The battle for the South China Sea is heating up. Vietnam. Malaysia. The Philippines. All have drawn lines in the sandbars against China. But it may already be too late. This past year, Vietnam stood its ground over the right to deploy an oil rig within its UN-mandated waters. Malaysia complained publicly of interference […]

  JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia said on Wednesday it rejected China’s claims over a disputed part of the South China Sea as “having no legal basis”, after two days earlier protesting to Beijing over the presence of a Chinese coastguard vessel in its territorial waters. The boat trespassed into Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone off the […]

  SOUTH CHINA SEA tensions have seen China brush aside the claims of smaller nations surrounding the contested region in pursuit of political, economic and military dominance. However, this may backfire, as Malaysia join Vietnam in stepping up its resistance. Malaysia defied China with a damning statement calling Beijing’s Nine-Dash Line waters claim “ridiculous.” Foreign […]

  JAKARTA (REUTERS) – Indonesia said on Monday (Dec 30) it had protested to Beijing over the presence of a Chinese coastguard vessel in its territorial waters near the disputed South China Sea, saying it marked a “violation of sovereignty”. The boat trespassed into Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone off the coast of the northern islands […]

  JAKARTA – Indonesia said on Wednesday it rejected China’s claims over a disputed part of the South China Sea as “having no legal basis”, after two days earlier protesting to Beijing over the presence of a Chinese coastguard vessel in its territorial waters. The boat trespassed into Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone off the coast […]

  WHAT’s the talk to begin with? That the Philippines is not just government. It is also people. As a matter of fact, the Philippines is less government than people. With the above as guidepost, it behooves China that in rendering assistance to the Philippines, it must make sure such assistance redounds to the benefit […]

  THE manner by which China has been exerting its influence, including Beijing’s apparent attempt to impose itself abroad as of late, goes beyond the globally accepted norm that truly deserves international concern, an independent Taiwanese think tank has observed. But while the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies (CAPS) has concurred in not only […]

THE UNITED STATES has warned China against attempt to coerce Taiwan after Beijing’s new Shandong aircraft carrier sailed through the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence said Shandong and accompanying frigates sailed northwards through the Strait. Taiwan will see Presidential elections on January 11 with incumbent Tsai Ing-wen facing Han Kuo-yu of the Kuomintang […]

  SOUTH CHINA SEA disputes have led to tense military stand-offs between the US and Chinese navies, but Beijing is gaming long-accepted rules of engagement by sending a civilian militia to harass rival ships. These civilian vessels cannot be targeted by military ships. The People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM) are linked to and backed […]

  Critics demanded the release of medical bulletins, noting that transparency about the President’s health is enshrined in the 1987 Constitution. But the Palace played down concerns about his health.Halfway through his term, President Rodrigo Duterte continues to hold high trust and satisfaction ratings, and extended his popularity to his allies who swept the midterm […]