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US Bolstering Philippines Amid Increasing Assertiveness by China
washington - The U.S. and Philippines will for the first time venture outside Manila's territorial waters when they begin joint annual combat drills in April, a Philippines government spokesman said Thursday.Colonel Michael Logico said elements of the Balikatan 2024 drills would be conducted about 22 kilometers (more than 12 nautical miles) off the west coast of Palawan, an island in the archipelago nation that.....»»
Jollibee ups investment in Tim Ho Wan for dim sum restaurant’s growth
Jollibee Foods Corporation plans to ‘aggressively expand’ Tim Ho Wan’s store network in mainland China, aiming to hit 100 stores in the middle term.....»»
China Coast Guard provokes Philippinian vessels, personnel; President Marcos directs authorities to conduct missions
Manila [Philippines], December 11 (ANI): Philippine President Bongbong Marcos directed the uniformed services to proceed with a mission-oriented mindset as the China Coast Guard and their Chinese Maritime Militia provoked and acted aggressively against Philippinian vessels and personnel over the weekend. Further, Marcos stressed that their aggression has only strengthened their will to protect their nation's sovereignty a.....»»
It means more to us
The Philippines giving in to China’s territorial claims over the West Philippine Sea would set a dangerous precedent with implications for the region and the global community. This issue is not just about a single territorial dispute — it involves core principles of international relations, including respect for sovereignty, adherence to international law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes. Firstly, allowing China to exert its claims aggressively and unilaterally undermines the principle of national sovereignty. It is fundamental to the international order that every nation can exercise its sovereign powers within its territory. If the Philippines simply capitulate to China’s demands, it would send a message that larger, more powerful nations can override the sovereignty of smaller countries. This could encourage other powers to assert their interests over weaker nations, increasing instability and conflict. Moreover, it would erode the rule of law on the international stage. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which both China and the Philippines are signatories, provides clear guidelines on maritime disputes. It is a universally recognized legal framework that promotes fairness and justice. The 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling, which rejected China’s extensive claims, was based on UNCLOS. Any acquiescence by the Philippines could undermine the authority of such international legal instruments, encouraging disregard for international law and the bodies that uphold it. Furthermore, giving in to China’s claims would jeopardize efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region. The South China Sea is one of the world’s most critical sea lanes, with rich resources and strategic importance. Therefore, any change in the status quo will affect many countries, increasing the risk of conflict. The Philippines could inadvertently fuel a mad scramble for control by surrendering its claim, exacerbating tensions among regional powers. Lastly, it would have profound implications for the global balance of power. China’s aggressive expansion in the South China Sea is seen by many as part of its larger strategy to challenge the existing US-led order. If the international community allows this to happen without pushback, it could embolden China and other rising powers to rewrite the rules of the global system in their favor. In conclusion, the Philippines acquiescing to China’s claims in the West Philippine Sea would set a perilous precedent. It would weaken the principles of sovereignty and international law, increase the risk of regional conflict, and have serious implications for the global balance of power. It is, therefore, crucial for the Philippines, with the international community’s support, to stand firm in defending its rights and upholding the principles that underpin the global order......»»
