SOUTH China Sea tensions surged after a US Navy warship was spotted carrying twice the amount of fighter jets than usual. The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp was on its way to the annual Balikatan exercises in the Philippines, according to reports. The ship was carrying at least 10 F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters, the […]

US Balikatan Exercise Director Chris McPhillips says the purpose of the exercises is to develop cooperation among Filipino, American, and Australian soldiers MANILA, Philippines – After US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave an assurance that his country would defend the Philippines in case of any armed attack in the South China Sea, will the […]

China is prepared to cooperate with the Philippines to verify the alleged presence of Chinese vessels near Pag-asa Island and handle the issue through “friendly and diplomatic channels,” allaying fears of an outbreak of conflict over the issue. Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua made the assurance after the Philippine government moved to protest […]

Moscow was violating the treaty and Beijing has had thirty years to build its own missiles. In 2017, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (“PLA”) announced plans to bring down its 2.3 million strong forces below 1 million with the Army’s share falling below 50 percent. Then last year the PLA slashed three-hundred-thousand ground troops from […]

China’s ongoing construction efforts have created a situation where (in the words of the Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Philip Davidson) Beijing is ‘capable of controlling the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the United States’. The absence of outright war reflects not only China’s ability to move the […]

MANILA, Philippines — Despite previous pronouncements of United States Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on the South China Sea, the annual joint military exercises between Filipino and American troops will not reflect the maritime dispute. In his visit to Manila last month, the top American diplomat assured the Philippines that the US is ready to […]

MANILA – Some 200 Chinese ships have been spotted near the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island in the South China Sea since the start of the year, triggering alarm in the Philippine military. Philippine soldiers will continue their patrols in the disputed area, military chief Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr. said, adding that Chinese fishing vessels have repeatedly […]

TAIPEI — A beaching ramp due for completion this year – and warily watched by China – will give curious reporters something new to see when the Philippine military next escorts them to Thitu Island. Media pay attention to the 37-hectare (90 acres) islet west of the main Philippine archipelago because it’s the front line […]

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines has monitored an extraordinary surge of vessels from a Chinese fishing fleet around Philippine-occupied islands in the West Philippine Sea this year. More than 600 Chinese fishing vessels have been recorded surrounding the sandbars of Pag-asa Island (Thitu) for the first quarter of 2019 alone. “Foreign […]

MANILA – The Philippines should separate its economic relations with China from their maritime row, an analyst said Saturday. Lyle Morris, a senior policy analyst of the RAND Corporation, said geopolitics and economics are not mutually inclusive. He said Manila can afford to have a stronger stance in the maritime dispute at the same time […]