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TikTok facing ban in America; penalized $384 million in Europe
The US House of Reps has passed a bill to ban TikTok unless it cuts ties to Communist China. Chinese parent ByteDance must sell TikTok to another nationality in six months or be shut down......»»
DOJ to help build case vs West Philippine Sea cyanide fishing
The Department of Justice will support relevant agencies in gathering evidence and building a case against individuals, allegedly Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen, who are using cyanide at Panatag Shoal, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said yesterday......»»
China blasts Philippines plan to build Ayungin facilities
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning hit back at the Philippine armed forces over a plan to build a permanent structure at Ayungin Shoal in a bid to protect the country’s sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea......»»
China bolsters ‘patriotic education’ with new law
China has adopted a new law strengthening so-called patriotic education, state media said, the latest step in President Xi Jinping's drive to reassert the Communist Party's ideology in the country's classrooms. A crackdown on the highly lucrative world of for-profit private tutoring in 2021 was also seen as part of efforts to reassert ruling party control over the education system. The moves banned tutoring firms from hiring overseas teachers, with critics saying it was cutting off Chinese children from outside influences. The new law, which comes into effect on January 1 and was approved on Tuesday, will "strengthen patriotic education in the new era" and seek to impart a "patriotic spirit" in China's youth, according to state-run news agency Xinhua. A Xinhua commentary hailing the law's adoption by Beijing's top lawmaking body said that education had been "facing challenges" recently. "Some people are at a loss about what is patriotism," the commentary read. It attacked "the influences of some social thoughts, such as historical nihilism" -- a term often employed by Beijing's leadership to condemn accounts that run contrary to official rhetoric about the party. The law contains provisions already included in other legislation, the commentary said, including those banning "insulting the national flag and distorting or denying heroes' deeds and spirit". Zhao Leji, China's top lawmaker, said the law would help the country in "forging a mighty force" to build a "strong" nation, Xinhua reported. Education has long been used by the Communist Party to boost its legitimacy in the eyes of China's 1.4 billion people. Much of its narrative centers on its role in conquering absolute poverty and asserting China's position in a hostile international climate. But conspicuously absent are detailed discussions of the party's role in instigating China's bloody Cultural Revolution and Great Famine, in which millions died. The post China bolsters ‘patriotic education’ with new law appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China to send youngest-ever crew to space station
Tiangong is the crown jewel of Beijing's space program, which has also landed robotic rovers on Mars and the Moon and made China the third country to put humans in orbit. The station is constantly crewed by teams of three astronauts, who are rotated out every six months. The Shenzhou-17 module carrying the trio to the station is scheduled to blast off at 11:14 a.m. (0314 GMT) Thursday from the Jiuquan launch site in China's arid northwest. "It is the crew of astronauts with the youngest average age since the launch of the space station construction mission," Beijing's State Council Information Office said in a statement. The all-male trio will be led by Tang Hongbo, who is on his first return mission to the Tiangong space station. "Throughout the past two years, I have often dreamt of going back to space," Tang said at a press conference on Wednesday. "The space station is our other home that takes us away from Earth and into the universe," he added. Accompanying him will be Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, both in their thirties and each making maiden space voyages. The crew has an average age of 38, compared to 42 for the crew of Shenzhou-16 when it launched. "According to the plan, the Shenzhou-17 spacecraft will conduct autonomous rendezvous and docking procedures after entering orbit," Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson for China's space program, said during a Wednesday morning press briefing. It will dock with the station's core module "about six-and-a-half hours" after first initiating the procedure, he added. 'Space dream' Plans for China's "space dream" have been put into overdrive under President Xi Jinping. The world's second-largest economy has pumped billions of dollars into its military-run space program in an effort to catch up with the United States and Russia. In June, the return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 spaceship touched down at a landing site in the northern Inner Mongolia region, with state media hailing the mission as a "complete success". That month also saw the launch of the Shenzhou-16 capsule, which carried the first Chinese civilian -- Beihang University professor Gui Haichao -- into orbit. That crew will return to Earth on October 31 after completing a handover, officials said Wednesday. Beijing also aims to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030 and plans to build a base on the lunar surface. Spokesperson Lin reiterated that aim Wednesday, saying that the "goal of landing Chinese people on the moon by 2030 will be realized as scheduled". Lunar plans The country's lunar plans were dealt a setback in 2017 when the powerful Long March-5 Y2 rocket failed to launch on a mission to put communication satellites into orbit. That forced the postponement of the Chang'e-5 launch, originally scheduled to collect Moon samples in the second half of 2017. Another robot, the Chang'e-4, landed on the far side of the Moon in January 2019 -- a historic first. Chang'e-5 eventually landed on the Moon in 2020, raising a Chinese flag on the lunar surface and returning to Earth with the first lunar samples in four decades. The final module of the T-shaped Tiangong -- which means "heavenly palace" -- successfully docked with the core structure last year. The station carries several pieces of cutting-edge scientific equipment, according to state news agency Xinhua, including "the world's first space-based cold atomic clock system". The Tiangong is expected to remain in low Earth orbit at between 400 and 450 kilometers (250 and 280 miles) above the planet for at least 10 years. China will send its youngest-ever crew of astronauts to the Tiangong space station this week, officials said Wednesday, as Beijing pursues plans for a manned mission to the Moon by the end of the decade. Tiangong is the crown jewel of Beijing's space program, which has also landed robotic rovers on Mars and the Moon and made China the third country to put humans in orbit. The station is constantly crewed by teams of three astronauts, who are rotated out every six months. The Shenzhou-17 module carrying the trio to the station is scheduled to blast off at 11:14 am (0314 GMT) Thursday from the Jiuquan launch site in China's arid northwest. "It is the crew of astronauts with the youngest average age since the launch of the space station construction mission," Beijing's State Council Information Office said in a statement. The all-male trio will be led by Tang Hongbo, who is on his first return mission to the Tiangong space station. "Throughout the past two years, I have often dreamt of going back to space," Tang said at a press conference on Wednesday. "The space station is our other home that takes us away from Earth and into the universe," he added. Accompanying him will be Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, both in their thirties and each making maiden space voyages. The crew has an average age of 38, compared to 42 for the crew of Shenzhou-16 when it launched. "According to the plan, the Shenzhou-17 spacecraft will conduct autonomous rendezvous and docking procedures after entering orbit," Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson for China's space program, said during a Wednesday morning press briefing. It will dock with the station's core module "about six-and-a-half hours" after first initiating the procedure, he added. 