South China Sea Forum
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Zero_wing
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what running out troll post troll face?
It is laid down and operational alreadyDN-2000 series will come sea soon, just wait and see
btw, here is a rough layout
Soryu
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It is laid down and operational already
btw, here is a rough layout
Well, I mean fully commission in SCS. Just saw Pics on MP.
Was it commission or just trial!? FB was down, so I can't go to Comdare commissar page to asking.
Malaya
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Phl, US troops to hold drills near Panatag
By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star) | June 19, 2013
MANILA, Philippines - Naval forces of the Philippines and the United States are set to conduct joint exercises next week in the waters of Zambales near Panatag Shoal, an area claimed by the Philippines which Chinese ships have occupied.
Next weeks joint naval exercises will be just 20 nautical miles from Panatag Shoal, a senior security official who declined to be named said.
The Philippine Navy is sending the BRP Gregorio del Pilar along with smaller ships to the joint naval maneuver called Cooperation Afloat Readiness Training or CARAT. Philippine Coast Guard vessels will also join CARAT. The naval exercise is from June 27 to July 2.
The joint exercise will involve amphibious landing as well as humanitarian activities in coastal areas in Northern Luzon.
Panatag Shoal, located just 124 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales, is now under Chinas de facto control. Philippine vessels temporarily abandoned the area supposedly to ease tensions with China after a botched arrest of Chinese poachers. Since the departure of Philippine forces, Chinese gunboats and surveillance vessels have been guarding the shoal round-the-clock to keep Filipino fishermen at bay.
Ahead of the CARAT launching, US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus met yesterday with defense and military officials at Camp Aguinaldo led by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, AFP chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista and Navy chief Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano.
The meeting reportedly focused on regional security issues and on Philippine-US defense and military relations, the defense department said. Mabus met with the Philippine officials for nearly an hour.
Mabus, accompanied by US Ambassador Harry Thomas, declined to grant media interview after the meeting.
The representatives from the two departments discussed security issues in the Asia-Pacific region, modernization efforts and the USs commitment to provide humanitarian assistance in times of disasters and calamities, a statement from the Department of National Defense said.
The US embassy, meanwhile, said Mabus three-day visit was reflective of the importance the US holds for its strong and enduring relationship with the Philippines.
As we rebalance to the Pacific, our alliance with the Philippines has never been more important than it is today. I look forward to exploring opportunities to work with the Philippine Armed Forces to build greater maritime capacity and increase security and stability in the region, the US embassy quoted Mabus as describing his visit to the country.
Thomas, when asked if the maritime issue with China was discussed or if the US is ready to aid the Philippines in a confrontation with China, said he does not comment on hypothetical scenarios.
We want to ensure freedom of navigation, no economic coercion and these sea lanes are open and it is important for all of us that that we need to adhere to the code of conduct, he said.
We discussed these things on the table. As we have said, we always stand by our treaty commitment. The question is hypothetical and I think nobody wants to go to war. We want peace, Thomas said.
Phl, US troops to hold drills near Panatag | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star) | June 19, 2013
MANILA, Philippines - Naval forces of the Philippines and the United States are set to conduct joint exercises next week in the waters of Zambales near Panatag Shoal, an area claimed by the Philippines which Chinese ships have occupied.
Next weeks joint naval exercises will be just 20 nautical miles from Panatag Shoal, a senior security official who declined to be named said.
The Philippine Navy is sending the BRP Gregorio del Pilar along with smaller ships to the joint naval maneuver called Cooperation Afloat Readiness Training or CARAT. Philippine Coast Guard vessels will also join CARAT. The naval exercise is from June 27 to July 2.
The joint exercise will involve amphibious landing as well as humanitarian activities in coastal areas in Northern Luzon.
Panatag Shoal, located just 124 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales, is now under Chinas de facto control. Philippine vessels temporarily abandoned the area supposedly to ease tensions with China after a botched arrest of Chinese poachers. Since the departure of Philippine forces, Chinese gunboats and surveillance vessels have been guarding the shoal round-the-clock to keep Filipino fishermen at bay.
