... expanding its arms purchases from Russia, as it has happened with the Project 1241 corvettes. Beyond arms sales, Russia plays a major role in fostering the Vietnamese military capabilities, which are also aimed at countering any threat within the South China Sea.
The Philippines is another country with which Russia has been cooperating in the energy field. In 2019, President Duterte asked Russia to carry out
offshore oil and gas exploration
in what he defines the “West Philippine Sea”, namely the South China ...
... provisions, inflicting only reputation damage to China and having tried to establish closer economic cooperation. Now it tends to cooperate with the United States again, modernizing its navy with the help of the latter.
The reason for the deterioration of China - Philippines relations is obvious: since 2018, the PRC
has doubled
its military presence in the SCS area. In March 2019 it was reported that during the first quarter of the current year, hundreds of Chinese ships and military boats were maintaining their ...
... has been waiting for The Hague court’s resolution to start bargaining on the most favorable terms.
The negotiations that, basing on the tribunal’s decision, Duterte will conduct from the position of strength, have potential to bring the Philippines enormous benefits –China is now best to buy the escape from the disadvantageous political situation. Duterte’s willingness to exchange the South China Sea concessions for mere infrastructure investments was part of his election campaign. He had
promised
that if China ...
... Director
General Kasim Jomart Tokayev, Head of
the United Nations Office in Geneva
The Philippines in particular has been performing quite remarkably on the economic front. Our GDP grew by 7.2% in 2013, second only to the People’s Republic of China, despite the terrible typhoon that we suffered in the central part of the country. The Philippines has had investment upgrades for the first time in its history, from three leading investment rating agencies - Fitch, Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s. Earlier this month, Standard and Poor’s made a further upgrade of our ...
... of the region are received differently across the region.
There are those states, such as the Philippines, which welcome enhanced cooperation with the United States, in part in response to China’s continued assertiveness in the contested South China Sea. President Obama recently visited the Philippines and signed an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the country, which also covers non-military activities such as maritime security, disaster management, and other areas of cooperation between the two armed forces.
Not surprisingly....
China, Philippines, Vietnam, USA
The latest developments in the South China Sea conflict between China and the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia have been escalating tensions in the region and affecting the conflict's entire political configuration. The issue ...