'Space dream' Plans for China's "space dream" have been put into overdrive under President Xi Jinping. The world's second-largest economy has pumped billions of dollars into its military-run space program in an effort to catch up with the United States and Russia. In June, the return capsule of the Shenzhou-15 spaceship touched down at a landing site in the northern Inner Mongolia region, with state media hailing the mission as a "complete success". That month also saw the launch of the Shenzhou-16 capsule, which carried the first Chinese civilian -- Beihang University professor Gui Haichao -- into orbit. That crew will return to Earth on October 31 after completing a handover, officials said Wednesday. Beijing also aims to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030 and plans to build a base on the lunar surface. Spokesperson Lin reiterated that aim Wednesday, saying that the "goal of landing Chinese people on the moon by 2030 will be realized as scheduled". Lunar plans The country's lunar plans were dealt a setback in 2017 when the powerful Long March-5 Y2 rocket failed to launch on a mission to put communication satellites into orbit. That forced the postponement of the Chang'e-5 launch, originally scheduled to collect Moon samples in the second half of 2017. Another robot, the Chang'e-4, landed on the far side of the Moon in January 2019 -- a historic first. Chang'e-5 eventually landed on the Moon in 2020, raising a Chinese flag on the lunar surface and returning to Earth the first lunar samples in four decades. The final module of the T-shaped Tiangong -- which means "heavenly palace" -- successfully docked with the core structure last year. The station carries several pieces of cutting-edge scientific equipment, according to state news agency Xinhua, including "the world's first space-based cold atomic clock system". The Tiangong is expected to remain in low Earth orbit at between 400 and 450 kilometers (250 and 280 miles) above the planet for at least 10 years. The post China to send youngest-ever crew to space station appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Collision or ramming?
When nations compete for dominance, the concepts of fairness and sovereignty often go by the wayside. This weekend’s collision of Philippine vessels with Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea should serve as a vivid reminder of China’s aggressive expansionism in this crucial maritime region. While troubling, this incident is just part of a larger pattern of Chinese harassment of Philippine vessels within our territorial waters. China once again relied on its victim-blaming strategy, accusing the Philippines of “deliberately stirring up trouble” in an incident that the Philippine Coast Guard allegedly planned. These claims are ridiculous and unfounded, part of China’s long-running endeavor to legitimize its illegal acts in the West Philippine Sea. But regardless of Beijing’s bluster, the Philippines has the right to stand up to a neighborhood bully. Its claim to sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea is firmly rooted in the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s 2016 ruling, which categorically rejected China’s extensive claims over nearly the entire South China Sea, including areas that overlap with the West Philippine Sea. This landmark decision made it evident that China’s historical claims do not hold up under international law, in an area where competing claims by other countries like Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan have sparked geopolitical concerns. Historically, the territorial irritants that have the potential to become full-blown conflicts have centered on fishing rights, oil and gas reserves, and the strategic importance of controlling these waterways. Still, unlike China’s bold territorial expansion and contempt for international jurisprudence, the Philippines’ approach is founded on the rule of law. China’s predilections extend beyond the assertion of spurious territorial claims, as it includes the unauthorized construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea. These man-made islands function as military outposts, providing China with a strategic regional advantage. Such acts are not only illegal, but they also pose a direct threat to regional peace and stability. As the Philippines struggles for its rights, exposing China’s duplicity on a global scale is critical. While China portrays itself as a rational and responsible nation in international crises such as the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the Israel-Hamas conflict, its actions in the South China Sea reflect a different face — that of a regional bully. China cannot preach peace and diplomacy while actively pursuing territorial expansion and disregarding international law when it does not support its aspirations. The collision (or was it an intentional incident of ramming by China of Philippine vessels?) near the Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands is just the latest chapter in China’s unrelenting pursuit of regional supremacy. Philippine efforts to safeguard its sovereignty and defend international law merit support not only from its neighbors, but also from the world community at large. The West Philippine Sea is more than just a body of water; it represents sovereignty, justice, and the triumph of law over aggression. The Philippines’ resistance to China’s bullying is a fight for the rights of all nations that value international norms, territorial integrity, and conflict resolution through peaceful means. China’s activities in the West Philippine Sea and its disrespect for the verdict of the Permanent Court of Arbitration must be countered by the international community with the position that in the South China Sea, might does not equal right. As we consider the perilous situation in the West Philippine Sea, it’s critical to understand that this is not a one-off occurrence but part of a larger pattern. The Philippines has been subjected to constant harassment by Chinese vessels within its own waters. Filipino fishermen are being harassed, maritime resources (like coral reefs) are being pillaged, and Filipino military troops are being put in danger by Chinese warships that have no business being in Philippine waters. There can never be a repeat of the 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff, which allowed China to build bases on man-made islands. As it stands resolute against China’s gunboat diplomacy, the Philippines serves as a beacon of hope for all nations confronting unjustified hostility. The Philippines’ dedication to upholding international law, maintaining its sovereignty, and defending its people’s rights is admirable. The post Collision or ramming? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Sub bolsters Taiwan defense vs China
