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☆ South China Sea: On board an outnumbered Philippine ship facing down Chinese aggression
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Rebecca Wright | Ivan Watson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Near Second Thomas Shoal, South China Sea CNN —As dawn slowly broke on the horizon, a large fleet of Chinese vessels came into view from the deck of a Philippine Coast Guard ship as it entered the contested waters of the South China Sea. Filipino soldiers on the dilapidated Sierra Madre ship, anchored near the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, on May 11, 2015. The US military also maintains a regular presence in the South China Sea, with aircraft overflights, so-called “freedom of navigation” operations, and patrols and exercises with allies and partners to assert that the South China Sea is an international waterway. The Philippine Coast Guard said it counted five China Coast Guard vessels and 18 boats belonging to Beijing’s “maritime militia." Rebecca Wright/CNNTarriela, the Coast Guard spokesperson, said a China Coast Guard vessel had come within 20 yards (60 feet) of the Cabra.

Persons: David, Goliath, “, ”, Thomas Shoal, Rebecca Wright, Sabina, Ritchie, Jiao, –, Jay Tarriela, Mao Ning, China Coast Guard “, Thomas, Ferdinand “ Bongbong ” Marcos Jr, Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos Jr, Jose Manuel Romualdez, CNN Tarriela, Tomas Etzler, Erik de Castro, month’s, ” Tarriela, ‘, Collin Koh, ” Koh, Ray Powell, SeaLight, “ Will, ” Powell, we’ve Organizations: South China, CNN, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine, Armed Forces, China Coast Guard, ” CNN, Philippine Navy, Coast Guard, Foreign Ministry, Sierra Madre, Center for Strategic, Studies, China Power, Ministry, Washington, Philippine News Agency . Diplomacy, Coast Guardians, Guard, Madre, Reuters, USS, China, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, National Security, Stanford University Locations: South, South China, Philippines, United States, Philippine, China, Bulilyan, Palawan, Sierra Madre, Sierra, The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, Madre, Hague, Beijing, China’s, Manila, Shanghai, Singapore

☆ China says it 'lawfully' blocked Philippine ships going to disputed shoal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FILE PHOTO: A Philippine flag flutters from BRP Sierra Madre, a dilapidated Philippine Navy ship that has been aground since 1999 and became a Philippine military detachment on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands, in the South China Sea March 29, 2014. REUTERS/Erik De Castro/File Photo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Oct 22 (Reuters) - China's coast guard said on Sunday it "lawfully" blocked Philippine vessels transporting "illegal construction materials" to a warship at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. Over the past few months, China and the Philippines have had numerous run-ins in areas of the South China Sea, most notable the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands. China had warned the Philippines against further "provocations", saying such acts violated its territorial sovereignty. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, pointing to a dotted line on its maps that cuts into the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

Persons: Thomas Shoal, Erik De Castro, China's, Ethan Wang, Bernard Orr, William Mallard Organizations: BRP, BRP Sierra Madre, Philippine Navy, REUTERS, Rights, China Coast Guard, Thomson Locations: BRP Sierra, Philippine, Spratly, South, Rights BEIJING, South China, China, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia

☆ China, Philippines trade accusations over collision in South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The two countries have had numerous run-ins in areas of the South China Sea in recent months, especially the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands. The Pentagon said in May it would protect the Philippines if its coast guard came under attack "anywhere in the South China Sea". Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including parts of the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. "The provocative, irresponsible, and illegal action" of the Chinese coast guard vessel "imperilled the safety of the crew" of the Philippine boat, the task force said. "The Philippines behaviour seriously violates the international rules on avoiding collisions at sea and threatens the navigation safety of our vessels," the coast guard said.

