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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......»»
Authorities verifying 13 dead in North Cotabato road mishap
Authorities are still verifying the 13 fatalities in a vehicular accident involving a passenger van that collided with a dump truck along the National Highway in Barangay Luhong, Antipas, around 12:15 p.m. in North Cotabato on March 25, 2024......»»
DPWH-Davao: Coastal Road lights inactive due to stolen wires
THE Department of Public Works and Highways-Davao Region (DPWH-Davao) confirmed that a portion of lights along the Davao City Coastal Road are inactive due to wire theft......»»
EDITORIAL — Irresponsible driving
As travel increases this Holy Week, motorists are expressing concern about a road accident this month that penalized an innocent driver. Video footage showed a Toyota Innova traversing the northbound lane of the Skyway Stage 3 on March 10 when a motorcycle moving beyond the speed limit counter-flowed, colliding head-on with the Innova......»»
CTTMO to close parking areas at Coastal Road in Bago Aplaya
CTTMO to close parking areas at Coastal Road in Bago Aplaya.....»»
Nursing student killed after SUV flips over in Balamban road accident
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A nursing student died after the sport utility vehicle she was driving with 10 of her classmates onboard, flipped over while she tried to evade another vehicle in Barangay Gaas, Balamban town in western Cebu on Thursday afternoon, March 21, 2024. The road accident happened at around 5:30 p.m. along the.....»»
The colorful and inspiring life of Cebu’s ‘Duster King’
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Cebu’s active running scene is filled with individuals who stand out. One of them is Leonecel Arban, popularly known as the “Duster King.” Arban, a native of Alcoy town, south Cebu, is widely known for his playful running attire and props during running events, which often draws attention. Arban, who currently resides in.....»»
Philippine road crash kills woman, injures man
MANILA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A woman was killed after the motorcycle she and her husband were riding was hit by an overtaking bus along a highway in Rizal province of the Philippines at dawn on Monday, police said. Police said the accident occurred around 4 a.m. while the couple traveled along a highway in Taytay town. The woman died at the crash site, while her husband sustained injuries in the left arm......»»
Insurance commission OKs doubling of vehicular accident indemnity claims
The Insurance Commission has doubled the indemnity claims for vehicular accident victims as part of government efforts to improve overall insurance coverage in the country......»»
IC plans to increase CMVLI coverage to P200,000
The government plans to increase the indemnity claims of vehicular accident victims amid the need to improve overall insurance coverage in the country......»»
Road accident in Catmon claims life of motorcycle rider who collided with wing van
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A road accident claimed the life of a motorcycle rider who collided with a wing van on his way home from observing Kalag-Kalag on Friday, November 3, 2023. The accident occurred along the national highway in Barangay Macaas, Gatmon, Cebu around 12:39 a.m. The victim was identified as Mark Nombrado Tenebroso,.....»»
‘Shame on int’l media’
As the conflict between the state of Israel and the Hamas terror organization intensifies, international media coverage has thus far been described as dismal and heavily slanted against the Jewish nation. Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss cited as an example the Hamas missile attack on the Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, which was hit directly a few days after the 7 October attack by a rocket fired from Gaza, resulting in Israeli deaths and injuries. In contrast, an explosion on 17 October at the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City that resulted in a massive number of fatalities and injuries was splashed all over broadcast and print media and was immediately blamed on an Israeli air strike, a narrative peddled by Hamas. Investigations by Israel and the United States proved that a missile launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a Gaza-based terror group more radical than Hamas, had misfired and landed on the hospital grounds. “Nobody in the media reported that an Israeli hospital was bombed in Ashkelon, which had so many patients injured and killed. The rockets were shot at the hospital. No media picked it up and condemned nobody,” Fluss lamented during an interview with Daily Tribune editors. “So, for me, this incident is a shame on the international media. These news (outfits) and (media) people sort of still live with this image that it is the ratings that must (dictate the news coverage),” Fluss said. New York Times sorry US publication The New York Times issued on Monday an unprecedented admission that it had “relied too heavily on claims by Hamas” in its reporting of an explosion at a Gaza hospital. The newspaper issued the statement five days after running a headline on its front page, above the fold, reading: “Israeli Strike Kills Hundreds in Hospital, Palestinians