We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
China warns Philippines not to play with fire on Taiwan question
BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- China warns the Philippines not to play with fire on the Taiwan question and to stop sending wrong signals to the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday. Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos' message of congratulations to Lai.....»»
China urges Philippines to stop hyping up maritime disputes
BEIJING, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Friday urged the Philippines to stop hyping up maritime disputes between the two countries, and work with China to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea. When asked to comment on reports at a daily press briefing that the House of Representatives of the Philippines recently adopted a resolution regarding issues of the South Chi.....»»
Apple scraps Jon Stewart show over China, AI clashes: report
US comedian Jon Stewart's talk show on Apple TV+ has reportedly been canceled after just two series due to clashes between its host and the company over topics such as China and artificial intelligence. Stewart told staff that executives from Apple -- which has vast commercial interests in China and AI -- had expressed concern over proposed new content for "The Problem with Jon Stewart," The New York Times said. Apple did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment. Stewart became a household name in the United States as the host of Comedy Central's long-running "The Daily Show," before stepping down to pursue other interests in 2015. Streaming platform Apple TV+ launched "The Problem with Jon Stewart" as a flagship current affairs show in 2021. The show takes a satirical look at a different topical issue each week. Episodes in the most recent season included "Globalization: Made In America" and "Searching for Allies." Since Apple first established a presence in China in 1993, the US tech giant has grown into a major provider of smartphones, laptops and consumer electronics in the country. Apple chief Tim Cook made a surprise visit to China this month, and he has previously spoken of his company's "symbiotic" relationship with the nation. In an earnings call in August, Cook said Apple views AI and machine learning as "core fundamental technologies that are integral to virtually every product that we build." amz/hg/sst © Agence France-Presse The post Apple scraps Jon Stewart show over China, AI clashes: report appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Asian markets fall on rate fears as bond yields rise
Asian markets fell across the board Wednesday following Wall Street's lead after robust US employment data and rising Treasury yields exacerbated fears that interest rates will be higher for longer. The labor report, known as JOLTS, showed a surprise increase in the number of job openings to 9.6 million, a sign of continued tightness in the market and fuelling worries of a further rate hike by the Federal Reserve before year's end. The report comes ahead of Friday's highly anticipated September US employment report. Following the JOLTS report, 10-year US Treasury note yields climbed to levels last seen in 2007. Treasury bond yields are seen as a proxy for US interest rates and are closely watched. All three major US indices closed in the red, falling by more than one percent. "Stock market investors were sent reeling after US job openings unexpectedly rebounded in August, adding to concerns that the Federal Reserve could hike rates in November but unquestionably maintain elevated borrowing costs for an extended duration," said SPI Asset Management's Stephen Innes. Tokyo and Seoul, which resumed trade after a long holiday weekend, led the Asian selloff Wednesday, both falling around two percent, while Hong Kong, Taipei, Jakarta, Singapore, Sydney, and Wellington were all sharply lower in a sea of red. Markets in mainland China were closed for a week-long holiday. "It is difficult (for investors) to move towards bargain-hunting as yields in US Treasury notes keep climbing," analyst Shutaro Yasuda of Tokai Tokyo Research Institute said. On forex markets the yen was trading at 149.28 to the dollar after hitting 150.16 in London on Tuesday, its weakest level in a year. Japan's top finance officials declined to comment Wednesday on whether Tokyo had intervened to support the yen after it had breached the psychological 150 level. In recent months, the yen has plummeted against the dollar in part because of the widening gap in interest rates set by the Bank of Japan and the US Federal Reserve. The post Asian markets fall on rate fears as bond yields rise appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NOW Telecom appeals to SC over ‘erroneous’ NTC fine
NOW Telecom Inc. of businessman Mel Velarde has elevated its appeal to the Supreme Court or SC to settle the alleged P2.6 billion in spectrum regulatory fees or SRF and associated charges it allegedly owes the National Telecommunications Commission or NTC. The company, through a 22-page comment dated 1 September 2023 filed before the SC, pointed out that the regulatory fees and penalties imposed were "erroneous" and needed to be recomputed. NOW Telecom is disputing the NTC's calculation, which was based on the total capital stock of P13.57 billion instead of the subscribed and paid-up capital of P1.39 billion. The company pointed out that the additional paid-in capital of P12.17 billion should be excluded from the computation. Thus, it requested the High Court to order NTC to recompute the SRF and base it solely on its capital stock of P1.39 billion and set aside the regulator's letters assessments dated 5 July 2025, and 23 December 2005. Additionally, the company also asked the SC to delete the imposition of any penalty and interest. “We are confident that this SRF issue will be finally resolved. NOW Telecom continues to appeal to the Marcos administration to (maintain) a level playing field, for NOW to compete head-on with China Telecom/DITO and Huawei-equipped SMART and GLOBE,” Velarde said in a press statement on Tuesday. NOW Telecom also contended that the NTC's reference to a COA letter was flawed due to discrepancies. The COA letter claims over P3 billion in unresolved receivables that spanned 14 years. "The crucial COA Letter was conspicuously absent from NTC's official documents, replaced by correspondence with the Office of the Solicitor