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Spins, deceptions, barrage
Chinese propaganda was in full force yesterday as the country’s state media again referred to the Philippines’ removal of the floating barrier as done to further the interest of the Americans. The narrative that China wants the world to follow is that the actions of the Philippines are all being dictated by the United States, to which the country has a long history of subservience. Thus, the Philippines’ sovereign interests are really at stake in the challenges to China’s aggressive assertions. Beijing’s propaganda mill has been busy since the expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement increased from five to nine the number of Philippine military bases US forces have access to. It initially raised the bogey of the broader military pact being the launch pad for an American defense of Taiwan if China attacked, which is farthest from the truth since it presumes that Filipinos would be stupid enough to risk their country for another’s interest. The latest volley from China was related to removing the floating barrier that cordoned off Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc to Filipino fishermen. The Philippine Coast Guard should check the contraption to determine where it was manufactured. Recall the suspicion that the rocks and other materials used for China’s reclamation of Philippine islands had come from Zambales with the collusion of local government officials. Wang Wenbin, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, said the Philippine statement was just what it wanted to believe itself. “China’s resolve in safeguarding its sovereignty and maritime rights and interests over Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal) is unwavering. We call on the Philippines not to make provocations or stir up trouble,” Wang said. Moreover, China parrots the line that opening four additional military bases was a move “to win US support for its claims in the South China Sea.” The US then wants to exploit the Philippines so that “it can intervene in the Taiwan question and the South China Sea issue from a closer range.” The US is using the Philippines as a pawn in its campaign to “contain China,” according to the propaganda minions. EDCA was an offshoot of the Mutual Defense Treaty, a post-World War II pact in which the Philippines and the United States committed to come to each other’s aid in case of attack. Based on the hype generated in Beijing, the Philippines has made several “failed” attempts to deliver building materials to reinforce the “grounded warship” on China’s Ren’ai Jiao, also known as Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal, since August. Indeed, attempts to reinforce the BRP Sierra Madre ended in a cat-and-mouse chase that succeeded, revealing that China is out of touch with reality. Also, the Sierra Madre is not a warship but a landing craft. It is an LST 542-class tank landing ship, previously known as the USS Harnett County, built for the United States Navy during World War II. The paid hacks and lapdogs of the Chinese government want to create an image that the venture between the Philippines and the US is meant to contain Beijing. The fundamental issue, however, remains the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, that has under it the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, or ITLOS. The Permanent Court of Arbitration, or PCA, issued the 2016 ruling favoring the Philippines was formed under ITLOS. Thus, UNCLOS invalidated China’s historical claims and upheld the exclusive economic zone from which the Philippines can derive economic benefits. Any argument that strays from the guiding principle must be treated with a grain of salt, if not doused with cold water. The post Spins, deceptions, barrage appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Barrier removal BBM’s call — PCG
Dismantling the floating barrier that China installed at Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc is a matter for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to decide, a Philippine Coast Guard official said yesterday. Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said they had reported the discovery of the 300-meter barrier to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, or NTF-WPS. “Should the NTF-WPS recommend to the President the actions to be taken, the PCG, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and even the Armed Forces of the Philippines would comply,” Tarriela said. Tarriela was apparently reacting to the call made by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri for the PCG to remove the barrier as it poses a danger to Filipino fishermen and keeps them from the shoal’s rich fishing grounds. Tarriela, however, said the PCG had yet to consult with Mr. Marcos and other officials of the national government on what to do about the barrier. The PCG said three China Coast Guard inflatable boats backed by a Chinese maritime militia vessel installed the floating barrier. Also on Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs vowed to press the Philippines’ sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal. “We will take all appropriate measures to protect our country’s sovereignty and the livelihood of our fisherfolk,” the DFA said. “Bajo de Masinloc is an integral part of the Philippines over which we have sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction according to UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea),” the DFA said. In 2012, Chinese and Philippine vessels faced each other in a standoff at the shoal, which was defused when the Philippines withdrew its ships, which China did not do with its ships despite an agreement to do so. China has since maintained control of the shoal even after a 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration deemed the shoal to be part of the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea. The landmark ruling, which also dismissed as illegal China’s claim to nearly the entire South China Sea, arose from a case filed by the Philippines before the arbitral court in 2013. China, however, has refused to abide by the ruling. “The 2016 Arbitral Award affirms it (Bajo de Masinloc) as a traditional fishing ground for Filipino fisherfolk,” the DFA pointed out. “China’s reported installation of barriers and its negative impact on the livelihood of Filipino fisherfolk or any other activity that infringes on the Philippines’ sovereignty and jurisdiction in Bajo de Masinloc are violations of international law, particularly UNCLOS and the Arbitral Award,” it added. The installation of the barrier was roundly criticized by European Union Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Veron, who described it as “deeply concerning.” In a tweet, Veron said the “floating barrier is dangerous, detrimental to the livelihood of Philippines fishermen, and disregards the peace-driven objectives of UNCLOS.” The post Barrier removal BBM’s call — PCG appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Long-game scenario
Employing lawfare and so-called grey zone tactics may point to China preparing for the long haul, according to experts. The tactic involves wearing down its opponents in the South China Sea conflict while waiting for a suitable administration in the United States, which would again give less importance to America’s stabilizing role in the Asia-Pacific region. China’s preparations for a protracted conflict are evident in its latest moves, from making public the 10-dash line claim, the absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Jakarta, and the water spraying by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel of a Philippine Navy boat on a mission to resupply the grounded Sierra Madre. Regional analysts said China is employing a combination of lawfare, which is the use of legal systems and institutions to undermine an opponent, and gray zone tactics, which are maneuvers short of war that point to a conflict for the long haul. China’s drafting of a new map was timed to reassert its territorial claims and flex its muscles ahead of the ASEAN and G20 Summits. It did gain a measure of success as in the joint statements customarily issued at the end of the events; there was no explicit mention of China despite most members of the regional blocs expressing concerns about its assertive actions in the disputed waters. Collin Koh, a senior fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies based at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said the elephant in the room, amid the increasing aggressiveness of the Asian giant, was China’s undergoing multiple crises. Koh said that while lawfare and maritime coercion have been part and parcel of Beijing’s toolkit in the past, “there has been an obvious uptick that coincided with China’s domestic problems, which are property market woes, high youth unemployment, and sluggish exports.” For instance, during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte, “the Philippines was subjected to boat swarming tactics similar to those recently seen.” The use of such methods intensified after the Philippines announced an expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States, which Beijing interpreted as one of America’s efforts to intervene in its conflict with Taiwan. For China, digging in and preparing for a long engagement is beneficial. At Ayungin Shoal, China has been blocking Philippine missions to repair the dilapidated landing ship grounded there since it knows that the rusting hull would not last too long and nature will take care of its eventual removal. It can simply wear down the country’s resolve until it abandons its hold on the shoal, or so China believes. China is trying to prevent a united stand in the region since lawfare can be matched by counter-lawfare, such as by tightening existing legal maritime provisions or creating new ones in line with international law to assert the other claimant nations’ interests, according to geopolitical experts. ASEAN has inherent structural limitations make it challenging to take a united position on the South China Sea disputes. China exploits these limitations, such as the ASEAN decision-making process, where a disagreement by one member defeats a unified stand of the 10-nation group. Thus, the role of powers outside the region remains more important than ever to backstop the efforts to maintain stability while following international law. Previous talk about matching the military prowess of China, particularly for the long haul, would be impossible for the Philippines. This was why the alliance with the United States through EDCA was strengthened — to give the Philippines the minimum defense capability against aggressors. The post Long-game scenario appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UN chief convenes ‘no nonsense’ climate summit, without China or US
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set Wednesday to host a climate meeting marred at its outset by the absence of speakers from the world's top two emitters, China and the United States. Despite increasing extreme weather events and record-shattering global temperatures, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and fossil fuel companies reap handsome profits. Guterres has thus billed the "Climate Ambition Summit" as a "no nonsense" forum where leaders or cabinet ministers will announce specific actions that deliver on their commitments under the Paris Agreement. The bar for making the podium was set high, with the UN chief making clear that only leaders who had made concrete plans to achieve net-zero greenhouse emissions would be allowed to speak. After receiving more than 100 applications to take part, the UN finally released a list on Tuesday night of 41 speakers which did not include China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan or India. "Tomorrow, I will welcome credible first movers and doers to our Climate Ambition Summit," Guterres said Tuesday. Several major leaders didn't bother making the trip to New York for this year's UN General Assembly, including President Xi Jinping of China and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak from the United Kingdom, who said he was too busy. US President Joe Biden, who addressed the General Assembly on Tuesday, sent his climate envoy John Kerry to the meeting -- though Kerry won't be permitted to speak. "There's no doubt that the absence of so many leaders from the world's biggest economies and emitters will clearly have an impact on the outcomes of the summit," Alden Meyer of climate think tank E3G said. He blamed competing issues -- from the Ukraine conflict to US-China tensions and rising economic uncertainty. "But I think it's also the opposition in many of these countries from the fossil fuel industry and other powerful interests to the kind of transformational changes that are needed," said Meyer. Catherine Abreu, executive director of nonprofit Destination Zero, said it was "perhaps a good-news story that we see Biden not being given a speaking slot at the summit" because the United States is continuing to expand fossil fuel projects even as it makes historic investments in renewables. "I think about this as being a correction from past summits, where leaders have been given the opportunity to take credit for climate leadership on the global stage, while they continue to pursue plans to develop fossil fuels, and continue driving the climate crisis back at home," she added. While the United States won't take the rostrum, California will be represented by Governor Gavin Newsom. From Britain, London Mayor Sadiq Khan will also attend. Growing anger The event is the biggest climate summit in New York since 2019, when Greta Thunberg stunned the world with her "How Dare You" speech before the UN. Anger is building among climate activists, particularly younger people, who turned out in thousands last weekend for the "March to End Fossil Fuels" in New York. Observers are eager however to see what Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen say both on their own goals and on financing commitments for the developing world. The failure of advanced economies, responsible for the majority of historic emissions, to honor their promises to the worst affected lower-income nations has long been a sore point in climate talks. There are some bright spots, including the announcement that Colombia and Panama are joining a grouping called the Powering Past Coal Alliance -- particularly notable as Colombia is the world's sixth biggest coal exporter. Wednesday's summit comes weeks ahead of the COP28 climate talks in the United Arab Emirates, where goals include tripling renewable energy by 2030, and ending by 2050 the generation of fossil fuel energy that isn't "abated" by carbon capture technology. The post UN chief convenes ‘no nonsense’ climate summit, without China or US appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Global concern
China’s recent release of its rewritten claim in the 10-dash line map is a prelude to more aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea or WPS, according to the assessment of Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro. Through a media mouthpiece, Beijing described the revision of its boundaries as a “normal exercise of sovereignty by law.” Security officials, however, view the new map as establishing China’s intent to strengthen its “control and occupation of the West Philippine Sea.” Teodoro urged international support for the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling invalidating China’s historic claim, or “if that’s not stopped, then the whole international rules-based order is in jeopardy.” China has consistently refused to arbitrate the overlapping claims in the WPS, insisting on bilateral dialogues or, at most, a settlement among claimants, which proved to go nowhere. Negotiations for binding rules in a proposed Code of Conduct have failed to advance for over 20 years. Ignoring China’s increasing assertiveness jeopardizes global trade since nearly all of the region’s goods shipments to the West and vice versa pass through the disputed waters. “If China’s claims are given credence, freedom of navigation and freedom of air traffic is jeopardized,” Teodoro warned. While China keeps blaming US intervention for creating instability in the region, the lack of concerted action among nations that Beijing encourages has led to its unbridled occupation of the sea features. Teodoro stressed that China’s “expansionist policy” heightens tensions. “It is the expansionist policy of China that is escalating the tensions not only between us but with Vietnam and other actors, and their 10-dash line is the best proof that they want to escalate tensions within the area,” he said. Teodoro contrasted the actions of China and the Philippines, saying that while Beijing asserts an arbitrary historical claim, Manila insists on enforcing international law based on the arbitral ruling. China’s containment is also not the target of the expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Philippines and the United States. “China keeps saying that we are containing them. If you use the word contain, that means to say you have an intention to expand, so for me, it’s disingenuous for them to use that term,” the defense chief explained. Despite the assertion of China that the Philippines has given the United States a free hand to intervene in the conflict, Teodoro said the country’s independent foreign policy of being a friend to all and an enemy to none is being maintained. “The (recent) water cannon (incident) proves that we are not leaning too much on the US because if we lean too much on the US, we would have asked them to escort us there, which we don’t want to do because we want to do things our way and we want a balanced foreign policy,” he said. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the country’s independent foreign policy is being upheld. Still, we will adhere to enforcing international law, particularly the 2016 international tribunal ruling based on the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. During the term of his predecessor, President Rodrigo Duterte, closer relations with China resulted in commitments of economic assistance and the fair resolution of the territorial rift through a CoC. Only a few promises were realized, rewards for actions that showed hostility towards the Americans. It didn’t go far, however, as in the twilight of his term, Duterte had to raise the international tribunal’s decision and the country’s maritime rights. Duterte said the ruling couldn’t be erased, and China would have to follow it, resulting in acrimony that continues today. The post Global concern appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
