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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......»»
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......»»
Chinese FM begins SE Asia tour as South China Sea tensions flare
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Singapore Thursday at the start of a three-nation regional tour, Beijing's embassy in the city-state said, as tensions flare with the Philippines in the South China Sea. His three-day trip, after returning to the post last month following the unexplained disappearance of predecessor Qin Gang, also includes Malaysia and Cambodia. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy confirmed to AFP on Thursday morning that Beijing's top diplomat had arrived in the financial hub. "China hopes to strengthen strategic communication with the three Southeast Asian countries through this visit," China's foreign ministry said when it announced the trip on Wednesday. Wang will visit until Friday and hold separate meetings with his counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore's government said. His visit comes after Beijing and Manila clashed at the weekend when the Philippines accused Chinese Coast Guard vessels of blocking and firing water cannon at its boats on a resupply mission to Filipino marines stationed on a World-War-II-era ship. China has since insisted the Philippine navy vessel grounded on a reef in the Spratly Islands be removed from the hotly contested waters that have long been a flashpoint between the two. Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and the Philippines are all members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is in talks with China over a code of conduct in the sea that Beijing claims as almost entirely its own. Other ASEAN members Vietnam, Indonesia and Brunei all claim parts of the sea, too. Singapore has for decades juggled ties with China and the US as their rivalry grows across the Asia-Pacific region. Wang will travel to Malaysia on Friday where Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he will meet with Beijing's envoy in the northern state of Penang, Malaysia's Star newspaper reported. Anwar is on the campaign trail ahead of local elections on Saturday in six states. Wang will finish his trip in Cambodia, which has become one of China's strongest allies in the region under the rule of outgoing ruler Hun Sen, receiving huge sums of Chinese investment. mba/jfx/aha © Agence France-Presse The post Chinese FM begins SE Asia tour as South China Sea tensions flare appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chinese FM begins SE Asia tour as South China Sea tensions flare
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Singapore Thursday at the start of a three-nation regional tour, Beijing's embassy in the city-state said, as tensions flare with the Philippines in the South China Sea. His three-day trip, after returning to the post last month following the unexplained disappearance of predecessor Qin Gang, also includes Malaysia and Cambodia. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy confirmed to AFP on Thursday morning that Beijing's top diplomat had arrived in the financial hub. "China hopes to strengthen strategic communication with the three Southeast Asian countries through this visit," China's foreign ministry said when it announced the trip on Wednesday. Wang will visit until Friday and hold separate meetings with his counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore's government said. His visit comes after Beijing and Manila clashed at the weekend when the Philippines accused Chinese Coast Guard vessels of blocking and firing water cannon at its boats on a resupply mission to Filipino marines stationed on a World-War-II-era ship. China has since insisted the Philippine navy vessel grounded on a reef in the Spratly Islands be removed from the hotly contested waters that have long been a flashpoint between the two. Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and the Philippines are all members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is in talks with China over a code of conduct in the sea that Beijing claims as almost entirely its own. Other ASEAN members Vietnam, Indonesia and Brunei all claim parts of the sea, too. Singapore has for decades juggled ties with China and the US as their rivalry grows across the Asia-Pacific region. Wang will travel to Malaysia on Friday where Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he will meet with Beijing's envoy in the northern state of Penang, Malaysia's Star newspaper reported. Anwar is on the campaign trail ahead of local elections on Saturday in six states. Wang will finish his trip in Cambodia, which has become one of China's strongest allies in the region under the rule of outgoing ruler Hun Sen, receiving huge sums of Chinese investment. The post Chinese FM begins SE Asia tour as South China Sea tensions flare appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senators blast China’s use of water cannon vs. Philippine vessels in Ayungin Shoal
