https://www.scmp.com/rss/503023/feed News and analysis on China-Philippines relations, which have grown closer since President Rodrigo Duterte's pivot away from the US towards Beijing. Duterte has met with President Xi Jinping several times and sought to boost Chinese infrastructure investments and trade but overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea remain a potential flashpoint. There is also growing concern in the Philippines about the influx of Chinese workers, mostly working in the online gambling sector. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Amber Wang Amber Wang Beijing has held naval exercises in waters east of a Philippine island near Taiwan in an apparent response to nearby annual military drills hosted by Manila and Washington. The People’s Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command said on Friday that a naval fleet had “recently” held drills in waters east of Luzon, the northernmost major island of the Philippines. The drills were “a necessary action taken in response to the current regional situation”, said the command, which oversees the South... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351353/china-stages-navy-drill-us-and-philippines-embark-balikatan-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351353/china-stages-navy-drill-us-and-philippines-embark-balikatan-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:29:21 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau As Southeast Asian leaders descend on Cebu in the Philippines for the 48th Asean summit on May 8, immediate concerns such as the global energy crunch will top the agenda. Yet a year-end deadline to finalise a long-delayed code of conduct in the South China Sea looms for bloc chair Manila. At a panel at Atma Jaya University in Jakarta on Thursday, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro stressed that completing the code this year was “something that we owe the world as well as the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351289/philippines-pushes-south-china-sea-code-year-end-we-owe-it-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351289/philippines-pushes-south-china-sea-code-year-end-we-owe-it-world?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 07:59:42 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles The job ads posted on several Philippine military forums on Facebook in 2023 looked enticing. “We are hiring regional security researcher,” said a notice bearing the emblem of Janes – the well-known international aerospace and military technology publisher. It came with an eye-watering offer: “US$1,000-US$5,000.” “Send us your CV,” the ad urged, giving Viber and WhatsApp numbers as well as an email address. The hitch: while the ad was real, the recruiter was not. Researchers who traced the ad’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351225/how-fake-military-job-ads-philippines-led-alleged-spy-recruitment-pipeline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351225/how-fake-military-job-ads-philippines-led-alleged-spy-recruitment-pipeline?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim The Philippines is trying to gradually establish “stable foundations” for its relations with China before tackling tougher problems such as the long-running South China Sea dispute, according to the country’s ambassador to Beijing. “We need a new equilibrium in our relations with China. Both sides [have agreed] to take incremental or baby steps towards that,” Jaime FlorCruz told the South China Morning Post. “That means a relationship that is stable, that is predictable, that is not subject to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350870/china-and-philippines-taking-baby-steps-towards-better-relations-manilas-ambassador?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350870/china-and-philippines-taking-baby-steps-towards-better-relations-manilas-ambassador?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Mengzhen Liu Mengzhen Liu The decades-long negotiations on a code of conduct in the South China Sea may finally come to an end this year. Several parties involved, including China and the Philippines, have expressed confidence in reaching a final conclusion to the proposed set of rules in the contested waterways in the coming months. In March, Beijing signalled its hope of concluding negotiations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations by the end of the year while Manila has repeatedly expressed its intention to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349697/without-restraint-beijing-and-manila-cant-deliver-south-china-sea-code?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349697/without-restraint-beijing-and-manila-cant-deliver-south-china-sea-code?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 21:30:10 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Balikatan, the flagship annual military exercise between Manila and Washington, begins in the Philippines this month without a single neighbouring Southeast Asian member taking part, despite the drills’ growing scale and multinational reach. Analysts say that hesitation helps explain Balikatan’s place in the region: for some Asean members, it is a reassuring sign of US commitment, but joining it risks looking like a strategic choice in the sharpening rivalry between Washington and Beijing. “To... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350190/why-southeast-asian-nations-are-hesitant-join-major-us-philippine-balikatan-drills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350190/why-southeast-asian-nations-are-hesitant-join-major-us-philippine-balikatan-drills?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:00:12 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine military on Tuesday rejected Beijing’s claim that Manila had staged a “cyanide stunt” near a contested reef in the South China Sea, after Filipino officials accused Chinese fishermen of using cyanide around a grounded warship that serves as a military outpost. “We reject any statement that this is fabricated news,” said Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, a spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines. At the centre of the dispute is the BRP Sierra Madre, a derelict navy... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350083/philippines-rejects-chinas-claim-it-staged-cyanide-evidence-disputed-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350083/philippines-rejects-chinas-claim-it-staged-cyanide-evidence-disputed-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:16:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Philippine Coast Guard unveiled on Thursday its first dedicated command centre in the Spratly island chain, a flashpoint in the disputed South China Sea that has been the site of repeated confrontations with Chinese vessels. The headquarters of a newly established coastguard district, formerly overseen from neighbouring Palawan, will cover an area of about 68,000 sq km (26,000 sq miles). A journalist travelling to the new command centre on Thitu Island, known as Pagasa in the Philippines,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349488/philippines-expands-south-china-sea-footprint-permanent-thitu-island-base?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349488/philippines-expands-south-china-sea-footprint-permanent-thitu-island-base?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 06:25:53 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem Philippine lawmakers have voiced hope that joint oil and gas exploration deals with China could proceed amid the global energy crunch, despite a former Supreme Court justice warning that accepting Beijing’s terms would be tantamount to “suicide” for Manila. Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier this week backed President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s intention to resume talks with China on such ventures, given the impact of the Middle East conflict. In 2023, Marcos Jnr and Chinese President Xi... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349350/philippine-lawmakers-call-oil-deals-china-prompts-warnings-trap?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349350/philippine-lawmakers-call-oil-deals-china-prompts-warnings-trap?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:51:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Philippines said on Tuesday it will rename more than 100 island features in a bid to reinforce its “sovereignty” in the disputed South China Sea, including areas claimed by China. The features to be renamed under President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s executive order belong to the Spratly archipelago, site of repeated confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels. Beijing claims the South China Sea in nearly its entirety despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348577/philippines-rename-disputed-south-china-sea-islands-boost-sovereignty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348577/philippines-rename-disputed-south-china-sea-islands-boost-sovereignty?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:40:11 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian The Iran war could provide an impetus for the Philippines and China to reach an agreement on disputed energy resources in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said recently. Marcos, the rotational chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year, emphasised the need for a “reset” in relations with China given that regional states are confronting “very serious” economic and foreign policy restructuring. Marcos’ statements came shortly after the Philippine... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3348291/how-us-war-iran-pushing-philippines-closer-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3348291/how-us-war-iran-pushing-philippines-closer-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Maritime tensions between China and the Philippines are likely to persist despite Manila’s call for energy cooperation, Chinese observers said after revived diplomatic talks on the weekend. Senior diplomats from the two countries met in the Chinese city of Quanzhou on Friday and Saturday for two rounds of talks, covering a range of issues from oil and gas cooperation in the South China Sea to renewable energy and coastguard communication. The foreign ministry consultations were held for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348303/why-revived-china-philippine-talks-wont-lead-energy-cooperation-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348303/why-revived-china-philippine-talks-wont-lead-energy-cooperation-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles At least three Filipinos with ties to the country’s military have been arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing, allegedly leaking information that sparked maritime confrontations in the disputed South China Sea. The case, which came to light last year during an ongoing multi-agency counter-intelligence effort, marks a new strategy of recruiting Filipinos for espionage instead of planting individuals with fake local identities in the country, according to Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Roy... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347461/philippine-military-uncovers-alleged-new-beijing-spy-tactics-south-china-sea-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3347461/philippine-military-uncovers-alleged-new-beijing-spy-tactics-south-china-sea-row?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 05:15:07 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As the Philippines forms partnerships with several countries to harness its potentially huge wealth of critical minerals, analysts have called for a coherent road map to develop the country’s mining industry to globally competitive standards. President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s administration has signed multiple agreements over the past months, including a memorandum of understanding with the United States to cooperate on diversifying global critical mineral supply chains. The accord, signed during... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347369/why-philippines-struggles-tap-its-us1-trillion-mineral-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347369/why-philippines-struggles-tap-its-us1-trillion-mineral-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:30:03 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s pitch for a United Nations Security Council seat this week was notable for his sidestepping of an issue at the core of Manila’s foreign policy in recent years. As he appealed to UN members in New York, Marcos framed the Philippines as a bridge connecting developing countries and middle-income economies, without making any direct reference to the South China Sea dispute. The president’s restrained speech, which avoided mentioning China despite ongoing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346401/philippines-bid-un-security-council-seat-sidesteps-maritime-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346401/philippines-bid-un-security-council-seat-sidesteps-maritime-row?