MANILA, Philippines – China should first recognize the Philippines’ ownership and sovereignty in the West Philippines Sea before Manila enters into any joint exploration with Beijing, Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo said Monday. Robredo’s comment came days after National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the government would pursue a 60-40 sharing scheme […]
In a few days the 35th ASEAN Summit will again gather the top representatives of member nations to discuss economic, socio-cultural, and most certainly political-security issues of the region. The summit convenes in the heels of escalating incidents between Hanoi and Beijing. According to Marine Traffic, the Chinese oil survey vessel Haiyang Dizhi 8 […]
Key Point: The Philippines have a role to play. The United States and the Philippines have been discussing whether the Filipino military should buy the High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a multiple rocket launcher used by the United States and other nations, according to the South China Morning Post. “If deployed, the long-range, precision-guided […]
It is incumbent upon hosts Thailand and ASEAN as a whole that South China Sea situation is mentioned in the declaration that will be issued at the 35th ASEAN Summit and 14th East Asia Summit that Bangkok is hosting between November 2 and 4. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/eas-leaders-to-focus-on-south-china-sea-situation-in-november-summit/articleshow/71782023.cms
WASHINGTON: The United States on Friday rejected Chinese accusations that political motives were behind a top Beijing space official not receiving a visa in time to attend the start of an international conference in Washington this week. Wu Yanhua, vice-chairman of the China National Space Administration, was the only official absent from the International […]
SENIOR Associate Justice Antonio Carpio will remain a staunch defender of judicial independence and rule of law even after his retirement. United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel 3rd stressed this on Friday as they lauded Carpio for his integrity and “long, productive and trailblazing career in the Supreme […]
“Hounds follow those who feed them,” remarked the great Prussian statesman Otto von Bismarck, underscoring the centrality of patronage to political influence. Something very similar has been taking place in the realm of geopolitics amid mutual estrangement between the West and the Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte. The United States has even threatened withdrawal […]
Under current President, Xi Jinping, China has begun to increase its use of social surveillance but has also rolled out a new-age form of policing its citizens. Used in the north-west region of Xinjiang, the social credit system aims to collect the data of its public in order to produce a self-governed society. Speaking […]
China has significantly increased its soft power in the region over the past decade and stands to lose a lot if its aggressive behavior in the South China Sea continues. But instead of softening its approach, it has recently stepped up its kinetic pressure on several of its rival claimants in the South China […]
China and the Philippines signed six deals last week that boosted Beijing’s funding for the Southeast Asian nation to a total of US$924 million, but the amount is a long way from the US$9 billion pledged in 2016. The discrepancy has left critics asking what Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has to show for his […]