General, casting doubts on the authenticity of the claim," it added. NOW Telecom additionally said that "the staggering amount imposed by the NTC as penalties and interest does not align with the purpose of the law." "As the term itself implies, the amount of the SRF collected is supposed to be commensurate to, and is simply intended to reimburse the NTC for the costs it incurs in supervising and regulating the telecommunications industry," the company said, adding that the SRF is not a tax or a revenue-raising measure. Last June, it can be recalled that the Securities and Exchange Commission or SEC fined NOW Corp. and Velarde P1 million each for allegedly “misleading disclosures” about the P2.6-billion unpaid obligation of affiliate company NOW Telecom to the government. In a seven-page order dated 15 June 2023, the SEC affirmed that NOW Corp. and Velarde were administratively liable for violating the Securities Regulation Code or SRC for disclosing misleading information to the public. The disclosure in question was the one posted on 10 November 2021, which stated that NOW Corp. was unaware of the details surrounding the motions filed by the NTC with the SC. The SEC pointed out that as one of the concurrent key officials of both NOW Corp. and NOW Telecom, Velarde is “considered to have ipso facto participated in the transactions” relating to the unpaid SRF and SUF liability of NOW Telecom. The post NOW Telecom appeals to SC over ‘erroneous’ NTC fine appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PCG condemns China-installed floating barrier in southeast part of Bajo de Masinloc
The Philippines has accused the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) of building a "floating barrier" that forbids Filipinos from fishing in the contested area of the West Philippine Sea. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Jay Tarriela said the barrier in part of the Scarborough Shoal prevents Filipino fishing boats from entering the shoal and depriving them of their fishing and livelihood activities. Images from the region, known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines, showed Chinese boats set up and monitored several buoys and barriers arranged and protected by Chinese boats. Tarriela said the PCG and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) personnel found the Chinese boats setting up the 300-meter-long barrier on Friday while on a "routine maritime patrol." "Three CCG's Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) and Chinese Maritime Militia's service boat installed the floating barrier upon arrival of the BFAR vessel in the vicinity of the shoal. The Filipino fishermen reported that the CCG vessels usually install floating barriers whenever they monitor many Filipino fishermen in the area," Tarriela said. He added that the BFAR vessel observed more than 50 FFBs engaged in fishing activities in the area during the routine maritime patrol. Recognizing the importance of supporting the artisanal or subsistence fishing of these fishermen, Tariella said the BFAR provided them with various grocery items and fuel subsidies to sustain their operations. However, a total of four CCG vessels, namely CCG-3065, CCG-3066, CCG-3105, and CCG-3301, initiated a series of 15 radio challenges in an attempt to drive away the BFAR vessel and FFBs. "The CCG crew alleged that the presence of the BFAR vessel and Filipino fishermen violated international law and the domestic laws of the People's Republic of China (PRC)," Tariella said. "The BFAR vessel responded to each and every radio calls and emphasized that they were carrying out a routine patrol within the territorial sea of BDM," he added. Tariella further mentioned that the CCG vessels maintained a safe distance and moved away upon realizing the presence of media personnel onboard the BFAR vessel. "The PCG will continue to work closely with all concerned government agencies to address these challenges, uphold our maritime rights and protect our maritime domains," Tarriela said. However, the Chinese embassy in Manila has yet to comment on the matter. China claims 90 percent of the South China Sea, which overlaps with the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. Beijing annexed the Scarborough Shoal in 2012, forcing Filipino fishermen to travel farther in search of lesser catches. During the period when bilateral ties were significantly improving under then-President Rodrigo Duterte, Beijing allowed Filipino fishermen to return to the uninhabited shoal. However, since Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his successor, gained government last year, tensions have increased once more. The post PCG condemns China-installed floating barrier in southeast part of Bajo de Masinloc appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Defector’s plea: Don’t send me back
A Chinese activist who fled to Taiwan is holed up in a local airport, pleading authorities no to send him back to his country. “I hope to seek asylum in the United States or Canada. I request for friends to appeal to Taiwan’s government to please not send me back to China,” Chen Siming wrote on X from the transit area of Taoyuan International Airport. Chen said he fled China three months ago because the methods used by authorities “to maintain stability are becoming more brutal.” He also alleged that Chinese authorities had detained him in the past, confiscated his phone, and conducted a psychiatric evaluation on him. “I could no longer endure (it)... so I fled China on 22 July,” Chen wrote. “On September 22, I finally arrived in Taiwan, the island of freedom.” According to Radio Free Asia, Chen first traveled to Laos after leaving China in July, before crossing into Thailand. But due to worries about being sent to immigration prison in Thailand — a country with a track record of deporting dissidents — he bought a return ticket to China that transited via Taiwan, RFA said. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council has not responded to requests for comment on Chen’s current status. In 2019 two Chinese dissidents spent more than four months trapped in limbo at Taiwan’s airport after fleeing China. WITH AFP The post Defector’s plea: Don’t send me back appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Starbucks opens $220 million plant outside Shanghai