Taiwan unveiled its first domestically built submarine on Thursday to bolster the island’s defenses against China. President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the launch ceremony for the Hai Kun or “Narwhal” in English at CSBC Corporation's Kaohsiung shipyard, according to Taiwan News. Tsai performed the bottle-breaking ritual and named the submarine, which means “giant fish” in Chinese. National Security Council Secretary General Wellington Koo, American Institute in Taiwan Director Sandra Oudkirk, Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai and other dignitaries attended the ceremony, CNA reported. Strongly opposed by Beijing for her refusal to accept China’s authority over the island, Tsai launched a submarine program in 2016 with the aim of delivering a fleet of eight vessels. Construction on the first started in 2020 by CSBC Corporation, a company specializing in container ships and military vessels. Carrying a price tag of $1.5 billion, the submarine’s displacement weight is about 2,500 to 3,000 tons, with its combat systems and torpedoes sourced from the United States defense company Lockheed Martin. Ben Lewis, a US-based independent analyst who focuses on the Chinese military’s movements around the island, said the Taiwanese submarine can pose a threat to Chinese amphibious assault and troop transport capabilities. “They have practised extensively the use of civilian vessels to augment their existing troop delivery platforms, and a submarine could wreak havoc on vessels not designed for naval warfare,” Lewis said. The submarine will still need at least three years to become operational, Zivon Wang, a military analyst at Taipei-based think tank the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies, said. “The launch... does not mean that Taiwan will become very powerful right away but it is a crucial element of Taiwan’s defense strategy and a part of our efforts to build deterrence capabilities,” Wang said. China’s state-run Global Times on Monday published an op-ed saying Taiwan’s submarine deployment plan to block the Chinese military was “daydreaming.” “The plan is just an illusion of the island attempting to resist reunification by force,” it said. The post Sub bolsters Taiwan defense vs China appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Reef harvesting being validated
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Tuesday the government was validating if the reported coral reef destruction in the West Philippine Sea could be preparatory to China’s reclaiming land to build artificial islands. “We have to validate it because according to the arbitral award, that is a violation of an international treaty — the destruction of maritime life, particularly if the coral destruction is a cause of, or used for the reclamation of artificial islands,” Teodoro said. The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard had observed the destruction of the marine environment resources at Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal amid the swarming of Chinese militia vessels as early as July. AFP WesCom chief, Vice Adm. Alberto Carlos, reported a “concerning resurgence” of Chinese vessels at Rozul Reef in August, a month after they drove away around 50 Chinese maritime militia vessels from the area. China has reclaimed land in the Spratlys Group of Islands, where it built airstrips and radar and missile stations. Carlos said about 40 Chinese fishing vessels were spotted in the area on 15 September. He noted that the latest figure was higher than the 33 vessels spotted on 24 August and the 24 monitored on 7 September. Swarming was also observed at Escoda Shoal, where five Chinese fishing vessels were spotted, and at Baragatan Bank, where two CFVs were seen. This was followed by a report that the once abundant coral reefs at Rozul Reef were “extensively” destroyed after the Chinese militia ships left the swarmed area. In August, Carlos reported that they monitored more than 400 fishing vessels in the entire WPS, with 85 percent believed to be Chinese-owned. The post Reef harvesting being validated appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Beijing going on an island-building binge?
The harvesting of corals on Rozul Reef could be part of China’s preparations for new reclamation in the West Philippine Sea, senators warned Monday. Citing China’s “playbook,” Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri suspected the destruction of the shoal’s seabed could be in preparation for reclamation activities in the area. “It’s possible. That has been their guidebook and playbook since the beginning where they destroy an area first and then reclaim it. That’s why we have to remain vigilant,” Zubiri said. The warning came on the same day that Japan’s ambassador to the Philippines, Kazuhiko Koshikawa, revealed in a social media post that his country had also been a victim of coral poaching in the past. “In the territorial waters and EEZ (exclusive economic zone) around Japan’s Ogasawara Islands, the large-scale poaching of precious corals by foreign vessels occurred 10 years ago, causing marine environmental and economic damage to Japan, leading to [a] diplomatic issue and strict JCG (Japan Coast Guard) controls,” Koshikawa tweeted on X. The envoy, however, did not name the country responsible for the pillaging of corals off Ogasawara Islands. Over the weekend, the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command reported that there was massive coral harvesting at Rozul Reef. The report of missing and destroyed corals came following the sightings of Chinese maritime militia vessels in the area. The report was confirmed by the Philippine Coast Guard, which observed the same coral inundation in the seabed of Escoda Reef (Sabina Shoal), also in the West Philippine Sea. Airstrips Senator Francis Tolentino, who chairs the Senate Special Committee on Maritime and Admiralty Zones, echoed the Senate chief’s observation that China may be planning to build manmade structures at Rozul Reef like it did in the Spratlys group of islands, also in the WPS. China built artificial islands in the Spratlys — at the Fiery Cross, Subi, Mischief, Johnson South, Cuarteron, Gave and Hughes reefs — where it constructed airstrips, radar stations and missile sites. “There might be a different plan for that, not only the harvesting of corals and the destruction of it. Because killing the corals is a prelude to one thing — when you kill it you can now do reclamation,” Tolentino said in a television interview. He noted that China’s actions in the reefs that are all within the Philippines’ EEZ violated the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. “If we are to file a claim for damages, it should be in the tribunal recognized by UNCLOS and the United Nations,” he said. He noted that the Philippine government may file cases against China before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the International Court of Justice, or the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros said the recent developments in the West Philippine Sea called for a Senate inquiry. “It’s ripe for a Senate resolution and investigation because it would not be the first time that China caused environmental degradation in our sea,” Hontiveros said. “They also dredged our seafloor to invent their artificial islands, militarize them, within the West Philippine Sea and our exclusive economic zone, to claim it as their territory,” she pointed out. The lawmaker expressed gratitude to the Armed Forces of the Philippines for its discovery of the damaged seabed at Rozul and Escoda Reefs. WITH LADE JEAN KABAGANI The post Beijing going on an island-building binge? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Zubiri: Coral destruction in WPS a global food security threat
