Tag: china

US warns China over moves on Philippines, Taiwan

Armed attack on PHL to “trigger our obligation” to defend PHL under US-PHL Mutual Defense Treaty, says US State Dep’t spokesman   WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States on Wednesday warned China against what the Philippines and Taiwan see as increasingly aggressive moves, reminding Beijing of Washington’s obligations to its partners. “An armed attack against the Philippines’ armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea, will […]

‘It’s the tone’: Palau president explains his China mistrust

  by Jerome TAYLOR Agence France Presse He leads one of the world’s smallest nations, but Surangel Whipps says Palau will not be bullied by anyone into deciding its future — least of all by China. Whipps, 52, became Palau’s president after last year defeating an opponent who favoured closer ties with Beijing. The Pacific nation of around 21,000 people is one of just 15 countries that still recognise Taiwan over China, something Whipps is […]

PHL files another diplomatic protest vs China

(Eagle News) — The Philippines is filing another diplomatic protest against China over the presence of Chinese fishing vessels and maritime assets in the vicinity of Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. made the announcement in a Tweet on Wednesday, April 7, while sharing a Department of National Defense infographic quoting Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s response to the Chinese embassy’s justification of why the vessels were there. […]

Defense Chief Lorenzana to China: Stop activities that “disturb regional, int’l peace and security”

(Eagle News) — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana reiterated his call for China to “refrain from conducting activities that disturb regional and international peace and security.” In reiterating his call, Lorenzana said China’s nine-dash line, which it uses to stake its claim over almost the entire West Philippine Sea, is “without any factual or legal basis.” Lorenzana noted that the Permanent Court of Arbitration had already “flatly and categorically rejected” China’s historical claim when it issued […]

China vaccine maker Sinovac doubles production capacity

BEIJING, China (AFP) — Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac said Friday a third production line for its Covid-19 vaccine has been put into use, doubling its annual capacity of the jabs to two billion doses. Its CoronaVac is one of four domestic vaccines given conditional approval by Chinese authorities, which helps rush emergency drugs to market. On Wednesday, experts from the World Health Organization said an interim analysis of clinical trial data from two Chinese vaccines, […]

ANALYSIS: China’s strategy of using maritime militia in Julian Felipe Reef, a Scarborough redo, says expert

Us-PHL-China intl relations and in’t l studies expert says PHL did right in sending PHL Coast Guard to ward off Chinese militia to avoid a repeat of Scarborough incident   (Eagle News) – China is using a tried and tested strategy of deploying its maritime militia in several land features such as reefs or shoals in the South China Sea, including those in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone such as the Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun […]

Filipina Hong Kong domestic worker fired after cancer diagnosis dies

  HONG KONG, China (AFP) — A Filipina who was sacked as a domestic worker in Hong Kong after being diagnosed with cancer — a case that exposed the vulnerability of low-paid foreign workers — has passed away, a friend confirmed Wednesday. Baby Jane Allas, 40, was told she had stage three cervical cancer two years ago and was promptly fired by her employer, who cited the illness as the reason for termination. The single […]

WHO experts give nod to China jabs, Sinovac and Sinopharm, boosting global vaccine drive

  by Nina Larson and Robin Millard, with AFP bureaus Agence France Presse GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — Two Chinese coronavirus jabs are safe and effective, WHO experts said Wednesday after reviewing partial data, providing a potential boost to countries from Australia to Europe struggling to roll out vaccines fast enough. Fewer than 600 million jabs have been given out across the world, three months after vaccination programmes began in earnest in Western countries and leaders […]

PHL again tells China to “immediately withdraw” militia ships “swarming” in Julian Felipe Reef, West PHL Sea

Notes Chinese militia ships also increasing presence in Kalayaan Group of Islands, other parts of West PHL Sea   (Eagle News) – The Philippine government reiterated its demand for China to immediately withdraw Chinese militia ships in the country’s territorial waters, including 44 ships still moored at the Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef), and 214 more ships in other areas of the Kalayaan Island Group and the West Philippine Sea. In a statement released by […]

In photos: President Duterte welcomes arrival of another batch of 1 million Sinovac doses in PHL

Total vaccine doses already in the PHL now at more than 2.5 million (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, March 29, welcomed the arrival of another batch of 1 million Sinovac doses under the brand name Coronavac that brought the total number of the Chinese-made jabs delivered to the country at 2 million. The vaccines arrived a month after the delivery of the first shipment of Sinovac doses that were donated by the […]

Chinese firm to make 60 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik vaccine

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia has agreed a deal for more than 60 million doses of its Sputnik V vaccine to be produced in China from May, the jab’s developer said on Monday. The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has financed the development of the vaccine, said it and Shenzhen Yuanxing Gene-tech Co. “have agreed to cooperate on production of over 60 million doses” of Sputnik in China. The RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund […]

Virus likely jumped to humans from bats through ‘missing link’ animal: WHO report

by Nina LARSON GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — An international expert mission to Wuhan has concluded it was very likely that Covid-19 first passed to humans from a bat through an intermediary animal, while all but ruling out a laboratory leak. The intermediate host hypothesis was deemed “likely to very likely”, while the theory that the virus escaped from a lab was seen as “extremely unlikely”, according to the long-awaited report, which AFP obtained a copy […]