President Rodrigo Duterte admitted on Tuesday night that he was not aware of the reported harassment of Filipino soldiers by Chinese forces in Ayungin Shoal last May. “I don’t know about that incident. I was busy talking to Korean officials. What kind of harassment?” Duterte said in a press briefing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport […]

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 4) — Former President Benigno Aquino III denied the claim of his successor, Rodrigo Duterte, that his administration has done nothing to resolve the territorial dispute in the South China Sea. “Wala akong ginawa? [I did nothing?] Who filed the arbitration? Who campaigned amongst the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian) […]

According to a report, China’s presence in New Zealand could compromise the Five Eyes partnership. Countries around Asia and their partners are increasingly concerned about China’s growing influence, and members of the Five Eyes partnership – the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand – are concerned about Beijing’s growing influence in New Zealand, according […]

According to a report, China’s presence in New Zealand could compromise the Five Eyes partnership. Countries around Asia and their partners are increasingly concerned about China’s growing influence, and members of the Five Eyes partnership – the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand – are concerned about Beijing’s growing influence in New Zealand, according […]

The two countries, both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, made the remarks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, echoing the latest US plan to ramp up its freedom of navigation operations to counter Beijing’s militarisation in the region and its stance that territorial disputes should be a matter between China and its […]

“Any irresponsible comments from other countries cannot be accepted,” Lieutenant General He Lei said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, after Mattis promised to “vigorously” compete and confront Beijing’s growing influence in the disputed waters of the South China Sea. “We see any other country that tries to make noise about this as interfering in […]

BEIJING — China needs to build defensive structures on islands in the South China Sea to display its claim to sovereignty over virtually the entire crucial waterway, a leading Chinese general said Thursday. However, the vice president of China’s Academy of Military Sciences, Lt. Gen. He Lei, declined to comment on aircraft deployments on artificial […]

SINGAPORE — A Chinese general snapped at criticisms over China’s militarization and its deployment of weapons in the South China Sea, as it asserted its rights over almost the entirety of the disputed waterway. “These weapons are a symbol of Chinese sovereignty. Think about it. No matter what country, you can deploy military assets of […]

Gavin Williamson, the Defence Secretary, said on Sunday that the UK has deployed three ships to the Asia-Pacific this year to send the “strongest of signals” on the importance of freedom of navigation and to keep up maximum pressure on North Korea. His comments on board the Royal Navy’s HMS Sutherland docked in Singapore, come […]

SINGAPORE — A Chinese general snapped at criticisms over China’s militarization and its deployment of weapons in the South China Sea, as it asserted its rights over almost the entirety of the disputed waterway. “These weapons are a symbol of Chinese sovereignty. Think about it. No matter what country, you can deploy military assets of […]