Philippine and US forces will carry out their first ever military exercises outside the south-east Asian country’s territorial waters, in a move China has said will only lead to greater insecurity in the South China Sea. The annual Balikatan or “shoulder-to-shoulder” drills – which will run from 22 April to 10 May – will involve 16,700 soldiers simulating retaking enemy-occupied islands in areas facing Taiwan and the South China Sea. It will be the first time the maritime exercises are carried out beyond Philippine territorial waters, according to Michael Logico,…
Tag: Philippines
Dynamic in South China Sea is changing through growing US and Japan ties, says Philippines president
A cooperation agreement by the Philippines, the United States and Japan will change the dynamic in the South China Sea and the region, the Philippine president has said, while seeking to assure China it was not a target. “I think the trilateral agreement is extremely important,” Ferdinand Marcos Jr told a press conference in Washington on Friday, a day after meeting President Joe Biden and the Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida, in the nations’ first trilateral summit. “It is going to change the dynamic, the dynamic that we see in…
Blinken Warns China Against Armed Attack on Philippines
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken warned China on Tuesday that an “armed” attack against Philippine vessels in the South China Sea would trigger a mutual self-defense pact between Washington and Manila, a reflection of rising tensions in the region that risk dragging the United States into armed conflict with Beijing. But in a sign that the United States hopes to de-escalate the situation, Mr. Blinken, on a visit to Manila, gave no indication that recent Chinese provocations — which include ramming Philippine vessels and blasting them with water cannons…
South China Sea: Philippines accuses China coastguard of ‘reckless’ action after collision
The Philippines has accused China’s coastguard of “reckless and illegal actions” that resulted in a collision that caused minor structural damage to one of its vessels in the fiercely disputed South China Sea. Jay Tarriela, Philippine coastguard (PCG) spokesperson, said on social media that its vessels had “faced dangerous manoeuvres and blocking” from Chinese coastguard and Chinese maritime militia as they supported a resupply mission to military troops. This led to a collision that caused “minor structural damage to the PCG vessel”, he said in a statement on X. Footage…
Philippines Coast Guard says ship damaged in collision with Chinese vessel – video
Footage published by the Philippines Coast Guard appears to show a collision between one of its ships and a Chinese Coast Guard vessel on Tuesday morning. The Philippines Coast Guard said it was carrying out a resupply mission in the South China Sea when it ‘faced dangerous manoeuvres and blocking’ from Chinese vessels that resulted in ‘minor structural damage’ to one of its vessels The Guardian
South-east Asia’s quirky, sweary shopping stars cashing in on livestream selling
There are times when other customers browsing the malls in Gifu city, Japan, seem to wonder why Kenneth Gongon Watanabe is buying so many items, and why he is talking so energetically on his phone. But the goods in his trolleys – which can range from hoards of shoes and anime socks, to stacks of Japanese sweets and matcha latte powders – are not for him. They’re actually being bought by dozens of customers in Watanabe’s home country, the Philippines, who follow live on Facebook as he browses the shops.…
Festive cheer for Filipino fishers after supply boat evades Chinese vessels
It looked, for a time, as if Christmas had been cancelled. A Philippine mission by volunteers to bring the festive spirit to the fishers, troops and coastguard crew in the disputed South China Sea was forced to turn back on Sunday after organisers said they had been shadowed and intercepted by Chinese vessels. But it later emerged that a smaller supply boat had managed to slip past the Chinese vessels. Christmas presents, donated by the public, were dropped off at Nanshan Island, which is known in the Philippines as Lawak…
Tropical cyclone Jasper live update: Qld weather warnings in place as category 2 storm on track to hit north of Cairns today – latest
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What It Feels Like To Be the Target of China’s Water Cannons
The Filipino fishers on wooden boats waved at our vessel, a Philippine fisheries boat, from less than a mile away, but no one on our ship dared to move. Encircling us were two Chinese Coast Guard ships and five Chinese militia vessels. Then came the water cannon. One of the Chinese Coast Guard ships had fired the high-intensity water jet at our boat to prevent us from getting closer to fishermen near the Scarborough Shoal, a triangular chain of reefs and rocks 140 miles west of the Philippines. The blast…
Filipino volunteers send Santa convoy to cheer up isles disputed by ‘bully’ China
Santa Claus is coming to the South China Sea, on a mission to spread Christmas cheer to Filipino fisherfolk, troops and coast guard officials while hopefully avoiding an international dispute with China. At 1am on Sunday, the convoy of 40 fishing boats loaded with Christmas donations, Father Christmas figurines and nativity displays set sail from El Nido, Palawan, in the Philippines, on its way to disputed areas that Beijing claims, without legal grounds, as its own. The trip, organised by the coalition Atin Ito (meaning “It’s ours”), involves dozens of…