‘Velarde map trumps China’s fabrication’
China’s new map expanding its nine-dash line territorial claim in the South China Sea is undermining the peace and security in the Asia-Pacific Region, geopolitical analyst Marlon Villarin told Daily Tribune’s sister publication Dyaryo Tirada over the weekend. Appearing in the digital show “Hot Patatas,” the University of Santo Tomas political science professor belittled Beijing’s new “standard map” for 2023 as a mere fabrication that would not stand scrutiny against the so-called Velarde map. The Velarde map is one of the oldest maps in the world, the one that the Philippines used to stake its territorial claim in the West Philippine Sea before the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague. In 2016, the arbitral court affirmed that the Philippines holds rights over its exclusive economic zones in the WPS while dismissing China’s nine-dash line claim to nearly the entire South China Sea for being without legal or historical basis. “As things stand, they (Chinese) seemed to have fabricated (the nine-dash line claim). On the other hand, one of the oldest maps, the Velarde map, has helped us a lot,” Villarin told Tirada editor Rose Novenario. “It showed that it (WPS) is part of our territory.” [gallery size="full" ids="179079,179078,179076"] Discredited original If China’s nine-dash line map had been set aside by the arbitral court, it follows that its 10-dash line claim also has no basis, it being an expanded version of the discredited original, other political analysts have posited. Drawn by Jesuit priest Father Pedro Murillo Velarde, the map was published in Manila in 1734 and was described as “the first and most important scientific map in the Philippines.” Titled “Mapa de Las Yslas Pilipinas Hecho Por el Pe. Pedro Murillo de Compa. De Jesus,” the drawing has been instrumental, along with 270 other documents, in refuting China’s claim that it owns nearly the entire SCS. The WPS overlaps with the bigger SCS, where Chinese vessels, including from its navy and coast guard, had been harassing Filipino fishermen and Philippine-flagged ships. Aside from the Philippines, India and Malaysia condemned China for expanding its claim in the South China Sea, where trillions of dollars’ worth of trade passes each year, through the new map. The United States has been conducting freedom of navigation air and sea patrols in the SCS to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels in international waters, including those near the Taiwan Strait. [gallery size="full" ids="179082,179080,179077"] Claimants The Philippines, China, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan have separate claims in the South China Sea where China’s forces have been aggressively driving away other claimants. Months back, a China Coast Guard vessel used water cannon on Philippine Coast Guard-led ships resupplying the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War 2-era ship that ran aground in the Ayungin Shoal to serve as a permanent outpost for Filipino troops. Earlier, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año reiterated that the Philippine government does not recognize the 10-dash line or the nine-dash line claims of China. The new Chinese map showed 10 dashes forming the letter U showing nearly the entire South China Sea as a territory of China. Año stressed that the 2016 arbitral award was already final in debunking Beijing’s nine-dash line assertion. The ruling also gave the Philippines “maritime entitlement” extending its economic zone, territorial waters, and continental shelf. UNCLOS “The recent inclusion by China of its 10-dash line in their map is a gross violation of the territorial integrity of the Philippines as protected by the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea,” Villarin said. “It’s an affront to the Philippine Constitution that safeguards the territorial integrity of our country. It is also a direct threat to the peace and security of the Asia-Pacific Region,” he added. Villarin stressed that nearly all of the countries in the region would be affected by China’s claim, especially if it tries to enforce its “invention.” He recounted that in the 470-plus decisions made by the arbitral court, all of China’s claims were dismissed for having no legal or historical legs to stand on. The post ‘Velarde map trumps China’s fabrication’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl firming up stance vs China’s new map
The Philippines will continue to defend its sovereignty and territorial rights after China released a “new” map that claims the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday. In an interview with reporters in Palawan, Marcos said the Philippines is still developing a formal response to China’s expanded 10-dash line map. The government, he added, has long upheld the country’s territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea. The President’s late father and namesake, during his own presidency, established the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan to uphold the Philippines’ territorial rights in the region. Despite other countries continuing to assert their claims in the region aggressively, Marcos said the Philippines “has not changed its approach” to its territory in the resource-rich South China Sea. “It is other countries around us that have changed their approach. We have received the news that the 9-dash line has been extended to the 10-dash line,” the President told reporters. “And we will have to respond to all of this, and we will. But again, these are operational details I prefer not to talk about,” he added. When asked whether the Philippines will step up its response in the West Philippine Sea, Marcos said he was also counting on the backing of the international community since the Philippines “has stayed true” to the rules-based international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS. “I think it puts us on very solid ground in terms of our claims for territorial sovereignty, for maritime territory,” Marcos said. “This has been validated and supported by many, many countries around the world, and we should take strength in that.” The nine-dash line claim of China was declared legally infirm in a final ruling in 2016 by the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Beijing has refused to recognize the arbitral ruling. Trillions of dollars in trade pass through the South China Sea each year, the reason the United States has been holding freedom of navigation patrols in the area to stop what it described as China’s harassment of vessels and planes passing through or over international waters. Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan have territorial claims in the South China Sea, which overlaps with the WPS. The same arbitral court recognized the Philippines as having valid and legal exclusive economic zone rights in the WPS. @tribunephl_tiz @tribunephl_Lade The post Phl firming up stance vs China’s new map appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PBBM: ‘Phl will continue to defend territorial sovereignty and rights’
The Philippines will continue to defend its territorial sovereignty and territorial rights after China released a "new" map that claimed the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday. In a media interview with reporters in Palawan, Marcos said the Philippines is still developing a formal response to China's 10-dash line map, improving its territorial claims as it continues to defend the country from intrusions. He added that the government has long upheld Philippine territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea. For context, his father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., established the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan to uphold Philippine territorial rights in the region. Despite other countries continuing to assert their claims in the region aggressively, Marcos said the Philippines "has not changed its approach" to its territory in the resource-rich South China Sea. "It is other countries around us that have changed their approach. We have received the news that the 9-dash line has been extended to the 10-dash line," the President told reporters. "Once again, we have received the news that now the nine-dash line has been extended to the ten-dash line. And we will have to respond to all of these—and we will. But again, these are operational details I prefer not to talk about," said the President. When asked whether the Philippines will step up its response in the West Philippine Sea, Marcos said he was also counting on the backing of the international community since the Philippines "have stayed true" to the rule-based international law, especially the United Nations"Convention on the Law of the Sea. "I think it puts us in very solid ground in terms of our claims for territorial sovereignty, for maritime territory," Marcos said. “This has been validated and supported by many, many countries around the world, and we should take strength in that, and I believe that again is a very big help to the Philippines in continuing to defend our maritime borders,” he added. The nine-dash line was already declared illegal in 2016 by the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Despite the judgment by an international court that Beijing's claim to sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea lacks legal support, Beijing continues to control the said region, through which trillions of dollars in trade travel every year. While the United States sends Navy boats across the sea to assert freedom of navigation in international seas, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei also have overlapping claims in certain portions of the sea. The post PBBM: ‘Phl will continue to defend territorial sovereignty and rights’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US reaffirms ‘ironclad’ commitment to Phl amid celebration of 72nd anniversary of MDT
The United States on Wednesday reiterated its “ironclad” alliance commitment to the Philippines as the two nations observed the 72nd anniversary of their Mutual Defense Treaty. "The United States stands firm in our ironclad commitment to our alliance and partnership with the Philippines as we face new and continuing challenges," US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said in a tweet. Signed in 1951, the Philippines and the US agreed that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declared that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes. Earlier this month, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III reiterated that the MDT between Washington and Manila is extended to the latter’s public vessels. “Austin reaffirmed that the Mutual Defense Treaty extends to Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces—to include those of its Coast Guard—in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea,” Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said. This was after China Coast Guard aggressively attempted to block the Philippines from its resupply mission to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. The US, along with other Western countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and France have condemned China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea. China claims the vast South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. On 12 July 2016, the Philippines won its arbitral case against China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration – a landmark decision that China continues to reject. The post US reaffirms ‘ironclad’ commitment to Phl amid celebration of 72nd anniversary of MDT appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Meta fights sprawling Chinese ‘Spamouflage’ operation
