Category Archives: West Philippine Sea

China Says No Such Thing as ‘Hit-and-Run’ in South China Sea

China confirmed that a Chinese fishing vessel was involved in an incident with Filipino fishermen in South China Sea but denied that it hit and abandoned them. China’s preliminary investigation showed that Chinese fishing vessel Yuemaobinyu 42212 from Guangdong province was engaged in a “light purse seine operation” about midnight on June 9 when it […]

South China Sea: Beijing deploys jets in challenge to Trump as fears of conflict surge

FEARS of open conflict in the South China Sea surged after satellite images revealed Chinese warplanes have been deployed to a contested island. The images, acquired by CNN, show four J-10 fighter jets on the disputed Woody Island. This is believed to be the first deployment of Chinese warplanes to the island since 2017. Beijing’s […]

Collision highlights need for South China Sea code

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 […]

Things Filipinos must know about China’s fishing militia in the South China Sea

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 […]

Restraint in South China Sea Asean’s mantra once again

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 […]