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Philippines accuses Chinese coastguard of firing water cannons at supply boats
Manila [Philippines], March 23 (ANI): The Philippines has accused China's coastguard of firing water cannons at one of its supply boats in South China Sea, Al Jazeera reported. The Armed Forces of the Philippines said that BRP Cabra managed to manoeuvre and reach Unaizah May 4 to provide assistance to the Philippine supply boat, which had sustained "significant damage."According to the Philippine military, the confrontati.....»»
Philippines accuses Chinese coastguard of firing water cannons at supply boats
Manila [Philippines], March 23 (ANI): The Philippines has accused China's coastguard of firing water cannons at one of its supply boats in South China Sea, Al Jazeera reported. The Armed Forces of the Philippines said that BRP Cabra managed to manoeuvre and reach Unaizah May 4 to provide assistance to the Philippine supply boat, which had sustained "significant damage."According to the Philippine military, the confrontati.....»»
China accuses US of abusing international law
China accuses US of abusing international law.....»»
Ignoring Taiwan’s complaints, more Chinese balloons spotted over strait
Taiwan's defense ministry accuses China of threatening aviation safety and waging psychological warfare on the island's people with the balloons, days before key Taiwanese elections.....»»
China accuses the Philippines of ‘seriously harming’ regional peace | The wRap
The wRap's highlights: West Philippine Sea, Pope Francis on Gaza, CJ Cansino.....»»
China interferes anew in WPS resupply mission, accuses Phl of ‘intruding’
The National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea reported the country’s successful rotation and resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal last 4 October. But the task force said the fresh provisions to military personnel stationed in the Philippine Navy’s grounded ship in the Ayugin Shoal, delivered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command and the Philippine Coast Guard, were again blocked by the China Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militia vessels while traversing the Philippine waters off WPS. The Chinese ships harassed and interfered with the routine mission of the Philippine supply ships Unaizah May 1 and Unaizah May 2, escorted by PCG vessels BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) and BRP Sindangan (MRRV 4407), while they were en route to BRP Sierra Madre, a warship-turned-military outpost of Filipinos in WPS. China has condemned the Philippines’ resupply mission, accusing Filipinos of “intruding [into] Chinese territory.” In a China Military website post, China Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu said the China forces issued warnings and conducted necessary control of four Filipino vessels that “illegally entered waters near the Ren'ai Reef" — the Chinese name for Ayungin Shoal, on Wednesday. "Philippine supply ships and two coast guard ships entered the waters in China's Nansha Islands without permission from the Chinese government," Gan said. The Chinese official said the CCG closely monitored the movement of the Filipino ships and "effectively regulated them in accordance with the law.” Gan noted that China’s intention of blocking was to “prevent” the Philippines from “shipping illegal construction materials” to the BRP Sierra Madre “that is illegally stranded in the Ren'ai Reef.” He then urged the Philippines “to immediately stop its infringing activities in the waters, stressing that China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters, including the Ren'ai Reef.” “China Coast Guard will continuously carry out rights protection and law enforcement activities in the waters under China's jurisdiction in accordance with law,” he added. However, the NTF-WPS maintained that the resupply missions are part of the country’s regular operations “in line with domestic and international law and to ensure the safety and well-being of our stationed personnel.” “These missions are a legitimate exercise of the administrative functions of the Philippine Government over the WPS, in line with the UNCLOS, the 2016 Arbitral Award, and domestic laws,” it said. “The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will remain steadfast in adhering to a rules-based international order,” the task force added. The post China interferes anew in WPS resupply mission, accuses Phl of ‘intruding’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US govt report accuses China of ‘information manipulation’
