South China Sea Forum

[cochine]

US, PH alliance remains strong: Commitment on cooperation renewed in latest MDB-SEB

November 22, 2016 PNA Nation 0

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The military alliance between the United States and the Philippines remains strong as both parties have committed to continue close cooperation in areas central to the national and security interest of both nations. This was the essence of Tuesday’s Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) which was held in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

“We look forward to continued, close cooperation in areas central to both our national and security interests including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter-terrorism, cyber security, and maritime security,” AFP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said.

This highlights the enduring commitment of both countries to the US-Philippine alliance.

This year’s MDB-SEB meeting was jointly presided by AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Ricardo R. Visaya and US Pacific Command head Admiral Harry B. Harris, Jr.

They were joined and supported by various standing committees and participating agencies of both governments.

“The successful completion of the MDB-SEB ensures continued, robust relations between the US and Philippine militaries,” Padilla added.

Earlier, the Department of National Defense (DND) announced that the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the US will continue but it will focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter-terror, and anti-narcotics operations.

“EDCA will continue (but it) be under the basis of this new direction,” it further stressed.
http://www.update.ph/2016/11/us-ph-...n-cooperation-renewed-in-latest-mdb-seb/11249

 

[cirr]

Way to go, way to go

http://tv.cctv.com/2016/11/22/VIDE7ECUzLpxFaYC5Of4gKks161122.shtml

 

[cochine]

5 AIRCRAFT FROM JAPAN SCHEDULED FOR TRANSFER TO PHILIPPINES
Posted on November 23, 2016

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Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) scheduled to transfer its five TC-90 aircraft to the Philippines around March, with plans to bolster its maritime patrolling capabilities beneficial in countering China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea.

The country leased 5 TC-90 patrol aircraft from Japan to be used for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities.

JMSDF said it will start training Philippine naval pilots next week to operate the TC-90. The first trainees — two lieutenant commanders — will undergo training from next Monday through March 24 at the MSDF’s Tokushima Air Base in Tokushima Prefecture. A total of six Philippine pilots will be trained through November next year, JMSDF said in a press release.

Doubling the current Philippine Navy’s aircraft, TC-90 has a flight range of about 2,000 kilometers.

http://tankler.com/5-aircraft-from-japan-scheduled-for-transfer-to-philippines-10082

 

[TaiShang]

Ministry: island's status not changed
China Daily, November 23, 2016

China said its sovereignty and administration over Huangyan Island in the South China Sea "has not and will not change", and that China and the Philippines should strengthen dialogue and cooperation to make the South China Sea issue a positive factor for enhancing bilateral friendship and cooperation.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang made the remarks in a daily news conference on Tuesday in response to reports that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will issue an order to ban all fishermen from fishing in the lagoon of the island.

During their meeting in Lima, the capital of Peru, on Saturday, President Xi Jinping told Duterte that the two countries should stick to friendly cooperation and proper management of differences, while Duterte said the Philippines is willing to handle maritime issues through dialogue and consultation with China.

Geng said: "China has made proper arrangements regarding Filipino fishermen fishing in waters near Huangyan Island."

Tensions around Huangyan Island, one of China's islands in the South China Sea, rose in April 2012, when a Philippine military vessel confronted Chinese fishermen who were fishing in the island's lagoon and were later evacuated with the help of Chinese maritime law enforcement vessels.

Ties between China and the Philippines further worsened when the previous Philippine government unilaterally filed an arbitration case over the South China Sea.

Duterte, who became Philippine president in June and had voiced intentions to talk to China over bilateral maritime disputes, visited China in October, helping to improve bilateral ties.

Chen Qinghong, a researcher of Southeast Asian studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the ban to be issued is in line with the two countries' efforts to improve relations and resolve South China Sea disputes through dialogue and consultation, and it helps improve the environment of the island.

"The ban has nothing to do with sovereignty," Chen said, adding that the news may be distorted by Western media or some political forces in the Philippines, as the move suggests the country has a legitimate claim to Huangyan Island.

China will not accept such distortion, Chen said.

 

[JSCh]

Yongshu hospital open.

 

[cochine]

Last update 15:20 | 17/11/2016

Japan, Malaysia affirm stance on East Sea issue
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak affirmed their common stance on territorial disputes in the East Sea on November 16.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R) and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak




In a press briefing following their talks in Tokyo, Abe said both sides underscored the importance of self-restraint and peaceful settlement of maritime disputes in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Malaysia, along with three other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei - are among the countries contesting territorial claims with China in the East Sea. China claims nearly the entire body of water as its territory.

Japan and Malaysia signed an agreement in which Tokyo will provide Kuala Lumpur with two decommissioned patrol vessels from the Japan Coast Guard.

Previously, Japan also handed over patrol vessels to Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam in an effort to strengthen their maritime security.