The destruction of the marine ecosystem in the West Philippine Sea, particularly in the Escoda (Sabina) and Rozul (Iroquois) Reefs, threatens global food security, Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri warned. “This is a wanton destruction of our future food security areas. I am really angry with what they are doing,” Zubiri said in a statement. He made the comment following the report of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command of missing and destroyed corals along Rozul Reef. The discovery of damaged corals came after the sightings of Chinese maritime militia vessels in the area. The report was confirmed by the Philippine Coast Guard, which found similar observations on the seabed of Escoda Reef, also in the West Philippine Sea. According to Zubiri, the destruction of marine ecosystems will have global consequences. “This is not a destruction only on the Philippine side, but for the whole world. It’s for the whole world because the species of fish that breed there are not only being harvested by Filipino fishermen, but also harvested by Malaysian fishermen, Vietnamese fishermen, even Chinese fishermen,” he pointed out. “So it is for the good of the world if our coral reefs are protected. That’s why I’m really very mad,” he added. He also made an appeal to the Chinese Embassy in Manila to “tell their militia vessels to put a stop on this wanton destruction.” ‘Marine ranger stations’ To safeguard the country’s marine resources in the West Philippine Sea, the Senate chief said the upper chamber would propose a P600 million budget to build marine ranger stations across the country. “We agreed to it already. We already spoke to Senator Sonny Angara. The P600 million is to build marine ranger stations in different parts of the Philippines, including the West Philippine Sea,” he said. He noted that the upper chamber is working closely with the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources in setting up marine ranger stations in key coastal areas nationwide. Aside from budget allocations for the establishment of marine ranger stations, Zubiri also vowed to fight for bigger allotments for the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy in the national budget for 2024 to boost their capabilities to protect and monitor the country’s maritime zones. “This budget is a critical budget. This is the time that we have to put our money where our mouth is. This is the time that we need to increase the budget for ships, patrol crafts, and marine research centers,” he said. Under the proposed P5.768-trillion National Expenditure Plan for 2024, the PCG has been allocated with P24.014 billion, an increase of nearly 10 percent from its allotment of P21.92 billion this year. On the other hand, P40.97 billion has been set aside for the Navy, up from its current budget of P34.98 billion. The post Zubiri: Coral destruction in WPS a global food security threat appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Indon police secure island after violent protest
A 200-strong riot police team secured Rempang Island in Indonesia on Friday in response to a violent protest against a Chinese-funded economic zone and glass factory construction project in nearby Batam Island. Machete-wielding and stone-throwing protesters opposing the project clashed with police in the main city of Riau Islands province on Monday. Dozens of protesters were arrested after the clash outside a government agency, according to a local official. They were part of around 1,000 people protesting against the project as they fear that building the economic zone and factory would displace around 7,500 people. Riau Islands police spokesperson Zahwani Pandra Arsyad said the riot police will maintain security. Jakarta secured a reported $11.5 billion investment pledge from Xinyi Glass Holdings, the world’s biggest glass producer, to build the factory during a visit by Indonesian President Joko Widodo to the Chinese city of Chengdu in July. Widodo responded to the unrest on Thursday, saying anger against the project was caused by miscommunication that could have been prevented if relocation package details, including rent and meal compensation, were properly explained. The government also said the development will create tens of thousands of jobs for Indonesians. It aims to attract more than 300,000 jobs by 2080, according to officials, who have not said when the project is expected to be finished. WITH AFP The post Indon police secure island after violent protest appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
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, Chinese and Russian officials gather at Southeast Asia summit
US Vice President Kamala Harris, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will attend an East Asia summit in Indonesia on Thursday, offering an opportunity for direct, high-level diplomacy between the rivals. The 18-nation meeting will bring Washington and Beijing into contact a day after Premier Li Qiang warned major powers must manage their differences to avoid a "new Cold War", ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi this week where Chinese President Xi Jinping will be absent. Interactions between the officials from the world's top two economies will be closely watched as they seek to control tensions that risk flaring anew over issues ranging from Taiwan to ties with Moscow and the competition for influence in the Pacific. "To keep differences under control, what is essential now is to oppose picking sides, to oppose bloc confrontation, and to oppose a new Cold War," Li told regional leaders on Tuesday. Harris held her own talks with Southeast Asian leaders on "the importance of upholding international law in the South China Sea", according to a statement from her office, the disputed waterway where Chinese claims have angered several Southeast Asian nations. Thursday's summit will be the first time top US and Russian officials have sat around the same table in almost two months after US and European officials condemned Lavrov at a July ministerial meeting over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $1 billion in new assistance to Ukraine in a surprise visit to Kyiv on Wednesday. