Aquino bares AFP buildup vs ‘bullies in our backyard’
President Aquino on Tuesday announced a $1.8-billion military upgrade to help defend the country’s maritime territory against “bullies,” amid an ever-worsening dispute with China.
President Aquino on Tuesday announced a $1.8-billion military upgrade to help defend the country’s maritime territory against “bullies,” amid an ever-worsening dispute with China.
Competing claims to the South China Sea have for decades been a source of tension in the region. China’s increasing assertiveness in staking its claim in recent years has caused concern for neighboring countries, particularly the Philippines and Vietnam.
China is to open disputed South China Sea islands up to tourism this month, state media reported Sunday, a move likely to inflame a long-running territorial row with its neighbors.
China’s increasingly powerful navy has denied firing on a Vietnamese boat in disputed waters in the South China Sea, state media said Wednesday, as its craft made wide-ranging patrols of the region.
Philippine naval security forces are set to conduct “sovereignty patrols” in the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea) to check on possible intrusions by Chinese vessels conducting naval exercises within the country’s maritime boundaries, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.
A high-level United States defense and military delegation assured the Philippines of increased joint military exercises on Tuesday as China announced its own naval war drills in the South China Sea.
President Barack Obama is urging Asian nations involved in maritime disputes to abide by the “rule of law and international standards” to ensure that conflict can avoided.
The Philippines’ largest bookstore chain has withdrawn Chinese-made globes showing Beijing’s claims to most of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) from its shelves, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.
The Philippines said Tuesday it expects to get 10 new Japanese patrol boats within 18 months, as it tries to strengthen its sea defense capabilities amid a deepening territorial row with China.
Visiting United States lawmakers are “very supportive” of the Philippine move elevating to a United Nations arbitration tribunal its bid to invalidate China’s claims in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) and to stop Chinese incursions into Philippine-claimed parts of the disputed waters, a foreign official said Tuesday.
A new Philippine map officially renaming maritime areas in the western part of the archipelago the West Philippine Sea and depicting the extent of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is awaiting the approval of Malacañang.
“See you at the United Nations,” Malacañang told China Wednesday after the Chinese Embassy in Manila made a belated appeal to settle their territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) through bilateral negotiations.