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:23 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen China has signalled strong optimism for finalising negotiations with neighbouring Asian countries to seal a new institutional framework on contested South China Sea waterways. At China’s annual foreign policy press conference on Sunday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi described the negotiations as having entered a “critical phase” for talks on the South China Sea Code of Conduct – a proposed set of rules between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) aimed at easing tensions. “All... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345879/china-signals-high-hopes-south-china-sea-golden-rules-end-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345879/china-signals-high-hopes-south-china-sea-golden-rules-end-year?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 09:41:37 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s decision to promote coastguard officer Jay Tarriela – despite Beijing’s calls for him to be sanctioned – is being read by analysts as a calibrated signal of how the Philippines intends to manage its maritime dispute with China. Rather than a routine personnel move, they say, the elevation of one of the government’s most outspoken maritime voices suggests Marcos is doubling down on a strategy that pairs public exposure of Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345174/philippines-promotes-coastguard-officer-deliberate-signal-south-china-sea-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345174/philippines-promotes-coastguard-officer-deliberate-signal-south-china-sea-dispute?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 13:17:04 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem The Philippines cannot afford an aircraft carrier, could not sustain one if it had it and, according to most analysts, does not need one. What it needs is messier, cheaper and harder to photograph, they say: a web of missiles, patrol boats, frigates and surveillance assets designed not to project power, but to deny it. Two recent developments have made that choice harder to ignore. Last month, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr openly mused that an aircraft carrier with “accompanying... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344910/indonesia-getting-aircraft-carrier-philippines-isnt-does-it-matter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344910/indonesia-getting-aircraft-carrier-philippines-isnt-does-it-matter?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 02:00:22 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A nationwide mural contest backed by Philippine government agencies has been launched in Manila, the latest in a string of cultural initiatives aimed at shaping public narratives around the South China Sea dispute. Organised by a Manila-based maritime think tank and supported by state institutions including the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the competition invites artists, students and ordinary Filipinos to create large-scale works inspired by the “West Philippine Sea” – Manila’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344326/art-advocacy-philippine-mural-contest-adds-south-china-sea-messaging-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344326/art-advocacy-philippine-mural-contest-adds-south-china-sea-messaging-push?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:00:09 +0000 Sophie Wushuang Yi Sophie Wushuang Yi Last month, in the same week that Chinese and Philippine diplomats restarted political dialogue for the first time in over a year, the People’s Liberation Army bombers conducted combat patrols over Scarborough Shoal. China then released a video marking the fifth anniversary of its coastguard law, emphasising the force’s legal mandate and role in maritime governance. It also features footage of the June 2024 confrontation with the Philippines. In the South China Sea, conference rooms and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343423/can-manilas-south-china-sea-strategy-defiance-and-diplomacy-hold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343423/can-manilas-south-china-sea-strategy-defiance-and-diplomacy-hold?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Beijing has defended its travel ban on more than a dozen Philippine municipal officials that Manila said could harm ties between the two countries, after a diplomatic spat took yet another retaliatory turn. Angelica Escalona, spokeswoman for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, said on Wednesday that while Beijing had the right to ban the officials from entering China, its decision to do so was not helpful. “While preventing the entry of foreign nationals into their territory is a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343335/philippines-rebukes-china-over-travel-ban-kalayaan-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343335/philippines-rebukes-china-over-travel-ban-kalayaan-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 10:00:51 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Officials from the Philippines-claimed Kalayaan group of islands within the disputed Spratly Islands archipelago plan to expand its civilian population amid a war of words with the Chinese embassy in the country. Local authorities in Kalayaan, which falls under the jurisdiction of Palawan province, were working on plans to grow the population beyond its current outpost on Thitu Island, known locally as Pagasa, and to the six other land masses under its administration, Vice-Mayor Maurice Phillip... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343273/philippines-expand-civilian-population-disputed-spratly-islands-amid-diplomatic-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343273/philippines-expand-civilian-population-disputed-spratly-islands-amid-diplomatic-row?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 05:10:37 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang The US has established a new army foothold in the Philippines with a rotational deployment designed to sustain the Typhon missile system and contain China, according to military analysts. The US Army has commenced rotational deployments in the Philippines, according to a post published on January 29 on the Defence Visual Information Distribution Service, the US military’s image and video hosting website. The photographs showed exchanges on January 12 between the Army Rotational Force-Philippines... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343214/us-armys-new-presence-philippines-and-push-contain-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343214/us-armys-new-presence-philippines-and-push-contain-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen The South China Sea continues to act as a lightning rod for competing claims among regional powers. In the final of a three-part series, Fan Chen investigates how Beijing is responding to the wake-up call on what is needed to win the narrative battle. For previous articles, click here and here. A video shared by the Philippine coastguard gained wide attention in December. It showed a ship from its Chinese counterpart deploying water cannon towards a smaller vessel, but the footage was used to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343130/bully-vs-sovereignty-how-manila-and-beijing-are-sharpening-their-south-china-sea-messaging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343130/bully-vs-sovereignty-how-manila-and-beijing-are-sharpening-their-south-china-sea-messaging?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 22:00:07 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou A war of words between Chinese diplomats and Philippine politicians over the disputed South China Sea has prompted calls in Manila to declare the Chinese ambassador persona non grata – the second such call in three years. While Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has rejected the idea, the latest spike in tensions led to officials of the two countries breaking a year-long hiatus and sitting down for talks in Cebu. According to the Chinese foreign ministry, the talks on January 29 were... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342485/first-china-philippines-talks-over-year-south-china-sea-thaw-offing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342485/first-china-philippines-talks-over-year-south-china-sea-thaw-offing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As Southeast Asia accelerates into electric vehicle manufacturing, industry leaders in the Philippines say their country risks falling behind neighbours that have moved quickly to support the sector, with policy uncertainty raising doubts about Manila’s commitment to long-term growth. Those concerns sharpened last month when President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr vetoed 92.5 billion pesos (US$1.56 billion) in unprogrammed appropriations from the 2026 national budget, a move that also swept up funding... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3341865/philippines-falling-behind-ev-race-southeast-asia-revs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3341865/philippines-falling-behind-ev-race-southeast-asia-revs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Lucio Blanco Pitlo III Lucio Blanco Pitlo III Escalating clashes in the South China Sea between the Philippines and China have not only raised the urgency of a regional Code of Conduct but have created a volatile environment where the threshold for war is lowering and red lines are vanishing. As diplomatic efforts stall, the fraught ties between Manila and Beijing are creating a complex crisis defined by six key risks, ranging from the normalisation of violent skirmishes to a dangerous entanglement with cross-strait tensions. First, there... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341871/south-china-sea-6-risks-facing-philippines-and-china-conflict-threshold-lowers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341871/south-china-sea-6-risks-facing-philippines-and-china-conflict-threshold-lowers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 03:00:32 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao China carried out naval and air patrols around Scarborough Shoal on Saturday – just days after joint US-Philippine drills nearby – underscoring tensions in the disputed South China Sea waters. The PLA Southern Theatre Command issued a statement on the “combat readiness patrols” near the shoal, which China calls Huangyan Island. They were aimed at countering “infringement and provocative actions by individual countries”, it said, in a thinly veiled reference to the United States and rival... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341949/chinese-military-patrols-scarborough-shoal-5-days-after-us-philippine-drills-area?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341949/chinese-military-patrols-scarborough-shoal-5-days-after-us-philippine-drills-area?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:35:22 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan China has accused the Philippines of “deliberately stoking maritime tensions” following reports Manila had warned it would stage military exercises across a large area of the disputed South China Sea for more than two months. The move represents the first external military challenge facing China after two senior generals were placed under investigation on suspicion of corruption, and could serve as a test of Beijing’s ability to handle such tests at a highly sensitive time. The Philippine civil... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341859/china-says-philippines-stoking-tensions-large-scale-scarborough-shoal-drill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341859/china-says-philippines-stoking-tensions-large-scale-scarborough-shoal-drill?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:00:15 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As Asean tourism leaders met this week to discuss regional matters, observers say a common visitor visa for the bloc and aligned digital connectivity will even out tourism growth and help lagging countries like the Philippines catch up. The 63rd Asean National Tourism Organisation Meeting, held in Cebu in the Philippines on Monday, was also attended by tourism chiefs from Japan, China and South Korea – countries that were instrumental in boosting tourism in the region. In 2024, 20 million... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341622/how-shared-asean-visa-could-help-philippines-find-its-travel-feet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341622/how-shared-asean-visa-could-help-philippines-find-its-travel-feet?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 03:55:49 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi China’s new dry dock near the South China Sea could help it avoid having an aircraft carrier “gap” in the disputed waterway and pave the way for military outreach to the Indian Ocean, analysts said. According to a report by American geospatial intelligence company AllSource Analysis, satellite imagery on January 21 showed the first use of a new dry dock at Yulin Naval Base in the southern Chinese province of Hainan, for the likely maintenance of PLA Navy aircraft carriers. The report said... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341270/shandongs-use-plas-newest-dry-dock-near-south-china-sea-suggests-carrier-milestone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341270/shandongs-use-plas-newest-dry-dock-near-south-china-sea-suggests-carrier-milestone?