VP Duterte and partners release turtle hatchlings at Cleanergy Park
Aboitiz Power Corporation subsidiary Davao Light and Power Co. Inc., with the participation of Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio, oversaw the release of 152 hawksbill sea turtle hatchlings at Aboitiz Cleanergy Park in Punta Dumalag, Matina Aplaya, Davao City. The released turtle hatchlings came from the third of five nests found this year at the park. In total, over 7,993 hatchlings have been released from the area since 2014. Besides the Office of the Vice President, the distribution utility was joined by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine Coast Guard, non-governmental organizations or NGOs and schools and universities, who had their students do the releasing. [caption id="attachment_185477" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Davao Light president and COO Rodger S. Velasco and Davao Light community relations manager Fermin Edillon show VP Sara Duterte-Carpio one of the rescued sea turtles at Cleanergy Park.[/caption] “Karamihan ng mga adult turtles na nakukuha natin sa dagat ay meron silang mga problema dahil nakakakain sila ng mga plastic. Kaya importante na maintindihan ng mga bata ang life cycle ng turtles at gaano kahirap sila mabuhay,” Duterte-Carpio said. (Most adult turtles that we get from the seas have problems because they inadvertently consume plastic [waste]. That is why it is important to have children understand the life cycle of turtles and the difficult lives they have.) While only a few turtles will survive into adulthood, conservation efforts and proper waste management remain important to ensure that these endangered creatures can thrive in the oceans. According to the World Wildlife Fund, sea turtles help maintain the health of seagrass beds and coral reefs. In particular, hawksbill sea turtles live on coral reefs and eat the overgrown sponges that suffocate slow-growing corals, resulting in a healthy reef. They also help prevent the overpopulation of jellyfishes in the ocean. "We’re honored that VP Sara joined the event and showed her support for pawikan (turtle) conservation efforts,” said Davao Light reputation enhancement department head Fermin Edillon. Edillon added that it was Duterte-Carpio, when she was still mayor of Davao City, who signed a joint memorandum of agreement with DENR-Region XI and Davao Light establishing Aboitiz Cleanergy Park as a pawikan rescue center in the Davao region. Currently, there are seven rescued adult pawikan of varying species under the care of Aboitiz Cleanergy Park. These include five hawksbill sea turtles, as well as a green sea and an olive ridley turtle. They are provided veterinary care and are being observed at the facility until they are fully recovered and can be released back into the wild. The eight-hectare ecological preserve and biodiversity conservation site is managed by Davao Light and Aboitiz Foundation Inc. Since its launch in 2014, it serves as a protected nesting ground of the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle and a home to more than 100 species of endemic and migratory birds and other marine life. Aboitiz Cleanergy Park also actively promotes decarbonization in an urban area, showcasing a mangrove reforestation site, nursery and botanical garden for the propagation of multiple native tree species. The post VP Duterte and partners release turtle hatchlings at Cleanergy Park appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The vital role of ASEAN
The ASEAN-UN Comprehensive Partnership is more important than ever. We face tests as far as the eye can see — from the climate emergency to a global cost-of-living crisis, raging conflicts and growing poverty, hunger, and inequalities. All these challenges are aggravated by rising geopolitical tensions. There is a real risk of fragmentation — of a Great Fracture in world economic and financial systems, with diverging strategies on technology and artificial intelligence and conflicting security frameworks. I commend ASEAN for your vital role in building bridges of understanding all over the world. ASEAN has played an extremely important role as a center that convenes all those that, unfortunately, represent the most dramatic divisions in today’s world and these series of summits is a demonstration of that fundamental convening role of ASEAN. And we need it in a world that is increasingly multipolar and that requires strong multilateral institutions to go with it — based on equity, solidarity and universality. I am grateful for your steadfast support for multilateral solutions and your contribution of over 5,000 peacekeepers from ASEAN countries. ASEAN’s convening power, commitment to dialogue and experience in conflict prevention are crucial pillars of stability. Today, tensions remain high from the Korean Peninsula to the South China Sea. I am grateful to ASEAN member states for your pursuit of dialogue and peaceful dispute resolution, rooted in the respect for international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Since we gathered last year, the situation in Myanmar has further deteriorated. Brutal violence, worsening poverty and systematic repression are crushing hopes for a return to democracy. The conflict is exacerbating existing inequalities and vulnerabilities faced by women and girls, including sexual violence, forced marriage and human trafficking. More and more people are crossing borders in a desperate search for safety and protection and the situation is untenable. Over one million Rohingya remain in Bangladesh, in the world’s largest refugee camp. And, regrettably, the conditions for their safe, voluntary and dignified return are not yet in sight. Much more is needed. My call to the military authorities of Myanmar is clear: Free all detained leaders and political prisoners; open the door toward the full restoration of democratic rule. We must also end our assault against the planet. ASEAN ranks amongst the most biodiversity-rich regions — and is highly vulnerable to natural disasters. We can still limit the worst impacts and meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. ASEAN is uniquely positioned to be a leader of an energy transition that is global, sustainable, just, inclusive and equitable. I commend ASEAN member states that are pioneering Just Energy Transition Partnerships like Indonesia and Viet Nam. And I commend all who are accelerating the phaseout of coal and jumpstarting a fair and inclusive renewables revolution. But greater ambition is needed still — along with much greater support. Developed countries must finally deliver on their commitments to developing countries. Resources are also central to rescuing the Sustainable Development Goals. I have called for deep and structural changes to make global frameworks — including the Bretton Woods system — more representative of today’s economic and political realities and also more responsive. Such change will not happen overnight — and I have proposed concrete steps we can take now, including an SDG Stimulus of US$500 billion a year to the benefit of developing countries for them to be able to reach the Sustainable Goals. This and other action would catalyze SDG progress and help developing economies invest in key transitions across energy, food systems, digital, education, health, decent jobs and social protection. I count on ASEAN member states to help raise global ambition in the vital months ahead. And you can always count on my wholehearted support to shape a future of peace and prosperity for the people of Southeast Asia and the world. *** Excerpts from the UN Secretary-General’s remarks at the ASEAN-UN Summit, 7 September 2023. The post The vital role of ASEAN appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
500 EDCA deals in 2024 pipeline