Say.” “The Times’ initial accounts attributed the claim of Israeli responsibility to Palestinian officials and noted that the Israeli military said it was investigating the blast,” according to NYT’s editor’s note. “However, the early versions of the coverage — and the prominence it received in a headline, news alert, and social media channels — relied too heavily on claims by Hamas and did not make clear that those claims could not immediately be verified,” the NYT continued. NYT editors also acknowledged that “the report left readers with an incorrect impression about what was known and how credible the account was.” The note said Times reporters quickly edited the story on the website, as Israeli officials denied striking the hospital. Nonetheless, it added, “Given the sensitive nature of the news during a widening conflict and the prominent promotion it received, Times editors should have taken more care with the initial presentation and been more explicit about what information could be verified.” Islamic Jihad missile Israeli officials have vehemently denied responsibility for the explosion at the Al-Ahli Hospital and have released audio files of Hamas officials admitting that the blast was caused by a Palestinian Islamic Jihad projectile that fell onto Gaza. Also provided were images showing that the parking lot where the blast occurred did not have a crater in the ground, and there was no structural damage to nearby buildings, both of which typically would have been left by an Israeli Defense Forces strike. Recurring phenomena Media bias, as Fluss indicated, is a persistent issue. Terror groups like Hamas know this and take full advantage to sway public opinion. “As a result, coverage is often selective, stories get framed misleadingly, or certain perspectives go missing,” according to the American Jewish Committee, or AJC, which is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. “Instead of focusing on Hamas’ massacre of Israeli civilians, Israel’s efforts to thwart terrorists, destroy terrorist headquarters and weapons sites, and prevent more civilian deaths, some major media outlets characterize Israel’s targeted response as attacks on innocent and beleaguered Palestinians — feeding an unequivocally false narrative,” the AJC said. It added that Western media outlets often use the term “militant” to describe Hamas and other terrorist groups. For example, in the New York Times coverage of Hamas’ unprovoked attack on Israel on 7 October, the word “terrorists” was nowhere to be found on the front page of its website. The AJC said, “Hamas is not a militant group. It is a terrorist organization internationally designated as such by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Israel, Japan, and others that has fired thousands of rockets and slaughtered Israeli civilians in cold blood.” Hamas has set two long-term goals articulated in its charter: The end of the Jewish state and the creation of an Islamic state from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. In the current conflict, Hamas has murdered over 300 Israelis and wounded nearly 2,000. “Using the term ‘militant’ to describe Hamas diminishes the true threat that the terror group poses. Media outlets need to call a terrorist a terrorist,” the AJC added. No occupation Some media accounts on the Gaza Strip often blame Israel’s “occupation” as the root cause of the conflict. Fluss pointed out, however, that Israel does not occupy the Gaza Strip and has had no presence in the coastal enclave for nearly two decades. From 1948 to 1967, the Gaza Strip was occupied by Egypt, which took control of the territory during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, also known as Israel’s War of Independence. After the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel took control of the Gaza Strip from Egypt. In 2005, Israel, facing huge political pushback, withdrew from the Gaza Strip, and dismantled its settlements and military forces in the name of peace and in hopes of creating a better future. However, those hopes were shattered after Hamas came to power through elections and, with it, violence and rocket attacks on Israeli civilian population centers. Since 2007, when Hamas violently ousted Fatah from the Gaza Strip, it began launching tens of thousands of rockets from Gaza into Israel. Hamas terrorists also infiltrated Israel through land, sea, and air incursions from Gaza to murder and abduct Israeli civilians. Over 600 Israelis were murdered on the 7 October large-scale infiltration into Israeli territory from Gaza. The post ‘Shame on int’l media’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Intentional, premeditated
