20 h. ago Philippines says China fired flares toward its patrol plane in the disputed South China Sea

Philippines says China fired flares toward its patrol plane in the disputed South China Sea  Newsday

Events

23 h. ago China sends seasoned ‘American hand’ to serve as top envoy to Philippines

Jing Quan, formerly the second-in-command at the Chinese embassy in Washington, arrived in Manila on Saturday to assume his post as Beijing’s top envoy to the Philippines, pledging to both defend national interests and stabilise bilateral ties. “As the ambassador, I will firmly safeguard China’s national interests and dignity, while also serving as a bridge to ensure China-Philippines relations stabilise rather than deteriorate, and that our peoples draw closer instead of drifting apart,” Jing...

Politics

23 h. ago China sends seasoned ‘America hand’ to serve as top envoy to Philippines

Jing Quan, formerly the second-in-command at the Chinese embassy in Washington, arrived in Manila on Saturday to assume his post as Beijing’s top envoy to the Philippines, pledging to both defend national interests and stabilise bilateral ties. “As the ambassador, I will firmly safeguard China’s national interests and dignity, while also serving as a bridge to ensure China-Philippines relations stabilise rather than deteriorate, and that our peoples draw closer instead of drifting apart,” Jing...

Politics

47 h. ago Australia on high alert as PLA naval fleet in Philippine Sea sails south

China’s deployment of a naval fleet, led by a Type 075 amphibious assault ship in the Philippine Sea this week, has triggered a rapid response from Australia. Canberra deployed a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft to track the flotilla, reviving security concerns raised after an unprecedented circumnavigation of the Australian continent by a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fleet nine months ago. US satellite images, first reported by Australian media on Wednesday, confirmed the presence of the Chinese...

Events

47 h. ago Australia on high alert as PLA Navy fleet in Philippine Sea sails south

China’s deployment this week of a naval fleet led by a Type 075 amphibious assault ship in the Philippine Sea has triggered a rapid response from Australia. Canberra deployed a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft to track the flotilla, reviving security concerns raised after an unprecedented circumnavigation of the Australian continent by a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fleet nine months ago. US satellite images, first reported by Australian media on Wednesday, confirmed the presence of the Chinese...

Events

4 d. ago Chinese involvement stalls Manila Bay bridge project due to security fears

The Philippines deferred the awarding of a project that is part of a plan to build one of the world’s longest marine bridges after local opposition over the potential involvement of a Chinese company due to national security fears. The proposals were “undergoing thorough review” by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which acts as a lender and an overseer of the project to ensure it meets international environmental and governance standards, Manila’s public works department said in a statement on...

Events

5 d. ago US Navy Ship Navigates Disputed South China Sea During Beijing Trade Negotiations

US Navy Ship Navigates Disputed South China Sea During Beijing Trade Negotiations  Maritime Fairtrade

Politics

5 d. ago Beijing bristles as Japan weighs missile export to Philippines

Tokyo is considering exporting a missile system to the Philippines as it seeks to ease its weapons-export restrictions, Japanese media reported – a move likely to draw criticism from Beijing. The missile system, dubbed Type 03 Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile, is of the same type that Tokyo plans to deploy on Yonaguni, an island only 110 kilometres (68 miles) away from Taiwan. Beijing has blasted the deployment on Yonaguni as “extremely dangerous”. Kyodo News reported on Sunday that Japan has...

Events

5 d. ago China bristles as Japan weighs missile export to Philippines

Tokyo is considering exporting a missile system to the Philippines as it seeks to ease its weapons-export restrictions, Japanese media reported – a move likely to draw criticism from Beijing. The missile system, dubbed Type 03 Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile, is of the same type that Tokyo plans to deploy on Yonaguni, an island only 110 kilometres (68 miles) away from Taiwan. Beijing has blasted the deployment on Yonaguni as “extremely dangerous”. Kyodo News reported on Sunday that Japan has...

Events

5 d. ago Philippines Delays Award of Key Bridge Project Amid China Risk

Philippines Delays Award of Key Bridge Project Amid China Risk  Bloomberg.com

Events

6 d. ago Japan weighs missile sales to Philippines as both nations eye China threat

Japan weighs missile sales to Philippines as both nations eye China threat  Stars and Stripes

Events

6 d. ago House Panel Urges Rubio to Secure Funding for Philippines Amid China Threat

House Panel Urges Rubio to Secure Funding for Philippines Amid China Threat  Maritime Fairtrade

Events

7 d. ago Philippines and China Exchange Blame Amid South China Sea Clash in Spratly Islands

Philippines and China Exchange Blame Amid South China Sea Clash in Spratly Islands  Maritime Fairtrade

Politics

8 d. ago China gives disputed Scarborough Shoal a clean bill of health

Coral reefs at the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea are healthy and resilient to climate change, but growing thermal stress poses a potential bleaching risk, according to a Chinese environmental assessment. The report rated the atoll’s maritime environment as excellent, with no signs of cyanide in seawater, sediment or fish samples. Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines, is claimed by both countries, and Manila has accused...

Science

9 d. ago Navigating digital transformation and geopolitical rivalry: China's Digital Silk Road in the Philippines

Navigating digital transformation and geopolitical rivalry: China's Digital Silk Road in the Philippines  Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)

Politics

1 week ago Beijing Amasses 30 WARSHIPS Near Philippines in South China Sea; Is Xi Jinping Preparing Major MOVE?

Beijing Amasses 30 WARSHIPS Near Philippines in South China Sea; Is Xi Jinping Preparing Major MOVE?  Oneindia

Events

1 week ago ‘Pressure from China’: US, Philippines take cyberwar games to the next level

The United States and the Philippines are preparing to hardwire advanced cyber operations into the heart of their annual war games, signalling a shift from merely talking about digital threats to practising how to fight through them. Jennifer Schmidt, head of the US embassy’s information and communications technology unit, said specialised training ranges and sophisticated threat-emulation software would be incorporated into next year’s Balikatan drills so troops could rehearse defending...

Events

1 week ago Are US, Philippines preparing for a future cyber ‘confrontation’ with China?

The United States and the Philippines are preparing to hardwire advanced cyber operations into the heart of their annual war games, signalling a shift from merely talking about digital threats to practising how to fight through them. Jennifer Schmidt, head of the US embassy’s information and communications technology unit, said specialised training ranges and sophisticated threat-emulation software would be incorporated into next year’s Balikatan drills so troops could rehearse defending...

Politics

1 week ago Can Manila as Asean chair deliver progress on Myanmar and South China Sea code?

As the Philippines prepares to take over the rotating Asean chairmanship next year, Manila faces the daunting task of managing a protracted civil war in Myanmar while pushing for progress on a long-delayed code of conduct (COC) in the South China Sea. Analysts say Manila must navigate an Asean agenda crowded with difficult trade-offs, balancing the crisis in Myanmar where progress is expected to remain incremental with a COC process facing a 2026 deadline, even as internal divisions within the...

Society

1 week ago How Philippines might navigate Asean’s divisions as it prepares to lead bloc

As the Philippines prepares to take over the rotating Asean chairmanship next year, Manila faces the daunting task of managing a protracted civil war in Myanmar while pushing for progress on a long-delayed code of conduct (COC) in the South China Sea. Analysts say Manila must navigate an Asean agenda crowded with difficult trade-offs, balancing the crisis in Myanmar where progress is expected to remain incremental with a COC process facing a 2026 deadline, even as internal divisions within the...

Politics