MANILA — After a rocky patch of 25 years, the United States and thePhilippines will solidify a new, increasingly complex military relationship this week, driven partly by China’s assertive actions in the South China Sea.
An agreement that allows the United States to build facilities at five Philippine military bases will spread more American troops, planes and ships across the island nation than have been here in decades.
Joint military exercises this week and the arrival of Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter on Wednesday will allow the two countries to show off their cozy relations and will include events rich in military symbolism.
Mr. Carter is scheduled to observe the firing of a long-range missile system, one that could cover all the Philippines’ maritime claims in the South China Sea if needed, though the United States has not confirmed that the missiles will be deployed here.
Analysts say the resurrected American presence here could tilt the balance of power in this part of the South China Sea.
The Philippines currently defends its claims in the sea with two nearly 50-year-old former United States Coast Guard cutters, which sometimes break down, and two fighter jets. This allows China to control territory, build artificial islands and chase off Filipino fishermen with little risk.
 |
| Marines from the Philippines during joint exercises with the United States in Antique Province this week.Agence France-Presse — Getty Images |
The new agreement could change that.
“The Chinese goal is not to pick a fight,” said Gregory B. Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “Just the ability to impose any kind of cost, to get any kind of vessel out there on site, forces the Chinese to make a decision about how much they really want to engage in a certain activity.”
China has responded to the agreement by assailing the United States for “militarizing” the South China Sea, borrowing a term the United States has used to describe China’s actions there.
China, which claims most of the South China Sea, has also insisted that any conflicts there should be resolved by countries in the region, not outside powers. The Philippines has been a strategic partner with the United States since World War II, and it is one of the oldest American allies in Asia. For decades, it hosted major American military bases at Subic Bay and Clark Air Base. But in a wave of nationalist sentiment, Philippine lawmakers ejected the American military from the country in 1991. Years of strained military relations followed, though the two countries have come together in recent years over concerns about China’s claims in the South China Sea, which encompass more than 80 percent of the 200-mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines in waters that Filipinos call the West Philippine Sea. Mr. Carter said last week that the United States would also provide about $40 million in military aid to the Philippines to be used in part to improve the country’s patrol vessels, as well as to operate unmanned surveillance blimps that can watch over the islands controlled by the Philippines in the South China Sea.
China says it is entitled to shoals and islets also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, as well as much of what the Philippines says is its exclusive economic zone. Beijing has asserted its right to these areas in part by reclaiming land and building fortified artificial islands with military facilities.
The Philippines has sought international arbitration in the dispute, which could yield a decision soon. But China claims “indisputable sovereignty” over the territory, and rejects arbitration as “a political provocation in the guise of law,” Lu Kang, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Tuesday.
The agreement with the United States, which the Philippine Supreme Court approved in January, will allow the United States to build and operate facilities at five Philippine military bases for at least 10 years. The deal includes the country’s largest army base and four air bases, including one on the western island of Palawan, which runs for 270 miles along one side of the South China Sea.
That base, the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa, will be used by the Philippines to monitor its economic zone in the South China Sea and by the Americans to protect their interests further afield, said Col. Restituto Padilla, a Philippine military spokesman.
“The American side has interests beyond our exclusive economic zone, including freedom of navigation throughout the South China Sea, so they will be using it to patrol beyond our areas,” he said.
But the four other bases are far from the South China Sea, and none are naval bases, facts that have perplexed some observers.
Likewise, the vast facilities of Clark and Subic, which still have long runways left by the Americans and a deep, protected harbor that can accommodate the largest American vessels, were not included in the agreement.
Security analysts point out that ships can operate from long distances and that the United States has naval bases not far away, in Japan and Guam, and can use ports in Subic Bay and Manila to resupply. Airfields, however, need to be nearby to allow rapid response in the South China Sea.
The former United States military bases at Clark and Subic were not on the list because their uses have shifted in the 25 years since the Americans left.
Subic Bay is now a busy commercial port and industrial zone. Clark includes a Philippine Air Force base, but is also one of the country’s busiest airports and a booming economic zone.
The new agreement allows the United States to operate only within Philippine military facilities, Colonel Padilla said.