Senators on Sunday condemned the "excessive and offensive" actions of Chinese Coast Guard vessels against Philippine vessels near the Ayungin Shoal last Friday. Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri called the People’s Republic of China’s actions “reaffirms the merit of the resolution the Senate has unanimously passed.” The incident, which took place on 5 August near the Ayungin Shoal, happened barely a week after the Senate unanimously adopted a resolution denouncing China's intrusion into the West Philippine Sea and its harassment of Filipino fishermen. “Because China contemptuously ignores protests, all the more that we have to rally the world to condemn acts which have no place in a civilized order,” Zubiri said in a statement. In a statement issued on Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guards accused the CCG of using water cannon against its vessels while en route to the Ayungin Shoal for a routine troop rotation and resupply mission. Ayungin Shoal is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and is part of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Philippines. In a separate statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines also condemned China’s latest actions in the WPS, which it described as “excessive and offensive.” Zubiri said China’s actions are “yet again a manifestation of its ‘might vs. right’ treatment of its peaceful neighbors.” “By its actions, it shows diplomatic duplicity, of preaching about amity, but practicing hostile behavior,” he said. “We want to have friendship with you but why is it difficult to love you, China?” Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros echoed the same sentiments against China, saying China has no right to block the Philippine vessels in its own territory. “The Chinese Coast Guard has absolutely no right to block, let alone water cannon, our supply vessels. They do not have any right to starve Filipinos in the Ayungin Shoal,” Hontiveros said in a separate statement. “China’s repeated provocations are in complete violation of UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award. I call on our regional neighbors and the broader international community to join the Philippines in condemning this dangerous behavior,” she added. In a bid to strengthen the country’s position in the Ayungin Shoal, the Philippine government permanently supplies its forces there through the BRP Sierra Madre. The BRP Sierra Madre was a World War 2 landing ship tank that was stationed at the Ayungin Shoal since 1999. Hontiveros said she is hoping that the Philippines could soon start joint patrols with other claimant countries in the South China Sea such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. “We need to cooperate with them to halt these aggressive actions of China,” she said. “I am also hoping that the DFA is now formulating steps to raise China’s endless incursions to different international fora.” “The recently adopted Senate resolution 718, with its precision and specific recommendations, is at their disposal,” she added. Senate Resolution 718 urges the Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, to “continue asserting” the country’s sovereign rights over its exclusive economic rights. 'Heed Senate’s call' For his part, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito called on the national government to heed the Senate’s resolution which contains several recommendations for the executive department. “We cannot let this slip. This is too much already! China is very frustrating! China’s hostile actions towards our Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, and fishermen are extreme. Our territory, security, and peace are at stake here,” he said in a separate statement. “I urge the national government to heed the Senate's recent resolution on China's aggression and take decisive measures to safeguard our territorial integrity,” he added. Ejercito continued: “These measures will require us to expedite the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and strengthen our defense cooperation program and pacts with our allies.” For Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, China’s actions against PCG in the WPS require a strong stance from the Philippine government. “This is the reason why the Senate adopted Resolution No. 79 strongly condemning incursions like this,” Villanueva said. “Your Senate is always ready to fight for and protect the country’s sovereignty and sovereign rights.” Like Ejercito, Villanueva reminded the executive department of the newly adopted resolution which contains a guide for the DFA. “We urge the Department of Foreign Affairs to implement the courses of action stipulated in the resolution passed by the Senate to finally put an end into this harassment and bullying by China,” he said. Under the resolution, the DFA is “expected” to continue holding dialogues with the Chinese government to push for recognition and respect of the Philippines' sovereign rights over its EEZ and pursue the formulation of the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea based on international law and the UNCLOS. Should China continue to ignore the country’s efforts, the resolution contains actions the agency must do such as bringing international attention to China's harassment of Filipino fishermen in the Philippine EEZ and its continued violation of the Hague Ruling and the UNCLOS; utilizing international fora to rally multilateral support for the enforcement of the Hague Ruling and raise awareness on the real situation in the West Philippine Sea; and engaging with “like-minded” countries to call on China to respect the Hague Ruling and the UNCLOS. The DFA is also encouraged to file a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly, to call for the cessation of all activities that harass Philippine vessels and violate the Philippines' established rights in the West Philippine Sea; and pursue other diplomatic modes as the agency may deem appropriate and necessary. ‘Sensible plans' For his part, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III