Ahead of the CARAT launching, US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus met yesterday with defense and military officials at Camp Aguinaldo led by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, AFP chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista and Navy chief Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano.
The meeting reportedly focused on regional security issues and on Philippine-US defense and military relations, the defense department said. Mabus met with the Philippine officials for nearly an hour.
Mabus, accompanied by US Ambassador Harry Thomas, declined to grant media interview after the meeting.
The representatives from the two departments discussed security issues in the Asia-Pacific region, modernization efforts and the USs commitment to provide humanitarian assistance in times of disasters and calamities, a statement from the Department of National Defense said.
The US embassy, meanwhile, said Mabus three-day visit was reflective of the importance the US holds for its strong and enduring relationship with the Philippines.
As we rebalance to the Pacific, our alliance with the Philippines has never been more important than it is today. I look forward to exploring opportunities to work with the Philippine Armed Forces to build greater maritime capacity and increase security and stability in the region, the US embassy quoted Mabus as describing his visit to the country.
Thomas, when asked if the maritime issue with China was discussed or if the US is ready to aid the Philippines in a confrontation with China, said he does not comment on hypothetical scenarios.
We want to ensure freedom of navigation, no economic coercion and these sea lanes are open and it is important for all of us that that we need to adhere to the code of conduct, he said.
We discussed these things on the table. As we have said, we always stand by our treaty commitment. The question is hypothetical and I think nobody wants to go to war. We want peace, Thomas said.
Phl, US troops to hold drills near Panatag | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
Malaya
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Phl, China stand firm on territorial claims
By Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star) | Updated June 19, 2013
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and China are standing firm on their respective positions on maritime territorial disputes but are committed to keeping peace in the region and improving bilateral relations.
This was stressed by delegates of the two countries to the 19th Philippines-China Foreign Ministry Consultations (FMC) in Beijing held last June 14.
In the meeting, Philippine and Chinese representatives discussed developments in bilateral relations between the two countries, and how they could further strengthen cooperation in trade, defense and security, socio-cultural and people-to-people exchanges, among others.
The officials also witnessed the Exchange of Instruments of Ratification of the Philippines-China Consular Agreement. This clarifies procedures and defines time frames to better protect and provide assistance to Filipino and Chinese nationals in each other’s country.
Foreign Affairs Under-secretary for policy Evan Garcia and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin led the Philippine and Chinese delegations, respectively.
The foreign ministry consultations were followed by a courtesy call by the Philippine delegation, led by Garcia, on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
In the same event, the two sides stressed the need to promote mutual trust as well as cooperation in achieving goals beneficial to both countries.
Manila also strongly asked China to refrain from dictating what actions the Philippines can exercise within its own maritime domain.
Last month, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the rotation as well as positioning of soldiers in disputed areas held by the Philippines - particularly in Ayungin Shoal - should not be questioned by China because such moves were part of Manila’s sovereign and humanitarian duties.
The DFA issued the statement following Chinese ambassador Ma Keqing’s raising concerns before Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin over Manila’s setting up of structures in Ayungin Shoal.
“The Philippines exercises jurisdiction and sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf (CS) in the West Philippine Sea and has all the right to undertake lawful activities within its maritime domain without any interference or objection by any other state,” DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said.
“China is not in a position to dictate on what the Philippines can do within its maritime domain,” Hernandez said. The DFA also urged China to withdraw and leave the Philippines EEZ and continental shelf.
Phl, China stand firm on territorial claims | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
By Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star) | Updated June 19, 2013
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and China are standing firm on their respective positions on maritime territorial disputes but are committed to keeping peace in the region and improving bilateral relations.
This was stressed by delegates of the two countries to the 19th Philippines-China Foreign Ministry Consultations (FMC) in Beijing held last June 14.
In the meeting, Philippine and Chinese representatives discussed developments in bilateral relations between the two countries, and how they could further strengthen cooperation in trade, defense and security, socio-cultural and people-to-people exchanges, among others.
