News

Duterte: South China Sea ‘already in China's possession’

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Nov 15 11:24 PM

President Rodrigo Duterte said he is against conducting military drills in the South China Sea because it might anger China, who he said is already in possession of the disputed region. Read more »

What experts say on Duterte claiming 'China possesses South China Sea'

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Nov 15 09:59 PM

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte's remark that Beijing is "already in possession" of the disputed South China Sea could be used against the Philippines in the future, two lawyers warned on Thursday. Read more »

China, dapat mag-ingat sa mga kilos sa South China Sea: Duterte

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Nov 15 09:10 PM

Nagbabala si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa China na maghinay-hinay sa kanilang mga kilos sa pinag-aagawang teritoryo sa South China Sea. Read more »

Duterte on US' move vs. China: 'Why do you have to create frictions?'

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Nov 15 09:08 PM

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday warned against infuriating China, which he said is already “in possession” of South China Sea, as any “friction” in the disputed sea might erupt into a conflict that will affect peace and stability in the region.   Read more »

China weather stations in Spratly 'not claims of ownership' - Locsin

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Nov 15 05:20 PM

China's weather stations in the Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea are "not claims of ownership," Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Thursday, despite analysts' claim that the facilities could serve military purposes.  Read more »

Pence says 'empire and aggression' have no place in Indo-Pacific

Reuters
Posted at Nov 15 10:43 AM

US Vice President Mike Pence told leaders of Southeast Asian nations on Thursday that there is no place for "empire and aggression" in the Indo-Pacific region, a comment that may be widely interpreted as a reference to China's rise. Read more »

US carriers join 'complex' warfare drills in Philippine Sea

Reuters
Posted at Nov 15 08:31 AM

TOKYO - Two U.S. aircraft carriers with around 150 fighter jets are conducting "complex" warfare drills in the Philippine Sea, the U.S. Navy said on Thursday, in a show of force in waters south of China and within striking distance of North Korea. Read more »

Bill dividing Palawan into 3 provinces will likely benefit China: analyst

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Nov 14 11:52 PM

Palawan on China's mind.  Read more »

Duterte says China should tell South China Sea claimants how to avoid dispute

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Nov 14 11:49 PM

At the second day of the 33rd ASEAN Summit in Singapore, President Rodrigo Duterte said China should instruct fellow claimant-countries on how to best avoid dispute in the contested waters. Read more »

ASEAN leaders hail ‘steady progress’ in sea code talks

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Nov 14 07:42 PM

Southeast Asian leaders on Wednesday hailed the “steady progress” in the negotiations for a code that will govern the behavior of claimant states in South China Sea, as China eyes to complete the consultation in three years. Read more »

Duterte to China: Tell us what route shall we take

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Nov 14 04:57 PM

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he is worried by the tension between Western nations, led by the United States, and China in the South China Sea, as the Philippines could be dragged into a potential conflict between the two military powers. Read more »

Chinese Premier Li says talks on S. China Sea code should end in three years

Lee Chyen Yee, Reuters
Posted at Nov 13 12:47 PM

SINGAPORE - China's Premier Li Keqiang said on Tuesday that Beijing hoped a consultation with Southeast Asian nations on a code of conduct in the disputed South China Sea would be completed in three years, and that such an deal would bolster free trade. Read more »

US presses China to halt militarization of South China Sea

Idrees Ali and Matt Spetalnick, Reuters
Posted at Nov 10 02:29 PM

Top US officials urged their Chinese counterparts on Friday to halt militarization of the disputed South China Sea. Read more »

No joint exploration deal during Xi’s visit but discussion possible - DOE

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Nov 07 11:18 PM

MANILA - The Philippines and China will not sign any joint exploration deal in the disputed South China Sea during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Philippines this month, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said Wednesday.   Read more »

Palace: Never too late to protest vs China

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Nov 05 12:50 PM

Panelo said this when asked to react on Beijing’s admission that it has started operating a maritime observation center, a meteorological observatory and a national environmental and air quality monitoring station on its man-made islands in the South China Sea. Read more »

OPINION: China announces operation of weather station in Spratlys prior to Xi’s Manila visit

Ellen T. Tordesillas
Posted at Nov 05 12:49 AM

As Manila prepares for the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping two weeks from now, Beijing steps up its control of the Spratly islands in the South China Sea. Read more »

Sea code a 'stabilizer' only for China, not ASEAN - analyst

Trishia Billones, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Oct 30 02:05 PM

A code of conduct in the South China Sea, touted by the Chinese foreign minister as a "stabilizer" in the region, would only provide stability for Beijing and not the other Southeast Asian nations, an analyst said Tuesday. Read more »

China to work with ASEAN on 'stabilizer' sea code

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Oct 29 02:47 PM

Beijing and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN earlier this year agreed a draft COC, outlining the claimants' bargaining positions over the strategic waterway. Read more »

China a 'sincere, trustworthy friend' to Philippines, says top envoy Wang

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Oct 29 01:19 PM

Since Duterte reset ties with China in two-way trade in 2017 alone topped $50 billion while Philippine exports grew 10.5 percent. Over 2 years, China bought 2 million pounds of bananas, pineapples and mangoes, helping 40,000 farmers earn $1.5 billion. Read more »

China’s Wang says PH right to befriend Beijing

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Oct 29 01:20 PM

MANILA - China’s foreign minister Wang Yi on Sunday commended the warming up of relations between his country and the Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte, saying befriending Beijing was a step in the right direction for Manila. Read more »