urged the PCG to come up with sensible plans to overcome China’s increasingly aggressive actions towards Philippine vessels that are on a re-supply mission to the Ayungin Shoal. “The PCG should overcome the CCG on our re-supply missions. They should come up with sensible plans behind closed doors,” Pimentel said in a separate statement. Asked if the recent actions of China against Philippine vessels could trigger the activation of the mutual defense treaty between the Philippines and the United States, Pimentel said: “Use diplomacy and intelligent tactics.” “The MDT should not be invoked lightly. Use our ‘kokote’ not the MDT,” he added. In a separate statement, the US State Department warned that an armed attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces—including those of its Coast Guard in South China The post Senators blast China’s use of water cannon vs. Philippine vessels in Ayungin Shoal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate adopts reso on WPS harassment
A resolution denouncing China’s intrusion into the West Philippine Sea and its harassment of Filipino fishermen was approved by the Senate on Tuesday. The approval of Senate Resolution 718, authored by Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and Senator Risa Hontiveros, came after the Senate held an executive session on Monday with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr., and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, and their senior officials. Members of the Senate, as well as the mentioned officials, discussed Hontiveros’s earlier resolution which urges the national government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, to elevate China’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea to the United Nations General Assembly. Under the resolution, the lawmakers urged the Philippine government, through the DFA, to “continue asserting” the country’s sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone. Likewise, the agency was encouraged to “intensify” efforts to engage the international community in upholding its hard-earned victory at the Hague. The Philippines celebrated the seventh anniversary of its historic victory over China in 2016 last month, which solidified Manila’s claims to the West Philippine Sea. China has continued to reject the arbitral ruling and stood by its historic rights over the area. As of 5 July, the Philippine government, through the DFA, has filed a total of 30 diplomatic protests against China in the last seven months. Over the span of three years, Manila has sent a total of 427 notes verbale against Beijing. The resolution also states that the DFA is “expected” to continue holding dialogues with the Chinese government to push for recognition and respect of the Philippines’ sovereign rights over its EEZ and pursue the formulation of the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea based on international law and the UNCLOS. Should China continue to ignore the country’s efforts, the resolution contains actions the agency must do such as bringing international attention to China’s harassment of Filipino fishermen in the Philippine EEZ and its continued violation of the Hague Ruling and the UNCLOS; utilizing international fora to rally multilateral support for the enforcement of the Hague Ruling and raise awareness on the real situation in the West Philippine Sea; and engaging with “like-minded” countries to call on China to respect the Hague Ruling and the UNCLOS. The DFA is also encouraged to file a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly, to call for the cessation of all activities that harass Philippine vessels and violate the Philippines’ established rights in the West Philippine Sea; and pursue other diplomatic modes as the agency may deem appropriate and necessary. ‘Never watered down’ In his manifestation, Zubiri stressed that the resolution filed by Hontiveros was “never watered down,” but instead “strengthened.” “We came out with strong consensus yesterday after the discussions with the West Philippine Sea Task Force, together with the AFP chief of staff General Brawner and DFA Secretary Manalo and actually we never watered down the resolution that we filed, we actually strengthened the first resolution that we initially filed with Senator Risa,” he said. “I think what happened here is we strengthened the position of the government. Now we gave them several options to choose on how to deal with our neighbors in the North,” he added. He continued: “And the beauty of this is with proper consensus and of course consultations among our colleagues we have come out unanimous.” For her part, Hontiveros expressed her gratitude to her colleagues for the adoption of the resolution, which she described as an “important success” for the country. “I would first like to thank all our colleagues for this concerted effort to not only make the West Philippine Sea issue a part of our national conversation but for ensuring that the Philippine government takes the necessary steps to consolidate global support over our historic 2016 Arbitral Award,” she said. “This bipartisan effort tells the Filipino people that when it comes to matters of national sovereignty, we will never be bullied into submission.” The post Senate adopts reso on WPS harassment appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl wants stronger maritime cooperation with Vietnam