China is spending billions of dollars globally to spread disinformation, threatening to cause a "sharp contraction" in freedom of speech around the world, warned a US State Department report published Thursday. China's "global information manipulation is not simply a matter of public diplomacy -- but a challenge to the integrity of the global information space," said the report. "Unchecked, Beijing's efforts could result in a future in which technology exported by the PRC (People's Republic of China), coopted local governments, and fear of Beijing's direct retaliation produce a sharp contraction of global freedom of expression." The report, released by the State Department's Global Engagement Center, said Beijing spends billions of dollars annually on "foreign information manipulation" –- through the use of propaganda, disinformation and censorship -- while promoting positive news about China and its ruling Communist Party. At the same time, it said, China suppresses critical information that contradicts its narratives on contentious issues such as Taiwan, human rights, and its flagging domestic economy. "When you look at the pieces of the puzzle and you put it together, you see a breathtaking ambition on the part of the PRC to seek information dominance in key regions of the world," James Rubin, special envoy and coordinator of the GEC, told reporters. The report said China's approach to information manipulation includes promoting "digital authoritarianism," exploiting international organizations and exercising control of Chinese-language media. These efforts could enable Beijing to "reshape the global information environment," it added. The report comes after Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday said China was seeking to surpass the United States as the "dominant power in the world -- militarily, economically, diplomatically." The post US govt report accuses China of ‘information manipulation’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl accuses China Coast Guard of firing water cannon at its boats
The Philippines condemned the China Coast Guard Sunday for allegedly firing water cannon at its vessels in the disputed South China Sea, describing the actions as "illegal" and "dangerous". The latest incident happened Saturday as the Philippine Coast Guard escorted boats carrying food, water, fuel and other supplies for Filipino military personnel stationed at Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands. In a statement, the US State Department condemned the Chinese actions, saying they were carried out by the coast guard and "maritime militia", and that they directly threatened regional peace and stability. Beijing claims almost all of the sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, and has ignored a 2016 international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis. China's coast guard and navy vessels routinely block or shadow Philippine ships patrolling the contested waters, Manila says. Saturday's incident was the first time since November 2021 that the Chinese coast guard had used water cannon against a Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal. "The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) strongly condemns the China Coast Guard's (CCG) dangerous maneuvres and illegal use of water cannons against the PCG vessels," the Philippine Coast Guard said in a statement. "Such actions by the CCG not only disregarded the safety of the PCG crew and the supply boats but also violated international law." The Armed Forces of the Philippines said China's coast guard had "blocked and water cannoned" one of its chartered resupply vessels. Due to the "excessive and offensive" actions, a second chartered vessel was unable to unload its cargo for the routine troop rotation and resupply operation, military spokesman Colonel Medel Aguilar said in a statement. "We call on the China Coast Guard and the Central Military Commission to act with prudence and be responsible in their actions to prevent miscalculations and accidents that will endanger peoples' lives," Aguilar said. The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Latest maritime incident Manila and Beijing have a long history of maritime disputes over the South China Sea, but former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte was reluctant to criticise his more powerful neighbour as he sought closer ties with Beijing in the hope of attracting investment. Since taking power in June 2022, however, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos has insisted he will not let China trample on his country's rights in the sea, and has gravitated towards the United States as he seeks to strengthen defence ties. Tensions between Manila and Beijing flared earlier this year after a Chinese coast guard vessel allegedly used a military-grade laser against a Philippine coast guard boat near Second Thomas Shoal. Beijing accused the Philippine boat of intruding into China's sovereign waters without permission. After China occupied Mischief Reef in the mid-1990s, the Philippines ran a derelict navy vessel aground on the nearby shoal to assert Manila's territorial claims in the waters. Members of the Philippine marines are based there. In another incident in April a Chinese coast guard ship cut off the Philippine patrol vessel Malapascua as it carried journalists near Second Thomas Shoal. An AFP team was on another coast guard vessel and witnessed the near-collision. In that incident, the Malapascua's commanding officer Rodel Hernandez said the Chinese ship came within 45 metres of his boat and only his quick actions avoided the steel-hulled vessels crashing into each other. The post Phl accuses China Coast Guard of firing water cannon at its boats appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China accuses US of forcing it to accept 2016 tribunal ruling
The Chinese Embassy in Manila called the US the “mastermind” behind the arbitration in a statement issued on the seventh anniversary of the Philippines’ victory against China. .....»»
