Tag: South China Sea

Duterte pushes for binding guidelines on South China Sea, notes how region is a “flashpoint for trouble”

  (Eagle News) — Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte expressed his frustration regarding the South China Sea during his keynote address on the “25th International Conference on the Future of Asia” conference in Tokyo on Friday, May 31, as he pushed for binding guidelines that could prevent tensions in the volatile region. “We are friends with China. I am the moderator country for China and the ASEAN. And the last thing I heard was that the […]

Xi broke promise on South China Sea: Top US general

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US military’s top general said Wednesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping reneged on promises not to militarize the South China Sea and called for “collective action” to hold Beijing responsible. General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Pentagon’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was not calling for military action, but stressed that there was a need to enforce international laws. “The fall of 2016, President Xi Jinping promised President […]

Palace: American think-tank report on return of Chinese clam-harvesting fleets to S. China Sea needs validation

(Eagle News)–The Palace on Tuesday, May 21, said the report by an American think-tank that said Chinese clam-harvesting fleets have returned to the South China Sea still needs to be validated. According to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, this was the “first time he has ever heard of the information.” “.. I suppose the Western Command should make a validation of that and then refer it to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs for whatever action the […]

AMTI: Chinese clam harvesting fleets have returned to S. China Sea “in force” over the last six months

(Eagle News)—-Chinese clam harvesting fleets have returned to the South China Sea in force over the last six months after a drop-off  in activity from 2016 to late 2018, a think-tank said. According to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, the fleets, which “typically include dozens of small fishing vessels accompanied by a handful of larger ‘motherships,’” have also returned to Scarborough Shoal. “AMTI has not found clear evidence of new clam harvesting in the Spratly […]

Indonesia detains Vietnamese fishermen after clash in South China Sea

  JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesia has accused the Vietnamese coastguard of ramming one of its vessels to block the interception of a boat fishing illegally, as a senior minister announced a return to sinking foreign trawlers. The clash in the South China Sea at the weekend saw Jakarta summon Vietnam’s ambassador on Monday, after the navy detained a dozen Vietnamese fishermen. “The actions taken by the Vietnamese coast guard ship endangered the lives of […]

Duterte asks: Will US risk going to war over PHL claims in W. PHL Sea?

(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, April 17, raised the question of whether or not the United States would go to war to defend the Philippines in its dispute with China over claims in the West Philippine Sea. Without directly answering the question, Duterte said a nuclear war, however, would result in a catastrophe. “Kasi kapag nag nuclear war ubos man tayong lahat sa mundong ito. Russia bitawan niya lahat, bitawan ng China, bitawan ng […]

SWS: Most Filipinos agree filing of ICC suit vs Xi sends message to world China should leave W. PHL Sea

(Eagle News)–Most Filipinos agree that the suit filed against Chinese President Xi Jinping before the International Criminal Court sends a message to the world that China should leave the West Philippine Sea, a recent Social Weather Stations survey found. The SWS found the 49 percent who agree to the test statement “The suit filed in the ICC by Albert Del Rosario and Conchita Carpio-Morales, former officials of the PH government, against Chinese Pres. Xi Jinping […]

US warship cruises disputed sea during PHL-US Balikatan exercises

  by Ron Lopez Agence France Presse MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — A US warship laden with hi-tech fighter planes took center stage at key war games in the Philippines Thursday, brandishing military might as fresh tensions bubble in the contentious South China Sea. The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, with at least 10 F-35B stealth jets on deck, stood guard as amphibious tanks rolled onto a Philippine beach located a short sail from islands also […]

Palace on presence of Chinese vessels near PHL islands: It is an assault on our sovereignty

(Eagle News)–The Palace on Wednesday, April 10, rebuked China after newspaper reports said there were Chinese vessels near islands occupied by the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea. “If they continue to be present in our territory then it is an assault on our sovereignty,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said following reports on the presence of the vessels near Kota Island. These were apart from the vessels near Pag-asa Island. According to Panelo, the Department […]

Chinese envoy on ICC communication vs Xi: It’s a fabrication

(Eagle News)–China’s Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua described as a “fabrication” the communication filed by two former government officials against Chinese President Xi Jinping over the Asian giant’s claims in the South China Sea. “It’s an action by individuals and we think it’s a kind of political action viciously targeting the Chinese leadership,” Zhao Jianhua said prior to his courtesy call on Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in the Palace. According to Zhao, “of course, […]

Palace: PHL gov’t filed diplomatic protest vs China over presence of Chinese vessels near Pag-asa Island

(Eagle News)—The Philippine government has filed a diplomatic protest against China over the presence of Chinese vessels near Pagasa Island, the Palace said on Monday, April 1. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Department of Foreign Affairs in particular noted the presence of 275 Chinese vessels from January to March this year. He did not say when the protest was filed. The Philippines and China have had improved relations since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office. […]

Duterte to Chinese minister: PHL gov’t had nothing to do with filing of ICC communication vs Xi Jinping

(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has made it clear to China that the Philippine government had nothing to do with the filing of a communication against Chinese President Xi Jinping before the International Criminal Court. According to a press release from Malacañang, this was what Duterte told Song Tao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee,  during the Chinese official’s courtesy call on the chief executive on Wednesday, […]