SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines on Monday, March 25, questioned if China was sincere in “lowering the tensions and promoting peace and stability in the South China Sea” as it protested yet another case of harassment by the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) during a mission to bring soldiers and […]

SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – Beijing on Saturday, March 23, warned Manila that it “should be prepared to bear all potential consequences” if it “insists on going its own way,” just hours after China Coast Guard (CCG) ships blocked, harassed, and used water cannons against Philippine vessels trying to bring personnel and supplies to the BRP […]

SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – Foreign governments on Saturday, March 23, rallied behind the Philippines after the China Coast Guard again used water cannons against a Philippine vessel on a routine rotation and resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, damaging the boat and causing injuries among some […]

SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Saturday, March 23, used water cannons against a Philippine resupply boat that was en route to the BRP Sierra Madre, a makeshift Philippine military outpost in Ayungin Shoal, the Philippine military said. The boat, the wooden Unaizah May 4, “sustained heavy damages at around 08:52 […]

SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Friday, March 22, that Filipino scientists have successfully conducted four hours of “extensive coral reef and fishery resources assessment” at Pag-asa Cays 1 and 2, despite “intimidation tactics” by China. Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesperson of the PCG for the West Philippine Sea, reported that […]

SUMMARY SYDNEY, Australia – Australia and Britain on Friday, March 22, criticized China for its actions in Hong Kong, the South China Sea and its support of Russia, after a meeting in which London and Canberra deepened their security ties. The two countries called out “recent unsafe and destabilising behaviour by China’s vessels against Philippine […]

SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. believes in doing more to assert Manila’s claim in the West Philippine Sea but insists his government’s approach is not equivalent to provoking world superpower China. In an exclusive interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday, March 19, Marcos said the Philippines is exerting maximum effort to avoid a […]

SUMMARY BEIJING, China – China said the United States must refrain from “stirring up trouble” or taking sides on the South China Sea issue, after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a security deal with the Manila extended to attacks on the Philippine coast guard. Blinken called the US security commitment with the Philippines […]

SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. hopes to “strengthen the cooperation” between the Philippines, United States, and Japan as China amps up its rhetoric against Manila over the South China Sea. “We hope the intention is to continue to plan, to strengthen the cooperation between the three countries—the United States, Japan, and the […]

SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the country’s sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction are essential principles should there be a resumption of joint exploration talks with China in the South China Sea. “We cannot, at any point somehow compromise the territorial integrity of the Philippines,” Marcos told reporters late Friday in Prague. […]