Philippines Tells China to Get Its Ships The F Out of Disputed South China Sea Waters
On 5/3/21 at 10:27 AM EDT
Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. lashed out at China on Twitter on Sunday night as tensions between the two countries continued to escalate over the South China Sea. China, my friend, how politely can I put it? Let me see.O.GET THE F OUT, Locsin tweeted, referencing that China has vessels in the disputed waters.
Locsin also wrote: What are you doing to our friendship? You. Not us. We re trying. You. You re like an ugly oaf forcing your attentions on a handsome guy who wants to be a friend; not to father a Chinese province.
EDITORIAL: Whitsun Reef lays bare US’ frailty
Last month, the Philippine National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea reported that more than 200 Chinese fishing vessels were anchored at the disputed Whitsun Reef in the South China Sea, known as Julian Felipe Reef in the Philippines.
The task force released astonishing photographs, which showed clusters of enormous fishing trawlers at anchor and tied together in neat rows. Needless to say, the ships were not engaging in commercial fishing activity; they belong to China’s “maritime militia.”
Beijing’s flimsy official explanation is that the vessels are temporarily seeking shelter from inclement weather. This is patently ridiculous, given the time that the ships have been loitering in the area.
ASEAN brings hope for Myanmar at leaders meeting: experts
By Trung Nhan April 27, 2021 | 07:48 am GMT+7
ASEAN top officials attend the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 24, 2021. Photo by ASEAN.
The consensus ASEAN managed to achieve with Myanmar s military head is the first positive step in easing the nation s long-lasting crisis, experts said.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member state leaders reached a five-point consensus calling for an end to violence in Myanmar at ASEAN Leaders Meeting last Saturday.
Alistair Cook, Research Program coordinator and senior fellow at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Myanmar, said ASEAN showed its potential with the joint statement.
U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Charge d’Affaires John Law, Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana, and senior Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command representatives participate in the closing ceremony of the Balikatan Exercise. (Photos by SN1 Donald Viluan PN/PAOAFP)
QUEZON CITY, Apr. 25 Service members from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and United States Armed Forces concluded the 36th iteration of Balikatan Exercise on Friday, April 23 with a small ceremony held at the General Headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
“The successful conduct of this year’s Balikatan Exercise 36-2021 has definitely brought us a step closer towards our goal of capacitating our forces, and as such, will consequently contribute to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific Region,” said AFP Chief of Staff General Cirilito Sobejana.