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:36:10 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei More than a dozen Filipino crew members rescued from the South China Sea have been transferred from the Chinese coastguard to Philippine vessels close to where their ship went down. The China Coast Guard said the transfer of the 15 survivors and the remains of two deceased from the capsized cargo ship took place on Sunday afternoon at the request of Philippine search and rescue authorities. Four other crew members from the ship remain missing. The Chinese coastguard rescued the men on Friday... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341168/filipino-crew-head-home-after-china-coast-guard-rescue-near-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341168/filipino-crew-head-home-after-china-coast-guard-rescue-near-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:32:48 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao The Chinese navy and coastguard said on Friday that they rescued 17 Filipino crew members from a Singaporean-flagged cargo ship that had capsized near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. According to the China Coast Guard (CCG), the Maritime Search and Rescue Centre in Sansha, Hainan province, received a distress report at around 1.30am on Friday. The vessel appeared to be in trouble about 55 nautical miles northwest of Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China. The centre sent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340950/chinese-coastguard-rescues-filipino-sailors-near-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340950/chinese-coastguard-rescues-filipino-sailors-near-scarborough-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 06:44:46 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan China’s ambassador to the Philippines, Jing Quan, said Beijing and Manila were seeking a “road map” for the next phase of talks aimed at settling their long-running dispute in the South China Sea. Speaking at a media reception at the Chinese embassy on Tuesday, Jing said the South China Sea issue was only one part of China-Philippines relations, and the two countries “have the capability and wisdom to find ways to manage their differences”, according to an embassy statement. “The two sides have... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340849/beijing-and-philippines-working-road-map-south-china-sea-talks-ambassador-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340849/beijing-and-philippines-working-road-map-south-china-sea-talks-ambassador-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:35:57 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said on Monday that a “significant” discovery of natural gas had been made near the country’s sole producing offshore site. About 2.8 billion cubic metres (98 billion cubic feet) of natural gas was found 5km (three miles) east of the Malampaya Field near the island of Palawan, Marcos said, or enough to provide power to 5.7 million homes for a year. The Philippines has some of the region’s highest energy costs and faces a looming crisis as the Malampaya... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3340358/philippines-first-gas-discovery-over-decade-offers-hope-looming-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3340358/philippines-first-gas-discovery-over-decade-offers-hope-looming-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:47:11 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Chinese nationals will be allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for up to two weeks from Friday, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila. The visa-waiver programme will cover Chinese nationals entering the Philippines for both tourism and business, but will apply only to those entering via Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila and Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu. “This is in line with the president’s directive to facilitate trade, investments and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340028/philippines-offers-2-week-visa-free-stays-lure-chinese-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340028/philippines-offers-2-week-visa-free-stays-lure-chinese-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Japan and the Philippines signed a defence pact on Thursday that would allow the tax-free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities when their forces stage joint training to boost deterrence against China’s growing aggression in the region and to bolster their preparation for natural disasters. Japan has faced increasing political, trade and security tensions with Beijing, which was angered by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark that potential mainland Chinese action against... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3339959/japan-philippines-tighten-ties-new-defence-pact-amid-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3339959/japan-philippines-tighten-ties-new-defence-pact-amid-china-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 04:46:25 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen Beijing should exercise “strategic patience” in managing its maritime disputes, with provocations to be expected from the Philippines in the South China Sea and Japan in the East China Sea, according to a leading Chinese analyst. Hu Bo, director of the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI), delivered his message in an article published this month in the latest issue of defence journal Modern Ship. There have been continuous tensions between Beijing and its uneasy... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339734/strategic-patience-key-beijing-south-china-sea-and-other-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339734/strategic-patience-key-beijing-south-china-sea-and-other-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou China and the Philippines have again exchanged barbs over confrontations in the disputed South China Sea, with each accusing the other of provocation and escalating tensions. The Chinese embassy in the Philippines on Tuesday said a statement the day before by the National Maritime Council – a government body created by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr in 2024 to address the nation’s maritime challenges – was “unfounded and misleading”. It accused Manila of “provoking trouble and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339766/south-china-sea-claims-coercion-deception-beijing-and-manila-wage-new-war-words?