6 h. ago Scarborough Shoal a growing flashpoint between China and Philippines, think tank says

Scarborough Shoal a growing flashpoint between China and Philippines, think tank says  Stars and Stripes

Events

25 h. ago Does Philippines have ‘credible’ undersea might against China?

The Philippines remains dangerously under-equipped to counter China’s growing undersea operations in the South China Sea, analysts warn, as joint anti-submarine drills with Japan spotlight the urgent need for Manila to strengthen its underwater warfare capabilities. The two-day exercises, which began on Saturday, were the first large-scale joint exercises since Japan’s Diet ratified the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) with the Philippines earlier this month, following Manila’s approval last...

Politics

31 h. ago PLA patrols in the South China Sea as Philippines, Japan hold joint drills

The Chinese military carried out patrols in the South China Sea on Saturday, as the Philippines and Japan held a joint drill in the disputed waters. China’s People’s Liberation Army joint sea and air patrols were conducted by the Southern Theatre Command, its spokesman Senior Colonel Tian Junli said in a statement on Sunday. The PLA patrols were a response to the Philippines-Japan joint maritime drills – their second since August – which Tian called a threat to regional peace. “The Philippines...

Politics

49 h. ago China's Military Conducts Patrols in South China Sea, Warns Philippines

China's Military Conducts Patrols in South China Sea, Warns Philippines  U.S. News & World Report

Events

54 h. ago How the next Philippine president could reshape its South China Sea policy

With Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr about halfway through his six-year term, questions are growing over whether his successor will uphold his firmer stance on the South China Sea or, as one senior official has warned, retreat to the symbolic “jet ski” posturing and softer policies seen under his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte. Last month’s midterm elections delivered a split Senate, with Marcos-aligned candidates winning five of the 12 contested seats and Duterte allies clinching the...

Politics

4 d. ago ‘Any time, any place’: Philippine army to be deployed to South China Sea islands

A senior Philippine military official has revealed a soon-to-be-deployed strategy that would involve an army contingent to support law enforcement units on occupied islands in the South China Sea. Observers said the strategy would align with Manila’s policy shift from an internal to external defence posture aimed at protecting the country’s territorial waters. One expert, however, warned that it could lead to more aggressive moves by the Chinese navy and coastguard if Beijing were to view...

Politics

5 d. ago Philippines’ Marcos softens stance amid economic pressures but will China bite?

President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s recent call to Filipino-Chinese businessmen to boost Manila’s bilateral ties with Beijing has raised the possibility that the Philippine leader is softening his stance on China. However, while the president’s sudden pivot could signal a recalibration of his approach, observers say the move is unlikely to yield any results in the near term because of his earlier hardline policy, including a statement earlier this month by his defence chief at a major security...

Economics

5 d. ago Chinese vessel grounding: concern in Philippines over new grey

A recent case of a Chinese militia vessel running aground on a strategic island in the disputed South China Sea has raised concerns from the Philippine side of another wave of so-called grey-zone activities by Beijing, even as Manila’s officials acknowledge the incident could be down to inclement weather. Observers point to the Philippines having adopted the same strategy to stake claim over the Second Thomas Shoal when it permanently grounded the war vessel BRP Sierra Madre in 1999. The recent...

Politics

1 week ago Loitering with intent: Beijing’s new silent South China Sea strategy?

When a Chinese coastguard vessel appeared off the coast of Zambales province in late May, it didn’t fire a shot or issue a threat. Instead, it lingered – uninvited, silent and unmoving. To analysts in Manila, the message was loud and clear: Beijing was testing new tactics in the South China Sea, one quiet incursion at a time. The coastguard vessel was detected roughly 76 nautical miles (140km) off Palauig Point – well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and about 220km southeast of...