US coffee behemoth Starbucks opened a $220 million development outside Shanghai on Tuesday, a sign established multinationals are still looking to China for growth despite its faltering post-Covid recovery. A survey released Tuesday by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai reported optimism among US businesses in China was at a "record low", mainly blaming the sluggish economy and Washington-Beijing tensions. But Starbucks' "Coffee Innovation Park", which includes a roasting plant and distribution center, is the largest investment the company has made in any such project outside the United States, a news release said Tuesday. "Starbucks' best days are ahead in China," a spokesperson for the company told AFP by email when asked to comment on business sentiment in the country. "As Starbucks' largest and fastest-growing international market, we will continue to deepen our investment and reinforce our unwavering long-term commitment to the China market," CEO Laxman Narasimhan was quoted as saying in the release. Narasimhan visited China in May, when he met the mayor of Shanghai, according to state media. His trip took place as other CEOs of major multinational companies flocked to the world's second-largest economy to shore up business support post-Covid -- including Apple, Tesla, JP Morgan, and General Motors. Starbucks declined to give further details on the visit when asked. The company has more than 6,500 coffee shops in more than 250 Chinese cities and says that a new store opens in the country every nine hours. The new Coffee Innovation Park has been built to serve the company's China stores exclusively, the company said, with some beans used coming from southern Yunnan province. The post Starbucks opens $220 million plant outside Shanghai appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Taiwan detects 103 Chinese warplanes around island
Taiwan told China on Monday to stop its "destructive unilateral actions" after more than 100 Chinese warplanes and nine navy ships were detected in areas around the self-ruled island. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory to be seized one day, by force if necessary, and has ramped up diplomatic and military pressure on Taipei in recent years. Taiwan's defence ministry described the number of warplanes detected in 24 hours as a "recent high", while Beijing has so far refrained from issuing any official comment on the sorties. "Between the morning of September 17th to 18th, the Ministry of National Defence had detected a total of 103 Chinese aircraft which was a recent high and has posed severe challenges to the security across the Taiwan Strait and in the region," it said in a statement. Beijing's "continued military harassment can easily lead to a sharp escalation in tension and worsen regional security," the ministry said, as it called on China to "immediately stop such destructive unilateral actions." Of the total number of warplanes detected, 40 crossed the so-called median line of the Taiwan Strait that separates the island from China, and entered its southwest and southeast air defence identification zone (ADIZ), the statement said. 'High alert' Last week, Taipei also reported an increased number of incursions by Chinese warplanes and ships. The uptick came as Beijing said its troops were on "high alert" after two ships belonging to the United States and Canada sailed through the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan's defence ministry said 68 Chinese aircraft and 10 naval vessels were detected around the island between Wednesday morning and Thursday morning. Some of those planes and warships were heading to an unspecified area of the Western Pacific to "conduct joint sea and air training" with China's Shandong aircraft carrier, the ministry said. The Shandong, one of two operational aircraft carriers in the Chinese fleet, was detected last week around 60 nautical miles (110 kilometers) southeast of Taiwan heading into the Western Pacific, Taipei authorities said. Japan's defence ministry also said last week its navy had detected six ships -- including frigates, destroyers, one fast combat support ship and the Shandong -- sailing through waters some 650 kilometers (400 miles) south of Miyakojima island, east of Taiwan. It confirmed that jets and helicopters had been detected taking off and landing from the Shandong, though China has not commented officially on any drills being conducted in the Western Pacific. 'The same China' Analysts said China could be flexing its muscles to counter US influence in the Asia-Pacific, as it leads multiple rounds of military drills with allies across the region. "Politically, China aims to counter the military containment of democratic allies led by the United States," Su Tzu-yun, an analyst at Taiwan's Institute for National Defence and Security Research told AFP. Following last August's visit to Taipei by Nancy Pelosi, then-speaker of the US House of Representatives, China staged its largest-ever war games around Taiwan. Then in April this year, Beijing conducted a three-day "Joint Sword" military exercise to simulate the encirclement of the island, after Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California. While Beijing has yet to issue any statements on its latest sorties, China's Global Times state tabloid posted a comment on the Weibo social media platform. "The mainland and Taiwan belong to the same China, and Taiwan is a sacred and inalienable part of China," the post said, reiterating Beijing's long-standing policy. "The People's Liberation Army's relevant combat training activities are necessary actions to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," it added, referring to China's military. The post Taiwan detects 103 Chinese warplanes around island appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UNCLOS gives substance
