Manila, Philippines — Lawmakers yesterday asked the Aquino government to expedite the signing of a new Agreement on Enhanced Defense Cooperation (AEDC) with the United States based on “mutual interest” in the wake of Washington’s vow to defend its Southeast Asian allies against China’s aggressive action in pursuing claims over disputed islands in the West […]
The Philippines has put its disputed territorial claims before an arbitration tribunal in The Hague. According to Gregory Polin, Manila’s arguments against China’s ‘nine-dash line’ and rival claims are entirely justified. It’s now up to the tribunal to weigh in and convince Beijing of these ‘facts’. By Gregory Poling for Pacific Forum CSIS Editor’s note: […]
On March 30, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs stated that it submitted its Memorial to the Arbitral Tribunal that is hearing the case it brought against China under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in January 2013. A lot of media friends ask for comments on this issue. In order […]
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. […]