China wants countries in Asia to “uphold strategic independence” and resist “external interference” amid challenges that may threaten peace and stability in the region, Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian said on Tuesday, April 4. In a Facebook post, the envoy mentioned the “changes...
Senator Francis Tolentino on Sunday, April 2 said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should take into account the Supreme Court (SC) and the 2016 Hague Arbitral rulings if it pushes through with the plan to have another round of exploratory talks with the People's Republic of China. ...
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea will unlikely be completed this year, noting there was still a lot of work to be done. In an [interview with GMA Integrated News](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gj4HXxGXtM), Manalo said there were still...
The Philippines and Japan held their 5th Maritime Dialogue on Wednesday, March 29, in Tokyo where the top nations discussed “issues of mutual interests,” including the “vital waterways” of the disputed South China Sea. In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the...
The Philippines and China have agreed to adhere to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific as both countries find ways to settle their differences amid their maritime row. Manila and Beijing expressed their commitment as...
"Maritime issues continue to remain a serious concern for the Filipino people." That was what Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs Ma. Theresa Lazaro told Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong as they held the second round of the...
The Philippines and China have started the rounds of consultations on the South China Sea, which would play a big role in ensuring the diplomacy between the two countries fighting for territorial sovereignty. At the opening session of the 23rd Philippines-China Foreign Ministry Consultations...
The Philippines continues to engage with the European Union (EU) over matters in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea. The recent discussion that involved Philippine and EU officials came when Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs Neal...
The defense chiefs of the US and the Philippines have "condemned" China's "gray-zone" operations—or activities short of being called as war—in the South China Sea as they said these acts interfere with the livelihood of Filipino fisherfolk. In a readout provided by the US Department of...
Amid Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and its incursions into the West Philippine Sea, diplomats from the Philippines and China are scheduled to meet in Manila this week to discuss concerns related to the contested waters. Dialogues between the two sides will become possible as the...
After China called the United States (US) a “bully” for strengthening its military alliance with the Philippines and interfering in regional matters, the US Embassy in Manila on Sunday, March 12, reiterated that its “commitment to the defense of the Philippines is ironclad.” In a response to...
After calling the United States (US) a “bully” that has driven a wedge between the Philippines and China, and has heightened tensions in the South China Sea region, the Chinese Embassy in Manila claimed on Sunday, March 12, that there was still freedom of navigation in the disputed region...