The United States has committed to more than 500 bilateral military engagements with the Philippines next year, which would primarily feature the stepping up of war games and joint sea patrols. An Armed Forces of the Philippines official described the engagements as encompassing exercises and high-level exchanges between the allied nations on security cooperation and strategic vision, including maritime security, information sharing, and capacity and capability development, among others. The commitments were made during last week’s annual Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board meeting, said the AFP official, who requested anonymity. Meanwhile, AFP Public Affairs chief, Lt. Col. Enrico Gil Ileto, said highlights of the activities will include an increased “tempo” in the joint exercises. At the same time, projects under the Enhanced Development Cooperation Agreement will be scaled up. He said engagements with other key international partners will also be part of the new set-up. During the meeting, AFP Chief of Staff, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., and US Indo-Pacific Command Chief Admiral John Aquilino reaffirmed the “steadfast commitment of the Philippines and the United States to safeguard their respective nations and the Indo-Pacific region.” “The meeting was the culminating activity of the planning cycle that assessed previous activities and set out over 500 bilateral engagements for 2024,” Ileto said. Increasing the American role in the maritime conflict with China is expected to be matched by the latter through increased aggressiveness in staking its claim in the West Philippine Sea. Swarming by vessels resumes The AFP Western Command on Saturday expressed alarm over the heightened presence of Chinese maritime militia vessels and the massive coral harvesting at Rozul, or Iroquois, Reef, located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. In a weekly news forum in Quezon City, Wescom commander, Vice Admiral Albert Carlos, reported the “resurgence” of swarming incidents in the West Philippine Sea, with about 40 Chinese fishing vessels spotted as of 15 September at Rozul Reef, which is located south of Recto Bank. Carlos said the latest figure is higher than the 33 vessels spotted on 24 August and the 24 tracked on 7 September. Swarming was also observed at Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, where five Chinese fishing vessels were spotted, and Baragatan (Nares) Bank, with two boats, according to a Wescom news release on 14 September. “But the good news is we also have our presence there,” Carlos said, referring to vessels of the Philippine Navy and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. “So, we are addressing the issue of this swarming,” he added. Harmful harvesting Carlos noted that in July, the Philippine Navy deployed divers to conduct an “underwater survey” of the swarmed area and found “there were no more corals” at Rozul Reef. The military is coordinating with scientists and experts to assess the area, he said, adding that it specifically wants to verify the divers’ assessment that massive harvesting of corals happened just recently. “We saw that there were no more corals. The corals were damaged, and there was debris,” he said. “We are not making any conclusions at this time. It’s a work in progress, but we just want to report coral harvesting in the area where (the Chinese were) seen loitering and swarming.” Keeping the peace Carlos said government troops want to “keep the peace and avoid miscalculations” in the WPS despite the recent incidents. He, however, guaranteed a heightened military presence in the Philippines’ waters. “The presence (of Chinese vessels) is already alarming because we have the sovereign rights in our exclusive economic zone. Now, coral harvesting is still unverified. We are not saying that they are harvesting our corals. We suspect somebody is harvesting our corals, which means they are violating our sovereign rights. We have the exclusive right to exploit resources in the West Philippine Sea,” Carlos said. “For the Western Command, that is alarming, because it might appear that we are remiss in our duty to protect our territory, as well as the riches of our exclusive economic zone. So we are doubling our efforts on that. We are going to address that issue by increasing our presence there,” he said. Joint patrols assessed Carlos said the government is “carefully” studying offers by other countries to conduct joint patrols with Philippine forces. For now, the military is carrying out unilateral maritime patrols in the WPS, he said, adding that these are being “jointly conducted with the Philippine Coast Guard and the BFAR, not with any foreign country.” “We are in engagement with whoever offers to help us, whoever shares our desire, our objective to establish a rules-based international order. We are studying it carefully. All the offers are on the table,” he said. More EDCA projects Ileto said Brawner and Aquilino also agreed to hasten the completion of the EDCA projects. There were 32 projects approved. The two officials are eyeing 63 more EDCA projects. “More importantly, it reaffirmed the two nations’ commitment to the PH-US alliance as espoused in the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty,” he said. The Philippines and the US military officials also agreed to jointly push for a free and open Indo-Pacific region “against a backdrop of a rules-based international order,” Ileto said. 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Maduro seals ‘fly me to the Moon’ pact with Xi
The first Venezuelan Moon walker is in the making as its president, Nicolas Maduro has sealed a scientific cooperation deal with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing. Maduro announced during his meeting with Xi on Wednesday that the two countries had agreed to train young Venezuelan astronauts in China, with plans to eventually send them to the Moon. On Thursday, he hailed the agreement. In a video posted Thursday on social media, Maduro said: “Where we’re heading is for the Moon, to a splendid era for China and Venezuela.” A special task team “on scientific, technological, industrial and aerospace cooperation will sooner rather than later (send) the first Venezuelan man and woman to the moon in a Chinese spacecraft,” the Venezuelan leader said. “Very soon, Venezuelan youth will come here to prepare as astronauts in Chinese schools,” he added. China is pursuing plans to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030 and build a base there. The world’s second-largest economy has invested billions of dollars in its military-run space program in a push to catch up with the United States and Russia. China maintains close relations with the internationally isolated Maduro government and is one of Venezuela’s main creditors. Speaking at a press conference Thursday as he wrapped up his China trip, Maduro showed off two gifts from Xi, including a Huawei folding mobile phone. “It is the most secure phone, impossible to break into,” he said. The post Maduro seals ‘fly me to the Moon’ pact with Xi 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......»»
Biden leads US tech push in Vietnam
President Joe Biden and senior executives from top US tech firms including Google and Intel met Vietnamese business leaders Monday after the two countries agreed to deepen cooperation as Washington seeks to counter China's growing clout. Biden and Vietnam's ruling Communist Party chief -- the country's paramount leader -- struck a "comprehensive strategic partnership" as Washington pushes to boost its network of allies around Asia and the Pacific. The United States sees manufacturing dynamo Vietnam as an important part of its plan to decrease reliance on China for supplies of strategic resources, and the new pact includes agreements on semiconductors and rare earths. Executives from tech behemoth Google, chip makers Intel and GlobalFoundries, and aviation giant Boeing joined Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken for an "innovation and investment summit". They held talks with senior figures from a host of leading Vietnamese tech and manufacturing companies including electric car maker VinFast, internet firm VNG and digital wallet Momo. At the talks, Biden announced that flag-carrier Vietnam Airlines had agreed a $7.8-billion deal with Boeing to buy 50 medium-haul 737 airliners. Other deals announced include Microsoft developing a "generative AI-based solution tailored for Vietnam" and NVIDIA teaming up with local companies to deploy artificial intelligence in the cloud, automotive and healthcare sectors. Semiconductor security The new partnership includes an agreement on semiconductors, with the United States committing to help Vietnam develop its capabilities and expand production, including by funding workforce training. Tiny semiconductors are vital to modern life, found in every electronic device from children's toys and smartphones to electric cars and sophisticated weapon systems. Biden moved last month to restrict US investment in Chinese technology in sensitive areas including semiconductors, quantum computing and AI. With Washington looking to diversify and strengthen its supply chains after a series of shocks hit the global economy, it is increasingly looking to Vietnam, which has the world's second-largest deposits of rare earths -- another strategically vital resource -- after China. The White House highlighted US investment in chipmaking in Vietnam, pointing to a new $1.6 billion factory near Hanoi due to start operations soon. China difficulties Biden insisted Sunday that he did not want to "contain" China, but accused Beijing of seeking to change the rules of the international order. And in their joint statement, Biden and Trong launched a fresh broadside at Beijing in the sprawling, multi-state territorial row over the South China Sea. They warned against "threat or the use of force", days after the latest clash involving Chinese vessels, and insisted the competing claims to the strategic waterway must be settled under international norms. Beijing claims almost the entire sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, and has ignored an international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis. The president met Chinese Premier Li Qiang -- the country's number two leader -- on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Delhi on Sunday. Biden said the major economic problems Beijing was wrestling with would limit its scope for action, particularly on Taiwan -- which China regards as a renegade province. "China has a difficult economic problem right now for a whole range of reasons that relate to the international growth and lack thereof and the policies that China has followed," he said, pointing to high youth unemployment and real estate issues. "I don't think it's going to cause China to invade Taiwan. As a matter of fact, the opposite -- it probably doesn't have the same capacity that it had before." Vietnam has its own squabbles with Beijing, notably over the contested South China Sea. Hanoi's state media on Monday hailed the deal with former war foe the United States as "historic". Biden will end his visit by paying his respects at a memorial to his friend John McCain, the former US Senator shot down in Hanoi as a pilot during the Vietnam War. The post Biden leads US tech push in Vietnam appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