Discerning where the Philippines and China stand in the simmering territorial conflict requires returning to the arbitral ruling. China has been dwelling on the false narrative that since it did not participate in the proceedings of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, or PCA, it can disregard its ruling. The argument, thus, continues that since it was not a party to the process, then it is not bound to comply with the award, particularly since it had stated, being a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, that it would not subscribe to third-party arbitration. Annex VII of UNCLOS, however, provides that the “absence of a party or failure of a party to defend its case shall not constitute a bar to the proceedings.” That portion of the Charter of the Oceans also provides that if a party does not participate in the proceedings, a tribunal “must satisfy itself not only that it has jurisdiction over the dispute but also that the claim is well founded in fact and law.” The PCA said in its award that throughout the proceedings, the Tribunal had taken steps to test the accuracy of the Philippines’ claim, including by requesting further written submissions from the Philippines and questioning the Philippines both before and during two hearings. UNCLOS also appointed independent experts to report to the Tribunal on technical matters, obtain historical evidence concerning features in the South China Sea, and provide this to the parties for comment. According to PCA, China also made it clear through the publication of a position paper in December 2014 and other official statements that, in its view, the tribunal lacked jurisdiction in the dispute. Article 288 of the Convention, however, states, “In the event of a dispute as to whether a court or tribunal has jurisdiction, the matter shall be settled by decision of that court or tribunal.” The PCA convened a hearing on jurisdiction and admissibility in July 2015 and rendered an award on 29 October 2015, deciding on some jurisdiction issues and deferring others for further consideration. The PCA inquired on the issue of jurisdiction and found it had the authority to adjudicate. The PCA argued the award was final and binding based on Article 296 of the Convention and Article 11 of Annex VII. Regarding China’s claim of historic rights and the “nine-dash line,” the tribunal found it had jurisdiction, and it concluded that to the extent China had historic rights to resources in the waters of the South China Sea, such rights were extinguished. The historic rights were invalidated since these were incompatible with the exclusive economic zones provided for in UNCLOS. The Tribunal also noted that, although Chinese navigators and fishermen, as well as those of other States, had historically used the South China Sea islands, there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources. “The Tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the ‘nine-dash line,’” it added. The violation of rights was not on the part of the Philippines, as China had claimed consistently, but the other way around. Finding certain areas being within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, the Tribunal found that China had “violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone by interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration, constructing artificial islands and failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone.” The Tribunal held that Filipino fishermen (like those from China) had traditional fishing rights at Scarborough Shoal and that China had interfered with these rights by restricting access. The Tribunal further held that Chinese law enforcement vessels had created a serious risk of collision when they physically obstructed Philippine vessels. Based on UNCLOS, which China insisted on adhering to, its historic claims had no basis, regardless of its refusal to honor the PCA decision. It is thus bound to follow what is provided in the International Convention, which is all there is to it in the maritime rift. The post UNCLOS gives substance appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US, Vietnam agree to deepen ties as China worries grow
US President Joe Biden hailed closer ties with Vietnam on Sunday as the two countries struck a deal to deepen cooperation, including on semiconductors, but said he was not aiming to contain China. The "comprehensive strategic partnership" with Hanoi is part of Washington's push to bolster its network of allies around Asia and the Pacific in the face of Beijing's rising influence. Biden accused Beijing of seeking to bend the international order to its will. "One of the things that is going on now is China is beginning to change some of the rules of the game, in terms of trade and other issues," Biden said. Sometimes to Beijing's chagrin, Washington has invested heavily in building alliances as part of its Indo-Pacific strategy, including the Quad security dialogue with India, Australia and Japan, and the AUKUS pact with Britain and Australia. Biden said he wanted establish clear ground rules for relations. "I don't want to contain China. I just want to make sure we have a relationship with China that is on the up and up, squared away, everybody knows what it's all about," he said. Biden flew in to Hanoi straight from a G20 summit that failed to agree to a phase-out of fossil fuels and highlighted deep divisions over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The US president said he had met Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the G20 -- a meeting the White House had not announced -- and discussed "stability". Semiconductor deal Global supply chain shocks and fears about US reliance on China for strategic resources have further driven the push to boost ties with the likes of Vietnam. The new partnership includes an agreement on semiconductors, with the United States committing to help Vietnam develop its capabilities and expand production. There is also a section on rare earth minerals, which used in the manufacture of high-tech devices such as smartphones and electric car batteries. Vietnam has the world's second-largest deposits of rare earths after China and US officials say it has a key role to play as it looks to diversify and strengthen its supply chains. Biden moved last month to restrict US investment in Chinese technology in sensitive areas including semiconductors, quantum computing and artificial intelligence. "This can be the beginning of even a greater era of cooperation," Biden said as he met Nguyen Phu Trong, the head of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party and the country's paramount leader. "Vietnam and the United States are critical partners at what I would argue is a very critical time." The deal puts the United States on a par with China -- as well as Russia, India and South Korea -- at the top level of the Vietnamese hierarchy of diplomatic relations. Trong thanked Biden for his contribution to improving US-Vietnamese ties and said his country would work hard to implement the new agreement. Although it is careful to be seen as not taking sides between the United States and China, Vietnam shares US concerns