The officials also witnessed the Exchange of Instruments of Ratification of the Philippines-China Consular Agreement. This clarifies procedures and defines time frames to better protect and provide assistance to Filipino and Chinese nationals in each other’s country.
Foreign Affairs Under-secretary for policy Evan Garcia and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin led the Philippine and Chinese delegations, respectively.
The foreign ministry consultations were followed by a courtesy call by the Philippine delegation, led by Garcia, on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
In the same event, the two sides stressed the need to promote mutual trust as well as cooperation in achieving goals beneficial to both countries.
Manila also strongly asked China to refrain from dictating what actions the Philippines can exercise within its own maritime domain.
Last month, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the rotation as well as positioning of soldiers in disputed areas held by the Philippines - particularly in Ayungin Shoal - should not be questioned by China because such moves were part of Manila’s sovereign and humanitarian duties.
The DFA issued the statement following Chinese ambassador Ma Keqing’s raising concerns before Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin over Manila’s setting up of structures in Ayungin Shoal.
“The Philippines exercises jurisdiction and sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf (CS) in the West Philippine Sea and has all the right to undertake lawful activities within its maritime domain without any interference or objection by any other state,” DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said.
“China is not in a position to dictate on what the Philippines can do within its maritime domain,” Hernandez said. The DFA also urged China to withdraw and leave the Philippines EEZ and continental shelf.
Phl, China stand firm on territorial claims | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
Malaya
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Time for a South China Sea Council
by Scott J. Shackelford
Assistant Professor of Business Law and Ethics, Indiana University, Kelley School of Business
06/18/2013
On the face of it, there seems to be little similarly between the Arctic and the South China Sea. The Arctic, after all, is ice-covered, limiting navigation at least for now, and the Arctic Circle is home to only some 4 million people, whereas the South China Sea is the second most used sea-lane in the world and is bordered by 10 nations with a combined population of approximately 1.9 billion. But dig deeper and similarities multiply. Both areas, for example, contain significant resources, and as a result are confronting territorial disputes. Yet while the Arctic States have been able to keep the peace and move toward sustainably developing an area that could be home to 25 percent of the world's undiscovered oil reserves through the regional Arctic Council, the South China Sea has been described as a "powder keg." The time has come to apply the lessons of the Arctic and form a South China Sea Council (SCSC).
The Arctic Council was established in 1996 as a forum for promoting cooperation between the Arctic bordering states, which include Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. The original aims were modest, including conducting joint scientific studies on climate change, petroleum drilling, and Arctic shipping. It was not until 2011 that the first binding treaty came into effect involving search and rescue. Now, though, the importance of the Arctic Council has reached a tipping point. Last month, the Council met and admitted five Asian states as observers, including Japan, India, China, South Korea, and Singapore, with the EU's application pending, at an event attended by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
Starting small and building on common ground, such as sustainable development and search and rescue, has proved to be an effective catalyst enabling the mission creep now evident in the Council. At the last meeting, a new agreement was signed on oil pollution and emergency preparedness. In short, as was reported by Heather Exner-Pirot in the Arctic Dispatch, "[t]he Arctic Council has come of age. It is productive and collegial. It focuses appropriately on common environmental security challenges, and it is making good progress on addressing these." Can the same be accomplished in the South China Sea?
The story of the Arctic Council should inform efforts to improve regional cooperation in the South China Sea. China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines, for example, could begin by working on common environmental concerns such as marine pollution in the same way that the Arctic countries signed the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy in 1991, which became a stepping-stone to the formation of the Council. The South China Sea nations could then establish a Council with a limited mandate, such as the sustainable development of the area, and work toward agreements on scientific collaboration and issues such as search and rescue before moving on to more difficult territorial and security concerns.