G20 members to unveil EU-MidEast-India trade plan
Major G20 partners will unveil ambitious plans Saturday to bolster trade between India, the Middle East, and Europe, a modern-day Spice Route to bind regions that account for about a third of the global economy. Washington, Saudi Arabia, the EU, the United Arab Emirates, and others will sign an agreement on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi, presenting an alternative to China's wide-ranging strategic infrastructure investments. Officials told AFP the plan would include a slew of data, rail, electricity, and hydrogen pipeline projects. One proposed project would link railway and port facilities across the Middle East -- including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel -- potentially speeding trade between India and Europe by up to 40 percent. "The India – Middle East – Europe economic corridor" is "nothing less than historic" European Union leaders are expected to say when the details of the plans are unveiled later Saturday. The agreement would boost trade but is also seen as another significant step towards Arab Gulf states normalizing relations with Israel. Washington is actively prodding Riyadh -- a major oil producer and security partner -- to normalize ties with Israel after decades of conflict and closed borders. US involvement could also help mend deeply damaged ties between Riyadh and Washington, which frayed after the US-Iran nuclear deal and the 2018 murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The initiative "has enormous potential", according to Jon Finer, US deputy national security advisor. He said the public announcement would come after "months of careful diplomacy, quiet, careful diplomacy, bilaterally and in multilateral settings". The Europe-to-India project is still in the early stages, with participants studying how best to link India's vast 1.4 billion population and quick-growing economy with markets to the West. According to details seen by AFP, the India – Middle East – Europe economic corridor would also develop infrastructure to enable the production and transport of "green hydrogen". It would also strengthen telecommunications and data transfers through a new undersea cable connecting the region. Michael Kugelman, South Asia Institute director at The Wilson Center, said the plan could be a significant response to China's much-vaunted Belt and Road Initiative. The so-called BRI has spread Chinese influence, investments, and commerce across Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. "If finalised, it would be a game changer that strengthens connectivity between India and the Middle East and would aim to counter BRI," Kugelman posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. The post G20 members to unveil EU-MidEast-India trade plan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
ASEAN summit ‘productive’, biz meetings net $22M investment pledges: Marcos
JAKARTA, Indonesia – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit demonstrated the commitment of countries in the region to regional cooperation and multilateralism. In his latest YouTube vlog on Thursday, Marcos said that the summit was a productive one, and that he was able to promote and highlight key interests of ASEAN. He said these interests include food and energy security, security, migrant workers protection, climate change, and digital transformation. "I was able to participate in 12-leaders level meetings, including with Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States and the United Nations," Marcos said. "In these meetings, I promoted and highlighted key interests of ASEAN, such as food and energy, security, migrant workers protection, climate change and digital transformation --- issues that are of strategic importance to the Philippines," he added. Marcos also said that he had a productive meeting with the President of the World Bank Group, where they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in areas such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, and sustainable development. On the sidelines of the summit, Marcos met with top executives of select Indonesian companies who are looking at the Philippines to expand their presence further. He said that these meetings resulted in $22 million in investment commitments in areas crucial for the Philippines' economic recovery efforts, such as agriculture and the digital economy. Marcos also witnessed the signing of the Philippine-Republic of Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which he said would strengthen the Philippines' bilateral trade and investment relations with South Korea. "The FTA will generate jobs and contribute to the Philippine value proposition as an ideal regional hub for smart, sustainable investment," Marcos said. Marcos reiterated that the Philippines will chair the ASEAN in 2026 instead of 2027. He said that the Philippines stepped up to this role to ensure the continuity of its progress towards a people-oriented, people-centered, inclusive, and resilient ASEAN community. He also thanked and congratulated Indonesian President Joko Widodo for "his very able stewardship" as chair of ASEAN this year and for making ASEAN as important as it ever has been. "I also thank them for the very warm hospitality of the Philippine delegation, And I look forward to able leadership of Lao PDR when they host the ASEAN in 2025," he said. The post ASEAN summit ‘productive’, biz meetings net $22M investment pledges: Marcos appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SCS conflict, bigger ASEAN problem
As Southeast Asian leaders gather in Jakarta for their regional summit, fears have been raised over the bloc getting dragged into big-power rivalry as they seek to dispel worries about rifts over peace efforts in Myanmar and to reaffirm the relevance of their disparate group. No less than Indonesian President Joko Widodo, opening the summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations Tuesday called on the members to devise a “long-term tactical strategy that is relevant and meets people’s expectations.” He said ASEAN has agreed not to be a proxy for any powers. “Don’t turn our ship into an arena for rivalry that is destructive,” he warned in his opening remarks. Founded at the height of the Cold War in the 1960s to oppose the spread of communism, the politically diverse grouping prioritizes unity and non-interference in members’ internal affairs. But that is easier said than done. While they may be too concerned over rifts in the peace efforts in Myanmar, a bigger problem, probably as big as the South China Sea, looms over their heads. The disputed waterway, a region rich in resources and of strategic importance, has been a focal point of tension and disputes among various nations for decades. In the event of conflict erupting in the South China Sea, ASEAN will find itself facing complex challenges and crucial decisions. Before delving into ASEAN’s role in a potential South China Sea conflict, it is essential to understand the complexities of the disputes in the region. Multiple claimants, including China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, assert sovereignty over various islands, reefs, and waters in the South China Sea. These overlapping territorial claims have created an atmosphere of tension, with incidents of naval confrontations, militarization of islands, and increased military presence. While several attempts have been made to address these disputes through diplomatic means, the situation remains precarious. ASEAN’s core principles include the promotion of peace, stability, and prosperity in the region through diplomatic dialogue, non-interference in internal affairs, and consensus-based decision-making. The regional bloc has demonstrated a commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflicts. The 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea or DOC and subsequent efforts to negotiate a legally binding Code of Conduct or CoC with China reflect this commitment. ASEAN’s