about its neighbour's growing assertiveness in the contested South China Sea. However, The New York Times reported just ahead of Biden's visit that Vietnam was secretly arranging to buy arms from Russia in contravention of US sanctions. The report cited a Vietnamese finance ministry document that laid out plans to fund arms purchases from the Kremlin through a joint oil and gas project in Siberia. AFP has contacted the Vietnamese government for comment. US Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer told reporters that Washington acknowledged Vietnam's decades-long military relationship with Russia. But he said there was "increasing discomfort on the part of the Vietnamese with that relationship", and the new partnership would help Hanoi "diversify away from those partnerships" by allowing it to source from the United States and its allies. Human rights Biden said he had raised human rights in his meeting with Trong and pledged to "continue our candid dialogue in that regard". Vietnam has a dire rights record. Government critics face intimidation, harassment and imprisonment after unfair trials, and there are reports of police torture to extract confessions, Human Rights Watch says. While Biden has often criticised China's human rights record, he has largely stayed quiet on Vietnam and campaigners feared he may not raise the subject. On Monday Biden visit a Hanoi memorial to his friend John McCain, the former US senator shot down and held captive during the Vietnam War who in later years helped rebuild ties between the two countries. The post US, Vietnam agree to deepen ties as China worries grow appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Upping the ante
Beijing always ups the ante when it senses that its rival for the region’s security, the United States, is making its move to challenge its dominance in the region, which was probably how the 10-dash line came to be. With the release of the new map showing an expanded “historical” claim that included parts of India, China issued a strong criticism of the Americans with Senior Col. Wu Qian, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, saying the US should “stop meddling in the South China Sea issue, stop sowing discord and fanning the flames, and stop disrupting regional peace and stability.” The comment was in response to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III’s statement that “the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling is binding on all parties” and “the Mutual Defense Treaty extends to Philippine public vessels, aircraft and armed forces — to include those of its Coast Guard — in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea.” Vice Admiral Karl Thomas, commander of the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet, backed the American position, saying the recent use of a water cannon by China’s Coast Guard against a Philippine vessel “must be challenged and checked.” He also “assured the Philippines of US backing.” Wu reiterated China’s position that the Philippines infringed on its sovereignty and violated the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea to justify the China Coast Guard’s action. “We hope regional countries can stay vigilant, faithfully implement the DoC, and work with the Chinese side to maintain peace and stability in the region. The Chinese military will resolutely safeguard China’s national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, as well as peace and stability in the South China Sea,” the spokesperson stressed. The increasing challenge from China should be matched by the US, according to geopolitical experts. A former Pentagon official, Michael Rubin, suggested the “reflagging” of islands in the disputed areas to send a clear message to China. Rubin recalled an incident in 1987 when President Ronald Reagan ordered the reflagging of nearly a dozen Kuwaiti tankers to stop Iran from attacking them to force the emirate to cease its trade with and loans to Iraq. “Reagan ignored criticism that reflagging the tankers could embroil the United States in war because he understood that at stake were not only Kuwait’s oil exports but also freedom of navigation and the rules-based order,” Rubin explained. He said that while skirmishes did occur, “once the ayatollahs understood Reagan stood firm, Iranian forces suspended their provocations.” Rubin believes that since China challenges the freedom of navigation and the broader liberal order, “perhaps the US could take a page from Reagan’s playbook and reflag not ships but rather some of the rocks, reefs, and atolls over which China now erroneously claims sovereignty.” The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated in 2016 the historical claim of China through its nine-dash line as being without basis. The root of the claim was a 1947 map the authenticity of which historians dismissed. “That Beijing bases its claim on supposed historic Chinese fishing activity further displays the emptiness of the Chinese Communist Party’s logic. After all, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Malay, Filipino and Indonesian fishermen also plied the same waters and perhaps even some closer to China,” Rubin noted. “Regardless, using the fictional map, China, in one fell swoop, claimed the bulk of the South China Sea and its considerable fishing and oil reserves,” he said. His proposal would be based on “leases drawn between the US government and its regional partners.” The leases would be backed by the arbitral award. “While the current US legal position supports the 2016 Hague tribunal judgment that finds no power can legally exercise sovereignty over disputed territories, the White House might reconsider this (stance),” Rubin added. But Rubin admitted that a greater problem might be the unwillingness of the regional states to offer leases. The proposal breaks with the usual conventions in the settling of disputes. Americans have a term for that, however: “It’s so crazy, it just might work.” The post Upping the ante appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Taiwan decries China’s ‘military harassment’ after warplanes detected