Even though the Arctic Council enjoys a limited mandate from its member states, it has been successful at environmental governance and diffusing tensions in a potentially volatile region. The Council has already achieved considerable success in generating knowledge about the Arctic and bringing added attention to the region in global forums. Although the analogy is certainly not perfect, the United States and other Arctic nations should encourage the South China Sea nations establish a SCSC without delay. With some luck, a pole of peace could be replicated to cool tensions in a regional hotspot. And you never know, before long the Arctic nations could be applying to the SCSC for observer status.
Scott J. Shackelford: Time for a South China Sea Council
by Scott J. Shackelford
Assistant Professor of Business Law and Ethics, Indiana University, Kelley School of Business
06/18/2013
On the face of it, there seems to be little similarly between the Arctic and the South China Sea. The Arctic, after all, is ice-covered, limiting navigation at least for now, and the Arctic Circle is home to only some 4 million people, whereas the South China Sea is the second most used sea-lane in the world and is bordered by 10 nations with a combined population of approximately 1.9 billion. But dig deeper and similarities multiply. Both areas, for example, contain significant resources, and as a result are confronting territorial disputes. Yet while the Arctic States have been able to keep the peace and move toward sustainably developing an area that could be home to 25 percent of the world's undiscovered oil reserves through the regional Arctic Council, the South China Sea has been described as a "powder keg." The time has come to apply the lessons of the Arctic and form a South China Sea Council (SCSC).
The Arctic Council was established in 1996 as a forum for promoting cooperation between the Arctic bordering states, which include Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. The original aims were modest, including conducting joint scientific studies on climate change, petroleum drilling, and Arctic shipping. It was not until 2011 that the first binding treaty came into effect involving search and rescue. Now, though, the importance of the Arctic Council has reached a tipping point. Last month, the Council met and admitted five Asian states as observers, including Japan, India, China, South Korea, and Singapore, with the EU's application pending, at an event attended by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
Starting small and building on common ground, such as sustainable development and search and rescue, has proved to be an effective catalyst enabling the mission creep now evident in the Council. At the last meeting, a new agreement was signed on oil pollution and emergency preparedness. In short, as was reported by Heather Exner-Pirot in the Arctic Dispatch, "[t]he Arctic Council has come of age. It is productive and collegial. It focuses appropriately on common environmental security challenges, and it is making good progress on addressing these." Can the same be accomplished in the South China Sea?
The story of the Arctic Council should inform efforts to improve regional cooperation in the South China Sea. China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines, for example, could begin by working on common environmental concerns such as marine pollution in the same way that the Arctic countries signed the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy in 1991, which became a stepping-stone to the formation of the Council. The South China Sea nations could then establish a Council with a limited mandate, such as the sustainable development of the area, and work toward agreements on scientific collaboration and issues such as search and rescue before moving on to more difficult territorial and security concerns.
Even though the Arctic Council enjoys a limited mandate from its member states, it has been successful at environmental governance and diffusing tensions in a potentially volatile region. The Council has already achieved considerable success in generating knowledge about the Arctic and bringing added attention to the region in global forums. Although the analogy is certainly not perfect, the United States and other Arctic nations should encourage the South China Sea nations establish a SCSC without delay. With some luck, a pole of peace could be replicated to cool tensions in a regional hotspot. And you never know, before long the Arctic nations could be applying to the SCSC for observer status.
Scott J. Shackelford: Time for a South China Sea Council
Malaya
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US official hits China maritime ‘bullying’
By AP (The Philippine Star) | Updated June 22, 2013
WASHINGTON – The nominee to become the top US diplomat in East Asia delivered pointed comments about China in his confirmation hearing Thursday, saying there’s no place for “coercion and bullying” in the region’s seas.
Danny Russel told a Senate panel that he will do everything in his power to “lower the temperature” in territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas and push claimants, including China, toward diplomacy.
He also said it was “unacceptable” for China to demand only bilateral negotiations with the other claimants, and voiced strong US support for efforts by Southeast Asia to negotiate as a bloc and frame a “code of conduct” to manage the disputes – an issue to be taken up at regional security talks in Brunei later this month.