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Canada's Justin Trudeau, and Australian PM Anthony Albanese will attend the summit, as well as leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. G20 host Modi addressed ASEAN leaders on Thursday morning, telling them it is essential to "build a post-Covid rules-based world order" and make collective efforts to ensure a "free and open Indo-Pacific", using another term for the Asia-Pacific region. Thursday's talks come several months after Blinken traveled to Beijing, the first visit by the top US diplomat in nearly five years, where he met Xi as well as former foreign minister Qin Gang. - 'Broken' - The meeting was not expected to be a fiery affair despite the differences between the major powers, according to a Southeast Asian diplomat who will attend. "They will state their positions, these meetings are not tense. Especially at the leaders' level where some degree of decorum will be observed." The group will issue a negotiated joint statement after the summit. While the gathering can bring major players together, its ability to help resolve a range of regional and global disputes is limited, experts say. "It's a sign of the ASEAN convening power but lately we can say that the East Asia summit is broken. It has been turned into a forum for talking points," said Aaron Connelly, senior fellow at Singapore-based think tank IISS. While Thursday's meeting will be more geopolitical in scope, big powers used earlier talks in Jakarta to shore up alliances and lobby the Southeast Asian bloc. Li traveled on a Chinese-funded high-speed train project between the capital Jakarta and the Javan city of Bandung with a senior Indonesian minister on Wednesday. Harris held separate meetings with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. -- both ASEAN members -- on the sidelines of the summit. "The Vice President reaffirmed the United States' ironclad alliance commitment to the Philippines, and highlighted the role the US-Philippines alliance plays in ensuring a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific," her office said in a statement. South Korea's Yoon reportedly pushed for the bloc to counter North Korea's nuclear threats, calling for any military cooperation with the country to stop. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also give an address on the sidelines of the summit later on Thursday. ASEAN members are holding bilateral meetings with India, Australia, and the UN on Thursday. The post US, Chinese and Russian officials gather at Southeast Asia summit appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Shanghai billionaire
Author’s Note. This story is inspired by true events in Manila, Philippines in the early 1950s. Mawan is a rags-to-riches guy, like a few other famous Filipino Taipans. He stowed away on a cargo ship in Shanghai bound for Manila. Upon reaching Manila, he jumped ship in the dark of night and found his freedom from great poverty to less poverty. He slept in front of a bank on Plaza Cervantes until the police shooed him away. He was forced to sleep under a nearby footbridge along the bank of the Pasig River. For six months, he survived by trading in junk, old newspapers, and empty bottles (dyaryo-bote). He was a “no-English-no-read-no-write” kid. Maning, the bank manager, who often saw Mawan loitering outside the bank and was getting annoyed, asked him in Pilipino where he was from. Mawan answered in Cantonese. It was the beginning of an instant friendship as the manager was once a Shanghai boy himself. Mawan blurted out his story of adventure. Maning adopted Mawan as his own son and gave him a job as a janitor at the bank. He slept in the garage of the manager’s Chinatown home. To cut the story short, in 10 years, Mawan graduated from janitor to clerk to supervisor at the bank. He later resigned, and in another 10 years, graduated from junk shop owner to stockbroker. He became a billionaire at the age of 33. At that time, China bought most of the global supply of coal, which was fuel for cement plants, inducing a nationwide coal shortage. Cement stocks fell to their lowest point and that was when Mawan used all his savings to purchase stocks of the largest cement plant in the country. He ignored Maning’s warnings that it was a dangerous move. When the shortage was over and coal was once again available for cement production, Mawan’s stocks soared to the stratosphere and, at their peak, he unloaded at 55 times their purchase price. He, in fact, caused the stock to take a deep dive as many investors followed his move. He married the daughter of a Chinese billionaire and had a daughter, Melissa. Mawan spoiled her, but he knew that she would not be able to survive in a cruel world with a silver spoon in her mouth. So, he yanked her out of her comfort zone and immersed her in mud, sending her to live with the laborers he had contracted to build a huge mall in Cebu City. MELISSA: Papa, thank you for letting me help your workers. I’m so bored reading books, I’m going crazy. MAWAN: Can you manage to live in a small beach shack with no maid and no car? MELISSA: I am so happy helping the workers, I can take any kind of discomfort. But I got a worker’s daughter as my maid. I’m on top of the world, Papa. Melissa grew in the spirit in her whole new world. From her pocket money, she gave small loans to the beleaguered workers and paid their hospital bills when they got sick. MAWAN: Be careful, Melissa. The workers may not pay you back. MELISSA: I don’t have a problem. They know that if they don’t pay me back, they will lose their jobs. I hired a micro-lending consultant to teach them how to save money to pay off their loans. So far, I have zero bad debts from loans of half a million pesos, Papa. Mawan was so happy that his daughter had turned out so well after he had dipped her in the mud. Then, suddenly, he developed cancer of the prostate, stage 1. He had it cured immediately, but the doctor warned that he needed to rest to strengthen his immune system. MAWAN: Melissa, I want you to drop everything and take over. I need to rest. MELISSA: Go on a world tour, you and Mama. Take a slow tour of the Yangtze River for a month. Visit the ancient Buddhist temples outside Shanghai. I will take care of business. The hardship she experienced in Cebu strengthened Melissa’s spirit. She was ready to be the youngest CEO in Chinatown. MAWAN: (Upon returning home after two months in China.) Our immersion in China was the greatest gift you gave us, Melissa. It opened my eyes. We met so many people who made us happy. Now I know. The world is not just about building corporate empires but also spiritual empires. MELISSA: My world with the workers was your greatest gift to me. Your wisdom opened my heart. It was a great exchange gift. Somehow, happiness healed Mawan’s cancer. He adopted Melissa’s style, immersing himself in the workers as the key to his healing. eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com The post Shanghai billionaire appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Poor team player