Meta on Tuesday said it purged thousands of Facebook accounts that were part of a widespread online Chinese spam operation trying to covertly boost China and criticize the West. The campaign, which became known as "Spamouflage", was active across more than 50 platforms and forums including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and X, formerly known as Twitter, according to a Meta threat report. "We assess that it's the largest, though unsuccessful, and most prolific covert influence operation that we know of in the world today," said Meta Global Threat Intelligence Lead Ben Nimmo. "And we've been able to link Spamouflage to individuals associated with Chinese law enforcement." More that 7,700 Facebook accounts along with 15 Instagram accounts were jettisoned in what Meta described as the biggest ever single takedown action at the tech giant's platforms. "For the first time we've been able to tie these many clusters together to confirm that they all go to one operation," Nimmo said. The network typically posted praise for China and its Xinjiang province and criticisms of the United States, Western foreign policies and critics of the Chinese government including journalists and researchers, the Meta report says. The operation originated in China and its targets included Taiwan, the United States, Australia, Britain, Japan and global Chinese-speaking audiences. Facebook or Instagram accounts or pages identified as part of the "large and prolific covert influence operation" were taken down for violating Meta rules against coordinated deceptive behavior on its platforms. Meta's team said the network seemed to garner scant engagement, with viewer comments tending to point out bogus claims. Clusters of fake accounts were run from various parts of China, with the cadence of activity strongly suggesting groups working from an office with daily job schedules, according to Meta. 'Doppelganger' Some tactics used in China were similar to those of a Russian online deception network exposed in 2019, which suggested the operations might be learning from one another, according to Nimmo. Meta's threat report also provided analysis of the Russian influence campaign called Doppelganger, which was first disrupted by the security team a year ago. The core of the operation was to mimic websites of mainstream news outlets in Europe and post bogus stories about Russia's war on Ukraine, then try to spread them online, said Meta head of security policy Nathaniel Gleicher. Companies involved in the campaign were recently sanctioned by the European Union. Meta said Germany, France and Ukraine remained the most targeted countries overall, but that the operation had added the United States and Israel to its list of targets. This was done by spoofing the domains of major news outlets, including the Washington Post and Fox News. Gleicher described Doppelganger, which is intended to weaken support of Ukraine, as the largest and most aggressively persistent influence operation from Russia that Meta has seen since 2017. The post Meta fights sprawling Chinese ‘Spamouflage’ operation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UK boosts maritime cooperation with Phl amid tensions in South China Sea
The Philippines and the United Kingdom have agreed to bolster their maritime cooperation, British Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Spencer Cleverly said Tuesday. During his one-day visit to the Philippines, Cleverly signed a joint statement of intent to develop a framework agreement with his Filipino counterpart, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo. “This is an exciting time for our relationship. Our UK-Philippines Enhanced Partnership benefits our people, including on climate, trade, science, and tech, and shared security,” he said in his speech before reporters at the Manila Diamond Hotel, Roxas Boulevard. “Our relationship is founded on our shared values, and shared belief in openness, freedom and the rule of law,” he added. Cleverly announced that the UK agreed to broaden its maritime cooperation with the Philippines by sharing knowledge on maritime law, promoting maritime domain awareness, and advancing environmental protection. Aside from his meeting with Manalo, the English top diplomat also visited the Philippine Coast Guard to “hear about the work they do to uphold UNCLOS and protect the environment.” The visit came weeks after the China Coast Guard aggressively attempted to block the Philippine vessels from its resupply mission to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. Several countries such as the United States, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia, France, and New Zealand, condemned China’s actions. Cleverly said the UK wants to build “enduring partnerships with the Philippines and like-minded countries across this region to safeguard security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.” For his part, Manalo said the UK is an “important long-standing partner of the Philippines, especially in this time of geographic upheavals, economic disruptions, and challenges to the rule of law.” “During our meeting today, we also discussed pressing and evolving regional and international issues of mutual concern,” he said. “The Philippines and the UK are like-minded partners through our shared values of democracy and the rule of law, our unwavering commitment to the rules-based international order, and our pursuit of peace and stability,” he added. Aside from maritime cooperation, the two foreign ministers also discussed areas of defense, security, climate, economics, and people-to-people ties in their meeting. Cleverly is the first British Foreign Secretary that has set foot in Manila since 2016. The post UK boosts maritime cooperation with Phl amid tensions in South China Sea appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
U.S. must step up too
