Pepe Escobar
China, Russia and Iran will take the fight towards a more equal and just system to the next level, Pepe Escobar writes.
Year of the Dragon: Silk Roads, BRICS Roads, Sino-Roads
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Tag: South China Sea
US policies pushing China, Philippines to brink of conflict
US policies pushing China, Philippines to brink of conflict
The China-Philippines maritime dispute does not, in of itself, reflect anything approaching an existential conflict. It has, however, become an increasingly dangerous proxy and potential flashpoint for underlying China-U.S. tensions in the South China Sea.
FYI, this article is full of disinformation. I’m posting it to point out that there’s an information war going on in the South China Sea (using embedded journalists, civil society activists, and various US think tanks). The Philippines plans on building a military base, on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, to replace the BRP Sierra Madre (which is about to break apart). Marcos is also re-starting oil exploration, in the Reed Bank, which is part of the disputed territory.
Related:
US Shapes Philippines into Southeast Asia’s “Ukraine”
Why the US is Picking a Fight with China in the South China Sea
Beijing rejects tribunal’s ruling in South China Sea case
Paul Reichler, of the law firm Foley Hoag LLP, who who coordinated the Philippines’ legal team, said: “The tribunal’s ruling not only benefits the Philippines, it also benefits other states bordering the South China Sea like Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. If China’s nine-dash line is invalid as to the Philippines, it is equally invalid to those states and, indeed, the rest of the international community.”
The enduring legacy of the East King of Sulu in Chinese-Filipino diplomacy
ON December 3 last year (2023), I embarked on a meaningful and soul-stirring journey to pay special and heartfelt tribute at the tomb of Sultan Paduka Batara, known as “Pahala,” at his sacred resting place in Dezhou, a captivating city in China’s Shandong province. It was indeed a momentous experience for me. It was also an educational and inspiring half-day trip.
The enduring legacy of the East King of Sulu in Chinese-Filipino diplomacy
Beijing has ‘a lot of legal weapons’ to challenge Manila’s claims in South China Sea, international law expert says
Beijing still has plenty of countermeasures it could use against Manila if tensions between the two countries continue to escalate in the South China Sea, according to a seasoned legal expert who specialises in the region.
Beijing has ‘a lot of legal weapons’ to challenge Manila’s claims in South China Sea, international law expert says
PH-US drills off Mindoro ‘shadowed,’ shortened
ANC 24/7 (where I got the clip) lied and said that the PLA didn’t respond, at all! As for the South China Sea Arbitration, see this video.
PH-US drills off Mindoro ‘shadowed,’ shortened
Del Pilar’s sister ship, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16), sailed from Subic port the same day. On Tuesday, however, the US side asked for a 24-hour delay due to “operational requirements.”
…What is your intention, over?” “Philippine warship 15, this is Chinese Navy warship 570 conducting lawful activities in our territorial seas, over,” came the reply.
One more time, from the Philippine ship: “Chinese warship 570, you are within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Your actions will affect Philippine-Chinese relations and will be reported to concerned authorities, over.”
…On Wednesday, US Navy destroyer USS Sterett (DDG- 104), one of the escort ships of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), was the only American ship to arrive for the exercises.
Canceled, shortened
Two other US warships and the USS Carl Vinson were expected to join but did not show up due to “operational necessity.”
…
“Unfortunately, they did not give specifics (why the other activities were canceled). They just said that ‘due to some operational necessity,’ they have to reallocate some of their forces to other tasks,” Carlos said in an interview on board the Del Pilar.
Related:
PLA conducts naval, air patrols in South China Sea amid US-Philippine provocations
In the name of resupply, the Philippines has repeatedly sent vessels carrying illegal building materials in attempts to reinforce a warship that has been illegally grounded on Ren’ai Reef since 1999 to permanently occupy the Chinese reef.
Those attempts were blocked by China Coast Guard vessels with legitimate and professional restriction measures.
Philippines provoked China’s water cannoning at Ayungin Shoal
By Daniel Long
President Bongbong Marcos shocked the nation when he put out a tweet (X post) this weekend on the recent water cannoning incidents at Ayungin and Scarborough Shoal. I would like to highlight this part of his statement: “Let me reiterate what is settled and widely recognized: Ayungin Shoal is within our Exclusive Economic Zone, any foreign claim of sovereignty over it is baseless and absolutely contrary to international law…No one but the Philippines has a legitimate right or legal basis to operate anywhere in the West Philippine Sea.”
PH provoked China’s water cannoning at Ayungin Shoal
Negotiating the Tide: The Vital Role of Bilateral Talks between PH & CN in Steering Through the SCS Dispute
The statement of Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro just this week, where he said that entering into bilateral negotiations over the dispute in the South China Sea (SCS) between the Philippines and China will just be playing into China’s playbook, is quite perplexing. Teodoro says bilateral talks with China on the issue over the SCS dispute will only hamper and strangle the Philippines’ rights and position. This is one of the reasons why the Philippines is seeking multilateralism.
Negotiating the Tide: The Vital Role of Bilateral Talks between PH & CN in Steering Through the SCS Dispute
US Primes the Philippines for War on the People’s Republic of China
20-11-2023: In a short space of time, the Philippines has been transformed from a friendly neighbour of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), to one which is being pushed in the direction of a hostile adversary. The election of President Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Jr has been the catalyst for the tilt towards the US hegemon and away from an ally of the PRC and of the Russian Federation, which was cultivated by the former Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte. In fact, it is potentially much worse than just a shift in foreign policy. As The New Atlas points out, the Republic of the Philippines is being shaped into being South-East Asia’s “Ukraine” – a hapless Nazified proxy of US imperialism destroying itself in a failed war on Russia.[1] However, this rapid about turn is not being implemented in the Philippines without opposition, seemingly from such allies of the former President Duterte as current Vice President Sara Duterte (the daughter of Rodrigo Duterte) and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. While it is the case that Rodrigo Duterte and Sara Duterte have not always been side by side in politics, it does appear as though the Philippine elite are dividing on the pro-US course of Marcos Jr.
US Primes the Philippines for War on the People’s Republic of China
US Shapes Philippines into Southeast Asia’s “Ukraine”
Collision at Sea: PBBM Wastes Years of Confidence-Building with China
This the statement by Gan Yu, the spokesman of China Coast Guard, on the collision of a Philippine vessel and Chinese Coast Guard ship near Ren’ai Reef (Ayungin Shoal).
Collision at Sea: PBBM Wastes Years of Confidence-Building with China
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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