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☆ Philippines, Japan, U.S. hold first trilateral coast guard manoeuvres
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Moments later, its crew are marched away with their hands on their heads, concluding a simulation of a counter-terrorism operation in the South China Sea between the coast guards of the Philippines, and allies the United States and Japan. Tuesday's manoeuvre is part of an inaugural trilateral coast guard exercise between the three countries, coming at a time of growing unease over China's maritime conduct in the region. The drill was a mock interception of a vessel carrying weapons of mass destruction, where Philippines coast guard personnel encounter armed resistance while boarding the vessel and are tasked with bringing the situation under control. "All the exercises we do, we help one another to prepare for anything that may possibly happen in the future," said John Ybanez, a spokesperson for the Philippine coast guard. The exercises in waters off Bataan province involve more than 500 coast guard personnel and also include search and rescue and counter-piracy scenarios.

Persons: BRP Melchora Aquino, John Ybanez, China's militarisation, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Rodrigo Duterte, Adrian Portugal, Martin Petty, Mark Potter Organizations: Philippine Coast Guard, BRP, Thomson Locations: Philippines, Japan, U.S, Bataan, BATAAN, Philippine, South China, United States, China

☆ Philippines, U.S., Japan to hold first-ever joint coast guard exercise
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Karen Lema | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANILA, May 29 (Reuters) - The coast guard of the United States, Japan and the Philippines will hold trilateral maritime exercise in the South China Sea this week, the first such manoeuvres between them as a time of growing concern about China's moves in the region. The June 1 to 7 exercise in waters off Bataan province was as initiative of the United States and Japan, while Australia would join as an observer, said Philippine coast guard spokesman Armand Balilo said on Monday. Four Philippine vessels and one each from the United States and Japan will participate in exercises designed to improve search and rescue collaboration and law enforcement, Balilo said. "This is a usual routine activity among coast guard agencies," Balilo told a press conference. China maintains the actions of its coast guard are legal and in its waters.

☆ Vietnam to cut annual rice exports by 44% to 4 million tons by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Vietnam aims to cut its rice exports to 4 million tons a year by 2030, the government said in a document detailing its rice export strategy, down from 7.1 million tons last year. Rice export revenue will fall to $2.62 billion a year by 2030, down from $3.45 billion in 2022, the document said. Vietnam will diversify its rice export markets to reduce its reliance on any country, the government document said. "I doubt the strategy will materialize, as rice production depends on supply and demand, not on a government decision," another rice trader in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang said. Rice exports from Vietnam in the first four months of this year rose 40.7% from a year earlier to 2.9 million tonnes, according to government customs data.

WASHINGTON, May 16 (Reuters) - The speaker of Taiwan's parliament praised Japan, South Korea and the Philippines on Tuesday for helping to create a "crescent of defense" with Taiwan and the U.S. against China's ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region. You praised Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for calling Taiwan a global issue and opposing a change to the status quo by force. "The crescent of defense formed by Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines will, with American support, be a key stabilizer of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region," he added. China has been stepping up its military activities around Taiwan to try and force the democratically governed island to accept Beijing's sovereignty. It has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.

☆ Philippines places buoys in parts of S.China Sea to assert sovereignty
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA, May 14 (Reuters) - The Philippines has placed navigational buoys within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to assert sovereignty over the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea, a coast guard spokesperson said on Sunday. The step comes amid China's increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea as Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr pursues warmer ties with treaty ally the United States. In May 2022, the coast guard installed five navigational buoys on four islands in the Spratlys. China's claim of sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea was invalidated by an international arbitration ruling in 2016. Beijing has for years deployed hundreds of coast guard and fishing vessels in disputed areas.

☆ Joint Philippines-U.S. patrols in South China Sea may begin by third quarter - envoy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANILA, May 8 (Reuters) - Joint patrols between the Philippines and the United States in the South China Sea may begin later this year, a top diplomat said on Monday, just days after Washington clarified its commitment to defend Manila from an attack at sea. Discussions were continuing on the joint maritime patrols, which were announced in February, said Philippine ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel Romualdez. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced in February he and his Philippine counterpart, Carlito Galvez, have agreed to restart joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea, which former President Rodrigo Duterte, who sought warmer ties with China, had suspended after he took office in 2016. But Philippine Defense Secretary Galvez told reporters on Monday there were no formal discussions on the joint patrols with the United States and Australia. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $3 trillion of world trade is shipped every year.