A string of blunders by the United States contributed greatly to the aggressiveness of China in the West Philippine Sea, in disregard of the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling that invalidated most of China’s maritime claims. A geopolitical expert even suggested that America’s traditional ally, the Philippines, was left out in the cold after the Obama administration initiated its Asian pivot to contain China. Dean Cheng, senior advisor to the China program at the US Institute of Peace, a federal watchdog on the global situation, assessed the recent deployment of “ships and other maritime forces to the disputed Spratly islands near the Philippines.” Cheng identified China’s goal as coerce the Philippines into withdrawing from the contested Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal) to effectively cede it to the People’s Republic of China or PRC. The expert who advises the US government said China’s actions “are in defiance of the international Permanent Court of Arbitration’s findings that undermined the PRC claims to the Spratlys and they constitute a serious challenge to the international rules governing maritime conduct.” Cheng traced the unabated Chinese incursions to the poor handling of the situation during the 2012 standoff at Scarborough Shoal that practically encouraged Beijing to build permanent military structures on the sea formation. The weak response of the US government to China’s sea maneuvers emboldened increasingly drastic actions in the disputed region which Beijing claims is historically its territory. “It is worth recalling that in 2012, the United States chose to persuade the Philippines to withdraw from Scarborough Shoal (a separate set of features north of the Spratlys) while making no effort to compel the PRC to do the same. In effect, Washington forced Manila to cede that set of features to the PRC,” Cheng said. Worse, under President Barack Obama, the US took a three-year hiatus from freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, an absence that coincided with massive Chinese construction on features it controlled. “For the United States to once again fail to counter Chinese efforts to dominate a region that sees some $3.37 trillion in trade would reinforce a perception of American withdrawal,” according to Cheng. Over the years, Cheng said, the PRC has become more assertive in supporting its ambiguous claims. It has extended patrols in the area, often arresting foreign fishing boats for violating the nine-dash line while requiring everyone who wishes to fish there to register with Sansha in the Paracels, a Chinese prefecture. China has also undertaken extensive land reclamation on rocks and reefs under its control, totaling over 3,000 acres on artificial islands in the Spratlys — dwarfing all other claimants combined. “Despite promises not to militarize these new features, the PRC has deployed artillery pieces and rockets and built runways that can support both fighter and cargo aircraft,” Cheng said. China is intent on coercing the Philippines out of its position in the Spratlys, regardless of legal rights and claims. According to the US expert, it is likely that the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s findings have only strengthened China’s “resolve to secure the Spratlys (as well as the separate Scarborough Shoal and Macclesfield Bank territories). At the same time, the PRC is likely trying to signal to the region that American support is both escalatory and counterproductive.” The US has not matched its strong statements on the West Philippine Sea dispute, such as its frequent assurances to the Philippines of an iron-clad alliance, with determined moves, thus giving China the impetus to gradually ramp up its actions. When the ball was in its court, the US, because of domestic political considerations, exited the game leaving its teammate at the mercy of its powerful opponent. The post Poor team player appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Of China’s ‘One Belt One Road’
Sometime in August 2016, I attended the formal media launch of One Belt One Road, or OBOR, in Beijing, China. I thought then that OBOR, also referred to later as Belt and Road Initiative, must be one of the most, if not the most, significant programs of President Xi Jinping, as it was attended by hundreds of print and broadcast journalists from around the world, the Philippines included. OBOR was to revive the “Silk Road” economic belt of ancient China, a land trade route carrying its finest silk and other goods to its neighboring Central Asian countries and later to as far as Europe; whereas today’s Road refers to the 21st Century land and maritime silk route to Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The land route was launched, I think in 2013, while the maritime route was given a big push in 2017. Early on, China set up the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as part of the OBOR mechanism. China sank in the initial capital and was joined later by other member countries. The Philippines was the last country to join AIIB when the late President Noynoy Aquino signed its Charter in the last few minutes of 31 December 2015, and this was ratified a year later during Duterte’s term. In sum, AIIB had 106 members to start. The Philippines, if we look at the records, derived from loans and infrastructure projects, was quite slow in availing of cheap money from this BRI initiative. Indonesia, Singapore, and other ASEAN and African countries had done so for various infra projects, among these railways, dams, and ports. The small loan amount we obtained was later topped up by China in terms of gifts which came in the form of bridges, schools, medical supplies, and vaccines when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. Add to that are the much-needed arms for our armed forces to get rid of the marauding Maute ISIS terrorist group in Marawi City and additional help to rehabilitate it later. Alarmed by the inroads China was making with the BRI through the land and marine infrastructure built with the billions of dollars it loaned to countries along the silk routes, the West was quick to make a big issue of it when Sri Lanka defaulted, calling China’s loans a “debt trap.” Of course, not a few of those struggling economies defaulted as the impact of the new infrastructure on their development had yet to gain traction. However, President Xi Jinping waived the interest dues. How is it for China midway to the Road’s target completion date of 2049? The BRI has covered more than 68 countries with an estimated 65 percent of the world’s population. All told, the largesse from China resulted in the reduction of dependency on the US and it created new markets for Chinese products. The US of A is fast losing its dominance. China, once wallowing in the quagmire of poverty, is now the second-largest economy in the world and growing. Will China then go beyond firing water cannons at Philippine Coast Guard vessels? This could only be answered by another set of questions. Is China willing to cut the marine silk route that passes through or close to the West Philippine Sea? Will its land route suffice to bring its products to its export markets in the event the sea lane is altogether cut off? Will the Chinese people relish going back to poverty and isolation? The answers are a big NO. So why EDCA? Why not pursue the Philippines-China joint oil exploration in the WPS as the offer stands at a 60/40 sharing agreement in favor of the Philippines? Why build more military bases when these are veritable beckons to war which we as a policy abhor? Why not take advantage of the short maritime link between China and the Philippines to enhance our economy? The price of fuel is skyrocketing. Our peso is depreciating as in a free fall. We have solutions and yet these, too have become problems. The post Of China’s ‘One Belt One Road’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Territorial issues
