Philippines Protests Chinese Ship Strikes in Disputed Area
Manila summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest against Beijing firing water cannons at Philippine ships in a disputed area of the South China Sea, calling China’s actions “illegal” and “excessive;” China claims the Philippine vessels are in the area illegally (SCMP)
China Offers to Conduct Joint Military Drills With the Philippines
The offer comes amid rising tensions between the two countries in the South China Sea, with Manila denouncing “aggressive” Chinese activities (SCMP)
Philippine President Vows to Protect South China Sea Territory
In his second State of the Nation address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. promised to protect Philippine territory through continued diplomatic efforts (Nikkei)
Ex-Philippine President Visits Beijing Amid Heightening South China Sea Tensions
During their meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Rodrigo Duterte to help mend increasingly fraught bilateral ties between China and the Philippines after a series of incidents in waters both countries claim (SCMP)
The United States and the Philippines Conduct Joint Exercises in the South China Sea
A U.S. military spokesperson said the drills did not target any specific concerns but rather served to strengthen the countries’ military partnership (RFA)
ASEAN Summit Focuses on Myanmar, South China Sea
A series of meetings of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministers this week in Jakarta began today to discuss Myanmar’s political crisis and a draft code of conduct for managing tensions in the South China Sea (Nikkei)
Meanwhile, the Philippines is considering raising its defense budget and announced it would purchase missiles and artillery systems to deter Chinese vessels from entering the waters it claims (SCMP)
Chinese Fishing Vessels “Swarm” Disputed South China Sea Reef
The Philippines reportedly sighted forty-eight vessels in an oil-rich area of its exclusive economic zone; U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called China’s recent activity “coercive and risky” and reiterated the “ironclad” U.S. commitment to the defense of the Philippines (Reuters;SCMP)
Philippines Accuses China of Harassment in South China Sea Incident
A Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson said its boats were “constantly followed, harassed, and obstructed by the significantly larger Chinese coast guard vessels” while operating near a disputed reef (Reuters)
7/3 Vietnam Bans ‘Barbie’ Movie, Citing “Offending” South China Sea Map
The territorial spat has spilled over into the film industry, as Vietnam refused to grant domestic distribution rights for the movie over its use of a map picturing China’s nine-dash line border claims (Bloomberg;Reuters)
U.S. Calls for Closer Partnership with India in the South China Sea
A top U.S. diplomat for the region said the Quad countries, which also include Australia and Japan, would increase cooperation in the region (Reuters)
India also made its first-ever donation of an active warship to Vietnam as the two countries strengthen military ties (Reuters)
Meanwhile, a group of senators in the Philippines are calling on the UN to intervene in the South China Sea given China’s refusal to accept a 2016 Hague ruling rejecting China’s territorial claims there (SCMP)
China, Vietnam Agree to Dialogue on South China Sea Dispute
Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met and agreed to resolve their maritime dispute through dialogue and cooperation (SCMP)
U.S. Aircraft Carrier Makes Stop in Vietnam
Vietnam’s foreign ministry confirmed the rare visit to Danang’s port as Vietnam and the United States strengthen ties amid increasing tensions in the South China Sea (Reuters)
Planned ASEAN Military Drills Relocated
The drills, which Chinese allies Cambodia and Myanmar planned to sit out, will now take place in Indonesian waters; Indonesia said the change reflects the non-combat nature of the drills and was not caused by foreign intervention (Reuters)
China Builds South China Sea Research Port
The port on Hainan island will support deep-sea research in the disputed waters as China seeks to solidify its claims (Times)
China Steps Up Incursions into Vietnam’s EEZ
China has more frequently sent ships into Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone, which stretches into waters that Beijing claims within its nine-dash line, threatening Vietnamese fishing and oil and gas projects (VOA)
China Dispatches Patrol Ship to Reinforce South China Sea Claims
The ship will patrol the waters around the Paracel Islands ahead of the finalization of a regional code of conduct for activities in the sea (SCMP)
ASEAN to Hold First Military Drills in the South China Sea
Indonesia’s military chief said eleven ASEAN members had agreed to drills that will take place later this year, though Cambodia denies the drills have been confirmed (The Diplomat)
Japan to Join U.S., Australia in $95 Million Undersea Cable Project
The three countries are stepping up cooperation with the Pacific islands to build the cable, which will connect East Micronesia island nations to improve networks in the Indo-Pacific region; the project is expected to be completed around 2025 (AP)
U.S., Japanese, and Philippine Coast Guards Conduct Joint Drills Near South China Sea
The exercises focused on the potential future scenario of intercepting and boarding a ship carrying weapons of mass destruction (AP)
United States, Japan, Philippines Begin First-Ever Join Naval Drills
The drills will run until June 7 and are aimed at strengthening collaboration in rescue operations and law enforcement, a spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard said (EFE)
Pentagon Says Chinese Jet Made “Unnecessarily Aggressive” Intercept of U.S. Spy Plane
The U.S. military released a video of the event that it said occurred in international airspace over the South China Sea last Friday; China’s foreign ministry said that the United States was the provocateur and called for them to stop deploying reconnaissance aircraft near China (CNN)
Philippine President: U.S. Cannot Use Bases for Offensive Action Against China
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. clarified that Washington has not asked Manila to allow Philippine bases to be staging grounds for offensive action; separately, he said that the Philippines, Japan, and the United States are in talks for a trilateral defense treaty (Bloomberg)
Marcos Jr.’s White House Trip Highlights Improving U.S.-Philippines Ties
U.S. President Joe Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will pledge to step up military coordination during Marcos Jr.’s White House visit today, unnamed U.S. officials told Reuters; as part of the plans for increased cooperation, the Biden administration will send the Philippines several new aircraft and patrol vehicles (Reuters)
Later this week, the administration will announce a trade and investment mission to the Philippines, and Marcos Jr. will meet with private sector executives (WaPo)
In contrast to his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos Jr. has sharply accelerated military ties with the United States since taking office in July; still, he has said the Philippines will not become a “staging post” for military action (Reuters)
United States, Philippines Hold Joint Military Exercises
In the first U.S.-Philippines “Balikatan” exercise to feature live-fire drills at sea, the joint armed forces fired at a mock enemy warship in the South China Sea; this year’s combined seventeen thousand forces are the largest in the U.S.-Philippine joint military exercise’s history (Reuters)
Philippines and China to Open More Communication Lines
Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang agreed to open more communication channels between their respective countries to address differences in the South China Sea; Manila refers to its maritime territorial claims as the West Philippine Sea (Reuters)