Taiwan urged China on Tuesday to stop "military harassment" that risked damaging regional security after it said 24 Chinese warplanes were detected near the island. China has ratcheted up military and political pressure on self-ruled Taiwan since President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016 because she rejects Beijing's stance that the island is part of Chinese territory. "The People's Liberation Army's continuous military harassment in the region could lead to a sharp escalation of tensions and worsening of regional security," Taiwan's Defense Ministry said in a statement. "We urge Beijing to take responsibility and immediately cease all unilateral actions that undermine regional stability," it said. According to the ministry, Beijing had sent 24 aircraft, including fighter jets, bombers and drones, as well as five warships close to Taiwan in what it described as a "joint combat patrol" since 9 am local time (0100 GMT). Half the warplanes crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait or entered the self-ruled island's southwest air defense identification zone, it said, and Taipei was using its own aircraft, vessels and land-based missile systems to monitor them. Taipei has seen an increase in Chinese air incursions since Tsai's visit to Eswatini, the only African country that recognizes Taiwan diplomatically over China, was announced on Friday. The defense ministry said on Saturday it had detected 32 Chinese warplanes and nine warships around the island over 24 hours. The increase in incursions also comes after the United States approved last week the sale to Taiwan of advanced sensor equipment for fighter jets. And on Monday, Taiwan's defense ministry said a Chinese BZK-005 drone circled the island on a flight path that appears to be increasingly common for such long-range vehicles. Beijing conducted military exercises to simulate the encirclement of the island in April after Tsai met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California. Beijing also staged military drills earlier this month after Vice President Lai Ching-te made returned to Taiwan after a trip to Paraguay that included two US stopovers, and banned mango imports from the island. China's state-run Xinhua news agency said the drills were intended to serve as "a stern warning to the collusion of 'Taiwan independence' separatists with foreign elements and their provocations". The post Taiwan decries China’s ‘military harassment’ after warplanes detected appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China’s Huawei renews patent licensing deal with Ericsson
Chinese telecoms giant Huawei said Friday it had renewed a licensing agreement with Ericsson to use each other's technologies, in a rebuff to US warnings about the risk of espionage by Beijing. Huawei has been at the center of an intense technological rivalry between China and the United States, which suspects the company of spying for Beijing -- accusations Huawei denies. US sanctions on Huawei since 2019 have cut off the firm from global supply chains for American components and hobbled its smartphone arm, forcing it to pivot towards other forms of growth. Washington has also pressured its allies to ban the use of Huawei gear in their 5G telecoms networks, arguing that Beijing could use the equipment to spy on other countries' communications and data traffic. Despite those tensions, Huawei and Ericsson -- based in Stockholm -- have signed a "long-term" global agreement to license each other's patents, the Chinese company said in a statement Friday. The deal covers patents essential to 3G, 4G, and 5G cellular technologies as well as both companies' "respective sales of network infrastructure and consumer devices", Huawei said. The company's intellectual property chief, Alan Fan, said the agreement "demonstrates the commitment both parties have forged that intellectual property should be properly respected and protected". "Our commitment to sharing leading technological innovations will drive healthy, sustainable industry development and provide consumers with more robust products and services," he said. The previous agreement between Huawei and Ericsson was signed in 2016. Back then, Huawei was an insurgent force in the global technology sector with an eye on dethroning Apple and Samsung as the world's top sellers of smartphones. It briefly grabbed that title in 2020 but US sanctions have since clipped its wings and forced Huawei into a strategic refocus on software, connected devices, business computing, smart vehicles, and other sectors. Despite being sidelined from American technologies, Huawei could begin producing its own chips for 5G phones this year, according to media reports about which the company has refused to comment. The post China’s Huawei renews patent licensing deal with Ericsson appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
OSG special team formed to study legal options on WPS
Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra yesterday said a special team was formed that will study and propose legal and diplomatic options over the disputed West Philippine Sea. He said the team is composed of solicitors with expertise in public international law, the law of the sea and other maritime laws, and international arbitration. The SolGen said they formed a special team of solicitors to study and propose legal and diplomatic options for handling WPS issues with China. Guevarra said that raising the matter to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly is also “one of the options.” However, when asked if the government is leaning towards this option, Guevarra said it would be premature to comment. In May, retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said it is time for the government to submit a resolution to the UN General Assembly to have China comply with the 2016 arbitration ruling that rejected its claims in the West Philippine Sea. The retired SC associate justice is of the belief that the Philippines will “win there.” The Philippines in 2013, challenged China’s legal basis for its vast claim in the South China Sea before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands. The Philippines won the case in a landmark decision in 2016 after the tribunal invalidated Beijing’s assertions. China has stated that they do not recognize the ruling. As for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. the Philippines will not give up an inch of its territory, including the West Philippine Sea, amid the aggression of China in the area. The post OSG special team formed to study legal options on WPS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sandwich chain Subway nears deal to be bought for more than $9-B
