🇵🇭🇫🇷 Philippines, France to level-up defense ties

The Philippines and France agreed to level-up defense cooperation between the two countries, Philippine defense minister Gilberto Teodoro said.

Teodoro met his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu in Manila where he said they are working to get authority from their leaders to begin negotiations for a status of forces agreement.

Lecornu's Manila visit is the first leg of his trip across the Indo-Pacific which includes stops in Malaysia and the French overseas territory of New Caledonia.

#ThePhilippines #France

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🇵🇭🇨🇳 Philippines, China trade accusations over South China Sea collision

The Philippines and China traded accusations on Sunday over a collision of their vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea as tensions over claims in the vital waterway escalate.

The Philippine coast guard accused China of firing water cannons and ramming resupply vessels and a coast guard ship, causing "serious engine damage" to one, while China's coast guard said the Philippine vessel intentionally rammed its ship.

A Philippine government task force condemned "China's latest unprovoked acts of coercion and dangerous maneuvers against a legitimate and routine" resupply mission. China's action "puts into question and significant doubt the sincerity of its calls for peaceful dialogue", it said in a statement.

#ThePhilippines #China

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🇵🇭🇨🇳 Philippines says military chief was aboard ship Chinese vessels rammed

The Philippines on Monday called the actions of Chinese vessels against its boats carrying out South China Sea resupply missions over the weekend - including one with a senior Philippine military official aboard - a "serious escalation".

Manila accused the Chinese coast guard and maritime militia of repeatedly firing water cannons at its resupply boats, causing "serious engine damage" to one, and "deliberately" ramming another. Philippine Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Romeo Brawner said he was onboard a vessel that was both sprayed with a water cannon and rammed.

The Philippines has filed diplomatic protests and has summoned China's ambassador over its "aggressive" actions in the South China Sea, which a foreign ministry official said were a "threat to peace, good order and security".

#ThePhilippines #China

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🇬🇧🇨🇳🇵🇭 UK condemns China over incidents in the South China Sea

Britain condemned what it called "unsafe and escalatory tactics deployed by Chinese vessels" against the Philippines over the weekend in the South China Sea.

"The UK opposes any action which raises tensions, including harassment, unsafe conduct and intimidation tactics which increase the risk of miscalculation and threaten regional peace and stability," the foreign office said in a statement.

A spokesperson at the Chinese embassy in London said Beijing firmly opposes and strongly condemns the UK's "groundless accusations", and has lodged stern representations with the British side on this.

#UK #China #ThePhilippines

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🇵🇭🇨🇳 Philippines wants to start new energy exploration projects in South China Sea

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said his country is working to resolve "exploration issues" in the South China Sea so it could start new energy exploration projects in the resource-rich waterway to meet his nation's energy needs.

The Philippines and China have resumed discussions about jointly exploring oil and gas resources in the South China Sea, where the two nations have sparred for decades over sovereign rights to develop natural resources in the strategic waterway. But "very little progress" has been made with regard to the talks, Marcos said.

"We are still at a deadlock right now," Marcos told media as he emphasized his country's right to exploit energy reserves in the sea at a time the Philippines wants to reduce its reliance on fossil fuel and coal and transition to liquified natural gas.

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🇵🇭🇨🇳 Philippines president says diplomatic efforts with China heading 'in poor direction'

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said a "paradigm shift" was needed in how his country approaches the South China Sea issue, as diplomatic efforts with Beijing were headed "in a poor direction".

"It's time that the countries that feel that they have an involvement in this situation, we have to come up with a paradigm shift," Marcos said, while reiterating the Philippines wants to avoid violent conflict.

He added his government will continue talking to its partners and come up with a joint position stating their responsibilities as far as the West Philippines Sea is concerned.

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🇵🇭🇨🇳 Marcos shrugs off China’s warning, says Philippines will assert sea rights

The Philippines will continue asserting its rights in the South China Sea, President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said after China warned the nation against causing “trouble” in disputed waters.

The Southeast Asian nation “remains a force and voice of reason” despite “many attempts at provocation,” Marcos said in a statement quoting his speech before the military on Thursday.

The Philippine leader’s remarks came after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the two nations’ ties are “ facing serious difficulties.” Wang also said Manila “must act with caution” and warned against colluding with “malicious external forces.”

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🇵🇭🇨🇳 Philippines not provoking conflict in South China Sea - military spokesperson

The Philippines is not provoking conflict in the South China Sea, the country's military spokesperson said on Tuesday, in response to China's accusation that Manila is encroaching on Beijing's territory.

Medel Aguilar said the Philippines is not conducting activities that will put vessels and seafarers in danger, and instead accused China of performing dangerous maneuvers that sometimes result in collisions at sea.

Tensions between Manila and Beijing have risen in recent months with both sides trading accusations over a series of maritime run-ins, including China allegedly ramming a ship this month carrying the Philippines' military chief.