Russel is currently White House senior director for Asian affairs. He is nominee to become assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, replacing Kurt Campbell, who resigned in February to enter business.
Russel is a 28-year career diplomat, less ebullient than Campbell, with long experience in Japan and Korea. His association with Asia began in his 20s when he spent three years studying martial arts in Japan.
He has played a central role in the Obama administration’s strategic “pivot” to Asia that’s seen the US stake out a diplomatic position on maritime issues that has irked Beijing, with Washington saying it has a national interest in the peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea.
Six governments have overlapping claims to tiny reefs and islands across those resource-rich waters, with China claiming it has sovereignty over virtually all of it. While the US itself is not a claimant, it says it has a stake in the freedom of navigation in its busy sea lanes, which are crucial to world trade.
“I certainly will do everything in my power to try to lower the temperature, push claimants including China into a diplomatic track and continue to warn them that the region in which China will flourish is a region of law, a region of order and a region of respect for neighbors, not one in which there is space for coercion and bullying,” Russel said.
He said that President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have raised the issue of China’s behavior on the seas with its leaders, and the Chinese “are in no doubt that America stands by our allies.”
The most volatile maritime disputes involving China in the past couple of years have involved US treaty allies, the Philippines and Japan – nations whom Beijing has blamed for triggering tensions.
While acknowledging US-China competition, Russel said the US supports the rise of China that is stable, prosperous and abides by international rules and norms. He said the US seeks “practical cooperation” that benefits both countries and the region.
He said positive cooperation with China would be “essential” in getting North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons.
Russel confirmed that he has visited Pyongyang during his time at the White House. He said helping to achieve a halt or rollback in the North’s atomic program would be a top priority if he becomes assistant secretary of state.
The full Senate must confirm his appointment.
China slams ‘illegal occupation’ of reef
China condemned yesterday what it called the “illegal occupation” of a disputed coral reef by the Philippines, and vowed to protect its sovereignty after Manila moved new soldiers and supplies to the remote location.
The Second Thomas shoal, known in the Philippines as Ayungin Reef and in China as the Ren’ai Reef, is at the center of the latest territorial dispute between Beijing and Manila. Both countries have been locked in a decades-old territorial squabble.
The Philippines is accusing China of encroachment after three Chinese ships, including a naval frigate, converged just five nautical miles (nine kilometers) from an old transport ship that Manila ran aground on a reef in 1999 to mark its territory.
“China’s determination to safeguard its national sovereignty is resolute and unwavering and we will never accept any form of illegal occupation of the Ren’ai Reef by the Philippines,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular briefing.
Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista told reporters on Wednesday the military had brought in a fresh team to replace soldiers stationed on the wrecked ship on the reef and replenished their supplies, including food, water and fuel.
China’s claims over islands, reefs and atolls in resource-rich waters off its south coast and to the east of mainland Southeast Asia have set it directly against Vietnam and the Philippines, while Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also lay claim to parts.
The Second Thomas Shoal, a strategic gateway to Recto (Reed) Bank, believed to be rich in oil and natural gas, is one of several possible flashpoints in the South China Sea that could force the US to intervene in defense of its Southeast Asian allies.
US official hits China maritime
By AP (The Philippine Star) | Updated June 22, 2013
WASHINGTON – The nominee to become the top US diplomat in East Asia delivered pointed comments about China in his confirmation hearing Thursday, saying there’s no place for “coercion and bullying” in the region’s seas.
Danny Russel told a Senate panel that he will do everything in his power to “lower the temperature” in territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas and push claimants, including China, toward diplomacy.
He also said it was “unacceptable” for China to demand only bilateral negotiations with the other claimants, and voiced strong US support for efforts by Southeast Asia to negotiate as a bloc and frame a “code of conduct” to manage the disputes – an issue to be taken up at regional security talks in Brunei later this month.
Russel is currently White House senior director for Asian affairs. He is nominee to become assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, replacing Kurt Campbell, who resigned in February to enter business.