It is the fourth Japan visit by Najib since taking office in 2009.-VNA

 

[grey boy 2]

 

[艹艹艹]

Last update 15:20 | 17/11/2016

Japan, Malaysia affirm stance on East Sea issue
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak affirmed their common stance on territorial disputes in the East Sea on November 16.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R) and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak




In a press briefing following their talks in Tokyo, Abe said both sides underscored the importance of self-restraint and peaceful settlement of maritime disputes in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Malaysia, along with three other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei - are among the countries contesting territorial claims with China in the East Sea. China claims nearly the entire body of water as its territory.

Japan and Malaysia signed an agreement in which Tokyo will provide Kuala Lumpur with two decommissioned patrol vessels from the Japan Coast Guard.

Previously, Japan also handed over patrol vessels to Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam in an effort to strengthen their maritime security.

It is the fourth Japan visit by Najib since taking office in 2009.-VNA

@kecho
Vietnamese leader and Japanese PM ？？？

 

[cochine]

@kecho
Vietnamese leader and Japanese PM ？？？

Japan, Vietnam reiterate joint efforts to peacefully resolve South China Sea disputes



PUBLISHED : Monday, 21 November, 2016, 3:51pm
UPDATED : Monday, 21 November, 2016, 3:51pm

COMMENTS:

Kyodo

Japan and Vietnam on Sunday affirmed their commitment to peacefully resolving disputes in the South China Sea in line with international law, as Tokyo prepares to provide Hanoi with patrol ships to strengthen its maritime law-enforcement capabilities amid a territorial row with China.

Meeting on the sidelines of a Pacific Rim summit in Lima, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang agreed to promote domestic procedures for each country so as to implement the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation free trade agreement, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. Preparations are under way to provide the patrols ships promised to Vietnam in September, Abe told Quang.

Japan’s maritime force conducts joint drills with Vietnam’s navy in South China Sea base

Vietnam is among a handful of Asian countries embroiled in territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea. Abe promised Japan’s full support to Vietnam for its hosting of next year’s summit of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Quang praised a planned visit to Vietnam in next spring by Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

In separate talks, Abe and US President Barack Obama agreed to continue close bilateral coordination in promoting the TPP and handling other international issues, the ministry said.

Abe and Obama, who will leave office in January, hailed each other’s leadership in strengthening the Japan-US alliance for peace and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.

Japan pledges more vessels for Vietnam’s security amid maritime dispute with China

In a meeting with James Soong, chairman of Taiwan’s People First Party, Abe said he hopes Beijing and Taipei will promote peaceful relations through dialogue, and that stable cross-strait ties will contribute to peace and prosperity in East Asia, according to the ministry.

Abe and Soong agreed to continue developing relations between Japan and Taiwan under the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen launched in May. Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been sceptical of closer ties with China.

Abe held separate talks with Quang, Obama and Soong on the fringes of a two-day APEC summit that ended Sunday in the Peruvian capital. Soong attended the summit as Tsai’s proxy.

 

[DayWalker90]

Various aspects of life on YongShu island

It's hard to imagine that just a few years ago there was nothing here but a handful of barely surfaced reefs. Now there are office buildings, a stadium, high-tech agriculture, state of the art hospitals. Simply Amazing.

 

[cochine]

Indonesia hosts workshop on the East Sea

The 26th workshop on managing potential conflicts in the East Sea took place from November 15-17 in Bandung, Indonesia.

The workshop drew representatives from Indonesia, Brunei, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, China and Taiwan-China.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Desra Percaya, Director General for Asia-Pacific African Affairs of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed the importance of the East Sea to the region and the world, affirming Indonesia consistent commitment to maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the area.

Among the topics discussed were projects which were approved at previous events.

In particular, participants lauded the efforts of governing bodies in carrying out projects, such as Study of Tides and Sea Level Change and Their Impacts on Coastal Environment in the East Sea, East Asia Network for Education and Training and Maritime Law Enforcement “Pre Service Training”.

They also offered suggestions for effective project implementation and reviews on new cooperation project proposals and master plans for future workshops.

First held in 1990, the workshop helps boost understanding and cooperation between countries, contributing to managing potential conflicts and maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea.

It is considered an important channel to foster cooperation and build trust in the East Sea.

VNA

 

[ahojunk]

Two drowning Philippine fishermen rescued in South China Sea
2016-11-29 20:42 | Xinhua | Editor: Mo Hong'e

Two Philippine fishermen, drowning in waters off Huangyan Island in the South China Sea, have been rescued by Chinese coast guard.

At a routine press briefing on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang was asked to comment on a media report that the Philippine coast guard was searching for five Filipinos who failed to return from a fishing trip.

"China has deployed ships in search operations," Geng said.

A media report quoted Philippine coast guard officials as saying that the fishermen left waters off Huangyan Island due to an approaching typhoon last week and have not been heard from since.

 

[cochine]

Vietnam condemns Taiwan's military drills in flashpoint waters
By VnExpress November 30, 2016 | 02:00 am GMT+7



Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced Taiwan on Tuesday over the latter's ongoing military drills on Ba Binh (Itu Aba) Island in the Truong Sa (Spratly Islands), which is Vietnam's sovereign territory.

