Monthly Archives: November 2014
China urged: Respect PH court decision on poachers
MANILA, Philippines – China was asked yesterday to respect a Philippine court decision imposing a fine of $100,000 (P4.3 million) each on nine Chinese fishermen for poaching in Philippine waters plus P120,000 ($2,666) each for taking wildlife. Speaking to reporters, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Charles Jose said the nine Chinese fishermen have undergone […]
Vietnam-Philippines port call amid concern over China’s SCS airstrip
Late last week, an IHS Jane’s report corroborated claims that China was embarking on an island-building project in the South China Sea. Based on satellite imagery, Jane’s reported that China was building an airstrip-capable island on Fiery Cross Reef, a group of three reefs in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. China claims the territory as part of Hainan […]
The South China Sea: Navigating the Most Dangerous Place in the World
When people ponder where the next major conflict might erupt, they often look to the South China Sea – the scene of the potentially most explosive, intractable, overlapping sovereignty claims in the world. What can the United States do to find a peaceful solution to tensions between China, the Philippines and Vietnam, and indirectly between […]
China’s Friendship Treaty: A Distraction from South China Sea Diplomacy
As China once again offers ASEAN states billions of dollars and promotes another treaty for “Good Neighborly and Friendly Cooperation” (which sounds an awful lot like the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation), Southeast Asian nations should consider how China perceives ASEAN and what goals it hopes to gain from its interactions with the bloc. By […]
PH helpless in stopping China’s reclamation work in disputed seas
MANILA, Philippines—Several months after China was first found to be conducting reclamation activities in a reef in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippines has been helpless in stopping the Asian giant from doing nearly all it wants in the disputed region. The latest of China’s reclamation projects is on Fiery Cross Reef, which China calls […]
Book proves Bajo de Masinloc part of Philippine territory
University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea (UP-IMLOS) with the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) launched a book that will enhance Philippines position on Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal internationally known as Scarborough Shoal. The book entitled “Bajo de Masinloc: Maps and Documents” was launched November […]
China strengthening claim to South China Sea oil and gas
Not gone and not forgotten, China is ready to solidify its claim to the South China Sea (SCS). Recent satellite imagery confirms China is conducting significant land reclamation operations in the Spratly Islands in the SCS. The SCS is an important fishing ground and is believed to hold large amounts of oil and gas. Undermining […]
Vietnam-Philippines port call amid concern over China’s SCS airstrip
In what was the first ever port call between the countries, two Vietnamese frigates visited the Philippines on Tuesday. An unnamed Filipino naval officer said the two countries would hold peaceful joint patrols and operations in the Spratlys. But the timing of the maiden port call was clear. It coincides with the first anniversary of China’s declaration […]
One Year of ADIZ: What Next for China?
It’s now been a year since China unilaterally declared an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over a large swathe of the East China Sea. Beijing’s decision to do so came at a time of rising tensions between China and Japan over the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. While that dispute persists today, tensions were significantly higher a […]