Persons: Thomas Shoal, Erik De Castro, China's, Philippines MaryKay Carlson, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Thomas, Ethan Wang, Bernard Orr, Enrico Dela Cruz, William Mallard Organizations: BRP, BRP Sierra Madre, Philippine Navy, REUTERS, Manila, Manila's, Force, West Philippine, Washington, Pentagon, BRP Sierra, Thomson Locations: BRP Sierra, Philippine, Spratly, South, China, Philippines, Manila, Manila BEIJING, MANILA, South China, States, Beijing, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, China's

☆ China condemns Philippine re-supply mission to disputed atoll
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Erik De Castro/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING/MANILA, Oct 5 (Reuters) - China has condemned a mission by four Philippine ships to re-supply Philippine troops on a disputed South China Sea atoll, saying the vessels had entered its waters in the Spratly Islands without its permission. "Philippine supply ships and two coast guard ships entered the waters ... in China's Nansha Islands without permission from the Chinese government," China Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu said a post on its website, using China's name for the Spratly Islands. The atoll in the area is known as Ayungin in the Philippines, while China calls it the Renai Reef. read moreThe Philippine National Security Council (NSC) said its re-supply and rotation mission was completed despite attempts by a significant number of China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia to "harass and interfere" with it. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, pointing to a line on its maps that cuts into the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

Persons: Thomas Shoal, Erik De Castro, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Gan Yu, Thomas, Philippe, Ryan Woo, Karen Lema, Engen Tham, Kaiwen Xu, Robert Birsel Organizations: BRP, BRP Sierra Madre, Philippine Navy, REUTERS, Rights, China Coast Guard, Philippine National Security Council, Chinese Maritime Militia, Thomson Locations: BRP Sierra, Philippine, Spratly, South, Rights BEIJING, MANILA, China, Philippines, South China, China's Nansha, Palawan, United States, Manila, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia

☆ Philippines sees risk of conflict over Taiwan as a 'major concern'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Filipino soldiers stand at attention near a Philippine flag at Thitu island in disputed South China Sea April 21, 2017. "Major concern is also seen in the Cross-Straits relations that has the potential to be the flashpoint in the region," the government said in the document, published by the National Security Council, referring to the Taiwan Strait. The plan also covered government food and energy security priorities and noted that the South China Sea "remains a primary national interest". To achieve energy security, the government said it would explore development of offshore reserves, including in the South China Sea, to help reduce dependence on imports. Ties with China have grown tense under Marcos, as the Philippines pivots back to traditional ally the United States.

Persons: Erik De Castro, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Marcos, Karen Lema, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, National Security Council, Mutual Defense, U.S, Thomson Locations: Philippine, Thitu, China, Philippines, United States, Taiwan, Beijing, Japan, South, South China

☆ China coast guard says held maritime enforcement drills with Russia, South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

A China Coast Guard vessel patrols at the disputed Scarborough Shoal April 6, 2017. Picture taken April 6, 2017 REUTERS/Erik De Castro/File PhotoBEIJING, Aug 11 (Reuters) - China's coast guard held joint drills with its counterparts from Russia and South Korea from Aug. 7 to 10, according to an official statement from the China side. Maritime law enforcement from countries including Russia and South Korea took part in the annual North Pacific coast guard drills in eastern Chinese city Ningbo, the Chinese coast guard said in the statement on Friday. The drills targeted drug trafficking at sea. Reporting by Albee Zhang and Ryan Woo; Editing by Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Erik De Castro, Albee Zhang, Ryan Woo, Kim Coghill Organizations: China Coast Guard, Scarborough, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Russia, South Korea, China, Pacific, Chinese, Ningbo

☆ Philippines says refurbishing grounded ship an option to strengthen hold on disputed shoal
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Karen Lema | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A Philippine flag flutters onboard the BRP Sierra Madre, a marooned transport ship which Philippine Marines used as a military outpost, in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea March 30, 2014. REUTERS/Erik De Castro/File PhotoPUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines Aug 11 (Reuters) - The Philippines is looking at several options to strengthen its hold on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea including refurbishing a grounded and rusting warship it uses as a military outpost, a move that would likely anger Beijing. The Philippines intentionally grounded the World War Two-era warship Sierra Madre in 1999 as part of its sovereignty claim to the Second Thomas Shoal, which lies within its exclusive economic zone, and rotates a handful of troops through the ship. China has urged the Philippines to fulfill a "promise" to tow away the grounded vessel, but Manila denied striking any agreement to abandon the shoal, which it calls Ayungin. The Philippines won an international arbitration award in 2016 against China's South China Sea sovereignty claim, after a tribunal ruled Beijing's sweeping claim had no legal basis, including at the Second Thomas Shoal.