The selection of bases makes sense, he said, when taking into account the broad mandate of the agreement, which includes helping the Philippines modernize its military and improve its response to natural disasters.
The agreement also covers joint efforts to address terrorism, an increasing concern in the southern Philippines, where extremist groups that have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State are holding 20 foreigners. On Saturday, 18 Philippine soldiers were killed in a daylong battle with Abu Sayyaf, the rebel group believed to be behind the kidnappings.
One facility the Americans will use is Lumbia Air Base, on the island of Mindanao, home to several groups the United States classifies as terrorist organizations. According to the Philippine Constitution, the United States cannot conduct military operations there but can support Philippine forces with intelligence and training.
The other bases the Americans will use include Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base, a crucial staging point during Typhoon Haiyan, which killed more than 6,000 people in 2013, and Fort Magsaysay, a sprawling facility north of Manila.
“It is shortsighted for people to focus solely on the South China Sea,” Colonel Padilla said. “ We didn’t enter into this agreement for just one reason. We are modernizing our military.”
The Philippines still has a long way to go in that regard. For that reason, Matt Williams, director in the Philippines for the risk management company Pacific Strategies & Assessments, said expectations about the impact of the agreement on the balance of power in the South China Sea should be tempered.
“Even with a blank check and substantial political will, the Philippines is decades away from having a credible defense force,” he said.
Eye on China, U.S. and Philippines Ramp Up Military Alliance
at 8:02 PM | No comments
MANILA — After a rocky patch of 25 years, the United States and thePhilippines will solidify a new, increasingly complex military relationship this week, driven partly by China’s assertive actions in the South China Sea.
An agreement that allows the United States to build facilities at five Philippine military bases will spread more American troops, planes and ships across the island nation than have been here in decades.
Joint military exercises this week and the arrival of Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter on Wednesday will allow the two countries to show off their cozy relations and will include events rich in military symbolism.
Mr. Carter is scheduled to observe the firing of a long-range missile system, one that could cover all the Philippines’ maritime claims in the South China Sea if needed, though the United States has not confirmed that the missiles will be deployed here.
Analysts say the resurrected American presence here could tilt the balance of power in this part of the South China Sea.
The Philippines currently defends its claims in the sea with two nearly 50-year-old former United States Coast Guard cutters, which sometimes break down, and two fighter jets. This allows China to control territory, build artificial islands and chase off Filipino fishermen with little risk.
|
| Marines from the Philippines during joint exercises with the United States in Antique Province this week.Agence France-Presse — Getty Images |
The new agreement could change that.
“The Chinese goal is not to pick a fight,” said Gregory B. Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “Just the ability to impose any kind of cost, to get any kind of vessel out there on site, forces the Chinese to make a decision about how much they really want to engage in a certain activity.”
China has responded to the agreement by assailing the United States for “militarizing” the South China Sea, borrowing a term the United States has used to describe China’s actions there.
China, which claims most of the South China Sea, has also insisted that any conflicts there should be resolved by countries in the region, not outside powers. The Philippines has been a strategic partner with the United States since World War II, and it is one of the oldest American allies in Asia. For decades, it hosted major American military bases at Subic Bay and Clark Air Base. But in a wave of nationalist sentiment, Philippine lawmakers ejected the American military from the country in 1991. Years of strained military relations followed, though the two countries have come together in recent years over concerns about China’s claims in the South China Sea, which encompass more than 80 percent of the 200-mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines in waters that Filipinos call the West Philippine Sea. Mr. Carter said last week that the United States would also provide about $40 million in military aid to the Philippines to be used in part to improve the country’s patrol vessels, as well as to operate unmanned surveillance blimps that can watch over the islands controlled by the Philippines in the South China Sea.
China says it is entitled to shoals and islets also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, as well as much of what the Philippines says is its exclusive economic zone. Beijing has asserted its right to these areas in part by reclaiming land and building fortified artificial islands with military facilities.
The Philippines has sought international arbitration in the dispute, which could yield a decision soon. But China claims “indisputable sovereignty” over the territory, and rejects arbitration as “a political provocation in the guise of law,” Lu Kang, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Tuesday.