Prince Albert of Monaco said in an interview with People magazine that he and his wife, Charlene, would be attending. King Felipe VI of Spain, who ascended to the throne in 2014 after his father’s abdication, will attend, according to the Spanish news media. Crown Prince Fumihito of Japan and Crown Princess Kiko, on behalf of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, will attend, according to the Japanese news media. Credit... Clodagh Kilcoyne/ReutersSeveral members of Britain’s government will attend, as will about 100 heads of state from around the world, according to Buckingham Palace. British RoyalsImage Prince Harry, center, will be present at the coronation, though his wife, Meghan, and their children, will remain in California.

WASHINGTON, May 4 (Reuters) - Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Thursday that granting U.S. access to Philippine military bases was a defensive step that would be "useful" if China attacked Taiwan. Marcos told Reuters the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) reached with the United States in 2014 was originally conceived to improve disaster responses. Marcos said Washington "has not proposed any kind of action for the Philippines in terms of taking part in the defense of Taiwan." Biden said on Monday that the U.S. commitment to the defense of its ally was "ironclad," including in the South China Sea, and that the guidelines issued on Wednesday laid out treaty commitments if either side were attacked in the South China Sea. He said the patrols would help preserve freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, where China has a growing military presence.

☆ Chinese troops to hold rare joint military exercise in Laos
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, May 5 (Reuters) - China will hold a rare joint military exercise with its landlocked neighbour Laos this month as Beijing tries to bolster security ties with regional allies to counter an expanding U.S. presence in Southeast Asia. Southern Theater Command, one of the five theatre commands of the People's Liberation Army, will send troops to Laos for the "Friendship Shield 2023" joint exercise, the Chinese defence ministry said on Friday in a brief statement. The drill marks a step up from previous "Peace Train" joint humanitarian medical rescue exercises between Chinese and Laotian militaries in Laos. China's stronger military ties with its Southeast Asian allies coincide with Beijing's diplomatic push to deepen engagement with its southerly neighbours. In November, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith on a visit to Beijing that the two countries must ensure efforts to "build a shared future between China and Laos."

WASHINGTON, May 4 (Reuters) - Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr dismissed criticism during an interview on Thursday that his presidential campaign played down the corruption and extravagance the Marcos family was known for during his father's rule. Marcos told Reuters at the end of a four-day visit to Washington that his country's citizens could not continue to fight decades-old social battles. During his campaign, critics said Marcos' presidential bid tried to whitewash the corruption and authoritarianism associated with his father's 20-year rule. The Marcos family denies wrongdoing. Marcos' Washington visit has been the first by a Philippine president in more than 10 years and included a summit on Monday with U.S. President Joe Biden.

WASHINGTON, May 4 (Reuters) - Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Thursday his agreement this year to grant the United States access to more military bases in his country was not intended for use for "offensive action" against any country. Speaking to a U.S. think-tank in Washington, Marcos said he had made that point to Chinese officials during recent talks. He also said the U.S. had not asked the Philippines to provide troops in case of war between China and the U.S. over Taiwan. Marcos told the Center for Strategic and International Studies that the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) that allows access to bases in the Philippines was conceived to deal with the effects of climate change. Manila's ties with Washington have deepened under Marcos and he granted the U.S. military access to four more bases in February, something China said was "stoking the fire" of regional tension.

☆ Why have the United States and Philippines issued defence treaty guidelines?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Martin Petty | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

May 4 (Reuters) - The United States and the Philippines have agreed on new guidelines for their 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, following multiple requests by Manila to make clear the conditions under which Washington would come to its defence. Though the United States has reassured the Philippines their defence partnership is "ironclad", Manila has argued the seven-decade-old treaty needs updating to reflect a different global security environment. Guidelines issued by the Pentagon now specifically mention that mutual defence commitments would be invoked if there were an armed attack on either country "anywhere in the South China Sea". Another addition specifies that coast guard vessels are among those protected. Some analysts have argued the Philippines and United States were better served by a more ambiguous mutual defence treaty.

☆ U.S. issues guidelines on defending Philippines from South China Sea attack
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Karen Lema | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The guidelines said the bilateral treaty commitments would be invoked if either is attacked specifically in the South China Sea and also if coast guard vessels were the target. 'WARNING' TO CHINAThe South China Sea, a waterway vital to global trade, has become a major flashpoint in the increasingly testy relationship between China and the United States. China's foreign ministry on Thursday said it opposed the use of bilateral defence treaties to interfere in the South China Sea, which "should not be a hunting ground for external forces". The guidelines were released during visit to Washington this week by Marcos, which included talks with counterpart Joe Biden. Marcos also met Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who told him "we will always have your back, in the South China Sea or elsewhere in the region."

