Rival territorial claims to natural resources under the South China Sea make disputes and incidents on the surface inevitable. The potential for mishaps and misunderstandings that can lead to serious conflict means a framework for avoiding and containing them is paramount to regional peace and stability. A case in point is the fallout from a […]
Sung Kim reiterated the US commitment to the treaty following reports Beijing sunk a Philippine fishing boat. The Chinese vessel reportedly rammed a fishing boat in Reed Bank. A total of 22 crew members on the boat were rescued by a nearby Vietnamese vessel. Mr Kim said on Cignal TV’s One News: “(US Secretary of […]
They appear as ordinary Chinese fishermen manning trawlers in the South China Sea, but they are military-trained militia deployed as another “gray zone tactic,” that is, an action to gain advantage without provoking a convention military response. The relatively new sea force in the strategic waterway has recently been believed to be behind laser attacks […]
SOUTHEAST Asian leaders, including President Duterte, have vowed to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities in the South China Sea as they agreed to “avoid actions that may further complicate the situation.” All the 10 leaders attended the 34th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit (Asean) in Thailand. In the Asean Leaders’ Vision Statement […]
BEIJING — A look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves: ___ EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a weekly look at developments in […]
BEIJING — A look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves: ___ EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a weekly look at developments in […]
The Department of National Defense (DND) remains committed in ensuring the Philippines’ maritime security amid multifaceted challenges and competing interests in the regional waters. This was emphasized by Defense Undersecretary Cardozo Luna in his speech at the 146th Maritime Forum at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. However, the official said the Philippines […]
As the media fixates on the U.S. response to the June 13 attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf of Oman, simmering tensions more than 3,700 miles away in the South China Sea may soon come to a boil. On June 12, the Philippine government released a statement on the sinking of an anchored […]
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Leila De Lima on Saturday expressed support for a proposed U.S. Senate bill which seeks to sanction China on its activities in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). “Amid China’s continued military activities on the South China Sea that threatens the security of the Philippines and the entire Asean […]
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday (June 22) rebuffed his own top diplomat, as he accepted an offer from China to jointly probe the sinking of a Philippine fishing boat by a Chinese trawler early this month. Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement that Mr Duterte wants “highly qualified and competent” […]