MANILA – Recent incidents involving Chinese ships in Southeast Asian waters are testing regional faith in Beijing’s sincerity about maritime peace, and aiding a renewed US push to build alliances with countries unnerved by China’s assertiveness. Chinese maneuvering in energy-rich stretches of the South China Sea, including a standoff in Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone, […]
MANILA, Philippines — US senators called on the Trump administration to do more in countering China’s aggressive activities in the disputed South China Sea. Sens. Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey), Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) asked US State Secretary Mike Pompeo to prioritize discussions on the South China Sea in the […]
MANILA, Philippines – Amid criticism of its growing military presence in the South China Sea, China’s ambassador to Manila Zhao Jianhua claimed Beijing would “not take the first shot,” as he appealed to claimant countries to “be patient” when settling disputes. In a speech celebrating the 92nd anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army on Monday […]
MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) – One of the things many Filipinos have been waiting to hear from him is his explanation of what is right and just about the way he has handled China’s intrusion into the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea. He promised to give his Sona audience […]
MANILA, Philippines — Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua told Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana that it was not true that Chinese aircraft carrier CV-16 Liaoning passed through Philippine waters recently. Lorenzana and Zhao met during President Rodrigo Duterte’s fourth State of the Nation Address last week. “According to him (Zhao), Liaoning did not pass through Sibutu Strait […]
MANILA- President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Philippine Coast Guard Sunday to patrol the islands of Batanes to ensure that it “will remain ours.” The President said the Coast Guard can patrol the islands from “time to time,” noting that it is the responsibility of the government to preserve the country. “You might want to […]
China has started military exercises in both the East and South China Seas near coastal areas, according to two navigation restriction notices released by maritime safety authorities on Sunday and Monday. The military exercises in the East China Sea started at 6 pm on Sunday, and is scheduled to conclude at 6 pm on […]
An attempt by China in 2014 to drill oil in the Paracel islands, claimed by Vietnam, had led to anti-China riots in Vietnam in which several Chinese factories were vandalised. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/vietnam-briefs-india-about-chinese-action-in-south-china-sea/articleshow/70436158.cms
They are pushing their country’s claim over the disputed area. The Philippines has taken China to court over ownership of the territory and a decision is expected within the next few weeks. One activist spoke to Al Jazeera about her trip.
During his State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 22, President Duterte made it very clear that “… the West Philippine Sea is ours. There [are] no ifs and buts. It is ours… we have been acting [applause] along that legal truth and line. But we have to temper it with the times […]