☆ US stands with Philippines against Chinese 'intimidation' in S. China Sea - official
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Karen Lema | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 3 (Reuters) - The United States stands with treaty ally the Philippines in the face of harassment by China's coast guard in the South China Sea and remains deeply concerned about "intimidation" by Beijing, a senior U.S. official said on Tuesday. The Philippines on Friday accused China's coast guard of "dangerous manoeuvres" and "aggressive tactics" in the South China Sea, in another maritime confrontation between the two countries. China said the Philippines vessels made "deliberate provocative moves". Kritenbrink also said the United States and its partners recognised the importance of maintaining peace across the Taiwan Strait. Under Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos' anti-U.S. predecessor, relations soured as he sought to court China while openly rebuking Washington.

☆ Marcos, Back in Arms of U.S., Is Making His Own Name in Foreign Policy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Sui-Lee Wee | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mr. Marcos — in office for not even a year — has emerged as one of the Philippines’ most transformative foreign policy presidents, engineering a forceful pivot toward the United States in its intensifying rivalry with China. Soon after his inauguration in June, Mr. Marcos welcomed a succession of visits by several top-level American officials. Defense officials began briefing Mr. Marcos about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the parallels of a potential similar attack by China on Taiwan, which sits across a narrow waterway from the Philippines. Then, in January, Mr. Marcos announced that the United States would gain access to four more military sites in the Philippines. Last month, the Philippines hosted the biggest-ever joint military drills between the two countries.

☆ Philippines, China to discuss fishing rights in South China Sea - Marcos
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANILA, May 1 (Reuters) - Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said China has agreed to discuss fishing rights in the South China Sea, as he pushed for a "direct communication line" with Beijing on maritime differences. China has agreed to "sit down" and talk about Filipinos' fishing rights in the South China Sea, Marcos said, adding he has asked the Philippine Coast Guard and the Department of Foreign Affairs "to put together...a map of these fishing grounds" that will be presented to Beijing. The Philippines accused China's coast guard on Friday of "aggressive tactics" following a recent incident during a Philippine coast guard patrol close to the Philippines-held Second Thomas Shoal, a flashpoint for previous altercations located 105 nautical miles (195 km) off its coast. The United States has urged China to stop harassing Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, while Beijing said it was willing to handle maritime differences with countries of concern through friendly consultations, while warning Washington against interference. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, with a "nine-dash line" on maps that stretches more than 1,500 km (930 miles) off its mainland and cuts into the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

☆ What to Know About the U.S.-Philippines Alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Isabella Kwai | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden is meeting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines on Monday at the White House, part of a four-day U.S. visit by Mr. Marcos intended to signal a strengthening alliance between the two countries. Former President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines was more conciliatory than his predecessors toward China and at times more confrontational with the United States. Mr. Marcos, elected last year, has moved closer to Washington. Here’s a brief breakdown of the relationship between the United States and the Philippines, which have long had a close — though at times unsteady — relationship:Are the U.S. and the Philippines allies? The Philippines, the oldest American treaty ally in the Asia-Pacific region, has long been a strategic anchor for American influence and military power in the western Pacific, but it is a relationship complicated by historic grievances.

☆ Manila airport cancels 40 domestic flights after power outage
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 1 (Reuters) - An unexplained power outage at Manila airport's Terminal 3 on Monday led to about 40 domestic Cebu Pacific (CEB.PS) flights being cancelled, the airport said. "Flight delays are expected due to the outage", the Ninoy Aquino International Airport said in a statement posted on Facebook, without disclosing the cause of the power failure. Standby power systems were supplying electricity to critical facilities enabling airline and immigration computers to function partially and enable processing of both inbound and outbound passengers, it said. In a statement, Cebu Pacific offered its passengers departing to and from Terminal 3 an option to rebook or to request refunds to be put in a travel fund for future use. Reporting by Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Biden to Meet Marcos in Washington as Tensions Grow With China
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Katie Rogers | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — President Biden will meet with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. of the Philippines at the White House on Monday, a visit that is meant to send a message to China that the Filipino leader plans to deepen his country’s relationship with the United States. Mr. Marcos’s trip comes days after the U.S. and Philippine militaries held joint exercises aimed at curbing China’s influence in the South China Sea and strengthening the United States’ ability to defend Taiwan if China invades. The trip is the Biden administration’s latest push to bolster its relationships with key Asian allies as tensions with China rise. Its northernmost island of Itbayat is less than 100 miles from Taiwan, and an increased U.S. military presence could allow for a quick troop response in a war with China. For the United States, Mr. Marcos is an eager but untested partner.

