Undaunted by China’s aggressive rhetoric and expansionist claims to nearly all of the South China Sea, the Philippines has filed a legal case against Beijing with an international arbitration tribunal in The Hague. This is an appropriate venue to resolve a major dispute peacefully and in accord with global norms. The strategy of the Philippines […]
THE Philippine government has filed a 4,000-page memorandum on its claims on the West Philippine Sea before an international court. Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma announced, “Today the government formally filed a memorandum at the arbitral tribunal of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).” Coloma explained that the memorandum or memorial […]
MANILA, Philippines — An outspoken Chinese military general insisted that China should be stern in its dispute with the Philippines over the Ayungin Reef in the hotly-contested Spratlys. Luo Yuan, vice president of a Beijing-based think tank of retired military officers, made “recommendations” on how China can protect the reef, also known as the Second […]
MANILA, Philippines – An American academic expert on Chinese studies believes that the international arbitration case filed by the Philippines against China’s sweeping territorial claims won’t succeed. Marwyn Samuels, professor emeritus at the Syracuse University in New York, said this is because the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) will take […]
An academic expert believes the Philippines’ arbitration case against China will not succeed. Marwyn Samuels, professor emeritus of Chinese studies at Syracuse University in New York, pointed out that China has repeatedly said it will not participate in the arbitration case. He added since the territorial dispute involves legal and technical matters, it will take […]
While much of the world was busy watching Russia swallow Crimea, few realised that an also dangerous territorial tit-for-tat had begun to unfold earlier this month more in the South China Sea. At Second Thomas Shoal, a handful of Philippine marines have long been stationed and re-provisioned on the rusting deck of the BRP Sierra Madre, […]
MANILA, Apr 2 2014 (IPS) – After a year of futile diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the South China Sea disputes, the Philippines has risked permanent estrangement with China by pressing ahead with an unprecedented arbitration case before a United Nations court at The Hague, while ironing out a new security pact with the U.S. […]
MANILA, Philippines – China should join the Philippines’ peaceful and diplomatic approach to settling the West Philippine Sea dispute rather than make adverse statements or accuse Manila of damaging relations with Beijing. In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Philippines is entitled to pursue whatever it feels is […]
MANILA, Philippines – Preserving the decrepit BRP Sierra Madre and keeping it habitable for a handful of soldiers guarding the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal may be costly, but the stake – the country’s sovereignty – is priceless. This is according to the Marines assigned to the remote outpost, which of late had been a target […]
MANILA, Philippines – China has called on the United States to stop making “irresponsible remarks” supporting Manila’s position on the West Philippine Sea issue and denouncing Chinese vessels’ blockade of Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal. “We urge the US to respect facts, stop making irresponsible remarks and cease to encourage the provocative and risky actions of […]