China has been accused of militarizing the contested South China Sea and jeopardizing peace in the region after the Philippines reported sightings of 261 suspected armed fishing vessels and Chinese navy warships, including hundreds within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Philippine Foreign Minister Teddy Locsin Jr. said he had ordered his office to lodge a […]
MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines filed fresh diplomatic protests to China on Wednesday after accusing its giant neighbour of undertaking illegal fishing and massing more than 240 boats within the Southeast Asian country’s territorial waters. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said that two protests had been lodged, days after Manila summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang […]
Far more important than who is right in the contretemps between China and the Philippines over Chinese boats massing at Whitsun Reef in the South China Sea, is what the contest reveals about the political forces at work. What should have been a storm in a teacup has became dangerous because of the US-China struggle […]
There are two kinds of dispute in the Spratlys, the territorial dispute and the maritime dispute. The territorial dispute involves the issue of sovereignty over the geologic features above water at high tide and their surrounding territorial seas. The maritime dispute involves the economic right to exploit the resources in the waters and seabed beyond […]
Hong Kong (CNN)Military activity in the South China Sea spiked over the weekend as a Chinese aircraft carrier entered the region and a US Navy expeditionary strike group wrapped up exercises. Meanwhile, the US and Philippines were preparing for joint drills as the US secretary of defense proposed ways to deepen military cooperation between Washington […]
MANILA — The Philippines and the U.S. on Monday kick off two weeks of military drills in a showcase of their defense alliance amid a fresh feud between Manila and Beijing over the disputed South China Sea. The resumption of the annual exercises comes as officials from both countries recently discussed tensions in the disputed […]
Hong Kong (CNN)They’ve been dubbed China’s “Little Blue Men,” an allegedly Beijing-controlled maritime militia that analysts say could be hundreds of boats and thousands of crew members strong. China doesn’t acknowledge their existence and when questioned, refers to them as a “so-called maritime militia.” But Western experts say the alleged militia is an integral part […]
The Philippines has called on China to withdraw more than 200 ships it accuses of encroaching upon its territorial waters in the South China Sea. Defence Minister Delfin Lorenzana said the Chinese ships were violating the Philippines’ maritime rights. The Philippines says the fishing boats do not appear to be fishing and are crewed by […]
The Philippines also reiterated its demand for China to withdraw its maritime assets and cease its “environmentally destructive activities” in the area MANILA: The Philippines on Wednesday denounced the “lingering presence” of Chinese militia vessels at the Julian Felipe Reef, which experts said could be a “prelude” to another occupation and construction of a military […]
Australia on Wednesday joined the United States and Japan in expressing concern over Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea after Manila protested the presence of more than 200 Chinese vessels moored near the Julian Felipe Reef, which is inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. “We remain concerned about destabilizing actions that could provoke escalation,” […]