In a prior editorial, this paper raised the possibility that the Chinese vessels hitting a Philippine Coast Guard ship and a resupply boat it was escorting to Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea might have been intentional. While we let readers read between the lines, factual narrations of the event tended to show how improbable it would have been for two separate collision incidents, involving several Chinese and Philippine vessels, to happen by accident in the wide expanse of ocean. The two collisions happened miles away from each other amid fair weather conditions with the sun shining brightly, thus neither poor visibility nor questionable seamanship could have been a factor in the incidents. As in most cases, the simplest explanations often prove to be the correct or accurate ones. In these incidents, the latest in China’s aggressive maneuvers in the WPS, the actions taken by the Chinese coast guard and militia vessels smacked of premeditation. On Monday, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro confirmed in a press briefing that the Chinese vessels “intentionally” hit the Philippine boats trying to resupply troops stationed on the intentionally grounded navy vessel, the BRP Sierra Madre. “While conducting legitimate rotation and resupply operations within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels, in blatant violation of international law, harassed and intentionally hit the Unaiza May 2 and Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Cabra,” Teodoro said. It was a conclusion that would not have required the title Defense Secretary to make. Video footage and photos of the first incident showed a China Coast Guard ship chasing the very small resupply boat. As if the David-versus-Goliath affair were not enough, a second CCG vessel then cut off the boat. All the pieces of evidence considered, the word “collision” does not apply to the actions China took because this would presuppose the possibility of their being mere accidents. The operative word should be “bumped” or, if the incident resulted in grave damage to the Philippine vessels, “rammed.” The stern of the smaller resupply vessel and the bow of the Chinese coast guard ship were seen briefly touching in the video released by the Philippine military. According to a statement from the National Security Council, the supply boat sustained damage. It added that a second resupply boat was able to complete its mission to the BRP Sierra Madre. With the United States and Canada condemning China over the incident, the collision may not be the last or it may just be a portent of more serious “interactions” to come between China and the Philippines as both assert their respective sovereign claims in the WPS. If only to ensure peace in the Indo-Pacific region, countries that have pledged to conduct freedom of navigation patrols in the South China Sea should start doing so. The burden of checking Beijing’s expansionist designs in the region should be shared not only by other claimant nations, but by governments that benefit from the trillions of dollars in trade that pass annually through the South China Sea. We cannot expect the Philippines’ summoning of the Chinese ambassador over the incidents to amount to anything, except to register the country’s strong and continuing opposition to Beijing’s aggressive acts in the WPS. China can never claim Ayungin to be part of its sovereign waters because it lies 1,000 kilometers from its nearest major landmass, Hainan Island, while the shoal is only 200 kilometers from the western Philippine island of Palawan. This proximity of Ayungin Shoal to Palawan, along with other proof presented by the Philippines to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, was primarily considered by the court in ruling in favor of the Philippines in 2016. China had refused to recognize the arbitral ruling precisely because it did not go its way. In fact, the court declared as baseless China’s nine-dash line claim to nearly the entire South China Sea. CCG’s ramming of Philippine vessels is a calculated act of provocation. It is a message to the Philippines and the rest of the world that China is willing to use force to achieve its goals. Beijing’s actions are a threat to peace and stability in the South China Sea and the Asia-Pacific region. Nations must not allow China to succeed in its bullying tactics. The international community must take a stand and not allow China to undermine the rules-based order in the Asia-Pacific. The aggression being shown by Chinese maritime assets is a threat to the world, and must be stopped. The post Intentional, premeditated appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
More senators condemn China’s ‘bullying’ in WPS
More senators on Monday condemned China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea which resulted in a collision with Philippine vessels en route to a resupply mission to the Ayungin Shoal. For Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, China “has gone too far in disrespecting the Philippines” when it performed “dangerous blocking maneuvers” that resulted in a collision with the Unaiza May 2, an indigenous boat contracted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines for a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre. “I strongly condemn the recent aggression of the Chinese Coast Guard against our Philippine Coast Guard,” Ejercito said in a statement. “The reckless maneuvers executed by the CCG, which resulted in a collision with the Armed Forces of the Philippines-contracted resupply vessel, were not only provocative but also a blatant act of bullying that must be denounced, not only by us but by the international community,” he added. Ejercito said the act of harassment of China within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone “obviously violates our sovereignty and territorial integrity.” “We must strongly assert the 2016 