The Subway sandwich chain is near a deal to be acquired for more than $9 billion in a transaction that could be announced as soon as Wednesday, a person familiar with the matter said. Bids for the sandwich chain were due Tuesday, the person said, with competing offers from Roark Capital and a consortium that includes private equity firms TDR and Sycamore. The winner is expected to be the high bid in an all-cash deal. Originally founded in 1965 as an Italian-style submarine sandwich shop, Subway today has nearly 37,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. The fast-food chain announced in February it hired JPMorgan to advise it on a possible sale while saying it "remains committed to the future," according to a 14 February press release. A Subway spokesperson said Tuesday there would be no comment "until the transaction has been completed," according to an email to AFP. Atlanta-based Roark is well-known in the fast-food and prepared foods space, already owning Buffalo Wild Wings, Baskin-Robbins, and Seattle's Best Coffee, as well as other assets including Orange Theory gyms. Roark "has shown that it knows how to nurture restaurant brands and help them to grow, including through expansion," said Neil Saunders of GlobalData Retail. New York-based Sycamore and British firm TDR Capital also have investments in the consumer space. TDR declined to comment. Roark and Sycamore did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Subway was launched with a single sandwich shop in Connecticut by Fred DeLuca, who started with an initial $1,000 investment from family friend Peter Buck, as a way to pay his college tuition. The two men famously started the venture based only on a handshake. DeLuca died in 2015, while Buck passed away in 2021. In recent times, Subway executives have highlighted cost-cutting efforts to better compete with other restaurant chains, while focusing most growth efforts overseas. In June, Subway unveiled a franchising agreement to open some 4,000 restaurants in mainland China over the next 20 years. The post Sandwich chain Subway nears deal to be bought for more than $9-B appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Latest resupply mission reaches Ayungin Shoal
The Philippines said a resupply mission had reached a remote outpost in the disputed South China Sea Tuesday, despite attempts by Chinese vessels to "block" the boats carrying provisions for Filipino marines. Two Philippine Coast Guard boats escorted two supply vessels to Second Thomas Shoal [Ayungin Shoal] in the Spratly Islands, where a handful of troops are stationed on a crumbling navy ship. They arrived just over two weeks after China Coast Guard ships blocked and fired water cannon at a resupply mission to the tiny garrison that prevented one of the boats from delivering its cargo. "The routine follow-on Rotation and Resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre was successfully conducted today," the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said in a statement. The task force accused China Coast Guard and "Chinese Maritime Militia" vessels of attempting to "block, harass, and interfere" with the mission. "Routine missions to Philippine outposts on various features in the West Philippine Sea will continue on a regular basis," it insisted. The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Philippines has outposts on nine reefs and islands in the Spratlys, including Second Thomas Shoal. The Philippine Navy deliberately grounded the World War II-era BRP Sierra Madre atop the shoal in 1999 to check China's advance in the waters. The troops stationed on the rusty ship depend on regular deliveries for their survival. Second Thomas Shoal is about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the western Philippine island of Palawan, and more than 1,000 kilometers from China's nearest major landmass, Hainan island. The water cannoning on 5 August fanned tensions between the countries, which have a long history of maritime disputes in the South China Sea. China claims almost the entire waterway, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, and has ignored an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis. It deploys hundreds of vessels to patrol the South China Sea and swarm reefs. Its coast guard and navy ships routinely block or shadow Philippine boats in the contested waters, Manila has said. Beijing has defended its actions in the 5 August incident as "professional", and accused Manila of "illegal delivery of construction materials" to the grounded ship. The Philippines has insisted that Second Thomas Shoal is within its exclusive economic zone, and therefore its efforts to resupply troops and repair the BRP Sierra Madre are legitimate. The post Latest resupply mission reaches Ayungin Shoal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pimentel: Go slow in declaring foreign ambassadors ‘persona non grata’
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Monday reminded local government units to be cautious in declaring foreign ambassadors in the country as "persona non grata". Pimentel issued the remarks when asked for a comment about a resolution approved by the Sangguniang Bayan of the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan declaring Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian persona non grata. “We should go slow in declaring foreign ambassadors as personas non grata,” Pimentel told Daily Tribune. “Avoid this as much as possible,” he added. According to the Minority leader, an ambassador of a foreign country to the Philippines is the representative of that country to our country, so grievances against any foreign diplomats in the country must be coursed through the Department of Foreign Affairs to be addressed “professionally.” Last week, the municipality of Kalayaan – the lone municipality in the West Philippine Sea – declared Huang persona non grata. In its Resolution No. 125-0125, SB of Kalayaan, Palawan, declared Huang persona non grata after the latter defended the harassment of the China Coast Guard against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea last 5 August. The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, condemned China’s actions, which included the use of water cannon and dangerous maneuvers against Philippine vessels. The agency reiterated that the routine resupply mission of the Philippine Navy was a legitimate and regular activity of the Philippine government. Weeks after the incident, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. named former DFA chief Teodoro Locsin Jr. as his special envoy to China. Locsin will concurrently be the country’s envoy to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. The post Pimentel: Go slow in declaring foreign ambassadors ‘persona non grata’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China snubs Canada as restrictions on tourism travel lifted
