SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – Days after the newly-established National Maritime Council (NCM) called the Chinese harassment of a June 17 resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal a “misunderstanding” and recommended to “announce” future resupply missions, the Philippines has changed its tune, now describing Chinese actions in the West Philippine Sea as “deliberate.” “After our visit to […]
SUMMARY The BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal is the symbol of our commitment to defend our sovereignty and protect our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). On the downside, our approach to it also reflects the lack of coherence in the government’s strategy in the face of Beijing’s coercive tactics at sea. […]
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is asserting that there was “no reason” to interpret the actions of the Chinese coast guard on June 17 – which included ramming a Philippine government ship, brandishing machetes and knives, and taking disassembled rifles – as an “armed attack” on Philippine military personnel. “There is no reason na i-interpret […]
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – Some of the Philippines’ biggest business groups have broken their silence and condemned the “continued harassment” of military personnel, hinting that businesses are beginning to worry about the potential economic spillovers of rising tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea. “We deplore the continued harassment of the AFP (Armed forces […]
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ newly-established National Maritime Council (NMC) announced Friday, June 21, that it has recommended to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the “announcement” of resupply missions to Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal, a flashpoint for tensions between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea. “As a result of the meeting today, the […]
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed on Friday, June 21, that four vessels of the Chinese Navy or the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) were monitored passing through within 12 nautical miles off the coast of mainland Palawan on Wednesday, June 19. In a statement on Friday, AFP Public […]
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – It took the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) around 12 hours to rescue personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) who got wounded after the China Coast Guard (CCG) rammed a Philippine Navy vessel on Monday, June 17, in an attempt to disrupt Manila’s resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal. The […]
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The European Union (EU) on Friday, June 21, criticized China’s new coast guard regulation, saying it “adds to tensions” and hinders the path to a “durable solution” of disputes in the South China Sea. The EU issued the statement days after the tensest and most violent incident between Chinese and Filipino […]
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – Beijing on Tuesday, June 18 (in New York) filed its opposition to the Philippines’ claim of an extended continental shelf (ECS) west of Palawan before the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS). “China has indisputable sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao and the adjacent waters, and enjoys […]
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and United States State Secretary Antony Blinken spoke early Thursday, June 20 (Wednesday, June 19 in the United States) about “the People’s Republic of China’s escalatory actions against the Philippines in the South China Sea,” the State Department said in a readout. “Secretary Blinken emphasized […]