TAIPEI, TAIWAN – The Philippines, an old American ally in Asia, is changing its view on whether to scrap a key U.S. military pact, as it explores new ways of benefiting from U.S. defense aid without isolating its newer superpower friend, China, analysts and officials say. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte this month announced that cancelling […]
SOUTH CHINA SEA tensions could result in Beijing launching military action against the US, an expert has warned. The US and China have been battling for supremacy in the disputed waters as Beijing ramps up its military ambitions in the South China Sea. Washington has for years stepped in to help neighbouring Asian countries who […]
In what is likely the final visit by a top Trump administration official to Asia, US National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien dropped in this week to double down on defense cooperation, providing weaponry and rhetorical support to rally allies against China. During an elaborate ceremony at the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, O’Brien announced the […]
SOARING tensions between China and the US in the South China Sea could easily spill over into armed conflict, according to the Philippines’ defence secretary. Delfin Lorenzana said the intense rivalry between Beijing and Washington was the major security concern in the volatile region warned his country would bear the brunt of any escalation in […]
MANILA – Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said Wednesday there could be hope in the maritime disputes in the South China Sea, with China reportedly stating that it would not stop exploration activities in Reed Bank. Speaking in the online Pilipinas Conference organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute, Carpio said he sees […]
MANILA, Philippines—The prospect of the United States and China stumbling into full-blown conflict in the South China Sea is growing and the Philippines will get dragged into it whether it likes it or not, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said. At a forum hosted by the Stratbase ADR Institute on Wednesday (Nov. 25), the Philippine defense […]
As US President-elect Joseph Biden unveils his top cabinet picks, the outgoing Donald Trump administration’s hawks are bidding to box in their successors and boost their post-Trump political careers. In a crucial signal of his commitment to the international liberal order, Biden has announced the selection of a number of centrist-liberal stalwarts to top cabinet […]
BEIJING: China on Monday lashed out at Washington over its withdrawal from the “Open Skies Treaty” with Russia, saying the move undermined military trust and transparency and imperilled future attempts at arms control. The treaty, to which China is not a signatory, had allowed each country overflight rights to inspect military facilities. Read more at: […]
How should conflicting claims in the South China Sea be resolved? Preferably through peaceful means involving dialogue and consultation aimed at threshing out issues and concerns and then coming up with mutually acceptable solutions. That was the idea behind the Inaugural Symposium on Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance held in Haikou, China from November 5-6, […]
US national security adviser Robert O’Brien on Monday assured the Philippines and Vietnam, countries both locked in maritime rows with China, that Washington has their backs and would fight to keep the Indo-Pacific region free and open. “Our message is we’re going to be here, we’ve got your back, and we’re not leaving,” said O’Brien, […]