The agreement with the United States, which the Philippine Supreme Court approved in January, will allow the United States to build and operate facilities at five Philippine military bases for at least 10 years. The deal includes the country’s largest army base and four air bases, including one on the western island of Palawan, which runs for 270 miles along one side of the South China Sea.
That base, the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa, will be used by the Philippines to monitor its economic zone in the South China Sea and by the Americans to protect their interests further afield, said Col. Restituto Padilla, a Philippine military spokesman.
“The American side has interests beyond our exclusive economic zone, including freedom of navigation throughout the South China Sea, so they will be using it to patrol beyond our areas,” he said.
But the four other bases are far from the South China Sea, and none are naval bases, facts that have perplexed some observers.
Likewise, the vast facilities of Clark and Subic, which still have long runways left by the Americans and a deep, protected harbor that can accommodate the largest American vessels, were not included in the agreement.
Security analysts point out that ships can operate from long distances and that the United States has naval bases not far away, in Japan and Guam, and can use ports in Subic Bay and Manila to resupply. Airfields, however, need to be nearby to allow rapid response in the South China Sea.
The former United States military bases at Clark and Subic were not on the list because their uses have shifted in the 25 years since the Americans left.
Subic Bay is now a busy commercial port and industrial zone. Clark includes a Philippine Air Force base, but is also one of the country’s busiest airports and a booming economic zone.
The new agreement allows the United States to operate only within Philippine military facilities, Colonel Padilla said.
The selection of bases makes sense, he said, when taking into account the broad mandate of the agreement, which includes helping the Philippines modernize its military and improve its response to natural disasters.
The agreement also covers joint efforts to address terrorism, an increasing concern in the southern Philippines, where extremist groups that have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State are holding 20 foreigners. On Saturday, 18 Philippine soldiers were killed in a daylong battle with Abu Sayyaf, the rebel group believed to be behind the kidnappings.
One facility the Americans will use is Lumbia Air Base, on the island of Mindanao, home to several groups the United States classifies as terrorist organizations. According to the Philippine Constitution, the United States cannot conduct military operations there but can support Philippine forces with intelligence and training.
The other bases the Americans will use include Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base, a crucial staging point during Typhoon Haiyan, which killed more than 6,000 people in 2013, and Fort Magsaysay, a sprawling facility north of Manila.
“It is shortsighted for people to focus solely on the South China Sea,” Colonel Padilla said. “ We didn’t enter into this agreement for just one reason. We are modernizing our military.”
The Philippines still has a long way to go in that regard. For that reason, Matt Williams, director in the Philippines for the risk management company Pacific Strategies & Assessments, said expectations about the impact of the agreement on the balance of power in the South China Sea should be tempered.
“Even with a blank check and substantial political will, the Philippines is decades away from having a credible defense force,” he said.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter arrived in the Philippines on Wednesday to highlight strong and growing military relations with a crucial Southeast Asian ally as China assertively pursues its claims in the South China Sea.
Carter's visit comes as the two countries conduct joint military exercises and on the heels of an agreement that allows a U.S. military presence at five Philippine bases, one of which Carter plans to visit on this week's trip.
While the initial agreement allows for five bases, Carter told reporters while on the way to the Philippines that there would be more in future.
Defense officials from the Philippines and Vietnam will also meet this week to explore possible joint exercises and navy patrols, military sources said, shoring up a new alliance between states locked in maritime rows with China.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, believed to have huge deposits of oil and gas. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims to parts of the waters, through which about $5 trillion in trade is shipped every year.
The U.S. defense chief's visit also takes place weeks before a ruling is expected on an arbitration case the Philippines has brought against China in The Hague.
The United States believes that whatever the tribunal's decision, it will be binding on both China and the Philippines, but China has refused to recognize the case and says all disputes should be resolved through bilateral talks.
"The trip carries greater weight because of the impending arbitration ruling," said Patrick Cronin, senior director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security.
"Secretary Carter's task is to reassure the Philippines that it has U.S. security backing for a rules-based approach to settling disputes."
CHINESE REBUKES
The United States has conducted what it calls "freedom of navigation" patrols in the area, sailing within 12-nautical mile territorial limits around disputed islands controlled by China to underscore its right to navigate the seas.
