NEW DELHI – On the face of it, China’s recent declaration of an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) extending to territories that it does not control has nothing in common with America’s arrest and strip-search of a New York-based Indian diplomat for allegedly underpaying a housekeeper she had brought with her from India. In fact, […]
MANILA, Philippines – President Aquino believes US Secretary of State John Kerry’s pronouncements and those of officials of other countries on China’s air defense identification zone would reduce tension in the disputed areas. Speaking to reporters after an event in Malacañang yesterday, Aquino said the pronouncements would be helpful. “I suppose it is good that […]
MANILA, Philippines – Washington does not recognize China’s air defense identification zone over the East China Sea, visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday. “The United States does not recognize that zone and does not accept it,” Kerry said during a news conference yesterday with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario. “The zone […]
MANILA — The United States will provide the Philippines’ security forces with $40 million in new assistance in part to help the country protect its territorial waters amid rising tensions with China over disputes in the South China Sea, US Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday while urging all the nations involved to “lower […]
MANILA, Philippines – Chinese surveillance ships and missile cruisers have increased the frequency of their maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), a senior maritime security official said yesterday. This came after a Chinese naval vessel came dangerously close to a US warship during a tense incident in the area last week. […]
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will soon have 10 more vessels in its fleet in order to fulfill its mandate to protect the country’s territorial waters in the wake of a maritime row with China, President Aquino said yesterday. Aquino made the disclosure when he arrived yesterday morning from a visit to […]
MANILA, Philippines – The government has adopted a national action plan seeking to prevent and eliminate illegal fishing in Philippine waters amid recent high-profile poaching incidents by foreign vessels. The plan is contained in Executive Order 154 signed by President Aquino last Dec. 6 and published in a national daily yesterday. In the order, Aquino […]
Shortly after we published our article in the Oct. 27 issue about the Filipino marines stationed on a forsaken boat in the South China Sea, Typhoon Haiyan devastated the central Philippines. In the wake of the storm it became clear that thousands of Filipinos had died. The photographer Ashley Gilberston and I were naturally concerned about the […]
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ lawyer in its historic case against China said on Tuesday, December 3, that Manila needs an “impeccable” judgment against Beijing to pressure it to take a “more flexible position” on maritime disputes. Paul Reichler, the Philippines’ lead counsel before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), hinted […]
TOKYO – The West Philippine Sea issue will be up for discussion as President Aquino embarks on a visit here starting today to attend the 40th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) commemorative summit and meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Philippine Ambassador to Japan Manuel Lopez said Japan was committed to assisting the ASEAN […]