China Foreign Minister Wang Yi, centre, speaks during the Asean-China Foreign Ministers Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday. (AP photo) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday welcomed "major progress" at a meeting with his Asean counterparts in mapping out a "code of conduct" to avert clashes in the South China Sea. Beijing will continue to view the Association of Southeast Asian Nations "as a priority in its neighbourhood diplomacy," Wang told a press conference following the China-Asean foreign ministerial meeting in Bangkok. In the wake of China's recent test-firing of a ballistic missile in the waters, strains between Beijing and Asean countries have been rekindled in the sea, where some Asean members have overlapping claims with China. "We are ready to continue to work with Asean to build on the progress we have made in our cooperation and continue to enhance mutual political trust," Wang added. Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin said at … [Read more...] about China welcomes progress in South China Sea issue amid tensions
China asean military cooperation
Philippine fishing boat hit by China ship, sinks
Philippine fishing boat hit by China ship, sinks Chinese vessel flees; Phl protest urged MANILA, Philippines — A Chinese vessel hit and sank a Filipino fishing boat anchored in Recto Bank in Palawan last weekend, and sailed away without rescuing the Filipino fishermen floundering in the water. Vietnamese fishermen later arrived to help the Filipinos. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana yesterday lashed out at the Chinese for abandoning the distressed Filipino crew of F/B Gimver 1 after what he described as a “collision” on Sunday in the vicinity of Recto or Reed Bank in the West Philippine Sea, over which the Philippines has been awarded sovereign rights. “We denounce the actions of the Chinese fishing vessel for immediately leaving the incident scene and abandoning the 22 crewmen to the mercy of the elements. The F/B Gimver 1 was anchored at the time when it was hit by the Chinese fishing vessel,” Lorenzana said. He was … [Read more...] about Philippine fishing boat hit by China ship, sinks
US to China: Velvet glove or knuckle duster, you choose
SINGAPORE - Think of him as the good cop forced to turn bad cop in the interests of his nation. In the days he worked for The Boeing Company, Acting US Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan would often take people into the company's manufacturing facilities outside Seattle and point out, proudly, that one in three of the aircraft tails taking shape bore Chinese livery. These days, his job is not to highlight the economic prospects of the China market but to call out Asia's dominant power for its assertiveness and global ambitions, and point to the potential hazards of allowing this to go unchecked. This is what Mr Shanahan did on Saturday (June 1) at the 18th Shangri-La Dialogue organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the region's premier security conference. "When a country makes a pledge and does not follow it, you should worry. When that same country makes no pledge… You should really worry," he told the overflow audience. Both at the conference … [Read more...] about US to China: Velvet glove or knuckle duster, you choose
Asia can be the ‘moderate voice’ in US-China clash
Noting the ongoing trade war between United States and China, Singapore Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong urged Asian countries caught in the middle to be a "moderate voice" to safeguard peace and security in the region. In Seoul yesterday for a three-day visit, he said countries including South Korea, Japan, India and Asean nations should encourage the two titans to moderate their positions in the interests of the whole world. "If we want to be independent and neutral in the US-China rivalry, we must exercise our collective influence as the 'moderate voice', and as friends of both the US and China. We all have a stake in building a cohesive and peaceful world," ESM Goh said at the 10th Asian Leadership Conference. In his speech, Singapore's former prime minister delved deep into the US-China rivalry and shared his own experience witnessing China's transformation over the past 50 years. The US, he said, views China as a long-term strategic threat to its global supremacy, and many … [Read more...] about Asia can be the ‘moderate voice’ in US-China clash
Asean should back EU’s sanctions on Myanmar
This past Monday, the European Union extended its ban on selling arms to Myanmar while also prolonging sanctions against high-ranking officials suspected of perpetrating atrocities against the country’s Rohingya Muslims. The sanctions are aimed at preventing the export of arms and equipment “that might be used for internal repression”, the EU announced. The EU’s prohibition on military cooperation will stay, as will its assets freeze and travel bans on 14 individuals thought responsible for serious human rights violations against the Rohingya in Rakhine and fellow ethnic groups in Kachin and Shan states. The sanctions will remain in place until Myanmar takes “meaningful action” to end the persecution against the Muslim minority and other ethnic groups. In August 2017, about 750,000 Rohingya were uprooted from their homes in Rakhine state by the country’s military. They fled over the border to Bangladesh where some 300,000 Rohingya were … [Read more...] about Asean should back EU’s sanctions on Myanmar