Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos speaks with Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III during a meeting at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., May 3, 2023. DoD Photo
Allowing the United States to access four more basing sites is not a direct military challenge to China, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos said Thursday.
The decision to provide the U.S. with military bases closer to the self-governing island of Taiwan was not a driving force in Manila’s decision, Marcos said.
During the...
US Army High Mobility Artillery Rocket System fires during a littoral live fire event during Balikatan 23 at the Naval Education, Training and Doctrine Command, Philippines, April 26, 2023. US Marine Corps Photo
MANILA – A combined force of Filipino and American troops sank a decommissioned corvette of the Philippine Navy during a littoral live-fire drill in the waters off Zambales in Central Luzon on Wednesday, officials from both countries said in a statement.
The sinking in the coastal waters...
In late March the European Commission announced that it had decided to continue recognising certificates for seafarers issued by the Philippines, one of the largest maritime labour supply countries.
The European Commission released the following statement:
“In December 2021, following a detailed assessment of the training and certification system in place, the Commission had informed the Philippines that...
Philippine Coast Guard Photo
China Coastguard ships and a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) corvette continue to operate around Philippine holdings in the Spratly Islands along with Chinese-flagged civilian ships, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Thursday.
Patrol vessel BRP Malapascua (MRRV-4403) conducted a Maritime Patrol (MARPAT) mission to the Kalayaan Island Group from March 16 to 21, during which a number of foreign vessels, including a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) corvette...
Japanese sailors aboard JS Atago (DDG-177) drill with US Navy destroyers. JMSDF Photo
U.S. forces conducted separate presence drills with South Korea and Japan over the last several days in response to multiple North Korean ballistic missile launches.
U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers and F-16 and F-35A Lighting II fighters flew with Republic of Korea Air Force Sunday. In a separate drill, U.S. Air Force B-1Bs and Japan-based U.S. F-16 Falcons joined Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15s.
Sunday’s...
A China Coast Guard cutter off the coast of Pag-asa Island on March 3, 2023. Philippine Coast Guard Photo
China reduced the number of ships off the disputed Spratly Islands archipelago Pag-asa, according to officials in the Philippines said this week.
A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) flight showed fewer Chinese Maritime Militia ships around the island internationally known as Thitu island compared to the previous week, according to a Friday release. There is also a...
A Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy off the coast of Pag-asa Island on March 3, 2023. Philippine Coast Guard Photo
A Chinese warship, a China Coast Guard ship and 42 Maritime Militia ships operated within the 12-nautical mile territorial sea around Pag-Asa Island, internationally known as Thitu island, in the Spratly Island archipelago Saturday, according to a Philippine Coast Guard statement.
The PCG released a low resolution of the People’s Liberation Army warship while the China Coast...
Taiwanese Marines on Jan. 11, 2023. Taiwan Ministry of National Defense Photo
China will not attempt to invade Taiwan before the end of the decade because it understands the high cost, the senior Pentagon official in charge of Indo-Pacific security said Thursday.
“Deterrence is real; deterrence is strong” today and tomorrow, said Ely Ratner, the assistant secretary for the Indo-Pacific. The United States can likely deter Beijing from attacking the self-governing island 100 miles off the Chinese...
Edward J. Schwartz United States Courthouse in San Diego, Calif.
Six years after pleading guilty and admitting he took “lavish” bribes from a foreign defense contractor, a retired Navy captain was sentenced Thursday to 30 months in federal prison, U.S. prosecutors in San Diego, Calif., announced this week.
Capt. Jesus Vasquez Cantu, 64, is the latest former U.S. 7th Fleet official to be sentenced for conspiracy to commit bribery as part of the long-running corruption and bribery investigation...