Those patrols have drawn sharp rebukes from China, but U.S. officials have said the United States will continue to challenge what it considers unfounded maritime claims.
U.S. officials say the Navy is carrying out more aggressive patrols in the region, sailing close to disputed features.
"They're sailing within 13, 14, 15 miles, without dipping into the 12-mile limit, and the Chinese have definitely noticed," said one U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly.
The official said Chinese ships were now shadowing every U.S. ship in the region, and routine ship-to-ship communications had become testier and sometimes unprofessional.
This year the United States is providing the Philippines with about $40 million as part of the five-year, $425 million Maritime Security Initiative (MSI).
That money will be used to train staff at the Philippines National Coast Watch Center, better enable the sharing of classified information between the U.S. and the Philippines, and buy better sensors for Philippine Navy patrol ships.
Swift progress on spending this year's MSI funds would enable the Pentagon to ask Congress for "multiples more" in funding for future years and possibly expand spending to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, said Ernest Bower, chair of the Southeast Asia Advisory Board at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
In the Philippines, Carter will observe annual U.S.-Filipino military exercises known as Balikatan. Around 4,400 U.S. troops are participating in the exercises, in addition to 3,000 Filipino troops.
(Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by Nick Macfie)
MANILA |
U.S. defense chief visits Philippines amid sea dispute with China
at 7:52 PM | No comments
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter arrived in the Philippines on Wednesday to highlight strong and growing military relations with a crucial Southeast Asian ally as China assertively pursues its claims in the South China Sea.
Carter's visit comes as the two countries conduct joint military exercises and on the heels of an agreement that allows a U.S. military presence at five Philippine bases, one of which Carter plans to visit on this week's trip.
While the initial agreement allows for five bases, Carter told reporters while on the way to the Philippines that there would be more in future.
Defense officials from the Philippines and Vietnam will also meet this week to explore possible joint exercises and navy patrols, military sources said, shoring up a new alliance between states locked in maritime rows with China.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, believed to have huge deposits of oil and gas. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims to parts of the waters, through which about $5 trillion in trade is shipped every year.
The U.S. defense chief's visit also takes place weeks before a ruling is expected on an arbitration case the Philippines has brought against China in The Hague.
The United States believes that whatever the tribunal's decision, it will be binding on both China and the Philippines, but China has refused to recognize the case and says all disputes should be resolved through bilateral talks.
"The trip carries greater weight because of the impending arbitration ruling," said Patrick Cronin, senior director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security.
"Secretary Carter's task is to reassure the Philippines that it has U.S. security backing for a rules-based approach to settling disputes."
CHINESE REBUKES
The United States has conducted what it calls "freedom of navigation" patrols in the area, sailing within 12-nautical mile territorial limits around disputed islands controlled by China to underscore its right to navigate the seas.
Those patrols have drawn sharp rebukes from China, but U.S. officials have said the United States will continue to challenge what it considers unfounded maritime claims.
U.S. officials say the Navy is carrying out more aggressive patrols in the region, sailing close to disputed features.
"They're sailing within 13, 14, 15 miles, without dipping into the 12-mile limit, and the Chinese have definitely noticed," said one U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly.
The official said Chinese ships were now shadowing every U.S. ship in the region, and routine ship-to-ship communications had become testier and sometimes unprofessional.
This year the United States is providing the Philippines with about $40 million as part of the five-year, $425 million Maritime Security Initiative (MSI).
That money will be used to train staff at the Philippines National Coast Watch Center, better enable the sharing of classified information between the U.S. and the Philippines, and buy better sensors for Philippine Navy patrol ships.
Swift progress on spending this year's MSI funds would enable the Pentagon to ask Congress for "multiples more" in funding for future years and possibly expand spending to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, said Ernest Bower, chair of the Southeast Asia Advisory Board at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
In the Philippines, Carter will observe annual U.S.-Filipino military exercises known as Balikatan. Around 4,400 U.S. troops are participating in the exercises, in addition to 3,000 Filipino troops.
(Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by Nick Macfie)
MANILA |
WASHINGTON – China will be able to project “substantial offensive military power” from artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea’s disputed Spratly Islands within months, the director of US national intelligence said.
In a Feb. 23 letter to John McCain, chair of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, James Clapper said Chinese land reclamation and construction work in the Spratlys had established infrastructure needed “to project military capabilities in the South China Sea beyond that which is required for point defense of its outposts.”
“Based on the pace and scope of construction at these outposts, China will be able to deploy a range of offensive and defensive military capabilities and support increased PLAN and CCG presence beginning in 2016,” Clapper said in the letter released this week, using acronyms for the Chinese navy and coast guard.
“Once these facilities are completed by the end of 2016 or early 2017, China will have significant capacity to quickly project substantial offensive military power to the region,” Clapper added.
The United States has voiced concerns about China’s assertive pursuit of territory in the South China Sea. The sea is one of the world’s busiest trade routes and regional countries have rival claims, creating a potential flashpoint.
Asked about Clapper’s comments on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China has merely been exercising its right of self-defense.
“China has made appropriate and reasonable defense deployment construction that is within the range of China’s sovereignty,” Hong told a regular news briefing in Beijing.
“China urges the relevant country to not talk excitedly with wild gestures on this issue.”
Visiting Washington in September, Chinese President Xi Jinping responded to US worries by saying that China had no intention to militarize its outposts in the Spratlys.
Beijing has said their military roles will be defensive, but the head of the US Pacific Command said last month China was “clearly militarizing” the South China Sea with the aim of achieving East Asian hegemony.
The text of Clapper’s letter in response to questions from McCain was published on the news portal of the US Naval Institute. US officials confirmed the content.
Clapper said that while the United States had yet to observe deployment of significant Chinese military capabilities in the Spratlys, it had built facilities able to support them, including modern fighter aircraft.
China had already installed military radars at Calderon (Cuarteron) and Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) reefs, and the infrastructure could also allow for the deployment of surface-to-air missiles, coastal defense cruise missiles and an increased presence of warships, he said.
The United States had not seen Chinese air force activity in the Spratlys, but warships had stopped at its outposts, including a guided-missile frigate and a guided-missile destroyer in December and January, Clapper said.
He said tank-landing ships had been employed widely in construction work and the landing of civil aircraft at Fiery Cross in January showed the airstrip there was operational and able to accommodate all Chinese military aircraft.
Clapper said China continued its land reclamation in the Spratlys after Aug. 5, when its foreign minister claimed that it had been halted. –Reuters
‘Artificial islands to help China project offensive military power’
at 3:25 PM | No comments
WASHINGTON – China will be able to project “substantial offensive military power” from artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea’s disputed Spratly Islands within months, the director of US national intelligence said.
In a Feb. 23 letter to John McCain, chair of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, James Clapper said Chinese land reclamation and construction work in the Spratlys had established infrastructure needed “to project military capabilities in the South China Sea beyond that which is required for point defense of its outposts.”
“Based on the pace and scope of construction at these outposts, China will be able to deploy a range of offensive and defensive military capabilities and support increased PLAN and CCG presence beginning in 2016,” Clapper said in the letter released this week, using acronyms for the Chinese navy and coast guard.
“Once these facilities are completed by the end of 2016 or early 2017, China will have significant capacity to quickly project substantial offensive military power to the region,” Clapper added.
The United States has voiced concerns about China’s assertive pursuit of territory in the South China Sea. The sea is one of the world’s busiest trade routes and regional countries have rival claims, creating a potential flashpoint.
Asked about Clapper’s comments on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China has merely been exercising its right of self-defense.
“China has made appropriate and reasonable defense deployment construction that is within the range of China’s sovereignty,” Hong told a regular news briefing in Beijing.
“China urges the relevant country to not talk excitedly with wild gestures on this issue.”
Visiting Washington in September, Chinese President Xi Jinping responded to US worries by saying that China had no intention to militarize its outposts in the Spratlys.
Beijing has said their military roles will be defensive, but the head of the US Pacific Command said last month China was “clearly militarizing” the South China Sea with the aim of achieving East Asian hegemony.
