Tag: the Philippines

China activity on reclaimed reef has eroded trust: ASEAN

SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) – China’s continued reclamation in the South China Sea has eroded trust among claimants and could raise regional tensions, Southeast Asian foreign ministers said Tuesday. The ministers from the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) did not mention China by name in their statement after a one-day meeting in Singapore, current chair of the grouping. Beijing claims nearly all of the waterway and has been turning reefs and islets into islands and installing military […]

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OPINION: Crime is common, logic is rare

Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of the network as a whole.   By Mendy Amandoron Young Voices Speak contributor   “Crime is common, logic is rare,” a famous line from the legendary fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. This line metaphorically embodies the society we’re living in today. Crimes, poverty, and extreme devastation –  the world has been facing these for the last decade. The Philippines is no exception. The numerous casualties […]

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China, Russia naval drill in South China Sea to begin Monday

  (REUTERS)  China and Russia will hold eight days of naval drills in the South China Sea off southern China’s Guangdong province starting from Monday, China’s navy said. The exercises come at a time of heightened tension in the contested waters after an arbitration court in The Hague ruled in July that China did not have historic rights to the South China Sea and criticized its environmental destruction there. China rejected the ruling and refused […]

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Ahead of summit, Philippines shows images of Chinese boats at disputed shoal

  (REUTERS)  The Philippines’ defense ministry released pictures on Wednesday showing what it said were Chinese boats near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, just hours before Southeast Asian nations were due to meet China’s premier at a summit in Laos. There was no explanation for the timing of the release, but it came two days after Manila expressed “grave concern” about the increasing number of Chinese vessels around the Scarborough Shoal and […]

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Philippines worried, says more Chinese boats spotted at disputed shoal

  (REUTERS) The Philippines expressed “grave concern” on Sunday and demanded an explanation from China’s ambassador over what it said was an increasing number of Chinese boats near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. A Philippines air force plane flew over the rocky outcrop on Saturday and spotted more boats than usual in a flotilla China has maintained since seizing the shoal after a tense standoff in 2012, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana […]

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China hosts ASEAN officials for South China Sea talks

  (REUTERS)   China hosted the ASEAN delegations for the 13th Senior Officials’ Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in the northern region of Inner Mongolia on Tuesday (August 16), state media reported. State broadcaster CCTV said the meeting reviewed and passed two documents of pragmatic maritime cooperation, including a joint statement from China and ASEAN countries on the application of the Code for […]

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Japan in talks to deliver two coast guard ships to Philippines

  (REUTERS) Japan and the Philippines have begun talks for the transfer of two large coast guard ships to Manila, to help patrol the disputed South China Sea, a Japanese foreign ministry official said on Friday, as part of a deal on defense equipment. The two brand-new 90-metre (295-ft) multi-role response vessels will be in addition to ten 44-metre (144-ft) mid-sized coast guard ships, worth 8.8 billion pesos ($188.52 million), that Japan is set to […]

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Philippines seeks formal talks with China amid South China Sea tensions: Ramos

  (Reuters)  The Philippines special envoy to China, Fidel Ramos, said on Friday Manila wants formal discussions with China to explore pathways to peace and cooperation after a meeting with former Chinese deputy foreign minister Fu Ying. Ramos was speaking near the end of a trip to Hong Kong undertaken in an attempt to rekindle ties with China, which have been soured by a maritime dispute in the South China Sea. An arbitration court in […]

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China plans first regular civilian cruises to disputed Spratlys by 2020

  (REUTERS)  China will offer its first regular civilian cruises to the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea by 2020, state media said on Wednesday, a move likely to irk other claimants to the disputed waters. China’s activities in the contested area, such as building artificial islands, airfields and other military facilities, have fueled tension in Southeast Asia, although it says most of the construction is for civilian purposes. The island province of Hainan […]

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