role, therefore, is primarily that of a mediator and facilitator of negotiations aimed at reducing tensions and preventing the escalation of conflicts. But what if a conflict erupts in the South China Sea? Would ASEAN uphold its fundamental principles, particularly the peaceful resolution of disputes, to prevent the outbreak of full-scale hostilities? Would it engage in shuttle diplomacy, urging all parties to exercise restraint and explore diplomatic solutions? This is where ASEAN’s role as a platform for regional dialogue becomes crucial. It should intensify diplomatic efforts to facilitate negotiations between the involved parties. This can include organizing summits, dialogues, and confidence-building measures to foster an environment conducive to resolving disputes peacefully. Furthermore, ASEAN should encourage adherence to international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS. By promoting respect for international norms, ASEAN can help maintain order and deter any unilateral actions that could lead to a military confrontation. While ASEAN has the potential to play a constructive role in mitigating conflict, several challenges could hinder its effectiveness. One such challenge is the divergent interests and allegiances among ASEAN member states. Some nations may be more inclined to side with external powers, like the United States or China, depending on their strategic interests and alliances. Maintaining ASEAN’s unity in the face of external pressures will be a considerable challenge. Another challenge is the historical reluctance of some ASEAN members to confront China directly due to economic ties or political considerations. Balancing economic interests with regional security concerns will require skillful diplomacy and could strain ASEAN’s cohesion. Moreover, the absence of a legally binding CoC in the South China Sea complicates ASEAN’s efforts to manage conflicts. The negotiations for such an agreement have been protracted, and there is no guarantee of a successful outcome. ASEAN must navigate these challenges while advocating for a peaceful resolution. In the event of conflict in the South China Sea, therefore, ASEAN’s role would be pivotal in preventing further escalation and facilitating a peaceful resolution. Unless it wants to erase its image as a mere talk shop, the regional bloc should address this issue now while there is time. Otherwise, it might be too late. The post SCS conflict, bigger ASEAN problem appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CoC reveries
An aversion to table the West Philippine Sea conflict and speeding up the progress of the Code of Conduct, or CoC, between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, and China is very evident in the ongoing Summit in Indonesia. The maritime conflict is not even on the official agenda and will be tackled only through optional bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the yearly assembly, which is all under the wishes of China. ASEAN, thus, is pushing itself into irrelevance by acceding to the wishes of China and its cohorts in the regional bloc like Cambodia. Despite its existence as an Economic Community since its inception, with full integration envisioned in 2025, much of its aspirations, including being a cohesive body to advance the interests of its members, remain a pipe dream. The CoC would have been a stellar achievement, but it was described as a moving goal post for more than two decades. In the ongoing ASEAN meeting, all that host Indonesia was able to commit to was a three-year deadline to finalize a CoC. Another set of guidelines is, thus, expected after the Jakarta assembly instead of a pact that will bind all the claimants in the maritime conflict. The guidelines, moreover, will have to be endorsed by regional leaders during the ASEAN-China Summit that is scheduled later. The Philippines is not confident about a substantial progress in the CoC despite its being the most urgent matter to maintain stability in the region. An official of the Department of Foreign Affairs said the outcome of talks on the long-delayed CoC will be limited “to mere reporting of past discussions.” “At most, there will be a report on what happened during the last meeting in the Philippines of the joint working group on the CoC,” which hardly equates to progress. During the third round of CoC talks in Manila from 22 to 24 August, discussions were stuck on the contentious issues of whether or not the CoC would be “legally binding.” China has historically resisted a legally binding CoC, the reason for the existence of the non-binding 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, or DoC. In 2019, Foreign Minister Wang Yi indicated his optimism that a CoC would be completed within three years, or by 2022. It is now 2023. He also announced that China supported a CoC that had “binding force” and was “an upgraded and strengthened version” of the DoC. The discussions then came to a head due to the different perspectives among those at the negotiating table, which are the same obstacles blocking the resolution of the maritime rift. China has refused to recognize the Permanent Court of Arbitration award that the Philippines and other claimant countries use as a basis for their position in the DoC negotiations. In not recognizing the arbitral ruling and insisting on its historical basis for the territorial claims, China and ASEAN are not on the same page in the negotiations, meaning that hopes for an agreement are futile. Like what happened in the local context when the Communist Party of the Philippines sued for negotiations with the government and used it to consolidate its forces, China uses the CoC discussions as a delaying tactic to fortify its position. Its recent release of the 10-dash line, which was a rewriting of its territorial boundaries again based on historical data, proves China is not about to change its position. According to reports on the Summit, China will only support a legally binding code when its historical version prevails. Another term that China wants included in the negotiations is barring countries outside the region from interfering. It also wants economic activities at sea, including oil and gas development, “to be conducted in cooperation with companies from countries outside the region.” China also wants the CoC signatories not to “hold joint military exercises with countries from outside the region, unless the parties concerned are notified beforehand and express no objection.” The untenable conditions appear designed to prevent the CoC from ever coming into being. The post CoC reveries appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Japan fishermen want Fukushima water release halt
Around 100 fishermen and locals living near Fukushima will file a lawsuit this week seeking to stop the release of wastewater from the stricken Japanese nuclear plant, they said Monday. Twelve years after one of the world’s worst nuclear accidents, on 24 August Japan began releasing treated cooling water from the facility into the Pacific Ocean. Many Japanese fishermen have been against the release, fearing that it will undo years of efforts to improve the industry’s image in the wake of the 2011 catastrophe. More than 100 plaintiffs, including fishermen in Fukushima and neighboring prefectures, will file the lawsuit in the Fukushima District Court on Friday, Sugie Tanji, who is a member of the group’s secretariat, told AFP. “The government failed to keep to its promise of gaining agreement from fishermen before taking such a decision to release,” she said. “This is a wrong policy as it ignores strong opposition from not only the Fukushima fishermen’s cooperative but also from cooperatives across the country,” the group said in a statement. “The release to the ocean can never be tolerated as it brings about further suffering to victims of the nuclear accident,” it added. The release has generated a fierce backlash from China, including a blanket ban of Japanese seafood imports. Japanese government officials have made efforts to appeal to the public that the action has little impact on health or safety issues. Last week, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and the US envoy to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, among others, ate Fukushima fish in front of TV cameras. Japan has repeatedly insisted the wastewater is treated and is harmless, a position backed by UN atomic watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency. In total, plant operator TEPCO plans to release around 540 Olympic swimming pools’ worth of water over the next several decades. with AFP The post Japan fishermen want Fukushima water release halt appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Walang (Mag)saysay