The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, has expressed its intent to forge stronger maritime cooperation with Vietnam in the South China Sea, where both countries are claimant states. DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo asserted this on Tuesday in his speech before the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam in Vietnam. “Our geographies and status as major littoral and claimant states in the South China Sea make maritime cooperation a vital point of interaction between our two countries, as economic and security partners. As in centuries prior, this body of water connects our peoples, despite some differences,” Manalo said. “Beyond its strategic significance, the South China Sea is the lifeblood of millions of Filipinos and Vietnamese people who depend on the sea for livelihood,” he added. He continued: “As maritime nations at the heart of this seascape, it is a given that we consider safe and secure seas and sound marine ecosystems as integral to the future of our peoples and our region.” Manalo is currently on a four-day official visit to Vietnam for the 10th Philippines-Vietnam Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, three years after the 9th Philippines-Vietnam JCBC was held in Manila in 2019, attended by then-Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. Given the previous joint marine research expeditions of the Filipinos and Vietnamese scientists in the 1990s, Manalo said, the two countries “must press further on in exploring novel modes of cooperation in maritime safety, search and rescue, marine scientific research, and marine environmental protection.” “Achieving maritime security is a powerful impetus for our Strategic Partnership. Through the Philippines-Vietnam Joint Permanent Working Group on Maritime and Ocean Concerns, we discuss challenges and explore joint initiatives for the effective management of our competing claims in this area, with the overarching goal of preserving regional peace and stability,” he pointed out. He also noted that the two nations also benefit from the rules-based order which he described as the “bedrock of peace and prosperity” in the South China Sea, a shipping passage for an estimated $5.3 trillion worth of trade. “Our Strategic Partnership must affirm that we are invested in keeping the seas open and free for the enjoyment of our peoples, and that disputes must be managed and resolved peacefully in accordance with international norms and laws, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea,” he said. The DFA chief is referring to the 2016 arbitral ruling that favored the Philippines’ claims in the West Philippine Sea, which is part of the larger South China Sea. However, China, which claims almost the entire South China Sea, continues to ignore the arbitral ruling, insisting on its nine-dash line claim. In a bid to reinforce its claim in the oil and natural-gas-rich region, the Philippine government started calling that portion of the South China Sea as West Philippine Sea in 2012. Similar to the Philippines, Vietnam has overlapping claims with China over the Paracel and Spratly islands, which remain the main point of contention between the two countries. According to Manalo, until the resolution of these disputes, the Philippines and Vietnam “share a distinctive responsibility in working to achieve a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, and seeing to its conclusion at the earliest opportunity.” The post Phl wants stronger maritime cooperation with Vietnam appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Senate adopts reso condemning China’s incursion, harassment in WPS
A resolution denouncing China's intrusion into the West Philippine Sea and its harassment of Filipino fishermen was approved by the Senate on Tuesday. The approval of Senate Resolution 718, authored by Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and Senator Risa Hontiveros, came after the Senate held an executive session on Monday with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr., and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, and their senior officials. Members of the Senate, as well as mentioned officials, discussed Hontiveros’s earlier resolution which urges the national government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, to elevate China’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea to the United Nations General Assembly. Under the resolution, the lawmakers urged the Philippine government, through the DFA, to “continue asserting” the country’s sovereign rights over its exclusive economic rights. Likewise, the agency was also encouraged to “intensify” efforts to engage the international community in upholding its hard-earned victory at the Hague. The Philippines celebrated the seventh anniversary of its historic victory over China in 2016 last month, which solidified Manila's claims to the West Philippine Sea. China has continued to reject the arbitral ruling and stood by its historic rights over the area. As of July 5, the Philippine government, through DFA, has filed a total of 30 diplomatic protests against China in the last seven months. Over the span of three years, Manila has sent a total of 427 notes verbale against Beijing. The resolution also states that the DFA is “expected” to continue holding dialogues with the Chinese government to push for recognition and respect of the Philippines' sovereign rights over its EEZ and pursue the formulation of the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea based on international law and the UNCLOS. Should China continue to ignore the country’s efforts, the resolution contains actions the agency must do such as bringing international attention