#ThePhilippines #China

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🇵🇭🇨🇳 Philippines mulls building fishers’ shelter in disputed territory

The government is considering building a shelter for fisherfolk - a permanent structure - in the West Philippine Sea's Ayungin Shoal (South China Sea’s Second Thomas Shoal), the Armed Forces of the Philippines said.

“Maybe it is still being planned because it should be an inter-agency program,” said AFP Spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar.

On December 12, former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said the Philippines should build a structure on the Ayungin Shoal following the latest attacks against Filipino vessels in the WPS.

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🇨🇳🇵🇭 Beijing will respond if Manila builds structure on disputed reef

China warned that it would “respond resolutely” if the Philippines built a permanent structure on a disputed reef in the South China Sea.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that Manila’s plan to establish a permanent base on the Renai Jiao – or Second Thomas Shoal – in the Spratly Islands amounted to “a significant move” that would “seriously infringe on China’s sovereignty”.

“China will respond resolutely to any provocation and infringement and firmly safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” she said.

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🇨🇳🇵🇭 ASEAN foreign ministers express concern over South China Sea tensions

Foreign ministers of Southeast Asia's regional bloc ASEAN expressed their concern over growing tensions in the South China Sea which they said could threaten regional peace and urged for peaceful dialogue among parties.

"We closely follow with concern the recent developments in the South China Sea that may undermine peace, security, and stability in the region," the bloc's top diplomats said in a statement.

ASEAN and China have worked towards creating a code of conduct in the South China Sea, a plan dating back to 2002. But progress has been slow despite commitment by all parties to advance and speed up the process.

#ASEAN #China #ThePhilippines

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🇵🇭🇺🇸 Philippine military says second joint patrol with US underway in South China Sea

The Philippines and the United States began a two-day joint patrol in the South China Sea on Wednesday, the Philippine military said in a statement.

Philippine armed forces chief Romeo Brawner said the second such joint military activity marked a "significant leap" in Manila's alliance with the US.

#ThePhilippines #USA

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🇵🇭🇨🇳 Philippines remains open to diplomacy with China

The Philippines remains open to diplomatic discussions with China and believes the two nations can achieve a resolution to disputes over the South China Sea through peaceful dialogue, its national security adviser said in a statement on Friday.

Eduardo Ano's remarks came after a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson called recent joint patrols by the United States and the Philippines in the South China Sea "provocative" and "irresponsible".

"Our joint patrols with the United States and potential future activities with other allied countries shows our mutual commitment to a rules-based international order and for promoting peace and stability of the region," Ano said.

#ThePhilippines #China

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🇵🇭🇨🇦 Philippines, Canada sign agreement on defense cooperation

The Philippines and Canada signed a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation, a move which Manila's defense minister said could later lead to a troop pact between the two countries.

"I'm glad to hear that there is a strong intention on both sides to deepen and strengthen the relationships by forging new milestones in our defense relations to culminate, perhaps, with the Visiting Forces Agreement," Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said in a statement.

Teodoro didn't say what form or shape a possible VFA with Canada will take, but an existing VFA that the Philippines has with the United States allows the rotation of thousands of American troops in and out of the Philippines for war drills and exercises.

#ThePhilippines #Canada

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🇵🇭🇨🇳 Philippines condemns 'provocative action' by Chinese coastguard against Filipino fishermen

The Philippines condemns the latest "provocative action" by Chinese coastguard against Filipino fishermen, the spokesperson of the National Security Council said on Monday.

Jonathan Malaya in a television interview was referring to a report by the Philippine coastguard at the weekend about a Jan 12 incident where it said Chinese coastguard instructed fishermen to return sea shells collected near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, then drove them away.

OMG, the sea shells! The South China Sea dispute is on another level, they argue about sea shells.

#ThePhilippines #China

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🇵🇭🇮🇩🇨🇳 Indonesia walks ‘political’ tightrope with China over weapons trade with Manila

Defense ties between Indonesia and the Philippines have grown steadily under the radar over the past decade, but Jakarta’s offer to sell anti-submarine aircraft to Manila has shone the spotlight on the former’s burgeoning defense industry and regional solidarity amid the South China Sea row.

Indonesia has also stated that it is interested in acquiring Chinese naval missiles, a move some suggest is political to assure Beijing that it is not a threat and to avoid poking China in the eye.

On January 10, during a visit to the Philippines, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the two countries should boost political and security ties “through concrete steps”. He also asked his counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to buy anti-submarine aircraft from Indonesia.

#ThePhilippines #Indonesia #China

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🇵🇭🇨🇳 Philippine says armed forces to ensure 'peaceful' exploration in South China Sea

The Philippines armed forces will guarantee the "unimpeded and peaceful" exploration and exploitation of natural resources within the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as it shifts its focus to external defense, Manila's defense secretary said.

"We are evolving into a defence concept which projects our power into areas where we must, by constitutional fiat and duty, protect and preserve our resources," Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro stated.

Teodoro also said the Philippines will "increase the tempo" of activities with allies and major partners in the South China Sea and other parts of the country and "exercise these partnerships to the full".

#ThePhilippines #China

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