Imagine a world where the 16 cities and the single remaining municipality of Metro Manila are under one unified control, under a single governor, and government administrative services are shared. Imagine having zero territorial disputes between and among cities, and there would be little or no need for expansion via reclamation. Imagine public schools and hospitals being shared by all inhabitants of Metro Manila, regardless of which area or jurisdiction you reside in. This was the situation decades ago, but it seems certain that we will never go back to this, unless a nuclear bomb is dropped on Manila and resets everything back to zero. Right now, we have two public issues affecting land in Metro Manila — one pertains to the creation of new land, and the other is a dispute over a large tract of land involving two big business districts. With the way things are going, it is becoming apparent that the national government must step in and intervene in these issues. Last weekend, my family stayed in the renowned Sofitel in Pasay City, and what was once a pristine and relaxing view of Manila Bay had turned into a dusty wasteland of a reclamation site. Good thing the President ordered the stoppage of reclamation activities just days before, otherwise we would have been inhaling dust particles while my kids were enjoying the swimming pool. Prior to this visit, I attended a wedding in the same area back in October and you could still appreciate the vast sea. Now, we saw trucks and vans in the reclaimed area, which is almost ready for the laying of a road network and, later, buildings. Reclamations done in the sea — a natural resource — face legal issues that may be threshed out in court. But with the speed the reclamations are being done, not just in Metro Manila but in the entire country, using Chinese construction companies adept at doing this, i.e., the artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea in a few months, new parcels of land will soon be ready for sale at premium prices. The increase in land area guarantees revenue for the city it shall be adjacent to. Case in point: the reclaimed area where the SM Mall of Asia and Pagcor City are situated are guaranteed income earners for the cities of Pasay and Parañaque, respectively. Due to the lack of space in Metro Manila, cities resort to reclamation to build new revenue streams. In the case of Makati and Taguig, we have a territorial dispute brought about by a Supreme Court decision. The “Embo” (Enlisted Men’s Barrio) portion of Makati was declared a part of Taguig because of what I understand was an appeal gone awry. Since the appeal of Makati to the Supreme Court caused the latter to open the facts for review, the disputed portion was suddenly found to be part of Taguig. Now that schools are about to open, the question is whether these “Embo” schools and their teachers should be part of Taguig. The ‘“embo” barangays comprise over 200,000 inhabitants, many of whom will become instant voters of Taguig. Although these are residential areas, they stand to benefit from the vibrant business community of BGC, and no longer would they be divided by Kalayaan Avenue. One may argue that they may actually be an expense for Taguig since these are not commercial areas, but the vote-rich barangays make it a political prize for whichever city or district they will land. Alas, we are left to imagine what if Metro Manila was a single mega-city. It may never happen again, unless we turn government around and revise the Constitution. Then again, who knows what the next president may bring to our colorful government? For comments, email him at darren.dejesus@gmail.com The post Territorial issues appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Kalayaan declares Chinese envoy persona non grata
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — The municipal council of Kalayaan unanimously approved Wednesday a measure declaring Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian persona non grata, signifying their strong opposition to his presence in their area at any time. Councilor Maurice Philip Alexis Albayda’s resolution will be forwarded to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Senate, and the Chinese Embassy in Manila to convey the sentiments of the island town. Albayda said this will serve to inform high government officials of their feelings and to make Xilian aware of their strong concerns regarding his country’s oppressive actions in the West Philippine Sea, where their hometown Kalayaan is located. The resolution was prompted by the 5 August incident during which China Coast Guard ships attempted to ram and used a water cannon on two supply boats being escorted by the Philippine Coast Guard. Albayda said the aggressive behavior by China not only put the lives of the supply boats’ crew and passengers at risk but also of the crew aboard the escorting PCG’s BRP Cabra who included three Kalayaan residents. “Did you know that we had fellow Kalayaan residents on board the BRP Cabra? Yes, they were there,” he said. “Without a doubt, the actions of our neighboring country are truly infuriating.” The Kalayaan residents were en route to Lawak Island at the time to build a shelter for coastal enforcers, he said. “I want to propose that we declare Ambassador Huang Xilian persona non grata in the town of Kalayaan, the only town in the West Philippine Sea,” Albayda said in his privilege speech shortly before the resolution was passed. Albayda also said he was calling on the DFA to downgrade the Philippines’ diplomatic relationship with China given what it is doing in ignoring the safety of the people in the WPS. Kalayaan Vice Mayor Beltzasar Alindogan supported Albayda’s move declaring Xilian persona non grata. “I’ve personally experienced China’s harassment, like being driven away, but the situation with the two supply boats was much more intense,” Alindogan said, emphasizing that Kalayaan should also communicate to China their strong disapproval of its actions. He said he has volunteered to join the reservists and encouraged the military to conduct training on Pag-asa Island, to allow residents to display their patriotism. Former Kalayaan Mayor Joel Bito-onon, who is now a municipal councilor, also voted to approve the declaration against Xilian, but cautioned that it might jeopardize diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines given what happened in the past when two government officials were denied entry to Hong Kong. “Since way back, I’ve thought that due to China’s deceptive behavior, very deceitful. They say one thing, do another. I’ve seen countless instances on YouTube of them overturning ships, like what they did to Vietnam. I’ve wondered when that will happen in the Philippines. And now, this incident with our supply boats, it’s the worst that I have seen so far,” Bito-onon said. “But I’m thinking, maybe we should add a bit more wisdom, because you might end up like me, being told not to go to any city in China,” he added. Meanwhile, Senator Francis Escudero on Wednesday said he will propose the allocation of at least P100 million in the 2024 national budget to fund the construction of permanent structures at the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea “to strengthen the country’s presence in the contested maritime territory.” “I will propose the allocation of a minimum of P100 million to fund the construction of a pier and lodging structures for our soldiers assigned in the area, and for our fishermen who might seek temporary refuge in times of bad weather,” Escudero told the Senate reporters. The senator said the structures could serve as permanent lodging for military personnel stationed at the old BRP Sierra Madre, a warship intentionally grounded in the shoal in 1999 as a Philippine military outpost. It can also serve as temporary shelter for foreign fishermen “who will be caught in bad weather” in the waters. Lade JEAn Kabagani @tribunephl_Lade The post Kalayaan declares Chinese envoy persona non grata appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fear no China