Politics

1 week ago Philippines aims to counter China’s drone swarm capacity, learn from Ukraine war

The Philippine military is ramping up efforts to enhance its drone offensive capabilities and countermeasures amid growing concerns over China potentially using waves of such unmanned aircraft to assert its claims in contested waters. As part of this push, Philippine and US forces recently tested high-powered microwave weapons during the Balikatan 2025 exercises, designed to neutralise so-called drone swarms. The Philippine military has also begun using Israeli-made intelligence, surveillance...

Events

1 week ago With 50 years of history, Manila and Beijing should do better diplomacy

June 9 marks the 50th anniversary of Philippines-China relations, ties steeped in history but marred by friction in recent years. Sadly, an overemphasis on the intractable sea dispute has polluted broader connections, stunting economic cooperation and stigmatising people-to-people exchanges. This is irrational and unproductive. For Manila to make the sea row front and centre of ties is a tragedy of its foreign policy. For China to see its smaller neighbour as a mere pawn in its great power...

Politics

1 week ago Beijing rejects 'China threat' accusation by US, Japan, Australia, Philippines

Beijing rejects 'China threat' accusation by US, Japan, Australia, Philippines  Anadolu Ajansı

Events

2 w. ago China ‘has a lot of trust building to do’ in South China Sea, Philippines says

The Philippines’ defence chief has called on Beijing to engage in good-faith negotiations over the South China Sea, stressing that China still has a long way to go to earn Manila’s trust. Observers warn that trust goes both ways, however, pointing to factors such as growing cooperation between Manila and Washington, and the reduced Chinese presence at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore over the weekend. At the security summit, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr rebuked a Chinese...

Politics

2 w. ago Will Japan’s ‘near alliance’ with the Philippines fuel China’s suspicions?

Japan’s view that its ties with the Philippines are at a “near-alliance status” has been welcomed as a sign of the commitment by both countries to tackle their perceived common threats, even as analysts warn that any formalisation towards deeper security cooperation could worsen regional tensions. Speaking in Tokyo on May 28, Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya hailed the close partnership in the presence of Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo. Iwaya and Manalo discussed strengthening...

Politics

2 w. ago ‘Not mere pawns’ in big power rivalry: Asean asserts agency at Shangri

Asean defence chiefs emphasised individual agency at the Shangri-La Dialogue, after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Indo-Pacific allies to boost military spending and cooperation to counter what he called the “real” threat posed by China. Among them was Philippine Secretary of National Defence Gilberto Teodoro Jnr, who asserted that his country, a US treaty ally, was not a mere pawn with “no strategic agency”. Despite China’s pursuit of being a superpower, “we must not overemphasise...

Politics

2 w. ago Chinese forces patrol Scarborough Shoal to ‘defend sovereignty’

The Chinese military and coastguard on Saturday launched a sea and air combat readiness patrol around Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China, to “further strengthen its control and defend its sovereignty”, according to an official statement. The show of force came a day after China’s state broadcaster aired rare footage of Chinese military drills in contested waters near the Spratly Islands, known as the Nansha Islands in China, highlighting Beijing’s ability to take military...

Politics

2 w. ago Philippines says China has no right to object or interfere with its 'lawful' activities in South China Sea

Philippines says China has no right to object or interfere with its 'lawful' activities in South China Sea  Reuters

Politics

2 w. ago Philippine navy adds bases in Subic Bay, Mindanao amid South China Sea tensions

The Philippine Navy is set to open a series of naval bases as it bolsters its modernisation efforts, with one of the facilities near a former American military stronghold raising the potential of further sites added to those under an existing deal allowing US forces to train on Philippine soil. Observers also note that the plan showcases Manila’s willingness to expand the defence reach of its navy amid increasingly volatile territorial rows in the South China Sea, as well as reduce reliance on...

Events

3 w. ago Now or never? Philippine’s Marcos urges Asean to fast track South China Sea code

Now or never? Philippine’s Marcos urges Asean to fast track South China Sea code  South China Morning Post

Politics

3 w. ago South China Sea: Philippines flexes naval muscle with 2 new warships

The new Miguel Malvar-class ships can help Manila project strength if they are used as ‘part of a broader strategy’, experts say.

Events