American analysts have been exploring the possible ways the West Philippine Sea conflict will play out primarily with the so-called “gray zone” maneuvers by China in the disputed waters in which non-military activities are employed for coercion. The United States Institute of Peace, or USIP, a federal body tasked with promoting conflict resolution and prevention worldwide, is reviewing ways that Washington can play a role in de-escalating the tension in the region. The review was sparked by an act of aggression last week when a Chinese Coast Guard vessel deployed a water cannon to redirect an unarmed Philippine Navy supply boat. China blamed the incident on the Philippine government’s continued defiance of an earlier understanding to ban the delivery of construction materials to the beached BRP Sierra Madre navy vessel at Ayungin Shoal. Tensions have been on the rise since last year on China’s perception that Manila was moving closer to Washington, prompting a more aggressive assertion of its claim over most of the West Philippine Sea. “Given that Washington and Manila have a mutual defense treaty, there is credible concern that an incident like this could trigger a wider US-China conflict,” according to the USIP. Under a new Philippine administration, the formerly conciliatory approach the country had taken in its dispute with China has shifted. Instead, Brian Harding, USIP senior expert for Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands, said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has highlighted China’s efforts to swarm and intimidate fishing and coast guard vessels to take the bold move of deepening defense ties with the United States, bringing China-Philippines ties to a new low. Ayungin Shoal, the USIP expert said, has long been a likely candidate for the first showdown between the Philippines and China since Beijing took control of Scarborough Shoal in 2012. Former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio also identified the shoal, in a speech the other day, as one of five possible flashpoints that may lead to a deeper maritime conflict. In 1999, the Philippines intentionally beached a World War II naval vessel on a submerged reef, located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, and has since maintained a small contingent of Marines on board in extremely austere conditions. As a practical matter, in recent years China has turned a blind eye to the Philippines replenishing supplies for the Marines but has blocked the delivery of materials that could be used to repair the ship. USIP’s Andrew Scobell, a China expert, said the recent aggressive actions of a large China Coast Guard vessel on a tiny Filipino Navy supply boat was merely the latest episode in a decades-long campaign of intimidation and coercion by Beijing. Based on its insisted-on nine-dash line boundaries, Beijing claims the right to restrict access to ships from other countries to the South China Sea. “Many of (China’s) white-hulled ships are far larger, much better equipped, and more intimidating than the gray hull naval vessels possessed by most Southeast Asian states,” USIP said. China has persisted in its well-orchestrated campaign of low-intensity conflict, what is widely called “gray zone” actions, to forcefully advance its claims and aggressively push back against rivals. Carla Freeman, a senior USIP expert on China, said that beyond the effort to persuade and deter China, the US should engage in diplomacy to encourage allies and partners in the region to make clear to Beijing their own concerns about the risks to peace posed by confrontation. Regional allies have already issued statements criticizing China’s behavior, with Tokyo using unusually strong language to condemn China’s conduct, the USIP said. Like the Philippines’ position, the USIP said that Washington’s efforts in support of a binding code of conduct, or CoC, would be key to preventing conflict. The USIP, nonetheless, sees as a major obstacle toward progress in the United States itself since it is limited in its diplomatic capabilities after it failed to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Taking the high road in the simmering conflict, thus, would need both the US and China to review their positions of leadership to keep the stability in the region. The post U.S. must step up too appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Possible Chinese malware in US systems a ‘ticking time bomb’: report
The Biden administration believes China has implanted malware in key US power and communications networks in a "ticking time bomb" that could disrupt the military in event of a conflict, The New York Times reported Saturday. The Times, quoting US military, intelligence and security officials, said the malware potentially gave China's People's Liberation Army the ability to disrupt US military operations if Beijing were to move against Taiwan at some point. The systems affected, the Times said, could allow China not only to cut off water, power and communications to US military bases, but also to homes and businesses across the United States. The report comes two months after Microsoft warned that state-sponsored Chinese hackers had infiltrated critical US infrastructure networks. Microsoft singled out Guam, a US Pacific territory with a vital military outpost, as one target but said malicious activity had also been detected elsewhere in the United States. It said the stealthy attack, carried out since mid-2021, was likely aimed at hampering the United States in the event of a regional conflict. Authorities in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Britain warned at the same time that Chinese hacking was likely taking place globally, affecting an extensive range of infrastructure. Discovery of the malware, the Times said, sparked a series of meetings in the White House Situation Room involving top military, intelligence and national security officials in an effort to track down and eradicate the code. The newspaper quoted one congressional official as saying the malware operation amounted to "a ticking time bomb." The White House issued a statement Friday that made no mention of China or military bases. "The Biden administration is working relentlessly to defend the United States from any disruptions to our critical infrastructure, including by coordinating interagency efforts to protect water systems, pipelines, rail and aviation systems, among others," said Adam Hodge, acting spokesman for the National Security Council. He added that President Joe Biden "has also mandated rigorous cybersecurity practices for the first time." Reports of the malware operation come at a particularly strained point in US-China relations, with China aggressively asserting its claim that Taiwan is Chinese territory and the US seeking to ban sales of sophisticated semiconductors to Beijing. bbk/dw © Agence France-Presse The post Possible Chinese malware in US systems a ‘ticking time bomb’: report appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Japan says North Korea threat more serious than ‘ever’