to China's harassment of Filipino fishermen in the Philippine EEZ and its continued violation of the Hague Ruling and the UNCLOS; utilizing international fora to rally multilateral support for the enforcement of the Hague Ruling and raise awareness on the real situation in the West Philippine Sea; and engaging with “like-minded” countries to call on China to respect the Hague Ruling and the UNCLOS. The DFA is also encouraged to file a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly, to call for the cessation of all activities that harass Philippine vessels and violate the Philippines' established rights in the West Philippine Sea; and pursue other diplomatic modes as the agency may deem appropriate and necessary. ‘Never watered down’ In his manifestation, Zubiri stressed that the resolution filed by Hontiveros was “never watered down,” but instead “strengthened.” “We came out with strong consensus yesterday after the discussions with the West Philippine Sea Task Force, together with the AFP chief of staff General Brawner and DFA Secretary Manalo and actually we never watered down the resolution that we filed, we actually strengthened the first resolution that we initially filed with Senator Risa,” he said. “I think what happened here is we strengthened the position of the government. Now we gave them several options to choose on how to deal with our neighbors in the North,” he added. He continued: “And the beauty of this is with proper consensus and of course consultations among our colleagues we have come out unanimous.” For her part, Hontiveros expressed her gratitude to her colleagues for the adoption of the resolution, which she described as an “important success” for the country. “I would first like to thank all our colleagues for this concerted effort to not only make the West Philippine Sea issue a part of our national conversation but for ensuring that the Philippine government takes the necessary steps to consolidate global support over our historic 2016 Arbitral Award,” she said. “This bipartisan effort tells the Filipino people that when it comes to matters of national sovereignty, we will never be bullied into submission. In the face of relentless China propaganda since last week, we held our ground. Despite fake news and lies to stop the adoption of the measure, we stood firm,” she added. She continued: “This is an important success not only of the Senate but of the whole Philippines. The Senate crossed party lines to stand unified for our country.” The lawmaker also said that the fight against China’s reckless behavior in the West Philippine Sea “does not end here.” “The fight continues,” she stressed. The post Senate adopts reso condemning China’s incursion, harassment in WPS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Stalled CoC tabled anew
The long-delayed negotiations for a Code of Conduct or CoC on the West Philippine Sea resume next month reviving hopes for a binding agreement that China will adhere to in defusing maritime tensions, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed. Talks between ASEAN members and China are scheduled in Manila in August. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague issued an award that basically invalidated the nine-dash line claim of China but did not settle sovereignty issues. China refused to participate in the proceedings and said it did not recognize the ruling. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo announced the latest development following the completion of the second reading of the Single Draft CoC negotiating text. Pandemic stalled talks Constraints brought about by the pandemic prevented ASEAN and China from holding CoC negotiations over the past two years. According to Manalo, Manila anticipates adopting an “effective and substantive” agreement next month. In addition, the DFA chief advocated for stronger cooperation on several issues related to ASEAN and Beijing relations, saying that everyone involved “must ensure that gains are not undercut by threats to regional peace, security, and stability, as well as major power rivalries.” “Regarding developments in the South China Sea, we call for the effective management and peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law,” Manolo said. Both ASEAN and China reiterated through a joint statement their intent to expedite the negotiations on the long-stalled CoC. Back in November 2022, Manalo bared that at least two or three rounds of negotiations were expected to take place this year. China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei are at odds over the resource-rich South China Sea, with China claiming the disputed waterway entirely. China remained firm over its territorial claims, notwithstanding the 2016 arbitral award. Last week, the Philippines, joined by its allies, celebrated the seventh anniversary of the country’s victory in the United Nations-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration. The post Stalled CoC tabled anew appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Broken vows