arbitral ruling, which clearly affirms that the Philippines has the exclusive rights over the West Philippine Sea,” he said. “This ruling is not only legally binding but a reflection of the principles of international law,” he added. China claims the vast South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. However, on 12 July 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration favored the Philippines’ arbitral case against China. Seven years after the Tribunal favored the Philippines’ arbitral case against China, the ruling remains on paper as China continues to disregard it by keeping its illegal activities in the West Philippine Sea. Ejercito said it is “essential to note that this is not the first time the CCG has engaged in such provocative actions against our coastal guards and fisherfolks.” “Moreover, it is the government's duty to ensure the safety of our waters for all Filipinos. We cannot and will not allow such incidents to jeopardize the safety of our people, particularly those who serve in our armed forces and the PCG,” he said. “At the same time, I personally believe that it is high time to expedite the modernization of our Armed Forces in the coming years to protect our sovereignty, safeguard our maritime interests, and ensure the safety and security of our people,” he added. ‘Potential flashpoint’ Senator Grace Poe, likewise, expressed concern over the “dangerous blocking maneuver” carried out by CCG against Philippine vessels. “China's latest act of aggression poses a credible concern that could heighten the tension not only between Philippines and China, but could also be a potential flashpoint in the region,” Poe said in a separate statement. “While an immediate diplomatic protest is anticipated, the recent incident calls for a serious rethinking of our strategies in dealing with these acts,” she added. She continued: “As we firmly assert our rights in our waters, fortifying our relations with like-minded states must continue to thwart similar belligerent actions.” On Sunday, Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri, Senators Risa Hontiveros, and Francis Tolentino expressed their anger over the collision that put the safety of the Filipino crew at risk. “I am one with peace-loving Filipinos in strongly condemning this latest abhorrent actions of the China Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militia that put in danger the lives of our brave countrymen who were on a routine resupply mission to our troops in Ayungin Shoal,” Zubiri said. “Let me salute our personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for displaying courage and restraint in continuing their resupply missions despite the hostile and treacherous acts of China Coast Guard and their maritime militia,” he added. Hontiveros echoed Zubiri’s call on China to “stop” its activities in the West Philippine Sea which she said clearly violates international law. “This latest collision is squarely the China Coast Guard’s fault,” she said in a separate statement. “The 2016 Arbitral Award has resolutely invalidated China’s claims in the West Philippine Sea, making this incident a clear violation of international law,” she added. For his part, Tolentino said the recent confrontation between the Philippines and China clearly shows China’s continuous disregard for international law. He noted that the incident should be investigated by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea and the Code for Investigation ng Marine Casualties and Incidents of the International Maritime Organization. The post More senators condemn China’s ‘bullying’ in WPS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Solons want probe on boat ramming incident off Pangasinan
Senators are eyeing to investigate the fatal ramming incident off the waters of Agno, Pangasinan, which resulted in the deaths of three Filipino fishermen last 2 October. In a radio interview, Senator Francis Tolentino pressed the need to conduct a Senate special investigation on the ramming incident to help establish the country's “archipelagic sea lane” and further prevent a repeat of the incident in the future. “Ang pakay dito ay ang pagbubuo ng archipelagic sea lanes. Ang ibig sabihin po nito ay iyong talagang daanan—dito dadaan yong mga barkong domestic, foreign at international vessels na malalaki, nang sa ganun alam ng ating mangingisda kung saan dadaan at makakaiwas sa isa’t isa (The intention here is to establish archipelagic sea lanes. That means, thiw Ould really determine where the domestic ships or huge foreign and international vessels should pass through so that Filipino fishermen would know and they could avoid the vessels),” Tolentino, who chairs the Senate committee on justice and human rights, told reporters on Saturday. Tolentino said he is weighing the idea of whether to start the investigation while still waiting for reports from concerned entities required by international rules. He then stressed that the “incident could have been avoided if the archipelagic sea lane in the Philippines had already been determined.” Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa earlier said he is planning to file a resolution to investigate the recent ramming incident between a Filipino boat and a foreign vessel off Pangasinan. “We will file a resolution to investigate who is really responsible for this. It’s a very unfortunate incident because you know fishermen went there for a living right and they ended up dying. It has to be investigated thoroughly by our authorities,” he said. Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo told reporters on Friday that they have sent personnel to Singapore and reached out to the local Port State Control authority there “to inspect: the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker, MV Pacific Anna. “The inspection should be targeted in the vessel compliance with the regulations of SOLAS Chapter V (safety of navigation); the result of their inspection could be used in our investigation,” Balilo said. He added that the PCG has also sent a formal request for the Marshall Islands Flag State to launch its own investigation into the incident. “We expect with this formal request the Flag State of Marshall Island will conduct a safety investigation in compliance with the IMO’s Casualty Investigation Code Chapter 6 that the state of the ship involved in a very serious maritime casualty is responsible for ensuring that a marine safety investigation be conducted and completed,” said Balilo. He said that the result of these investigations will be used to pursue claims and damages for the victims, survivors, and owner of FFB Dearyn, the Filipino boat that capsized in the incident. The PCG earlier said that the fatal sea collision was likely an accident. Dela Rosa, however, said all possibilities should be looked into “to determine everything.” “We have to leave no stone unturned sa pag-conduct ng investigation. So, kailangan talagang ma-determine ‘yan baka mamaya nga di natin alam (so we really need to determine the facts surrounding the incident),” he said. “I hope it was a plain accident. So that walang ibang (there’s no other) political or geopolitical implications. I hope, really,” he added. The post Solons want probe on boat ramming incident off Pangasinan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AFP: China’s ‘irresponsible actions’ in WPS leading to ‘global isolation’
China is leading itself to “global isolation” as it continues “irresponsible actions in the West Philippine Sea, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said Saturday. Aguilar said China’s claims over the disputed waters have already been declared invalid as he cited the ruling of The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration on 12 July 2016. “There is an arbitral award that says that their claim over it is not valid, including the activities that they are doing there,” he added, stressing that China has no claims over the territorial waters based on the rulings of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. “Several countries have already expressed openly their support for our position and not a single country is brave enough to say that they are right,” Aguilar emphasized. “So I think this should be an enlightenment on their part, a kind of information that they should know because their actions are actually leading to their own global isolation,” he added. Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu bluntly accused the Philippines of “trespassing” in its claimed territorial waters near Ren'ai Reef” when the Philippines conducted its “legitimate” rotation and resupply mission to the troops in BRP Sierra Madre, the Philippine Navy’s commissioned ship grounded in the Ayungin Shoal. Gan said the CCG “strictly warned the Philippine vessels in accordance with the law, tracked and monitored the vessels all the way, and effectively regulated them.” Aguilar, in response, said China's sovereignty over the Ayungin Shoal. “That’s very far from Nansha, so how can they exercise sovereignty in a low-tide elevation that is not even subject to appropriation or possession?,” he said. The CCG and Chinese Maritime Militia’s blockade, dangerous maneuvers, and water cannoning of Philippine vessels are just a few of Beijing’s “irresponsible actions” in WPS. China has also been observed turning off the Automatic Identification System. “These are violations that are actually dangerous because if you turn off the AIS, an accident could happen – probably a collision because, especially during dark periods when you cannot see what’s in front of you if you are navigating. So, these are dangerous actions that will lead to accidents,” Agular said. The post AFP: China’s ‘irresponsible actions’ in WPS leading to ‘global isolation’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pre-historic Tell al-Sultan site added to world heritage list
