Major European nations are seeking to raise their profile in the Asia-Pacific, with freedom of navigation operations and concern about rising tensions in the South China Sea signalling their desire to remain relevant in the region, analysts say. “Until a few years ago, European countries preferred to keep a low profile on regional security […]
Administration and opposition congressmen have filed a bill proposing to establish the archipelagic sea lanes of the country in a bid to prevent a repeat of the controversy brought about by the passage of Chinese warships in Philippine waters without prior clearance from Manila. Three bills on the archipelagic sea lanes were filed separately by […]
Time and space precluded a somewhat exhaustive discussion of the topic tackled in this column last time out: Analogy discloses US evil hand. And although a reader lauded the article as “quite an enlightening piece,” saying “America can never be trusted,” I nonetheless feel obliged to elaborate further on matters either completely left unsaid […]
The Department of National Defense (DND) will continue enforcing the rights of the Philippines in the disputed waters in the South China Sea (SCS) even if President Duterte decides to “set aside” the 2016 arbitral ruling in favor of a joint exploration activity with China. “The Philippines is a rules-based state and a party […]
MANILA – Malacañang assured Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio Friday that President Rodrigo Duterte would never abandon the Philippines’ legal victory in the South China Sea after the magistrate said the chief executive has “no authority” to set it aside. Duterte’s spokesperson Salvador Panelo twitted Carpio, saying the justice “appears to relish in finding […]
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has no authority to “set aside” Manila’s legal victory in the South China Sea to push through with a joint oil and gas exploration deal in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said Friday. Carpio, one of the country’s staunchest advocates of Philippine ownership of disputed […]
The U.S. and the Philippines have agreed to enhance defense cooperation, increasing joint security activities next year amid tension in the South China Sea. “Today, we addressed regional security challenges together as friends, allies, and partners,” Admiral Philip Davidson, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said after their mutual defense board meeting in Manila. […]
A photo taken on April 29 shows a Rosneft Vietnam employee at the Lan Tay gas platform in the South China Sea off the coast of Vung Tau, Vietnam. BANGKOK – Vietnam, locked in one of its most protracted test of wills with China of late, is trying to allay fears that yet another […]
The Department of National Defense (DND) warned on Friday that freedom of navigation operations (Fonops) at the West Philippine Sea (WPS or South China Sea) may be at risk should Beijing continue its militarization activities. Defense Undersecretary Cardozo Luna said China’s militarization activities over its reclaimed areas would also make it capable of deterring […]
MANILA—The Department of National Defense (DND) on Friday laid out plans to solve the territorial dispute in the South China Sea, saying it is the source of instability and tension in the region. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said they are pursuing a 2-pronged approach to assert the Philippines’ claims in the West Philippine Sea, the […]