Persons: Thomas Shoal, Erik De Castro, Alberto Carlos, Romeo Brawner, Thomas, Ayungin, Carlos, Ramsey Gutierrez, Gutierrez, Karen Lema, Michael Perry Organizations: flutters, BRP, BRP Sierra Madre, Philippine Marines, REUTERS, Philippine Western Command, Chinese Coast Guard, Philippines, China's, Thomson Locations: BRP Sierra, Spratly, South, PRINCESA, Philippines, South China, Beijing, Sierra, China, Manila, Japan, France, South Korea, United States, Philippine, Thomas Shoal . China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia

☆ This massive, crumbling shipwreck-turned-military station has become the latest flashpoint in tense US-China relations. Take a look inside.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Philippine Coast Guard said the ship was carrying supplies to a Filipino military outpost. A massive, crumbling shipwreck that was repurposed by the Philippines and turned into a garrison in the South China Sea. Troops stationed aboard the Sierra Madre, take part in a flag retreat, March 29, 2014. Loresto told The Times that he preferred combat over being stationed on the Sierra Madre. Although the US has no territorial claims in the South China Sea, it has carried out regular naval operations in the region.

Persons: Matthew Miller, Thomas Shoal, Ritchie, Erik De Castro, Joey Loresto, Loresto, Jay Tarriela Organizations: Service, State Department, US State Department, Coast Guard, Philippine Coast Guard, Reuters, US Naval Magazine, LST, Troops, New York Times, Times, Embassy, China Coast Guard, US Navy Locations: Philippines, South China, China, Wall, Silicon, Philippine, Sierra, Spratly, Madre, Harnett County, Vietnam, Sierra Madre, United States

Tensions have soared between the two neighbours over the South China Sea under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, with Manila pivoting back to the United States, which supports the Southeast Asian nation in its maritime disputes with China. China's embassy in Manila criticised Washington for "gathering" its allies to continue "hyping up" the South China Sea issue and the boat incident. "South China Sea is not a 'safari park' for countries outside the region to make mischief and sow discord," the embassy said in a statement on Tuesday. The Second Thomas Shoal, which lies within the Philippines exclusive economic zone, is home to a handful of troops living aboard the former warship Sierra Madre. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, which overlaps with the exclusive economic zones of Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and the Philippines.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Thomas, Thomas Shoal, Erik De Castro, Rommel Ong, Ong, Collin Koh, There's, Koh, Jonathan Malaya, Lloyd Austin, Gilbert Teodoro, Bernadette Baum, Alex Richardson, Sharon Singleton Organizations: South China, coastguard, BRP, BRP Sierra Madre, Philippine Navy, REUTERS, Singapore's, Rajaratnam, of International Studies, Philippines National Security Council, China, U.S . Defense, Philippines Defense, Pentagon, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, MANILA, China, Philippines, Manila, South, Philippine, United States, China's, Washington, Sierra Madre, BRP Sierra, Spratly, Beijing, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan, U.S, Japan, France

☆ US Marines are taking position on 'key terrain' around Taiwan as tensions rise with China
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The US and Japan said in January that a Marine Littoral Regiment will be set up in Japan by 2025. That unit, the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment, is the second of three Marine Littoral Regiments planned for the Indo-Pacific region, the first of which was activated in March 2022 and is based in Hawaii. Within weeks of its activation, the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment was participating in the US-Philippine military exercise Balikatan. New threat, new forceUS Marines provide security for an amphibious landing during Balikatan 22 in northern Luzon in March 2022. US Marines during an amphibious landing as part of Balikatan 22 in northern Luzon in March 2022.

☆ New US Marine units are taking position on 'key terrain' around Taiwan as tensions rise with China
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The US and Japan said in January that a Marine Littoral Regiment will be set up in Japan by 2025. A Marine Littoral Regiment will also hold a major exercise in the northern Philippines this spring. That unit, the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment, is the second of three Marine Littoral Regiments planned for the Indo-Pacific region, the first of which was activated in March 2022 and is based in Hawaii. Within weeks of its activation, the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment was participating in the US-Philippine military exercise Balikatan. Members of 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment in Hawaii in August 2022.

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