The United Nations' cultural organization inscribed the pre-historic site of Tell al-Sultan, near the Palestinian city of Jericho in the occupied West Bank, on its World Heritage List Sunday. Tell al-Sultan, which predates Egypt's pyramids, is an oval-shaped tell, or mound, located in the Jordan Valley that contains the prehistoric deposits of human activity. The UNESCO decision, which was posted by the organization on X, formerly Twitter, was taken at its 45th World Heritage Committee meeting held in Riyadh. "The property proposed for nomination is the prehistoric archaeological site of Tell al-Sultan, located outside the antique site of Jericho," UNESCO's assistant director general, Ernesto Ottone, said at the session. The site was inscribed following a three-year candidacy "during which no state party raised any objections", said a diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media. "There are no Jewish or Christian remains found at the (Tell al-Sultan) site. It's a place of pre-historic remains," the diplomat told AFP. Israel quit the UN organization in 2019 over accusations it fosters an anti-Israel bias but sent a delegation to this year's meeting in Saudi Arabia. The Palestinian Authority, acknowledged by the United Nations as a non-member observer state, welcomed the listing of the Tell al-Sultan site. Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas said he considered the decision to inscribe Tell al-Sultan "a matter of great importance and evidence of the authenticity and history of the Palestinian people". He vowed that the Palestinian authorities would "continue to preserve this unique site for all humanity", according to a statement from his office. Diverse Palestinian heritage UNESCO's listing shows that the Tell al-Sultan site is "an integral part of the diverse Palestinian heritage of exceptional human value", Palestinian tourism minister Rula Maayah, who was attending the meeting in Riyadh, said in a statement. Given Tell al-Sultan's "importance as the oldest fortified city in the world... it deserves to be a World Heritage Site," she said. "A permanent settlement had emerged here by the 9th to 8th millennium BC due to the fertile soil of the oasis and easy access to water," UNESCO said on its website. UNESCO said the "skulls and statues found on the site" testify to cultic practices among the neolithic population there, while the early bronze age archaeological material shows signs of urban planning. "Vestiges from the middle bronze age reveal the presence of a large Canaanite city-state occupied by a socially complex population," UNESCO added. The Tell al-Sultan site has been under excavation for over a century and is billed as the oldest continuously inhabited settlement on the planet, Palestinian official Wafa news agency reported. It is the fourth Palestinian site to be listed on UNESCO's World Heritage list, alongside the Church of the Nativity and the Old City of Hebron. Israel has occupied the West Bank -- now home to some three million Palestinians -- since the 1967 Six-Day War, when it also seized the Gaza Strip, the densely populated coastal enclave it has since withdrawn from. The Palestinians want these territories for their future state, along with annexed east Jerusalem as its capital. Jericho is one of the oldest inhabited cities on the planet and is a major tourist destination in the Palestinian territories. UNESCO urged for the protection of other archaeological sites in Jericho. "The other archaeological sites located in Jericho, covering among other Jewish and Christian heritage, also have important historical interest and deserve to be preserved as well," said Ottone. Archaeology is a highly political subject in Israel and the Palestinian territories, and some discoveries have been used to justify the territorial claims of each people. The post Pre-historic Tell al-Sultan site added to world heritage list appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Why is the South China Sea a flashpoint for Asia?
Competing claims to the South China Sea and its hundreds of reefs and islands have for decades been a source of tension in the region. The latest spat erupted on 5 August when Chinese coast guard vessels blocked and fired a water cannon at a Philippine resupply mission to a remote outpost in the disputed waters. Such incidents have fueled fears of a potential miscalculation or accident igniting a military conflict that could draw in the United States. AFP looks at the territorial disputes in the sea and what's been done to resolve them. Where is the South China Sea? The South China Sea covers more than three million square kilometers (1.16 million square miles), ringed by southern China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Borneo island and mainland Southeast Asia. Most of its hundreds of small islands, islets and rocks were originally uninhabited. The Paracel and Spratly chains contain the biggest islands. Scarborough Shoal is a small outcrop in the east. Why does it matter? The sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans, giving it enormous trade and military value. Its shipping lanes connect East Asia with Europe and the Middle East, with trillions of dollars in ship-borne trade passing through the sea annually. Huge unexploited oil and gas deposits are believed to lie under the seabed, though estimates vary greatly. The sea is also home to some of the world's biggest coral reefs and, with marine life being depleted close to coasts, it is important as a source of fish to feed growing populations. Who claims what? China and Taiwan both claim nearly all of the sea, while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei each have overlapping stakes to parts of it. Beijing's argument is based largely on Chinese maps dating back to the 1940s. It originally used an 11-dash line to demarcate its claims, but it was reduced to nine dashes under former leader Mao Zedong. The expansive claim approaches the coasts of other countries. The Paracel Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam, though