The text of Clapper’s letter in response to questions from McCain was published on the news portal of the US Naval Institute. US officials confirmed the content.
Clapper said that while the United States had yet to observe deployment of significant Chinese military capabilities in the Spratlys, it had built facilities able to support them, including modern fighter aircraft.
China had already installed military radars at Calderon (Cuarteron) and Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) reefs, and the infrastructure could also allow for the deployment of surface-to-air missiles, coastal defense cruise missiles and an increased presence of warships, he said.
The United States had not seen Chinese air force activity in the Spratlys, but warships had stopped at its outposts, including a guided-missile frigate and a guided-missile destroyer in December and January, Clapper said.
He said tank-landing ships had been employed widely in construction work and the landing of civil aircraft at Fiery Cross in January showed the airstrip there was operational and able to accommodate all Chinese military aircraft.
Clapper said China continued its land reclamation in the Spratlys after Aug. 5, when its foreign minister claimed that it had been halted. –Reuters
Malacañang on Friday chose not to answer the Chinese government’s warning against the lease of five training aircraft from Japan.
Asked for reaction on foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei’s statement that “China is resolutely opposed” to the Philippines’ actions, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said, “It is the duty of the government to continuously develop our capabilities in ensuring the safety and security of our nation.”
“Lease or other forms of acquisition from regional partners and allies is but a usual activity of any country. This is a legal and internationally accepted process of acquisition by governments,” he said.
President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday said the Philippine government was expecting the lease of five TC-90 aircraft from Japan to help patrol the contested West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, however, said the plan to lease the training aircraft was not yet finalized.
He said Japan offered the planes to help address the government’s “capability gap on patrolling our maritime area.”
The Philippines is one of the countries with a claim on South China Sea. China, another claimant country, has been building artificial islands in the disputed areas.
Coloma, in a media briefing, said that the Philippines is among the countries insisting on the importance of the freedom of navigation in South China Sea. He said it is important for global trade and progress.
“Walang hangarin ang ating bansa na lumikha ng ligalig dyan dahil ang ating patakaran nga ay ‘yung diplomatiko at tahimik na pagresolba ng mga usapin dyan sa lugar ng South China Sea,” he said.
(Our country has no intention to cause distress because our policy is diplomacy and peaceful resolution of the South China Sea issue). RC
By: Kristine Angeli Sabillo
Source
PH gov’t shrugs off China warning on plane deal with Japan
at 3:53 PM | No comments
Malacañang on Friday chose not to answer the Chinese government’s warning against the lease of five training aircraft from Japan.
Asked for reaction on foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei’s statement that “China is resolutely opposed” to the Philippines’ actions, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said, “It is the duty of the government to continuously develop our capabilities in ensuring the safety and security of our nation.”
“Lease or other forms of acquisition from regional partners and allies is but a usual activity of any country. This is a legal and internationally accepted process of acquisition by governments,” he said.
President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday said the Philippine government was expecting the lease of five TC-90 aircraft from Japan to help patrol the contested West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, however, said the plan to lease the training aircraft was not yet finalized.
He said Japan offered the planes to help address the government’s “capability gap on patrolling our maritime area.”
The Philippines is one of the countries with a claim on South China Sea. China, another claimant country, has been building artificial islands in the disputed areas.
Coloma, in a media briefing, said that the Philippines is among the countries insisting on the importance of the freedom of navigation in South China Sea. He said it is important for global trade and progress.
“Walang hangarin ang ating bansa na lumikha ng ligalig dyan dahil ang ating patakaran nga ay ‘yung diplomatiko at tahimik na pagresolba ng mga usapin dyan sa lugar ng South China Sea,” he said.
(Our country has no intention to cause distress because our policy is diplomacy and peaceful resolution of the South China Sea issue). RC
By: Kristine Angeli Sabillo
Source
Beijing on Thursday accused Tokyo of interfering in the South China Sea after Manila said it would lease five Japanese military planes to patrol areas it claims in the heavily disputed waters.
Beijing claims almost all of the strategically vital South China Sea, and is embroiled in a separate row with Tokyo over disputed islands in the East China Sea that has seen relations between the Asian powers sour badly in recent years.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino said Wednesday that Manila would lease five TC-90 training aircraft from Japan to "help our navy patrol our territory", pointing out the disputed area in particular.
