The Narrow Waterway at the Heart of U.S. Plans to Choke China’s Navy
Marilyn Hubalde still remembers the first time she heard the thunderous chop of military helicopters swooping over this northernmost outpost of the Philippines, less than 90 miles from Taiwan. It was April 2023, when Filipino and American troops descended on the cluster of 10 emerald green islands of Batanes province for amphibious warfare drills.“We were terrified,” the 65-year-old Hubalde recalled. “We thought China might attack when they learned there were military exercises in Batanes.” Hubalde’s helper…
Philippines, China Accuse Each Other of Dangerous Moves in South China Sea Shoal
China and the Philippines accused each other on Tuesday of dangerous manoeuvres in a hotly disputed shoal in the South China Sea, in the latest confrontation over the waterway.A Chinese coast guard vessel sped up and manoeuvred on Monday to block the navigation route of a Philippine vessel around 36 nautical miles off the Scarborough shoal, the Philippine Coast Guard said."This incident highlights the CCG's non-compliance with the international regulations ...
US Reaffirms 'Ironclad' Commitment to Philippines Defense
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed the United States' unwavering commitment to its decades-old defense treaty with the Philippines during a visit to Manila on Friday, pledging to bolster the alliance with advanced military capabilities in the face of increasing tensions with China. Meeting with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Hegseth underscored Washington’s support for its Indo-Pacific ally, particularly as Manila continues to accuse Beijing of aggressive behavior in the South China Sea.
Philippines to Build Islands Port Near Taiwan
The U.S. military will not be involved in development of a port in the Philippines' remote northernmost islands near Taiwan, the local governor said, removing a potential source of friction with China over the U.S. presence in the region.The governor of the Batanes islands, less than 200 km (125 miles) from Taiwan, said in August she had sought U.S. funding for a new port there. The U.S. embassy had at the time confirmed its diplomats and U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) experts had…
Philippines Detains 25 Chinese Fishermen for Poaching
Philippine fishing authorities said on Tuesday they had detained 25 Chinese crew of two seized fishing boats on suspicion of poaching, a move that could further strain ties between two countries at odds over maritime sovereignty. A joint team from the Philippine coastguard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) captured the Chinese vessels on Monday sailing without permits between waters off Babuyan Island and Batanes province in the northern Philippines. The Chinese vessels were in waters that are not part of the disputed South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan also have conflicting claims.
Taiwanese Fishing Vessel Grounds in Batanes
Taiwanese fishing vessel FV Jui Fa Tsai with five crew composed of two Taiwanese and three Indonesian nationals ran aground at vicinity 16 nautical miles Northeast off Itbayat Island, Batanes on April 1, 2014 at 6:50 a.m. Immediately, Coast Guard District North Eastern Luzon was alerted and directed to dispatch a Search and Rescue Team to render necessary assistance. A Notice to All Mariners (NOTAM) was also issued to all ships/watercrafts transiting within the area of incident to be on the look-out for possible sightings of the aground foreign vessel and to render necessary assistance. PCG Batanes immediately sent a SAR team in the area while Taiwan Coast Guard immediately coordinated with PCG and DFA for the dispatch of TCG vessel for SAR operations. At 3:39 p.m.