Beijing has held all of them since a conflict with South Vietnam in 1974. China has also controlled Scarborough Shoal -- a rich fishing ground 230 kilometers (140 miles) off the Philippine island of Luzon -- since seizing it from the Philippines in 2012 following a tense standoff, and it holds at least seven of the Spratly Islands. Vietnam controls 21 rocks and reefs in the Spratlys, while the Philippines has outposts on nine reefs and islands in the archipelago. Taiwan holds the largest feature in the Spratlys, Itu Aba, while Malaysia controls five others. How do they assert their claims? For years, rival claimants have been building up the tiny reefs and islets to bolster their claims to ownership. China's land reclamation program has been particularly aggressive. In the past decade, it has ripped up thousands of hectares of reef in the archipelago to create militarized islands, with runways, ports and radar systems. China also deploys hundreds of coast guard and other vessels in key parts of the sea, often more than a thousand kilometers from the Chinese mainland, to guard particular features such as Scarborough and perform other security duties. Has there been military conflict? There have been two armed conflicts between China and Vietnam in the sea that killed more than 130 Vietnamese troops. Beijing gained control of the Paracel Islands in 1974 after clashes with the South Vietnamese Navy. The other major conflict occurred when Vietnam and China fought a naval battle on Johnson Reef in the Spratlys in 1988. Relations between China and the Philippines have been frayed by disputes over the waters, but incidents on the open sea have so far not resulted in military conflict. What are diplomats doing? The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China adopted a non-binding "declaration of conduct" in 2002 to discourage hostile acts. All sides agreed not to use threats or force to assert claims. But negotiations since then to turn it into a legally binding "code of conduct" have failed. Manila will host another round of talks this week. In 2013, the Philippines filed an international arbitration case against China. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in Manila's favor, declaring China's "nine-dash-line" has no legal basis. Beijing refused to take part in the proceedings and has ignored the judgment. The post Why is the South China Sea a flashpoint for Asia? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
[OPINION] China resurrects its false claims on the South China Sea islands
China cannot exact justice and compensation from the Western colonial powers and Japan by seizing the island territories and maritime zones of ASEAN coastal states and bullying them.....»»
PBBM: ‘Executive department sets foreign policy’
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that the Executive Department sets the foreign policy and not the legislative, as the United Nations does not entertain the branches of government. When sought for reaction on Senator Risa Hontiveros' move urging the Department of Foreign Affairs to file a resolution urging the United Nations General Assembly to call out China's aggression in the West Philippine Sea, Marcos said in a recent press briefing that the Senator could file the resolution if she wants to. "I mean – of course, the Senator is free to file whatever resolution she wants. But I do not know how that will translate to any action that will reach the United Nations General Assembly," Marcos said. "Generally speaking, foreign policy is not set by the legislature. Generally speaking, foreign policy is left up to the Executive," Marcos added. Marcos further explained that the UN "does not entertain parts of government, not the judiciary of one government or the Executive of one government." For context, Marcos said a UNGA resolution "could bolster the Arbitral Award" given to the Philippines in 2016 against China. The Senator added that now is the time for this course of action, considering the snowballing of support for the country's lawful claims in the West Philippine Sea. She said that even though these were not technically binding, a UNGA resolution had a lot of political weight and would show what the international community wanted and what they agreed on. In her assessment, she said that this had the "potential to shape international norms, influence national policies, and provide guidance for the work of other UN organs, specialized agencies, and regional organizations." Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said that the upper house was sure that Hontiveros's measure would pass by next week. "The ultimate aim is for the government to take concrete action before international fora and solicit multilateral cooperation, particularly with coastal states who share our interest in ensuring that the UNCLOS is respected. We want to introduce amendments to that effect," he said. Zubiri said that senators had different ideas about how to address the issue, but they all agreed that the harassment of Filipino ships in the West Philippine Sea was wrong and that China's broad claims in the South China Sea were thrown out by a ruling in 2016. The post PBBM: ‘Executive department sets foreign policy’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»