China's foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Beijing was "firmly opposed" to challenges to its sovereignty and security and would "remain on high alert".
"Japan is not a party directly concerned in the South China Sea dispute," he added.
"We urge the Japanese side to mind its words and actions and refrain from undermining the peace and stability of the region," he said.
Tensions in the South China Sea -- through which one-third of the world's oil passes -- have mounted in recent months since China transformed contested Spratly reefs into artificial islands capable of supporting military facilities.
China claims almost all of sea, including those Spratly islands currently controlled by the Philippines.
Several other littoral state have competing claims in the region, as does Taiwan.
Aquino -- whose government has infuriated Beijing by taking the South China Sea issue to an international tribunal in The Hague -- is looking to upgrade one of Asia's most badly-equipped armed forces.
Hong's comments came after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said there were "little grounds for optimism" in Sino-Japanese relations and accused the world's third-largest economy -- a major Chinese trading partner -- of "two-faced" behaviour.
"On the one hand the Japanese government and leaders are constantly claiming they want to improve Sino-Japanese relations, and on the other are constantly making trouble for China everywhere," Wang said Tuesday on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's Communist-controlled legislature.
"This is actually a kind of approach typical of a 'two-faced person'."
Source: AFP News
Beijing accuses Tokyo over patrol planes for Philippines
at 4:30 PM | No comments
Beijing on Thursday accused Tokyo of interfering in the South China Sea after Manila said it would lease five Japanese military planes to patrol areas it claims in the heavily disputed waters.
Beijing claims almost all of the strategically vital South China Sea, and is embroiled in a separate row with Tokyo over disputed islands in the East China Sea that has seen relations between the Asian powers sour badly in recent years.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino said Wednesday that Manila would lease five TC-90 training aircraft from Japan to "help our navy patrol our territory", pointing out the disputed area in particular.
China's foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Beijing was "firmly opposed" to challenges to its sovereignty and security and would "remain on high alert".
"Japan is not a party directly concerned in the South China Sea dispute," he added.
"We urge the Japanese side to mind its words and actions and refrain from undermining the peace and stability of the region," he said.
Tensions in the South China Sea -- through which one-third of the world's oil passes -- have mounted in recent months since China transformed contested Spratly reefs into artificial islands capable of supporting military facilities.
China claims almost all of sea, including those Spratly islands currently controlled by the Philippines.
Several other littoral state have competing claims in the region, as does Taiwan.
Aquino -- whose government has infuriated Beijing by taking the South China Sea issue to an international tribunal in The Hague -- is looking to upgrade one of Asia's most badly-equipped armed forces.
Hong's comments came after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said there were "little grounds for optimism" in Sino-Japanese relations and accused the world's third-largest economy -- a major Chinese trading partner -- of "two-faced" behaviour.
"On the one hand the Japanese government and leaders are constantly claiming they want to improve Sino-Japanese relations, and on the other are constantly making trouble for China everywhere," Wang said Tuesday on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's Communist-controlled legislature.
"This is actually a kind of approach typical of a 'two-faced person'."
Source: AFP News
Islamic militants holding two Canadians and a Norwegian in the southern Philippine jungles have set a one-month deadline for millions of dollars in ransom to be paid, according to a video released Thursday.
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In the video posted on a local jihadist group's Facebook page, the emaciated victims said they would be killed if the ransom was not paid.
Canadian tourists John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, Norwegian resort manager Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipina Marites Flor were seized from yachts at a marina in the southern Philippines in September.
While the ransom amount was not specified, the militants in an earlier video demanded one billion pesos ($21 million) for each of the three foreigners, without mentioning the conditions for Flor's release.
Hall identified their captors as members of the Abu Sayyaf, a local group notorious for bombings and kidnappings that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State jihadists in Iraq and Syria.
He said they were being held on Sulu, a remote island in the country's southwestern tip that is a known Abu Sayyaf hideout.
A spokesman for the Norwegian foreign ministry in Oslo, Rune Bjastad, declined to comment when contacted by AFP.