On 13 July 2016, or a day after the Permanent Court of Arbitration released its decision favoring the Philippines on the West Philippine Sea territorial dispute, China came out with a comprehensive argument and counter-offer to the Philippines on settling the dispute. Called the “White Paper,” it was directed at former President Rodrigo Duterte who had indicated a policy of engaging China in dialogue, which was a departure from the foreign policy of his predecessor, the late Benigno Aquino III, who rejected negotiations and instead brought the conflict to the international tribunal. Now the incumbent, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., seeks to maintain a close engagement with China but without setting aside the arbitral award. During Duterte’s term, China made several pledges to support a process that would allow for the resolution of disputes among claimant nations based on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties or DoC, signed by China and the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN in Phnom Penh in 2002. Thus, China committed to crafting a binding Code of Conduct or CoC with the ASEAN members that would contain the rules that would prevent conflicts from erupting over the disputed waters. In the White Paper, China indicated that “no matter what mechanism or means is chosen for settling disputes between any countries, the consent of states concerned should be the basis of that choice, and the will of sovereign states should not be violated.” China firmly indicated in the document that it did not accept any means of “dispute settlement imposed on it, nor does it accept any recourse to third-party settlement.” On 25 August 2006, China deposited — pursuant to Article 298 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea — with the UN Secretary-General a declaration stating that “the Government of the People’s Republic of China does not accept any of the procedures provided for in Section 2 of Part XV of the Convention concerning all the categories of disputes referred to in paragraph 1 (a), (b) and (c) of Article 298 of the Convention.” China, however, committed to work actively to promote the establishment of bilateral maritime consultation mechanisms and “explore joint development in areas such as fishery, oil and gas, and champion the active exploration by relevant countries in establishing a cooperation mechanism.” It highlighted its dedication to working with ASEAN “to fully and effectively implement the DoC and actively promote practical maritime cooperation.” Another commitment was its support in pushing forward “consultations on a Code of Conduct under the framework of full and effective implementation of the DoC, to achieve an early conclusion based on consensus.” None of the pledges have been delivered six years after, to the disappointment of the Philippines and other nations who looked up to China to exercise leadership in resolving the recurring regional friction. The involvement of a third party, thus, becomes a necessity since the maritime conflict appears nowhere near a settlement. Had China followed its commitment with actions, the CoC would be in effect and this should not have necessitated the involvement of an outside interest. Instead, with its apparent lack of interest or even aversion to binding rules, China has stalled the completion of the CoC. Without the CoC, the nations would have to inevitably turn to the arbitral ruling as a guidepost on the status of the conflicting claims. Thus, there is no other way for the conflict but to simmer as China considers the way of arbitration an assault on its sovereign interest. The post Broken vows appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EU, U.S. set AI code of conduct
The European Union and the United States said Wednesday that they would soon release a voluntary code of conduct on artificial intelligence to mitigate risks posed by the technology. In a joint statement released by the White House and the European Commission, the two sides called AI a “transformative technology with great promise for our people, offering opportunities to increase prosperity and equity.” “But in order to seize the opportunities it presents, we must mitigate its risks,” it said. Both political and technology industry leaders are concerned of AI’s potentially wide-ranging effects on privacy and other civil liberties. Technology leaders, including Sam Altman, whose firm OpenAI created the popular AI-powered ChatGPT bot, warned in a joint statement Tuesday that AI could put the world at risk without regulation. EU and US experts would work on “cooperation on AI standards and tools for trustworthy AI and risk management.” European Commission Vice President Margrethe Vestager added that a draft of the code of conduct would be put forward “within weeks.” The EU has been moving forward on the world’s first regulations on AI, which would ban biometric surveillance and ensure human control of the technologies, though the rules would not enter into force before 2025 at the earliest. China has also discussed regulations but Western powers fear that Beijing, with its growing prowess in the field and willingness to export to fellow authoritarian countries, could effectively set global standards. The post EU, U.S. set AI code of conduct appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Philippines Marcos calls for speeding up COC negotiations
MANILA, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos on Thursday stressed the need to ensure peace in the region, urging relevant countries to speed up the forging of a Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea. Marcos said the Philippines is committed to implementing the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the early conclusion of "an effective and.....»»
ASEAN navies ratify guidelines for safety protocols, communication line
The ANCM (ASEAN Navy Chiefs’ Meeting) Guidelines for Maritime Interaction is an entirely a different document from the South China Sea Code of Conduct that diplomats from ASEAN nations and China are in the middle of negotiating. .....»»