EU agrees economic weapon in face of China trade spat
The European Union on Tuesday agreed to create a trade tool aimed at punishing countries that seek to put pressure on one of its member countries, after China targeted Lithuania. The new weapon would allow the 27-nation bloc to impose tariffs, restrict investment and limit access to public contracts for nations seen as engaging in economic blackmail. "This sends a strong signal that the EU rejects all forms of economic coercion," said EU economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis. "We'll be more assertive in defending our legitimate rights and interests." The push to bulk up the EU's economic muscle was given impetus by a row with China over trade restrictions imposed on EU member Lithuania after it strengthened ties with Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory. The EU has started action against leading trade partner China at the World Trade Organization over the restrictions. Beijing has denied taking coercive measures. The new instrument was agreed between EU member states and lawmakers after a year of negotiation. It is now expected to enter into force later this year after it is formally approved by the parliament and 27 EU countries. "It is one more tool at the service of our strategy for a less naive European trade," said France's trade minister Olivier Becht. Divisions between EU members have typically hampered the bloc from flexing its collective economic might on the international stage. The tool now hands more powers to the EU executive arm, the European Commission. But unleashing the economic punishment would be only a last-ditch nuclear option if attempts at mediation fail. In practice, EU member states will report complaints to the commission, which will have four months to rule if coercion is involved. Any decision would need to then be signed off by a qualified majority of EU countries. If they agree, a mediation phase would begin during which the commission would seek to convince the third country involved to end its objectional measures. Only if that doesn't work would the EU be able to resort to its new powers. The post EU agrees economic weapon in face of China trade spat appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US, Microsoft warn cyber actor attacking ‘critical’ infrastructure
The United States, its Western allies and Microsoft said Wednesday that a state-sponsored Chinese cyber actor had infiltrated critical US infrastructure networks, and warned similar activities could be occurring globally. "The United States and international cybersecurity authorities are issuing this joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) to highlight a recently discovered cluster of activity of interest associated with a People's Republic of China (PRC) state-sponsored cyber actor, also known as Volt Typhoon," said a statement released by US, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and UK authorities. In a separate statement, Microsoft said Volt Typhoon had been active since mid-2021 and had targeted critical infrastructure in Guam, a crucial US military outpost in the Pacific Ocean. "Microsoft assesses with moderate confidence that this Volt Typhoon campaign is pursuing development of capabilities that could disrupt critical communications infrastructure between the United States and Asia region during future crises," the statement said. "In this campaign, the affected organizations span the communications, manufacturing, utility, transportation, construction, maritime, government, information technology, and education sectors. "Observed behavior suggests that the threat actor intends to perform espionage and maintain access without being detected for as long as possible." The US and Western security agencies warned in their advisory that the activities involved "living off the land" tactics, which takes advantage of built-in network tools to blend in with normal Windows systems. It warned that the hacking could then incorporate legitimate system administration commands that appear "benign". Microsoft said Volt Typhoon tried to blend into normal network activity by routing traffic through compromised small office and home office network equipment, including routers, firewalls and VPN hardware. "They have also been observed using custom versions of open-source tools," Microsoft said. The director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Jen Easterly, also released a warning related to Volt Typhoon. "For years, China has conducted operations worldwide to steal intellectual property and sensitive data from critical infrastructure organizations around the globe," Easterly said. "Today's advisory, put out in conjunction with our US and international partners, reflects how China is using highly sophisticated means to target our nation's critical infrastructure. "This joint advisory will give network defenders more insights into how to detect and mitigate this malicious activity." China offered no immediate response to the allegations. But it routinely denies carrying out state-sponsored cyber attacks. China in turn regularly accuses the United States of cyber espionage. The post US, Microsoft warn cyber actor attacking ‘critical’ infrastructure appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
G7 to squeeze Russia, weigh risk of China’s ‘economic coercion’
G7 leaders arrived in Hiroshima, Japan, on Thursday to weigh tighter sanctions on Russia and protections against China's "economic coercion", surrounded by reminders about the harrowing cost of war. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is hosting leaders from six other wealthy democracies in his hometown -- a city synonymous with nuclear destruction and now peppered with peace monuments. Leaders including US President Joe Biden will try over three days to forge a united front on Russia and China, where the allies' interests do not always neatly align. Biden's delicate diplomatic offensive in Asia hit a bump even before Air Force One left US soil: A domestic budget row forced him to cancel stops in Papua New Guinea and Australia. He arrived in Hiroshima Thursday, becoming just the second US president after Barack Obama to visit a city levelled by his country's "Little Boy" atomic bomb. Russia's 15-month-old invasion of Ukraine will top the agenda when the G7 summit gets underway Friday, after a new spate of aerial attacks on Kyiv and a long winter of grinding warfare in Bakhmut and other frontline towns. "We stand up for the shared values including supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereign territory and holding Russia accountable for its brutal aggression," Biden said as he met Kishida Thursday. The United States and its allies have poured weaponry into Ukraine to stall the Russian advance, but a long-anticipated spring counteroffensive by Kyiv's forces has yet to materialize. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to address the group by video link. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said leaders would discuss battlefield developments and tightening a sanctions regime that, according to official statistics, caused Russia's economy to contract a further 1.9 percent last quarter. G7 nations have already adopted sanctions on Russian banks and military firms, and placed price caps on Russian crude. Discussions are expected on tighter enforcement, and new measures on a range of goods, including Moscow's roughly $5 billion annual trade in diamonds. Nuclear shadow Putin's repeated threats to turn the Ukraine conflict nuclear have been roundly condemned by G7 leaders and dismissed by some commentators as little more than an attempt to shake European and American resolve. But a leaders' visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park on Friday is likely to pull those threats into sharper focus. The bombing on 6 August 1945 obliterated Hiroshima, claimed an estimated 140,000 lives and forever changed the world. Kishida wants to use the summit to press his guests -- nuclear powers Britain, France and the United States -- to commit to transparency on stockpiles and arsenal reductions. But expectations for a breakthrough are low. 'Economic coercion' Summit discussions on China are expected to focus on efforts to insulate G7 economies from potential economic blackmail, by diversifying supply chains and markets. In disputes with countries from Australia to Canada, President Xi Jinping's administration has shown a willingness to block, tax or hamper trade with little warning or explanation. White House official Sullivan said leaders were expected to decry this "economic coercion" and work to bridge transatlantic differences about how to engage with China. Washington has taken an aggressive approach, blocking China's access to the most advanced semiconductors and the equipment to make them, and has pressed Japan and the Netherlands to follow suit. But European policymakers -- most notably those in Berlin and Paris -- are keen to make sure that "de-risking" does not mean shattering ties with China, one of the world's largest markets. "This G7 is not an anti-Chinese G7," an adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron told journalists before the summit. "We have a positive message for China, which is that we are ready to cooperate on condition that we negotiate together," the adviser added. Host Japan is also keen to talk to developing nations that have been wooed by Chinese investment, with leaders from India, Brazil and Indonesia among those invited by Kishida to Hiroshima. Evidence of Beijing's growing economic and diplomatic clout was on display Thursday in the former imperial capital Xi'an. There, Xi is hosting the leaders of five Central Asian countries that were once seen as firmly in Moscow's orbit but are increasingly drawn to Beijing. The post G7 to squeeze Russia, weigh risk of China’s ‘economic coercion’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
White House accuses Republican leader of ‘economic hostage-taking’
The White House on Monday accused the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, of taking the US economy hostage by attaching conditions to any extension of the country's debt ceiling. "Speaker McCarthy is breaking with the bipartisan norm... by engaging in dangerous economic hostage-taking that threatens hard-working Americans' jobs and retirement savings," White House spokesman Andrew Bates said. McCarthy said in a speech at the New York Stock Exchange that the debt ceiling should be raised but only in tandem with spending cuts to address the national debt. President Joe Biden has said repeatedly that he is ready to discuss spending reductions but that Congress must first pass a "clean" -- no-strings-attached -- debt ceiling increase before the current budget runs out of money sometime this summer. Bates said McCarthy had been "vague" in what he proposed needed cutting but that his priorities indicated an "extreme" position that would favor the "super-rich, special interests, and profitable companies." "Rather than ask the super-wealthy to pay their fair share, they propose cutting services for veterans. Rather than cut spending to Big Pharma, they propose sending manufacturing jobs overseas to countries including China," Bates alleged. The back-and-forth is the opening salvo in what is expected to be an intense political battle between Democrat Biden and McCarthy over the coming months. The US government is expected to run out of money in the summer, defaulting on its debt for the first time in history, if Congress does not authorize additional borrowing -- an accounting maneuver that has become standard practice over the years. The post White House accuses Republican leader of ‘economic hostage-taking’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China Threatens US Entities Over Downing of Balloon
Beijing - China said Wednesday it will take measures against U.S. entities related to the downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the American East Coast.At a daily briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin gave no details and did not identify the targets of the measures.China says the balloon was an unmanned weather airship that was accidentally blown off course and accuses the U.S. of o.....»»
Clashes on Morocco border as Madrid accuses Rabat of blackmail
Clashes on Morocco border as Madrid accuses Rabat of blackmail.....»»
Phl accuses China of ‘incursion’ in disputed sea
The Philippines on Sunday accused China of “incursion” after hundreds of militia boats were spotted near a disputed reef in the South China Sea. “We call on the Chinese to stop this incursion and immediately recall these boats violating our maritime rights and encroaching into our sovereign territory,” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a […] The post Phl accuses China of ‘incursion’ in disputed sea appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
United Kingdom accuses China of violating bilateral commitment to Hong Kong government
Dominic Raab, the British Foreign Secretary, stood outside Downing Street in London, UK, 24 February, 2021. REUTERS / John Sable British Government Charged this saturday.....»»
US accuses China of escalating tit-for-tat
The US called a decision by Beijing to impose restrictions on all American diplomats on Chinese soil an “escalation,” the latest rebuke in an ongoing tit-for-tat dispute over foreign missions......»»
Filipina rescued from mail-order bride syndicate
The Bureau of Immigration rescued a suspected victim of a mail-order bride syndicate, targeting Filipinas sent to China under false pretenses......»»
US reaffirms support for Philippines sovereignty amid its tensions with China
Washington, DC [US], March 28 (ANI): US Secretary of Defence Llyod Austin has reaffirmed Washington's commitment to Manila in defending its sovereignty while criticising China's "dangerous" water cannon attack at the Philippine supply mission vessel on Saturday. In a telephonic conversation between Austin and his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro, the US Secretary reiterated the US-Philippines Mutual Defence Treaty.....»»