 1951 San Francisco peace treaty with Japan, signed and […]
August 19, 2019: The Philippines is trying to be more realistic about resisting the Chinese effort to take possession of the South China Sea. The Chinese effort is massive. For example, during the first three months of 2019 China deployed 900 navy, coast guard and naval militia ships around Pagasa Island to block access […]
President Rodrigo Duterte says that when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing end-August, he would finally raise the 2016 arbitral court ruling, which nullified China’s nine-dash line encroaching on the Philippines exclusive economic zone. If the event indeed transpires, then that puts him on the right track. What’s clear for now is […]
MANILA, Philippines — The US Air Force has been playing a big role in maritime domain awareness in the South China Sea to ensure that the disputed waterway will remain free and open. US Pacific Air Forces commander Gen. Charles Brown said they are supplying “accurate information” for the decision-makers and to their partners […]
US Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein vows “there will be no let up in our willingness or our ability to fly or sail where we need to and when we need to” in US commitments to defend the Philippines in the South China Sea. The US has emphasised its commitment to […]
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Leila de Lima on Saturday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to cancel agreements with Chinese investors’ to turn three strategic islands in the Philippines into economic and tourism zones. De Lima, a staunch critic of the President, filed Senate Resolution No. 93, seeking the cancellation of the planned development on Fuga […]
MANILA – Government is tightening up rules for the issuance of visas upon arrival for visiting Chinese nationals, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Saturday, weeks after several officials expressed concern over the influx of travelers here from China. In a statement, Guevarra said the Department of Justice and its attached agency the Bureau of Immigration […]
Just after our people were getting united in our goals and methods of asserting our rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), and after President Duterte publicly promised he would take up the arbitral award with President Xi Jinping, Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua strongly reiterated China’s rejection of the award, firmly saying that China “will […]
Malacañang on Saturday further raised expectations that President Rodrigo Duterte would discuss the landmark ruling on the South China Sea when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month. “His trip to China now, to him, it’s the right time to raise the arbitration ruling,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told reporters. “There […]
MANILA – It is important for President Rodrigo Duterte to raise with his Chinese counterpart the maritime surveys being conducted by Beijing in Philippine waters without consent from Manila. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said this Saturday, in the wake of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s statements Friday hitting the secrecy of the passage of 9 […]