One could find reason to disagree with the view that a warship of the Philippine Navy at Ayungin Shoal had been deliberately run aground as a “symbol of Philippine sovereignty over that area.” The ongoing word war between Beijing and Manila only strains diplomatic relations and bilateral cooperation through confrontational media hype over deference to China as the “natural leader of the Third World.” A few well-defined observations may be drawn and serious questions may be raised. China’s averment of the Philippines’ commitment to remove the BRP Sierra Madre, beached the past 24 years, and the latter’s refusal since it never expressed any commitment to do so only aggravates the growing tension that has hogged the headlines recently and instilled an ideological clash of world views. Wasn’t there a “bilateral code of conduct” signed to put to rest such a dispute or conflict, at least in the case of Mischief Reef? Call to mind that in November 1995, Chinese President Jiang and President Fidel V. Ramos, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Osaka, reportedly discussed the joint development of marine resources in the disputed regions. Ramos also proposed an “interim solution” where “each littoral state assumes stewardship over the sea closest to it without prejudice to the sovereignty claims.” In fact, when a new Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States was signed in 1999, the Philippines practically shelved its plans to strengthen its fortifications in the Spratlys. Whereas China would want the Sierra Madre removed to bring Ayungin Shoal back to its unoccupied state, an irreverent National Security Council official only amplified the rhetoric by saying that such removal is tantamount to “abandoning our sovereign rights and jurisdiction over West Philippine Sea.” It must invite a congressional review as to whether or not — using the same ploy at Scarborough Shoal — another Philippine Navy ship (LST 507) was towed away when the China Coast Guard made a veiled threat to blow it up. It becomes understandable why the China Coast Guard that monitors its claim over the South China Sea deems in accordance with “maintaining China’s ‘national face’ on the world stage” its response to Philippine vessels on a resupply mission to the Sierra Madre. China also believes that the “introduction of third-party forces will only complicate the situation,” its reference to the G7 (US, UK, Japan, Australia, Canada, France, Germany) — consequent to President Benigno Aquino’s unilateral move “to humiliate China before the global public.” Note that Chinese nationalism cannot be undermined as the prime mover behind its tough stance against “recalcitrant neighbors” (e.g. Vietnam). The truth is that we failed to reach a level of “bilateral harmony” with China’s rise, a thing that Malaysia has done so effortlessly. If scholars are to be believed, the dynamics in play differ, viz., Malaysian politicians aim at giving face to China while Filipino politicians actively aim at destroying China’s public image to the pitch of a “global flashpoint.” Still, it’s best not to miss the forest for the trees. It sounds like a child’s game for the country’s national security official to unabashedly dismiss as a “figment of the imagination” the statement made by China’s envoy of a purported Philippine commitment to tow its grounded navy vessel from Ayungin. The dilapidated hulk is in a dismal state — gaping holes, corroded decks, unseaworthy, even worse than a decommissioned ship. How can you call that a “symbol of Philippine sovereignty?” Wherever these unfolding developments lead, the absolute fact remains that there is no single navy, marine, or soldier that the China Coast Guard has killed. If the Sino-Malaysian relationship resulted in highly profitable bilateral relations over the past four decades, why don’t we reconfigure Philippine threat perceptions of China precisely “to deny any external power’s hegemonial grip on the regional order,” as scholars suggest? Ought we follow what Brantly Womack describes as the “positive equilibrium between asymmetrical neighbors,” as well as Malaysia did? Perhaps let’s write new laws, draw new maps, then build installations over our territorial claims?” The post Fear no China appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
One giant step: Moon race hots up
Russia's plan to launch its lunar lander on Friday is the latest in an international push to return to the Moon that includes the world's top powers but also new players. Technology, science and politics are all essential factors in the Moon race. Here is the latest: China's great leap China is pursuing plans to send a crewed mission to the Moon by 2030 and plans to 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 was the third country to put humans in orbit in 2003 and Tiangong is the crown jewel of its space program, which has also landed rovers on Mars and the Moon. The unmanned Chang'e-4 rocket landed on the far side of the Moon in 2019, with another robot mission to the near side raising the Chinese flag there in 2020. That moonshot brought rock and soil samples back to Earth, the first time that has been done in more than four decades. NASA's Artemis NASA's Artemis 3 mission is set to return humans to the Moon in 2025 including its first woman and first non-white astronaut. Under the Artemis program, NASA is planning a series of missions of increasing complexity to return to the Moon and build a sustained presence in order to develop and test technologies for an eventual journey to Mars. The first, Artemis 1, flew an uncrewed spacecraft around the Moon in 2022. Artemis 2, planned for November 2024, will do the same with crew on board. NASA sees the Moon as a pit stop for missions to Mars and has done a deal with Finnish mobile firm Nokia to set up a 4G network there. However, NASA said this week that the Artemis 3 mission may not land humans on the Moon, depending on whether certain key elements, including the landing system developed by SpaceX, were ready. Elon Musk's firm won the contract for a landing system based on a version of its prototype Starship rocket, which remains far from ready. An orbital test flight of the uncrewed Starship ended in a dramatic explosion in April. Russia's Luna Russia's launch of Luna-25 on Friday will be its first to the Moon since 1976 and marks the beginning of Moscow's new lunar project. President Vladimir Putin is looking to strengthen space cooperation with China after ties with the West broke down following the start of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. New players Recent technological progress has reduced the cost of missions and opened the way for new players in the public and private sector to get involved. India's latest space mission Chandrayaan-3 entered the Moon's orbit in August ahead of the country's second attempted lunar landing later this month. But getting to the Moon is not an easy task. Israeli non-profit SpaceIL launched its Beresheet lunar lander in 2019, but it crashed. And in April this year Japan's ispace was the latest company to try, and fail, at the historic bid to put a private lunar lander on the Moon. Two other US companies, Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines, are set to try later in the year. The post One giant step: Moon race hots up appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»