Russel is a 28-year career diplomat, less ebullient than Campbell, with long experience in Japan and Korea. His association with Asia began in his 20s when he spent three years studying martial arts in Japan.
He has played a central role in the Obama administration’s strategic “pivot” to Asia that’s seen the US stake out a diplomatic position on maritime issues that has irked Beijing, with Washington saying it has a national interest in the peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea.
Six governments have overlapping claims to tiny reefs and islands across those resource-rich waters, with China claiming it has sovereignty over virtually all of it. While the US itself is not a claimant, it says it has a stake in the freedom of navigation in its busy sea lanes, which are crucial to world trade.
“I certainly will do everything in my power to try to lower the temperature, push claimants including China into a diplomatic track and continue to warn them that the region in which China will flourish is a region of law, a region of order and a region of respect for neighbors, not one in which there is space for coercion and bullying,” Russel said.
He said that President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have raised the issue of China’s behavior on the seas with its leaders, and the Chinese “are in no doubt that America stands by our allies.”
The most volatile maritime disputes involving China in the past couple of years have involved US treaty allies, the Philippines and Japan – nations whom Beijing has blamed for triggering tensions.
While acknowledging US-China competition, Russel said the US supports the rise of China that is stable, prosperous and abides by international rules and norms. He said the US seeks “practical cooperation” that benefits both countries and the region.
He said positive cooperation with China would be “essential” in getting North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons.
Russel confirmed that he has visited Pyongyang during his time at the White House. He said helping to achieve a halt or rollback in the North’s atomic program would be a top priority if he becomes assistant secretary of state.
The full Senate must confirm his appointment.
China slams ‘illegal occupation’ of reef
China condemned yesterday what it called the “illegal occupation” of a disputed coral reef by the Philippines, and vowed to protect its sovereignty after Manila moved new soldiers and supplies to the remote location.
The Second Thomas shoal, known in the Philippines as Ayungin Reef and in China as the Ren’ai Reef, is at the center of the latest territorial dispute between Beijing and Manila. Both countries have been locked in a decades-old territorial squabble.
The Philippines is accusing China of encroachment after three Chinese ships, including a naval frigate, converged just five nautical miles (nine kilometers) from an old transport ship that Manila ran aground on a reef in 1999 to mark its territory.
“China’s determination to safeguard its national sovereignty is resolute and unwavering and we will never accept any form of illegal occupation of the Ren’ai Reef by the Philippines,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular briefing.
Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista told reporters on Wednesday the military had brought in a fresh team to replace soldiers stationed on the wrecked ship on the reef and replenished their supplies, including food, water and fuel.
China’s claims over islands, reefs and atolls in resource-rich waters off its south coast and to the east of mainland Southeast Asia have set it directly against Vietnam and the Philippines, while Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also lay claim to parts.
The Second Thomas Shoal, a strategic gateway to Recto (Reed) Bank, believed to be rich in oil and natural gas, is one of several possible flashpoints in the South China Sea that could force the US to intervene in defense of its Southeast Asian allies.
US official hits China maritime
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China hits Philippines for 'illegal occupation' of reef
Reuters
06/21/2013
BEIJING - China condemned on Friday what it called the "illegal occupation" of a disputed coral reef by the Philippines, and vowed to protect its sovereignty after Manila moved new soldiers and supplies to the remote location.
The Second Thomas Shoal, known in China as the Ren'ai reef, is at the centre of the latest territorial dispute between Beijing and Manila. Both countries have been locked in a decades-old territorial squabble over the South China Sea.
The Philippines is accusing China of encroachment after three Chinese ships, including a naval frigate, converged just 5 nautical miles (9 km) from an old transport ship that Manila ran aground on a reef in 1999 to mark its territory.
"China's determination to safeguard its national sovereignty is resolute and unwavering and (we) will never accept any form of illegal occupation of the Ren'ai reef by the Philippines," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular briefing.
