Statement of Justice Antonio T Carpio (Ret.) on the Speech of President Rodrigo Duterte before the United Nations General Assembly

I personally commend the strong stand that President Rodrigo Duterte made before the UN General Assembly that the arbitral award in the South China Sea Arbitration is “beyond compromise and beyond the reach of passing governments to dilute, diminish or abandon.” It is heartening that President Duterte has welcomed “the increasing number of states that […]

Appeasing China Won’t Cool the Earth

As policy makers in Beijing weigh their options in the event of a Biden victory, one of the subjects that will most engage their attention is climate change. Joe Biden has repeatedly stated that he will put the goal of slowing climate change at the heart of U.S. foreign policy. Washington would rejoin the Paris […]

Diplomatic protest not needed vs. countries with no active conflict with PH — Locsin

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 21) — There is no need to file diplomatic protests against countries with no active conflict with the Philippines over the South China Sea, the Foreign Affairs secretary said. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr. told lawmakers in a House budget hearing on Monday that he sees no […]

Philippines Won’t Follow China on Excluding West in Disputed Sea

The Philippines’ top diplomat said the country would not follow China’s stance of keeping Western powers — including the U.S. — out of the disputed South China Sea. The South China Sea Code of Conduct that Southeast Asian nations are crafting with Beijing won’t lead to western countries’ exclusion from the waters, Philippine Foreign Secretary […]

Germany wades into the Indo-Pacific fray

In a move that promises to rile China, Germany has officially joined the “Indo-Pacific” geopolitical club as outlined in a new 40-page policy guideline. The document makes Germany the second European nation, along with France, to adopt a formal strategy for the region. Though falling short of taking sides in Donald Trump’s new Cold War […]