Japan said Friday that North Korea posed a more serious threat to its national security than "ever before", as nuclear-armed Pyongyang rattles its neighbours with repeated missile tests and belligerent rhetoric. In its annual white paper -- a rundown of the most pressing military threats and plans to ensure stability -- Japan's defence ministry made a case for a significant hike in domestic defence spending as the world enters "a new era of crisis". While China's growing military might and Russia's invasion of Ukraine were major focuses of the white paper, North Korea also ranked as a key concern for Japan. "North Korea's military activities pose an even more grave and imminent threat to Japan's national security than ever before," the document said. "It is believed that North Korea has the ability to attack Japan with nuclear weapons fitted to ballistic missiles." The white paper, approved by the cabinet of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday morning, comes as North Korea ramps up the frequency of its missile tests. North Korean state media on Thursday released photos of Kim Jong Un giving Russia's defence minister a tour of the country's newest and most advanced weaponry, including intercontinental ballistic missiles and previously unseen military drones. Russia, another historic ally of North Korea, is one of a handful of nations with which Pyongyang maintains friendly relations. Kim Jong Un has been steadfast in his support for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, including, Washington says, supplying rockets and missiles -- a charge Pyongyang has denied. Pyongyang's recent weapons tests -- the latest was on Monday -- come as Tokyo, Seoul and Washington increase military cooperation to counter the North's growing nuclear threats and China's influence in the region. The white paper said China's military activities posed "an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge" to Japan while reiterating that joint military drills with Russia were also a concern. China regularly sends government ships to islands in dispute with Tokyo while also conducting naval drills in waters including in the Pacific, raising alarm in Japan and area nations. Beijing has not condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with many leading democracies fearing China may also move to aggressively take over Taiwan. "The international community is facing its greatest trial since World War II and we have entered a new era of crisis," Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said in the document. The white paper reiterated Tokyo's commitment to boost its military spending and capacity. For decades, Japan has capped military spending at around one percent of GDP. But late last year, Kishida's government approved a plan to increase defence spending to two percent of GDP by fiscal year 2027, to around 11 trillion yen ($78.7 billion). The post Japan says North Korea threat more serious than ‘ever’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tribune, Marcos share good gov’t journey (15)
Daily Tribune reports during the term of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as a senator provided a window to his foreign policy now as the President. He had criticized the rejection of bilateral talks that China offered in July 2015 as having the effect of forcing the superpower to take a more hardline position in the West Philippine Sea dispute. China had proposed then that the two countries hold bilateral talks to resolve the maritime row. “China opened the door and we shut it. The Chinese said let’s talk and we snubbed them. It’s like the Philippine government itself was encouraging China to take and maintain an unbending stance on the issue,” Marcos had lamented. Marcos’ position was that the Philippines was not going to lose anything by accepting the Chinese invitation to a dialogue on the West Philippine Sea dispute. “So we talk, and tell them: We are not happy with what you are doing and we do not agree with what you are doing. But the next thing we say is: How do we fix this?” said Marcos, who was then vice chairperson of the Senate committee on foreign relations. Marcos had called on the government to engage China in bilateral talks after it aggressively built structures in areas the Philippines claimed as being within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. Marcos pointed out that there were three ways to resolve the dispute: By war, adjudication, or multilateral/bilateral agreements. “We do not want war. Arbitration is not one that is going to be recognized by the Chinese. So it has to be negotiations,” Marcos said. Interestingly, the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidating the nine-dash line claim of China came almost exactly a year after Marcos made the statement. Cod Wars recalled In pushing for negotiations, he cited the so-called “Cod Wars” or the dispute over rich fishing grounds between the United Kingdom and Spain in the early 1980s. At the height of the tension, warships even rammed fishing boats. “In the end, what did they do? They came to a bilateral agreement to share and now they are working on that basis,” Marcos said. “We should talk to China bilaterally because it is still the best option. Our Filipino businessmen can also help by reaching out to their Chinese counterparts and friends in China to try to come up with a solution that would persuade both governments to, at least, sit down and negotiate or, at most, resolve the problem outright,” he said. Marcos said that rejecting China’s offer to hold bilateral talks with the Philippines was limiting the government’s strategic options. “We should not be snobbish. I can’t see any reason at all why we are not talking to China. On the contrary, there are more than enough obvious reasons why we should talk to superpower China,” he said. With China’s own geo-political interests and its concern