The Canadian embassy in Manila was not immediately available for comment, while a spokeswoman for the government in Ottawa declined to speak on the matter.
A Philippine military spokesman, Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla, told AFP he could not comment on the video until he saw it in full.
The Philippine government has repeatedly said it has a "no-ransom policy". But parties linked to foreigners held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf often pay to win their release.
In October 2014, the Abu Sayyaf claimed it received 250 million pesos ($5.3 million) in exchange for two German hostages they held captive for six months. Security analysts said a large ransom was paid.
The group is also believed to be holding a retired Italian missionary whom they seized from his pizzeria in the southern port city of Dipolog in October.
The Abu Sayyaf killed a Malaysian hostage last year, according to authorities.
Source: AFP News
Philippine militants holding foreigners set ransom deadline
at 4:18 PM | No comments
Islamic militants holding two Canadians and a Norwegian in the southern Philippine jungles have set a one-month deadline for millions of dollars in ransom to be paid, according to a video released Thursday.
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In the video posted on a local jihadist group's Facebook page, the emaciated victims said they would be killed if the ransom was not paid.
Canadian tourists John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, Norwegian resort manager Kjartan Sekkingstad and Filipina Marites Flor were seized from yachts at a marina in the southern Philippines in September.
While the ransom amount was not specified, the militants in an earlier video demanded one billion pesos ($21 million) for each of the three foreigners, without mentioning the conditions for Flor's release.
Hall identified their captors as members of the Abu Sayyaf, a local group notorious for bombings and kidnappings that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State jihadists in Iraq and Syria.
He said they were being held on Sulu, a remote island in the country's southwestern tip that is a known Abu Sayyaf hideout.
A spokesman for the Norwegian foreign ministry in Oslo, Rune Bjastad, declined to comment when contacted by AFP.
The Canadian embassy in Manila was not immediately available for comment, while a spokeswoman for the government in Ottawa declined to speak on the matter.
A Philippine military spokesman, Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla, told AFP he could not comment on the video until he saw it in full.
The Philippine government has repeatedly said it has a "no-ransom policy". But parties linked to foreigners held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf often pay to win their release.
In October 2014, the Abu Sayyaf claimed it received 250 million pesos ($5.3 million) in exchange for two German hostages they held captive for six months. Security analysts said a large ransom was paid.
The group is also believed to be holding a retired Italian missionary whom they seized from his pizzeria in the southern port city of Dipolog in October.
The Abu Sayyaf killed a Malaysian hostage last year, according to authorities.
Source: AFP News
Chief Supt. Joel Pagdilao, director of the National Capital Region Police Office, identified those arrested in the operation as He Kaibei, 28, and Henry Lam, 43, both from Fujian, China; and Annaliza Villegas, 45. They were nabbed at the parking lot of Max’s Restaurant along Magallanes Ave. at the corner of Humabon St., Magallanes Village, at 11:15 p.m.
Pagdilao said the operation, led by members of the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operation Task Group, came after a month-long surveillance on the three suspects.
The three were arrested after the police-poseur buyer “bought” P10 million worth of the suspected shabu.
Pagdilao said around five kilograms worth of the suspected drugs were seized from the suspects.
Charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act will be filed against the three. SFM
Source: globalnation.inquirer.net
2 Chinese, 1 Filipino nabbed; P25M worth of shabu seized in Makati buy-bust
at 12:54 PM | No comments
Chief Supt. Joel Pagdilao, director of the National Capital Region Police Office, identified those arrested in the operation as He Kaibei, 28, and Henry Lam, 43, both from Fujian, China; and Annaliza Villegas, 45. They were nabbed at the parking lot of Max’s Restaurant along Magallanes Ave. at the corner of Humabon St., Magallanes Village, at 11:15 p.m.
Pagdilao said the operation, led by members of the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs-Special Operation Task Group, came after a month-long surveillance on the three suspects.
The three were arrested after the police-poseur buyer “bought” P10 million worth of the suspected shabu.
Pagdilao said around five kilograms worth of the suspected drugs were seized from the suspects.
Charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act will be filed against the three. SFM
Source: globalnation.inquirer.net