☆ Biden to reassure Philippines' Marcos as China tensions flare
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] U.S. President Joe Biden listens during the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner in Washington, U.S., April 29, 2023. Marcos, who became president last year, has sought warm relations with both the United States and China, who are vying for influence in the Asia-Pacific region. "Some of the steps that China have taken have concerned (Marcos), probably even surprised him," said one senior Biden administration official. Experts say the United States considers the Philippines a potential location for rockets, missiles and artillery systems to counter a Chinese amphibious assault. "We're standing shoulder to shoulder in the South China Sea, where our alignment has never been stronger," said one U.S. official.

☆ Philippines' Marcos to forge stronger relationship with U.S. during visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City on Sept. 22, 2022. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday was essential in advancing his country's national interest and strengthening the "very important alliance" between Manila and Washington. Before leaving for his four-day official visit to Washington, Marcos said on Sunday he would convey to Biden his determination to forge "an even stronger relationship" with the United States to "address the concerns of our times," including issues related to the economy. Biden and Marcos are expected to reach agreements on greater business engagement, as well as "military enhancements" amid shared concerns about China, a senior Biden administration official told Reuters. The senior U.S. administration official said it was impossible to underestimate the strategic importance of the Philippines, although the relationship was more than just about security.

WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) - At a summit on Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden and Philippines counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr are expected to reach agreements on greater business engagement, as well as "military enhancements" amid shared concerns about China, a senior Biden administration official told Reuters. Marcos is due in the United States on Sunday for a four-day visit that Philippines official say is aimed at reaffirming the special relationship between the Philippines and the United States, which are long-time allies. The senior U.S. administration official said it was impossible to underestimate its strategic importance of the Philippines, although the relationship was more than just about security. "We will roll out some deliverables during the next week that will highlight business engagement but also some military enhancements as well," he said on Saturday. The official said that as part of moves to boost commercial ties, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo would a lead a presidential business delegation to the Philippines.

☆ Philippines rebukes Beijing for 'dangerous manoeuvres' in South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Neil Jerome Morales | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The incident occurred on Sunday during a Philippine coast guard patrol close to the Philippine-held Second Thomas Shoal, a flashpoint for previous altercations located 105 nautical miles (195 km) off its coast. One of the two Chinese vessels "carried out dangerous manoeuvres" about 150 feet (45.72 m) from a Philippine ship, it said. In February, the Philippines said a Chinese ship had directed a "military-grade laser" at one of its resupply vessels. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Friday said the Philippine vessels had intruded into Chinese waters and "made deliberate provocative moves". "We urge the Philippines to respect China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights," Mao said, adding the Chinese vessels acted professionally and with restraint.

☆ As US and Philippine defense ties grow closer, China drives wedge over Taiwan issue
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

But the election of his successor, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, last year has returned relations to a more even keel, in part because Manila has become wary of a more assertive China. Last year the US granted $100 million to boost the Southeast Asian country’s defense capabilities and military modernization. Heydarian added that China has to rethink its strategy towards the Philippines, as the Marcos Jr administration is openly more aligned with the US. China remains one of the top trade partners of the Philippines, while Marcos Jr also continues to negotiate energy and agriculture investments from Beijing. Some worry Marcos Jr might be giving too much access to the US, especially when it comes to bases and facilities close to Taiwan, Heydarian said.

☆ US and Philippine forces fire on mock enemy warship in South China Sea military exercise
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —United States and Philippine forces fired on a mock enemy warship in the South China Sea on Wednesday, the latest display of American firepower in Asia as tensions with China continue to rise. Earlier this month, China’s state-run media labeled the drills as an “attempt to target China.”US and Philippine military leaders said Wednesday’s exercise was designed to synchronize combat forces. “Together we are strengthening our capabilities in full-spectrum military operations across all domains,” Jurney said. The four bases joined five included earlier, including three on the main island of Luzon, close to Taiwan, and one on Balabac Island close to Chinese installations on the disputed islands in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, in another sign of increasing US-Philippine military cooperation, the US Pacific Air Forces said Tuesday a key air exercise will return to the Philippines next month for the first time since 1990.

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