over the presence of the Americans in the area, bilateral talks between Manila and Beijing “is not going to be easy,” he acknowledged. “We’re strategically important to any great power in the Asia-Pacific, but we have to play that role even-handedly. We have to stop thinking in terms of kakampi ko ang Chinese, kakampi ko ang Kano. Ang kakampi mo lang Pilipino (I’m on the side of the Chinese, I’m on the side of the Americans. The only side you’re on is the Filipinos’),” Marcos said. “What is the national interest, what is good for the Philippines, that’s all that we have to be thinking about,” he added. “It’s important for the Philippines and China to talk, that’s the first step.” “Even if we don’t manage to arrive at an agreement immediately, if we are talking there’s a chance that we might be able to reason with China to stop doing what it’s doing and continue talking. If we manage to do that, there is hope for a peaceful resolution,” Marcos said. The senator said the Philippines will be on the losing end if caught in the crossfire in case of a confrontation between the US and China. “The end game of all our diplomatic efforts is to secure an agreement with China over the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea — that is what we should do,” Marcos said. (To be continued) The post Tribune, Marcos share good gov’t journey (15) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US trafficking report highlights forced labor, exploited boys
The United States on Thursday denounced the scourge of human trafficking, calling out forced labor and the little-known but growing problem of boys and young men caught up in the trade. The condemnation came as Secretary of State Antony Blinken presented a report on what he called "concerning trends" in human trafficking. Blinken blasted the rise in forced labor as worldwide supply chains were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. "Exploitative employers use a host of tactics to take advantage of lower-paid and more vulnerable workers," he said. According to State Department anti-trafficking official Cindy Dyer, "traffickers have leveraged pandemic-related economic hardships, increased global youth unemployment and international travel restrictions" to manipulate victims. These schemes have become "a multibillion-dollar industry" in recent years, she told reporters after Blinken's presentation. During his speech, Blinken also pointed to a rise in labor trafficking using online scams. The annual 188-country State Department report lays out how traffickers in Myanmar, Malaysia, Ghana, and Turkey, among other countries, deceived adults and children around the world with fake job offers posted online. The report lists countries that Washington says are actively engaged in trafficking, including Afghanistan, China, Cuba, Eritrea, North Korea, Iran, Russia, South Sudan, Syria, and Turkmenistan. Nations that appear on such lists can be punished with US sanctions or have US aid revoked. According to Dyer, China is "engaging in a policy or pattern of trafficking." "The PRC is actually taking efforts to try to make it more difficult for us to determine if their supply chain is clean for us to determine if forced labor is occurring," she said, using an acronym for China's official name. "We are aggressively monitoring this," she added, just days before Blinken is set to depart on a rescheduled visit to Beijing. Boys and men Blinken also emphasized the report's findings on the trafficking of young boys, which has seen a sharp increase in recent years. "The percentage of boys identified as victims of human trafficking rose fivefold" between 2004 and 2020, Blinken said, citing a UN report -- a higher proportion than among girls, women, or men. "For years there's been a widely held (perception) -- but incorrectly -- that trafficking affects exclusively female victims. This false perception has had some quite frankly devastating, intangible consequences" as fewer resources are allocated to support boys caught up in human trafficking, he said. In addition, "many boys frequently are less likely to seek services and self-identify," according to Dyer. "And what's even more troubling is that when they do, services are not always available for them." Blinken praised local anti-trafficking efforts in Seychelles, Hong Kong, and Denmark. The post US trafficking report highlights forced labor, exploited boys appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Marcos: Philippines won’t be ‘cowed into silence, submission’ by China
“We seek no conflict with any nation, more so nations that purport and claim to be our friends but we will not be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience. Filipinos do not yield,” Marcos said. .....»»
Pentagon chief reaffirms support after latest China aggression in WPS
Austin emphasized US support for the Philippines in defending its sovereign rights and jurisdiction in a phone call with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro on Wednesday. .....»»
Dela Rosa considers war with China but admits: ‘Hindi naman natin kaya’
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is already fed up with China’s persistent harassments in the West Philippine Sea, prompting thoughts of engaging in war with Beijing. But he knows, war is not an option. “Naubos na ang sasabihin ko dapat dyan. Short of declaring war na tayo dyan against sa kanila e,.....»»
FOCAP condemns Chinese embassy’s claims on ‘manipulated’ West Philippine Sea videos
The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines strongly rejected and condemned yesterday China’s “false and baseless” claims that journalists manipulate videosthey recorded in the South China Sea to present the Philippines as a victim......»»
Roque: Xi, Duterte agreed to keep West Philippines Sea status quo
The Philippines under former president Rodrigo Duterte had a “gentleman’s agreement” with China to keep the status quo in the West Philippine Sea, a former Cabinet official said yesterday, as fresh tensions surround the WPS due to recent incursions by Beijing that targeted a Filipino resupply mission and a research team......»»