Philippine Armed Forces chief General Emmanuel Bautista told reporters on Wednesday the military had brought in a fresh team to replace soldiers stationed on the wrecked ship on the reef and replenished their supplies, including food, water and fuel.
China's claims over islands, reefs and atolls in resource-rich waters off its south coast and to the east of mainland Southeast Asia have set it directly against Vietnam and the Philippines, while Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also lay claim to parts.
The Second Thomas Shoal, a strategic gateway to Reed Bank, believed to be rich in oil and natural gas, is one of several possible flashpoints in the South China Sea that could force the United States to intervene in defense of its Southeast Asian allies.
In 2010, Manila awarded an Anglo-Filipino consortium a license to explore for gas on Reed Bank, but drilling stalled last year, because of the presence of Chinese ships.
Manila says Reed Bank, about 80 nautical miles (148 km) west of Palawan island at the southwestern end of the Philippine archipelago, is within the country's 200-nautical mile (370 km) exclusive economic zone.
Beijing says it is part of the Spratlys, a group of 250 uninhabitable islets spread over 165,000 square miles, claimed entirely by China, Taiwan and Vietnam and in part by Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/06/21/13/china-hits-philippines-illegal-occupation-reef
Reuters
06/21/2013
BEIJING - China condemned on Friday what it called the "illegal occupation" of a disputed coral reef by the Philippines, and vowed to protect its sovereignty after Manila moved new soldiers and supplies to the remote location.
The Second Thomas Shoal, known in China as the Ren'ai reef, is at the centre of the latest territorial dispute between Beijing and Manila. Both countries have been locked in a decades-old territorial squabble over the South China Sea.
The Philippines is accusing China of encroachment after three Chinese ships, including a naval frigate, converged just 5 nautical miles (9 km) from an old transport ship that Manila ran aground on a reef in 1999 to mark its territory.
"China's determination to safeguard its national sovereignty is resolute and unwavering and (we) will never accept any form of illegal occupation of the Ren'ai reef by the Philippines," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular briefing.
Philippine Armed Forces chief General Emmanuel Bautista told reporters on Wednesday the military had brought in a fresh team to replace soldiers stationed on the wrecked ship on the reef and replenished their supplies, including food, water and fuel.
China's claims over islands, reefs and atolls in resource-rich waters off its south coast and to the east of mainland Southeast Asia have set it directly against Vietnam and the Philippines, while Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also lay claim to parts.
The Second Thomas Shoal, a strategic gateway to Reed Bank, believed to be rich in oil and natural gas, is one of several possible flashpoints in the South China Sea that could force the United States to intervene in defense of its Southeast Asian allies.
In 2010, Manila awarded an Anglo-Filipino consortium a license to explore for gas on Reed Bank, but drilling stalled last year, because of the presence of Chinese ships.
Manila says Reed Bank, about 80 nautical miles (148 km) west of Palawan island at the southwestern end of the Philippine archipelago, is within the country's 200-nautical mile (370 km) exclusive economic zone.
Beijing says it is part of the Spratlys, a group of 250 uninhabitable islets spread over 165,000 square miles, claimed entirely by China, Taiwan and Vietnam and in part by Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/06/21/13/china-hits-philippines-illegal-occupation-reef
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PH, US naval exercises to include live fire drills
Friday, 21 June 2013
MANILA, Philippines - Six US and Philippine warships and 1,000 American and Filipino sailors and servicemen will take part in a joint naval exercise in Ayungin Shoal from June 27 to July 2, close to Panatag Shoal off the coast of Zambales, now under the de facto control of China.
Navy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said the US Navy ships will take part in the exercises alongside Philippine Navy and Coast Guard vessels and aircraft, Philippine Marines, and Navy and Coast Guard special operations teams.
“This was planned way back in 2010. Whatever happened since then was purely coincidental,” he said.
Fabic said the maneuvers would be held over 12,347 square kilometers of waters.
“We will focus on communications, naval surface operations, counterterrorism and maritime security,” he said.
