Beijing names islands in disputed South China Sea

BEIJING, China – China on Tuesday, April 21, defended its naming of 80 islands and other geographical features in the South China Sea in a move likely to anger neighbors as the country asserts its territorial claims. A joint announcement of the names on Sunday, April 19, from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the […]

Chinese maritime patrol aircraft spotted on Kagitingan Reef

MANILA, Philippines—A Chinese maritime patrol aircraft has been spotted on Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef in the West Philippine Sea early this month, a satellite image showed. The image of a KQ-200 maritime patrol aircraft of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy was captured by ImageSat International (ISI)—a private satellite image provider—on the Chinese-occupied reef in […]

Left-wing leaders tell Palace: Counter Beijing’s expansion in South China Sea

MANILA – The Philippines should file a diplomatic protest and seek joint patrols with other countries to counter Beijing’s recent establishment of 2 administrative units on islands in the South China Sea, a new move to show assertiveness in the disputed waters despite the global emergency over the coronavirus crisis, left-wing leaders said Tuesday. While […]

Del Rosario urges Duterte gov’t: Protest new Chinese districts in South China Sea

MANILA, Philippines – Former foreign secretary Albert del Rosario called on the Duterte government to file a diplomatic protest against China’s creation of two districts in the South China Sea, saying the Philippines must be “extra vigilant” in defending its sovereign rights even as it combats the coronavirus pandemic. “We…respectfully urge our government to protest […]

Beijing names islands in disputed South China Sea

SUMMARY BEIJING, China – China on Tuesday, April 21, defended its naming of 80 islands and other geographical features in the South China Sea in a move likely to anger neighbors as the country asserts its territorial claims. A joint announcement of the names on Sunday, April 19, from the Ministry of Natural Resources and […]

China sets up mental health stations for its troops in West Philippine Sea, says report

  MANILA, Philippines—China has set up mental health stations on its occupied islands and reefs in the West Philippine Sea, which indicated that Beijing was completing its conquest of disputed areas with full medical support to its soldiers. On April 7, Jiang Chunlei, a psychology professor of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Naval Medical University, […]

Vietnam protests Beijing’s expansion in disputed South China Sea

  HANOI: Vietnam protested on Sunday (Apr 19) at China saying it had established two administrative units on islands in the South China Sea, in Beijing’s latest move to demonstrate its assertiveness in the disputed waters. China has recently been pushing its presence in the energy-rich waters while other claimants are pre-occupied with tackling the […]

Ex-DFA chief urges PH to protest China’s creation of new districts in South China Sea

  Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 19) — Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario is urging the government to protest China’s creation of new districts that cover features in the South China Sea, including the Philippine-claimed Spratly Islands, Scarborough Shoal and Fiery Cross Reef. Del Rosario said just as the Philippines protested China’s reported […]