Trump’s “America First” foreign policy thrust has triggered concerns about the scale and depth of US commitment to the region under his new term. “It’s a strong message to China on solid bilateral relations” between the US and the Philippines,” Romualdez said of Hegseth’s upcoming visit. China claims virtually theContinue Reading
The Philippines wants India and South Korea to join the “Squad” grouping of nations that has been established to curb and counter China’s growing maritime power, the country’s armed forces chief said yesterday. Speaking yesterday at the Raisina Dialogue security forum in New Delhi, Gen. Romeo S. Brawner said thatContinue Reading
The United States’ image as a guarantor of peace in the Indo-Pacific is under threat from President Donald Trump following his swift reversal of the U.S. policy of support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia. Trump wants a quick diplomatic settlement with Russia to end the war at the expense ofContinue Reading
BEIJING: China’s military said it warned and drove away three Philippine aircraft that “illegally intruded” into the airspace near the Spratly Islands on Thursday (Feb 20). There was no immediate comment from the Philippine embassy in Beijing on the Chinese military’s statement issued on Friday. China’s Southern Theatre Command accusedContinue Reading
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) accused the Chinese navy of “aggressive and escalatory actions,” when a navy helicopter flew close to a Philippine aircraft patrolling a contested shoal in the South China Sea. In a statement, PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela said an aircraft from the Bureau of Fisheries and AquaticContinue Reading
The Philippines military is keen on acquiring more anti-ship missiles and at least two submarines as part of its ongoing modernization program, the commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said yesterday. In a speech to leading business figures in Taguig City yesterday, Gen. Romeo BrawnerContinue Reading
Over 7,000 acres (28.3 sq km) of coral reefs equivalent to almost 4,000 football fields have been destroyed by five South China Sea claimants based on an analysis of satellite images, according to a report published by a US think tank. The report by the Centre for Strategic & InternationalContinue Reading
BEIJING: Beijing said on Monday (Feb 10) that a joint statement by the United States and Japan condemning its “provocative activities” in the contested South China Sea “attacks and smears” China. China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite an international ruling in 2016 concluding this has noContinue Reading
The training covered safe vessel boarding at sea, maritime law, evidence collection and preservation, safety and risk mitigation and arrest techniques, according to the statement. The Australian Border Force joined the coast guard, customs enforcers and fisheries surveillance officials at the training as observers. China has stepped up expansion ofContinue Reading