Ensign Bernard Sabado of Naval Forces Northern Luzon Public Affairs Office said the joint naval exercises dubbed Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) will include live fire drills, maritime interdiction, ship boarding and seizure, as well as aerial surveillance.
“In-port” activities will be conducted in several areas of Northern and Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog, specifically at the former US bases in Subic Bay in Zambales and at Clark Field in Pampanga and at the Philippine Marine training base in Ternate, Cavite.
China has been imposing a three-layered naval and maritime defense around Panatag Shoal since last year, effectively driving away Filipino fishermen from getting closer to fish.
Located 124 nautical miles from mainland Zambales, Panatag Shoal has been a traditional Filipino fishing ground until last year when China illegally occupied it.
A Chinese frigate is currently imposing a 20-nautical mile security perimeter from the shoal.
Two to three maritime and surveillance ships are also positioned in the inner perimeter and have been guarding the entrance to the Panatag lagoon on a rotation basis.
The military has rotated troops on Kalayaan island, including those deployed in Ayungin Shoal, where Chinese ships have taken up positions for more than a month now.
Armed Force chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista said the re-provisioning for the troops has been carried out without any hostile action.
“Periodically, we are doing this troop rotation,” he said.
“We are also re-supplying them. Not only those deployed at Ayungin but those in other islets.”
The Palawan-based Armed Forces Western Command (Wescom) under Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero has operational jurisdiction over Kalayaan island, Pag-Asa island and nearby islets in the Spratlys.
Since last month, Chinese ships have surrounded Ayungin Shoal, about 120 nautical miles from Rizal, Palawan.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/m...h-us-naval-exercises-include-live-fire-drills
Friday, 21 June 2013
MANILA, Philippines - Six US and Philippine warships and 1,000 American and Filipino sailors and servicemen will take part in a joint naval exercise in Ayungin Shoal from June 27 to July 2, close to Panatag Shoal off the coast of Zambales, now under the de facto control of China.
Navy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said the US Navy ships will take part in the exercises alongside Philippine Navy and Coast Guard vessels and aircraft, Philippine Marines, and Navy and Coast Guard special operations teams.
“This was planned way back in 2010. Whatever happened since then was purely coincidental,” he said.
Fabic said the maneuvers would be held over 12,347 square kilometers of waters.
“We will focus on communications, naval surface operations, counterterrorism and maritime security,” he said.
Ensign Bernard Sabado of Naval Forces Northern Luzon Public Affairs Office said the joint naval exercises dubbed Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) will include live fire drills, maritime interdiction, ship boarding and seizure, as well as aerial surveillance.
“In-port” activities will be conducted in several areas of Northern and Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog, specifically at the former US bases in Subic Bay in Zambales and at Clark Field in Pampanga and at the Philippine Marine training base in Ternate, Cavite.
China has been imposing a three-layered naval and maritime defense around Panatag Shoal since last year, effectively driving away Filipino fishermen from getting closer to fish.
Located 124 nautical miles from mainland Zambales, Panatag Shoal has been a traditional Filipino fishing ground until last year when China illegally occupied it.
A Chinese frigate is currently imposing a 20-nautical mile security perimeter from the shoal.
Two to three maritime and surveillance ships are also positioned in the inner perimeter and have been guarding the entrance to the Panatag lagoon on a rotation basis.
The military has rotated troops on Kalayaan island, including those deployed in Ayungin Shoal, where Chinese ships have taken up positions for more than a month now.
Armed Force chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista said the re-provisioning for the troops has been carried out without any hostile action.
“Periodically, we are doing this troop rotation,” he said.
“We are also re-supplying them. Not only those deployed at Ayungin but those in other islets.”
The Palawan-based Armed Forces Western Command (Wescom) under Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero has operational jurisdiction over Kalayaan island, Pag-Asa island and nearby islets in the Spratlys.
Since last month, Chinese ships have surrounded Ayungin Shoal, about 120 nautical miles from Rizal, Palawan.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/m...h-us-naval-exercises-include-live-fire-drills
