China, US hold rival SCS drills

Beijing’s People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command a day before said a two-day deployment of its navy and air force, scheduled to end today, was carrying out “routine patrols” in the sea.
It did not mention where exactly the patrols took place or give specific details of the goals of the exercises. They took place as the United States said an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson was conducting two days of drills with the Philippine Navy.
Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea and has ignored an international tribunal ruling that its assertions have no legal basis. It deploys boats to patrol the busy waterway and has built artificial islands that it has militarized to reinforce its claims. And while China typically uses its coast guard to enforce its claims in the area, military exercises are not uncommon, with Beijing’s navy conducting “routine” drills in late November.
But this week’s drills follow a month of tense standoff between China and the Philippines in Ayungin Shoal that saw a collision between vessels from the two countries and Chinese ships blasting water cannons at Philippine boats.
One expert told AFP that Beijing was seeking to turn the South China Sea “into a Chinese-controlled waterway and a strategic chokepoint for other countries.”
この記事は The Philippine Star の January 05, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は The Philippine Star の January 05, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン

A travesty of justice
The Senate led by beloved Bicolano senator, Francis \"Chiz\" Escudero, the Senate President, is about to commit a travesty of justice.
Tech access, no sex ed fuel rising HIV cases
Easy access to technology, compounded by systemic gaps in reproductive health education, is driving a troubling increase in HIV infections among young Filipinos, the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) revealed yesterday.
Law needed to regulate social media platforms — PCO chief
The Philippine government must pass a law that would regulate social media platforms for them to effectively combat the spread of false information, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) chief Jay Ruiz said yesterday.
DALI, O!Save reshaping Philippine retail landscape
In a bustling neighborhood, nestled between rows of modest homes and busy streets, stands a new kind of store that has quickly captured the attention of local shoppers.

FINDING MEMORIES IN A LITTLE CORNER OF JAPAN
By Japanese standards, Okayama is a smallish city.

GOCC change needed as well
Just recently, as part of his Cabinet reset, President Marcos ordered the courtesy resignation of members of his team and then accepted a number of them.

Creating a circular economy for all
Leaving no one behind is more than a moral imperative—it's the backbone of sustainable development.
Jobless rate rises to 4.1% in April
The country's unemployment rate increased in April from the previous month, while the quality of jobs in the market worsened, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Don't sweep dirt under the rug
As phishing, money muling and other online scams surge, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has strengthened its authority to access and share financial account information without violating laws on bank secrecy and data privacy.
House OKs bill expanding seniors' benefits
With 177 affirmative votes and no negative vote, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading Wednesday House Bill 11400, or the proposed \"Act Expanding the Coverage of the Privileges and Benefits Given to Senior Citizens.\"