During one of the many well-publicized Senate hearings in the aftermath of the infamous Mamasapano Massacre in 2015 that led to the murder of 44 Special Action Force troopers, one Miriam Coronel-Ferrer was grilled by an irate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. Coronel-Ferrer was then chairman of the Aquino Government’s peace panel that had signed an accord with the Muslim rebels on the establishment of a Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, an agreement widely regarded as having signed away a lot of our Republic’s prerogatives in favor of armed Islamic insurgents. Senator Cayetano demanded to know from Coronel-Ferrer why the government dragged its feet in providing artillery support and reinforcements to the trapped policmen, to which she notoriously replied, “The policy of the government is to first negotiate with the armed groups fighting with state forces.” To this, Cayetano replied, “No government in the world negotiates with terrorists.” Coronel-Ferrer’s response left most in the Senate gallery dumbfounded when she said, “I know of no such policy.” Yet here she is, one of this year’s Magsaysay Awardees. Ironic it is that an award founded in honor of one of the best-loved Presidents this country has ever had, would be given to an underling of someone who would become one of the most hated in Philippine history (after a string of scandals such as the Luneta hostage fiasco, “Yolanda” and Dengvaxia, among many others). Even more ironic is that she is being given the award for her supposed “transformative power of non-violent strategies,” when all that she succeeded in transforming was forty-four elite police personnel into corpses due to the appalling display of violence of a rebel movement she greatly enabled. She also almost transformed our Republic into a dismembered state; thank heavens the backlash from the massacre caused the agreement she brokered to be shelved in favor of one much less onerous to the Philippines. But what is to expected of an award-giving body co-opted by Yellowtards, as a quick look at the roster of its chairman and trustees will readily reveal. Composed of men and women with strong ties either to Mrs. Cory Aquino and/or her anointed successor, Fidel Ramos, these people either served in the Cabinet or important agencies of one or the other President; or had enjoyed — or are still enjoying — high positions in big corporations supportive of the Aquino Yellow narrative. So it should be of no wonder that these denizens of the same echo chamber would exhibit the proclivity, remarkably endemic to the Aquino clique, of giving awards and accolades to each other. As if that would somehow compensate for the fact that the narrative that has kept them in power for more than 30 years had been totally demolished. Just note the decorations given to Leni after she lost, from fellowships to doctor’s degrees honoris causa to trophies for this and that dubious achievement. Such a pity that the Magsaysay Awards should so decline in prestige. It used to be an important recognition for Asian leaders, counting among its Filipino awardees the likes of Francisca Aquino, Rosa Rosal, F. Sionil Jose, Lino Brocka, Dr. Fe del Mundo, Nick Joaquin, James Reuter, Bienvenido Lumbera and Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Yet, like many others touched by the Yellow reverse-Midas touch, what used to be gold is turning to crap, with Yellow stalwarts Jesse Robredo, Sheila Coronel, Conchita-Carpio Morales, Haydee Yorac and Hilario Davide among the list. Cringy, especially since among those who have previously received the honor were the Dalai Lama, Thai Premier Anand Panyarachun, Mochtar Lubis, Akira Kurosawa, Ravi Shankar and Mother Teresa. To use an overworn cliché, President Magsaysay would be turning in his grave to know that his eponymous award has become another way for those in the same political group to pat themselves on the back. Its value has depreciated and, if the trend is not arrested, it will soon be irrelevant, a case of walang saysay. The post Walang (Mag)saysay appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
U.S. talk stays cheap
China’s release of a new map expanding its maritime area within a “10-dash line” that includes the West Philippine Sea has been condemned by the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei, and Vietnam. Conspicuously absent from the first responders was the United States which had earlier issued a brave warning that it would protect the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. The US had said it would protect international ship passage in one of the world’s most contested waterways, where more than $3 trillion in trade passes each year. China on Monday released a new version of its infamous U-shaped dashed line that now covers about 90 percent of the South China Sea, including Taiwan which it regards as a renegade province. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated the so-called historic “nine-dash line” claim of China, but Beijing made it clear that it did not recognize the decision and insisted on bilateral agreements with other claimants to settle territorial conflicts. China holds to its position that its sovereignty and rights in the South China Sea were established throughout the long course of history, claiming that this was “duly recognized by international treaties and accords which are not to be infringed upon by any illegal awards.” China instead accused the Philippines of taking unilateral action to initiate the arbitration that “breached its bilateral agreement with China to settle relevant disputes in the South China Sea through negotiation.” It claimed that this commitment was also contained in the non-binding Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed by China and the ASEAN countries, including the Philippines, in 2002. Beijing, however, has continuously put a damper on concluding the Code of Conduct that ASEAN has been pushing to finally settle the conflicting claims. The presence of American forces appeared to have deterred China from making good on its “historical” claims that are continuously expanding. A delayed reaction by the US to the new Chinese propaganda offensive may prove fatal to the region. Dean Cheng, a senior advisor to the China program in the government-backed US Institute of Peace, observed that Beijing has been gambling on American willingness or lack of it to confront China’s “salami-slicing tactics against its neighbors.” Cheng recalled that in 2012, the United States persuaded the Philippines to withdraw from Scarborough Shoal “while making no effort to compel the People’s Republic of China to do the same. In effect, Washington forced Manila to cede that set of features to the PRC.” Cheng recounted how this was followed by a three-year hiatus in US freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, which he noted was an absence “that coincided with massive Chinese construction on features it controlled.” For the United States to once again fail to counter the latest Chinese efforts “would reinforce a perception of American withdrawal,” Cheng pointed out. He warned of the possible consequences if the US continues to waffle on its position regarding China’s increasing aggressiveness. “If the United States were to not respond, its credibility as an ally would be called into question, certainly by Manila. The various efforts to renew US access to Philippine facilities under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, especially in the event of a Taiwan contingency, will certainly falter. Why should the Philippines support American efforts to support Taiwan if the United States won’t support the Philippines?” Cheng said. If recent events were the basis, the Philippines has always been made to suffer the backlash of Washington policies in the region, such as the Asian pivot of former President Barack Obama. The Philippine government was made to support the American program but was left in the lurch when the going got tough. The US still has to prove that it walks the talk on its supposed protection of the region from predatory actions. The post U.S. talk stays cheap appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Unite for peace
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a reminder of how autocracies care little about causing death and destruction. The war is a gross violation of human rights and the principle of peaceful settlement of international disputes as codified in the United Nations Charter, which has helped maintain the rules-based international order and kept the world in relative peace since the end of the Cold War. [caption id="attachment_178304" align="aligncenter" width="1101"] Dr. Wu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan) | illustration by Glen Tolo for the Daily Tribune[/caption] The war’s humanitarian and economic fallout has also shown that, in a globalized world, crises cannot be contained within national borders. It is, therefore, imperative to deter similar threats to global security from happening elsewhere. Taiwan—a democracy that is home to over 23 million people and that I proudly represent—continues to confront enormous challenges posed by China. Since the mid-20th century, the People’s Republic of China has vowed to take control of Taiwan and refused to renounce the use of force, despite never having ruled Taiwan. For decades, the people of Taiwan have remained calm in safeguarding the status quo of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. However, as China’s economic and military might has grown stronger, it becomes increasingly aggressive in flexing its military muscle to intimidate Taiwan, thereby threatening our