SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Friday, March 22, that Filipino scientists have successfully conducted four hours of “extensive coral reef and fishery resources assessment” at Pag-asa Cays 1 and 2, despite “intimidation tactics” by China. Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesperson of the PCG for the West Philippine Sea, reported that […]
SUMMARY SYDNEY, Australia – Australia and Britain on Friday, March 22, criticized China for its actions in Hong Kong, the South China Sea and its support of Russia, after a meeting in which London and Canberra deepened their security ties. The two countries called out “recent unsafe and destabilising behaviour by China’s vessels against Philippine […]
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. believes in doing more to assert Manila’s claim in the West Philippine Sea but insists his government’s approach is not equivalent to provoking world superpower China. In an exclusive interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday, March 19, Marcos said the Philippines is exerting maximum effort to avoid a […]
SUMMARY BEIJING, China – China said the United States must refrain from “stirring up trouble” or taking sides on the South China Sea issue, after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a security deal with the Manila extended to attacks on the Philippine coast guard. Blinken called the US security commitment with the Philippines […]
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. hopes to “strengthen the cooperation” between the Philippines, United States, and Japan as China amps up its rhetoric against Manila over the South China Sea. “We hope the intention is to continue to plan, to strengthen the cooperation between the three countries—the United States, Japan, and the […]
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the country’s sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction are essential principles should there be a resumption of joint exploration talks with China in the South China Sea. “We cannot, at any point somehow compromise the territorial integrity of the Philippines,” Marcos told reporters late Friday in Prague. […]
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The coalition that tried to lead a civilian mission to features in the West Philippine Sea in late 2023 is going at it again, this time planning a mission to Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc which may include international observers. Atin Ito – composed of Akbayan Party, the Philippine Rural […]
SUMMARY There is one thing that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) can agree on at any given time: the importance of ASEAN centrality, or the notion that the bloc must be the “dominant regional platform to overcome common challenges and engage with external powers.” And there’s another thing the 10 members can agree […]
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. asserted that his administration has not turned down any suggestion raised by China in managing the escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea. “We have not rejected any proposal that China made to us, but the premise is something we question,” he said during a joint press […]
SUMMARY At least once a month, when the Philippine military and the Philippine Coast Guard voyage to Ayungin Shoal for a mission to bring new troops and supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre, both Beijing and Manila are quick to issue statements on the inevitable tensions out in open sea. Confrontations, including one in early […]