China — a major source of outbound tourists — has left Canada off a list of countries now approved for travel by tour groups, its embassy in Ottawa said Wednesday, due to anti-Beijing rattling by Ottawa. Last week Beijing lifted a Covid-era ban on group tours to dozens of countries including the United States, Germany, Japan, and Australia, but not Canada. Travel agents turn to the list of approved destinations when promoting and arranging foreign vacations for Chinese nationals. There are currently 138 countries on the list. The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa said in a statement that the reason behind the snub was "the Canadian side has repeatedly hyped up the so-called 'Chinese interference.'" It said "rampant and discriminatory anti-Asian acts and words are rising significantly in Canada" and "the Chinese government attaches great importance to protecting the safety and legitimate rights of overseas Chinese citizens and wishes they can travel in a safe and friendly environment." The United Nations tourism agency (UNWTO) says China grew to be the biggest tourism source market in the world prior to the pandemic. In 2019, Chinese tourists spent a collective US$255 billion on international travel. Group tours from China to Canada were first approved in 2010. In 2018, nearly 700,000 Chinese visitors came to Canada, spending an average of Can$2,600 (US$1,922) per visitor, or a total of Can$2 billion -- out of Can$22 billion spent collectively by all foreign travelers, according to a report by the Canada China Business Council. That same year, tit-for-tat arrests of a top Huawei executive in Vancouver on a US warrant and two Canadians living in China, accused of espionage, dealt a serious blow to bilateral relations. Ottawa accused Beijing of engaging in "hostage diplomacy," before a deal was eventually reached with US prosecutors that saw all three people released in 2021. China-Canada relations hit a new low this year amid accusations of Chinese meddling in Canadian elections and the attempted intimidation of MPs that led to the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat in May. Beijing responded by sending home a Canadian diplomat from Canada's consulate in Shanghai. Canadian government officials did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Janice Thomson, the head of tourism at Niagara Falls -- the top tourism destination in Canada -- said China's decision to leave Canada off its approved destinations list was "disappointing." She expressed hope that Canada would make it onto the list in a future round of country additions. The post China snubs Canada as restrictions on tourism travel lifted appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US Justice Dept names special counsel to probe Biden’s son
The US Justice Department on Friday escalated its investigation into President Joe Biden's son Hunter, naming a special counsel amid allegations he engaged in illicit business deals overseas. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Delaware federal prosecutor David Weiss, who recently investigated Hunter Biden on tax and gun charges in a case that remains open. Weiss, who opened his probe in 2019, recently revealed that he was investigating Biden along other lines, and Garland said Weiss had requested special counsel status to be able to pursue his probe more widely. "Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel," Garland said. Deals in China, Ukraine Hunter Biden has come under investigation in Congress over business deals he did in China, Ukraine, and elsewhere during and after his father's 2009-2017 term as vice president. A former business associate told Congress recently that Hunter had gotten his father involved in telephone calls with his foreign partners several times. Republicans allege Joe Biden used his political position to help his son -- a claim the president denies. The move comes as Joe Biden is running for reelection, possibly in a rematch with former president Donald Trump, himself accused of felony crimes in the investigation by another Justice Department special counsel, Jack Smith. Garland gave no hint on the subject matter of Weiss' expanded probe, saying his elevation to the special counsel "reaffirms" the independence and authority of his investigation. Last month, the 53-year-old Hunter aborted a plea deal with Weiss over gun and tax charges after a judge pointed out inconsistencies in the agreement. The deal would have seen Biden avoid prison: he would have been sentenced to probation on two tax avoidance counts, and be forced into a counseling and rehabilitation program for the firearms charge. But the deal fell apart after Judge Maryellen Noreika queried why the gun charge was included in a tax case, and whether the agreement protected Biden from charges that might arise from a wider investigation of his business dealings. Biden then entered a not-guilty plea, and the two sides were expected to work out a new agreement. But in a filing in Delaware court on Friday, Weiss said those talks had reached an impasse and withdrew the offer of a plea deal. Instead, he indicated that the tax charges could be expanded to other venues. Republicans say DOJ protecting Biden There was no comment from the White House on Weiss's elevation to special counsel. In a social media post, a Trump spokesperson alleged that the Biden family had been "protected by the Justice Department for decades." "There is overwhelming evidence and credible testimony detailing their wrongdoing of lying to the American people and selling out the country to foreign enemies for the Biden Cartel's own financial gain," the spokesperson said, without offering evidence. Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy indicated that the Congressional probe of Hunter Biden will continue. "This action by Biden's DOJ cannot be used to obstruct congressional investigations or whitewash the Biden family corruption," he said on social media. The post US Justice Dept names special counsel to probe Biden’s son appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»