TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Sunday it had spotted 35 Chinese military aircraft, including fighters and bombers, flying to the island’s south on the way to exercises in the Pacific, a second day in a row it has reported such activities. China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory despite the strong objections of the government in Taipei, regularly sends its military in the skies and waters near the island […]
Tag: sovereignty
Taiwan reports Chinese ‘combat patrol’ after Beijing slams US arms deal
By Ben Blanchard and Ryan Woo TAIPEI/BEIJING (Reuters) -Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Sunday that Chinese warplanes and warships had carried out another “combat patrol” near the island, after Beijing threatened to take countermeasures in response to a $2 billion arms sale package by the United States. The United States is bound by law to provide Chinese-claimed Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, to the constant anger […]
No ‘external force’ can change our future, Taiwan president says on frontline islands
By Walid Berrazeg KINMEN, Taiwan (Reuters) – Taiwan cherishes its freedom and democracy and no “external force” can change its future, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Friday, visiting sensitive frontline islands next to China for the 75th anniversary of a key victory over communist forces. Taiwan has controlled Kinmen, and the Matsu islands to the north, since the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taipei in 1949 after losing a civil war with […]
Palace on US Senate panel reso backing De Lima, Ressa: It’s a “brazen, heedless affront” to PHL sovereignty
(Eagle News)–The Palace on Saturday, Dec. 14, slammed a United States Senate panel approval of a resolution calling for the release of Senator Leila de Lima and an end to the alleged harassment of Rappler’s Maria Ressa, calling it a “brazen and heedless affront against the dignity” of the country’s sovereignty. “It is an undisguised and outrageous intrusion to a sovereign state. There can be no excuse for the US Senate Committee not to know […]
President Duterte reiterates stand PHL “not prepared to go to war” with China
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated his stand he was “not prepared to go to war” amid criticisms the Philippines was not doing enough to protect its claims in the South China Sea. “We just don’t have the capability..,” the President said in a speech at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command Headquarters at Camp Lapu-Lapu in Cebu City on May 1, Tuesday. According to Duterte, in the first place, America should […]
Duterte: Southeast Asian leaders emphasized need to honor “sovereign equality, non-interference” in 32nd ASEAN Summit
(Eagle News)–The leaders of Southeast Asian nations reiterated the need to honor “time-honored principles” of “sovereign equality” and “non-interference” in internal affairs in the 32nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Singapore. This is according to President Rodrigo Duterte, who spoke upon his arrival in Davao from the summit on Sunday, April 29. He said during the summit, three “key” documents were also adopted to address terrorism and extremist violence, illegal drug trade, and […]
Roque: Duterte reiterated he was not “abandoning” arbitral tribunal decision on S. China Sea in meeting with Vietnamese PM
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated the Philippines was “not abandoning, not ignoring, not setting aside” the arbitral tribunal decision that favored it over China in the South China Sea dispute. According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, the move was done by the President in a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the sidelines of the 32nd Association of Southeast Asian Summit in Singapore. “He will deal with the arbitral […]
Gordon: Duterte has right to order arrest of ICC prosecutors if they come to PHL
(Eagle News)—Senator Richard Gordon on Sunday, April 15, said President Rodrigo Duterte has every right to order the arrest of International Criminal Court prosecutors should they come to the country. “As far as the President is concerned, he has the right to protect the country. Kapag ang mga ito ay gagawa lang ng hindi mabuti, dine-destabilize ang bayan natin, he has that right,” Gordon said in a radio interview. He also agreed with Duterte’s position […]
China says US warship ‘violated’ its sovereignty
Beijing said it has dispatched a warship to drive away a US missile destroyer which had “violated” its sovereignty by sailing close to a shoal in the disputed South China Sea. The USS Hopper sailed within 12 nautical miles of Huangyan Island on the night of January 17 without alerting Beijing, the foreign ministry said, referring to the shoal by its Chinese name. Also known as Scarborough Shoal, the ring of reefs lies about 230 […]
President Duterte: PHL to no longer accept EU aid
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday stood by his earlier pronouncement the Philippines will no longer accept grants from the European Union. In a speech at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Taguig, Duterte said this was because the aid comes with strings attached. He said for instance, when they offered an amount, “i-specify nila na para ito sa Bureau of Fire kasi magbigay sila ng truck. Pero, gusto nila bilihin mo […]
China trains ‘fishing militia’ to sail into disputed waters
(Reuters) The fishing fleet based in this tiny port town on Hainan island is getting everything from military training and subsidies to even fuel and ice as China creates an increasingly sophisticated fishing militia to sail into the disputed South China Sea. The training and support includes exercises at sea and requests to fishermen to gather information on foreign vessels, provincial government officials, regional diplomats and fishing company executives said in recent interviews. “The […]