democratic way of life. This includes sending warplanes and ships across the median line of the Taiwan Strait and encroaching into our air defense identification zones. It has also intensified gray-zone tactics, such as disinformation and economic coercion, in an attempt to wear down our will to fight. The PRC’s expansionism does not stop at Taiwan. China’s use of gray-zone activities in the East and South China Seas are designed to expand its power and substantiate its hawkish territorial claims. In addition to signing a security agreement with Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, the PRC has been securing ports for future military use in the Indian Ocean. All of these maneuvers are causing grave concerns that peace is becoming more difficult to maintain. Ensuring peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is in everyone’s best interest. Half of the world’s commercial container traffic passes through the Taiwan Strait each day. Taiwan produces the majority of the world’s semiconductors and plays a key role in global supply chains. Any conflict in the area would have disastrous consequences for the global economy. In recent years, bilateral and multilateral forums have repeatedly emphasized that the peace and stability over the Taiwan Strait is indispensable to global security. While we can all agree that the war must be avoided, how to best do so requires inclusion, dialogue and, most of all, unity. The United Nations remains the best platform for global discourse. UN officials speak often of joint solutions, solidarity, and inclusion in tackling the pressing issues of our time. Taiwan is more than willing and able to take part in these efforts. However, Taiwan continues to be excluded from the UN due to China’s distortion of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758. This resolution neither states that Taiwan is a part of the PRC nor gives the PRC the right to represent the people of Taiwan in the UN and its specialized agencies. In fact, the resolution only determines who represents the member-state China, a fact that the international community and China itself recognized following the relevant vote in 1971. The subsequent misrepresentation of Resolution 2758 contradicts the basic principles upheld by the UN Charter and must be rectified. The 78th session of the UN General Assembly, which will center on the theme “rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity,” is timely in light of a number of broad global challenges. For example, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals were designed as a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity. Yet the most recent SDG progress report showed that just 12 percent of SDG targets were on track, while progress on 50 percent has remained insufficient. And on more than 30 percent, we have stalled or even regressed. While there are no easy answers, the first step is dialogue. As a truly global institution, the UN can serve as a champion of progress. We call on the UN to uphold its principle of leaving no one behind by allowing Taiwan to participate in the UN system, rather than excluding it from discussions on issues requiring global cooperation. A good first step would be to allow Taiwanese individuals and journalists to attend or cover relevant meetings, as well as ensure Taiwan’s meaningful participation in meetings and mechanisms regarding the SDGs. Ukraine’s incredible bravery and resilience have inspired countries around the globe. The war there has forged a new sense of togetherness in the world. Unity is crucial to pushing back against Russia’s aggression and to preserving universal values, such as human rights and global peace, more broadly. It is vital to make China and other authoritarian governments aware that they will be held accountable and to urge them to settle differences through peaceful means. Allowing Taiwan to meaningfully participate in the UN system would benefit the world’s efforts to address pressing global issues. This would also demonstrate the UN’s determination to unite for global peace at a critical juncture when the future of the world is at stake. We are stronger together. Now is the time to act on this fundamental principle by including Taiwan. The post Unite for peace appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China’s 10-dash line flaunts ‘arbitrariness’, expert says
China is flaunting anew an “arbitrariness” by releasing its 2023 version of the map, which features a new 10-dash line that defines its purported boundaries in the South China Sea, according to Maritime law expert Professor Jay Batongbacal. “This is already the second time because the first time was in 2013. Based on some reports, it seems that they are introducing a new drawing. It may be small but other countries are already reacting like India and this time, Malaysia has already reacted,” Batongbacal said in a chance interview Thursday evening. China's Ministry of Natural Resources on 28 August issued the map, which covers a large part of the South China Sea, including the country’s exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea. “Una pinapakita nito yung arbitrariness nung kanilang claim kasi nga nagbabago. Pangalawa, pinapakita rin nito na talagang walang basehan ‘yung kanilang dinodrawing na iyan. Talagang yung mga ibang bansa talagang hindi yan tatanggapin (First, it shows the arbitrariness of their claim because it changes. Second, it also shows that what they are claiming is really baseless. The other countries really can’t accept that.)" Malaysia, Taiwan, and the Philippines have earlier rejected China’s claims under the new version of its SCS map, showing that Taiwan as well as India's northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin region are part of Beijing's domain. Batongbacal said there’s a lot of misinterpretation and manipulation of information regarding China’s claims in the SCS, which overlaps the claims of its neighboring countries. “The Chinese government keeps pushing these narratives that are not really true. The problem is that this information is being reported as if it's true,” he said. Thus, Batongbacal pressed the need for the media outlets, particularly those assigned in the Philippines, to better understand the issues on SCS/WPS. “It is also very important to us because we are a democratic nation and the media plays a very important role in the molding and expression of the public opinion so the media needs to be well-informed, especially in our advocacy in the WPS. This is about our nation,” he said. China’s uncertainties, lack of stability Batongbacal said the Philippines keeps insisting that China should follow the rules-based international order and an international law referred to as “The Law of the Sea Convention.” “China should follow the rules that when we all negotiated—the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea—and China itself supposedly ratified that agreement. It shows that even though China signed treaties, conventions, and agreements. yet anytime if it finds it inconvenient in its interest, it can ignore it,” he added. Batongbacal said such action from China shows a “lack of stability and uncertainties.” “And for countries like us, smaller, less powerful and can’t match—let’s say—large countries like China, if that’s our system in the world, then we will not have our independence or sovereignty—if like that. We will just fall into whatever other countries want of us whenever they want, right?,” he said. In the case of the WPS, Batongbacal further explained that China seems pushing for its own “wants and composition” despite signing agreements and international laws. “It keeps ignoring it and insists itself with the other countries. We really need to push back on it and we should stand international law. We should insist that China should follow the agreement and the international law,” he said. He, meanwhile, noted that the legal position of the Philippines was put on record through a series of diplomatic protests. “With it, no one can tell that we are accepting China's claims. It is very clear that we always oppose China that their activities are wrong and it will never be that such behavior would be acceptable in the international law,” he said. Batongbacal underscored the Philippines' need to stand up for legal rights and entitlement in the international community. Senator Risa Hontiveros earlier described China as “delusional and desperate” after issuing the new 2023 version of its 10-dash line map, claiming part of the WPS as theirs. “China is delusional. Wala na sa huwisyo itong Tsina. Kung ano-ano nalang ang ginagawa para mang-angkin ng mga teritoryong hindi naman sa kanya (China is our of its mind. It keeps on inventing to grab what is not theirs) This map is Beijing’s desperate attempt to assert its lies and propaganda,” she said. Hontiveros added that the Department of Foreign Affairs should also coordinate with the National Resource and Mapping Authority) to update a map that clearly shows the country’s exclusive economic zone, continental shelves, and territorial seas in the WPS. The post China’s 10-dash line flaunts ‘arbitrariness’, expert says appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»