Taiwan’s actions are a serious violation of Vietnam's sovereignty, threatening peace, stability, security and maritime safety while causing tensions and complicating the situation in the East Sea, the Vietnamese foreign ministry said in a statement, using the Vietnamese reference for the South China Sea.

Vietnam has demanded that Taiwan refrain from similar actions, the statement said.

Vietnam has reiterated that it has full historical evidence and the legal foundation to prove its sovereignty over the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Island and the Spratlys in the East Sea.

China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei claim parts or all of the energy-rich East Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually.

Taiwan, which currently occupies Ba Binh Island, conducted search-and-rescue exercises near the island on Tuesday, according to Reuters.

Coastguard vessels and navy helicopters practiced how to retrieve injured crewmen from a burning ship and transport them to the island's small port and hospital, the newswire reported.

 

[terranMarine]

Duterte's pivot away from US, timely and significant

The dramatic improvement in the relationship between China and the Philippines has raised a lot of eyebrows in the West, but it is definitely in the best interests of the two neighbors as well as those of other nations in Southeast Asia.

On Friday, in his latest indication of his goodwill toward China, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told the Philippine Star that he is considering making a second visit to China. While earlier this month in Lima, Peru, when meeting with President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting, the Philippine leader also said his country is willing to be friends with "brotherly" China forever.

Since taking office, Duterte has been matching words with deeds to turn a new page in his country's relationship with China. His commitment to putting his country's relationship with China back on the right track has won him much applause in both countries.

Under his predecessor Benigno Aquino III, bilateral ties had been strained for years due to the Philippines' provocations and challenges to China's maritime interests at the instigation of the United States.

Duterte's October visit to China has broken the ice between the two countries and reaped fruitful results in furthering bilateral cooperation in various fields.

According Philippine estimates, China-proposed investment commitments to the Philippines could add up to $15 billion. This will bring huge benefits to the Philippines as it is three times larger than the total FDI inflows to the Philippines in 2015, which were estimated at $5.3 billion.

The new momentum in bilateral cooperation is based on reciprocity and win-win outcomes, and there is every reason for the Philippines to continue to inject impetus into the current desirable momentum in bilateral ties.

Soon after Duterte's visit, China also allowed Philippine fishermen to return to the waters of China's Huangyan Island in a sign of the resumed friendship between the two neighbors.

Such positive developments have helped calm down the troubled waters in the South China Sea, which were threatening to come to the boil.

A healthy and growing relationship between Beijing and Manila is obviously a boon to the region at large, especially the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. This is especially true considering that previous Philippine government used every occasion of the bloc's annual meetings to raise the South China Sea issue, doing a lot of damage to the unity of the regional organization.

Just like Kavi Chongkittavorn, a senior journalist and international relations expert in Thailand, rightfully pointed out in an opinion piece earlier this month, for the past six years, the government of ex-president Aquino III had pursued its own isolationist policy by seeking support solely from the US while ignoring ASEAN diplomacy.

The consequences of Aquino III's policy have been toxic as ASEAN is an organization that operates on the premise of consensus. Without consensus, the 10-member bloc cannot possibly unite all its members and effectively cooperate with its regional partners to press ahead with its ambitious plan for an ASEAN Community.

Now that Duterte has made a strategic pivot away from the US, the Philippines can resume being a whole-hearted member of the bloc. This crucial change is what ASEAN needs right now as it has to cope with the new global political and economic realities.

Globalization is losing ground while trade protectionism is gaining support in the West. Against this backdrop, the members of ASEAN should do their utmost to strive for unity and greater consensuses which are the keys for realizing their vision for an ASEAN community. To this end, Duterte's pivot is both timely and significant.

 

[TaiShang]

Chinese navy marks 70th anniversary of recovering Xisha, Nansha Islands
(Xinhua) December 08, 2016

BEIJING, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The People's Liberation Army(PLA) Navy on Thursday commemorated the 70th anniversary of the recovery of the Xisha and Nansha Islands.

In compliance of the Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Proclamation, China in November and December 1946 designated officials to proceed to the Xisha and Nansha Islands by four warships to take over the islands, illegally occupied by Japan.

Ceremonies were held to demonstrate that China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over the islands.

"Recovering these islands was an important achievement of China's war against aggression, demonstrating that China was firmly safeguarding the post-war international order and affirming the nation as defending its rights and interests in the South China Sea," said PLA Navy Commander Wu Shengli at the commemoration.

Wu said construction on the islands and reefs are "lawful, justified, and reasonable" being in Chinese territory.

China is committed to resolving the disputes in a peaceful manner through negotiations and consultations, controlling differences through regulations and achieving a win-win solution through mutually beneficial cooperation, Wu said.

He stressed that history should be respected, and stability maintained by strengthening mutual trust and deepening cooperation, so that peace and development in countries in the South China Sea is assured.