Marcos: CoC needed to resolve SCS tension
INDONESIA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday evening said the ongoing conflict in the South China Sea cannot be resolved unless there is a Code of Conduct that clarifies the terms between ASEAN and China. In a media interview upon arrival here, Marcos said China's bilateral discussions with ASEAN member-states are only causing things "complicated." He said he intends to encourage his fellow leaders from Southeast Asia to seek a solution that would prompt the creation of a "new" Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. He expressed optimism that the regional group would be able to resolve the problems preventing the conclusion of the negotiations for the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. "What is the problem? What is the bottleneck? Where are we having a hard time? How can we fix that problem? That's what these meetings should be for. And I think we'll get to that point because everybody wants this to work. Everybody wants to have a Code of Conduct. So, what's getting in the way? Let's talk about it," Marcos said. He added: "I'll bring it up again because when we talked about the issues on the West Philippine Sea (or) South China Sea, tensions will not ease until we have the Code of Conduct. If we have the Code of Conduct, everybody will follow." Over the years, he said, everybody is talking to China. “I really believe that we will slowly, slowly get to the point where we can proffer and say this is what we want to look like," he said. "That (CoC in the SCS) makes things clearer. There should be no possibility of committing a mistake because the discussion should be clear.” Marcos acknowledged that the CoC negotiations in the SCS are "separate from the ASEAN Summit." "That's not something that will be done here," he said, adding that he has no plan of setting a deadline for the negotiations between the Philippines and China. Marcos said imposing a deadline is not ideal since there is already "progress" in the ongoing talks between Manila and Beijing. "The deadline is when it's done. Because if you set a deadline and it's not done, what then? It doesn't help anything. So, just keep going, keep going, keep going as hard as you can, as much as you can until you get an agreement on the fishing ground," he said. Meanwhile, he said leaders would likely address the issue of tension in the Taiwan Strait during the 42nd ASEAN Summit here. The discussion of the issue of tension in the Taiwan Strait, he said, is inevitable as ASEAN member-states have expressed grave concern. "Considering that we also agree on the concept of ASEAN centrality when it comes to regional concerns, that will be one of the most important subjects that we'll bring up,” he added. It has already been a considerable amount of time since ASEAN leaders last addressed the issue, he said. "The discussions on that, that we had goes to a year ago, a lot has changed in that time," he said. "Many changes occurred. That is why we have to really calibrate whatever it is that we are planning.” He clarified that the United States did not request the Philippines to deploy military troops in the event of a conflict arising from the increasing tensions concerning Taiwan. The Philippine government, he added, has made it explicitly clear that the American military bases in the country will not be used as staging areas for any military operations. The post Marcos: CoC needed to resolve SCS tension appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DFA: South China Sea Code of Conduct ‘very far’ from conclusion
The document will undergo its second reading......»»
Marcos: ‘We need a Code of Conduct’ on the South China Sea | The wRap
The wRap highlights: Marcos at ASEAN, SB19, and Billy Crawford.....»»
Marcos: ASEAN pushes for code of conduct, zero-violence in South China Sea
"Now on the South China Sea. Everybody, including the Chinese, says we follow UNCLOS and international law. So at least that position of ASEAN is clear," he also said......»»
Marcos wants South China Sea code of conduct approved soon
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is hoping that a code of conduct in the South China Sea based on international law will be approved soon......»»
DFA: No sea code pact without US
Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Monday the Philippines objected to efforts to block Western powers, including the United States, from having access to the hotly contested South China Sea under a Code of Conduct being formulated by China and Southeast Asian states......»»
Peace hopes up in flight disputes
The South China Sea has long been a major field of contention between the United States and China, with the US actively challenging China’s claim to sovereignty over most of the sea within a nine-dash line, and constantly sending ships and planes into the area asserting freedom of navigation in what it considers international waters. China, however, sees these flights as provocations. The South China Sea is bounded by the Philippines in the east, Vietnam in the west, and Malaysia and Brunei in the south. To the northeast is the East China Sea between China and Japan. Farther north of that is the Yellow Sea between China and North and South Korea. Last month, an international incident in that far-off area came to involve the Philippines — a US surveillance aircraft flying over the Yellow Sea allegedly used codes belonging to Philippine aircraft. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said this is a serious security issue as it could entangle the Philippines in the rising tension between China and US. A report from the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSSPI) said a US RC-1355 reconnaisance aircraft using a code assigned to the Philippines flew over the Yellow Sea between China and Korea. The detected Philippine code could have made China suspicious as the Philippines does not conduct patrol operations over that area. The US pilots may have been trying to test China’s reaction, Esperon said as he expressed his concern. “What could happen is it could implicate or incriminate the Philippine side. We simply have to remind our US counterparts of the implications. The Philippines has sent a communication to the US embassy in Manila. This is something that must be discussed. Nonetheless, we hope this could be settled satisfactorily between the parties,” he said. In a press conference, China’s foreign ministry said, “Since the beginning of this year, US reconaissance aircraft have electronically impersonated civil aircraft of other countries in the South China Sea for more than a hundred times. This threatens the security of China and countries in the region.” The flights over the Yellow Sea near Korea, like the ones over the East China near Japan, and the South China Sea near the Philippines have long been part of US operations around the world as it asserts freedom of navigation and flight over international waters. We hope these two nations will be able to carry on without any incident that may lead to a violent confrontation and we hope they do not unduly involve and endanger any other nation like the Philippines which is friend to both sides......»»