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339766/south-china-sea-claims-coercion-deception-beijing-and-manila-wage-new-war-words?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:06:07 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines has expressed confidence in countering China’s widening influence in contested waters as its navy presses ahead with expanding its fleet, joint activities with foreign partners and the use of unmanned systems. Analysts say these measures would boost the interoperability of the Philippine military across the sea and air, as the South China Sea dispute continues to dominate its security planning. “We are up to the challenge [posed by] … the People’s Liberation Army Navy, Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339264/philippine-navy-confident-it-can-navigate-south-china-sea-dispute-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339264/philippine-navy-confident-it-can-navigate-south-china-sea-dispute-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 04:00:14 +0000 Robin Hu Robin Hu When ships from China and the Philippines encounter each other near the Second Thomas Shoal, most incidents are resolved without diplomatic intervention. No shots fired, no ministerial calls, no carrier deployments. Within days, encounters are logged, reviewed and absorbed into routine reporting channels. That administrative resolution reveals how stability is maintained in the South China Sea. Debate over these waters still defaults to navies, deterrence and great power rivalry. However, most... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3338781/why-coastguards-not-warships-are-shaping-future-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3338781/why-coastguards-not-warships-are-shaping-future-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles The Philippines’ long-standing alliance with the United States has come under fresh scrutiny after Washington’s move against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, with critics in Manila warning the action had complicated the country’s claim to champion a rules-based international order. Opposition lawmakers and analysts said the US operation, which resulted in Maduro being captured and brought to the United States to face charges, had left the Philippines “compromised” and exposed to charges of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338810/philippine-lawmakers-say-us-move-venezuela-complicates-manilas-rules-based-stance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338810/philippine-lawmakers-say-us-move-venezuela-complicates-manilas-rules-based-stance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:31:39 +0000 Peter T. C. Chang Peter T. C. Chang US President Donald Trump’s hopes for a grand deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping are being undercut by American allies’ self-interested amplification of the “China threat”. This year’s Nanking massacre memorial was particularly poignant in light of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s controversial remarks on Taiwan. Beijing warned that any attempt to challenge the post-war international order or undermine established historical truths would be “doomed to failure”. Meanwhile, Singaporean... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338033/if-trump-wants-deal-china-he-must-rein-us-allies-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338033/if-trump-wants-deal-china-he-must-rein-us-allies-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As the Philippines wraps up a tumultuous year punctuated by colourful barbs thrown across warring political houses, an ongoing corruption scandal surrounding flood control projects threatens to derail President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s administration. Externally, Manila has been embroiled all year in a long-standing territorial row with Beijing in the South China Sea that shows no signs of waning, while also gearing up for the hot seat as next year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337692/philippines-2025-year-crisis-corruption-scandal-south-china-sea-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337692/philippines-2025-year-crisis-corruption-scandal-south-china-sea-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 08:00:10 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Beijing has accused Manila of organising a “premeditated” provocation and dangerous manoeuvres near a disputed reef in the South China Sea, and Washington of making false statements that have escalated tensions in the region. Manila said Philippine fishing boats near Sabina Shoal had been targeted with water cannons by Chinese coastguard ships in an incident on Friday, while Beijing said Philippine personnel had threatened Chinese officers with knives. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336509/china-accuses-philippines-premeditated-provocations-near-sabina-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336509/china-accuses-philippines-premeditated-provocations-near-sabina-shoal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:14:14 +0000 Vanessa Cai,Alcott Wei Vanessa Cai,Alcott Wei China and the Philippines have been involved in further stand-offs in the South China Sea, potentially undercutting efforts to put their relationship back on an even keel. China’s military said on Friday it had expelled several small Philippine aircraft from the waters over Scarborough Shoal, one of the main flashpoints between the two countries. The South China Sea reef, known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines, is controlled by Beijing but also claimed by... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336197/differences-should-be-exception-rather-norm-china-and-philippines-marcos-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336197/differences-should-be-exception-rather-norm-china-and-philippines-marcos-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 07:26:10 +0000 Laura Zhou,Fan Chen Laura Zhou,Fan Chen China is willing to work with Southeast Asian countries to manage maritime disputes in the South China Sea and build a fair and just maritime order, a senior Chinese diplomat has said. Speaking in Sanya on the southern island province of Hainan, Sun Weidong, the vice-minister of foreign affairs, also hit out at the recent remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who suggested last month that an attack on Taiwan by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) might qualify as a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335903/south-china-sea-beijing-says-it-seeks-ease-disputes-asean-over-waterway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335903/south-china-sea-beijing-says-it-seeks-ease-disputes-asean-over-waterway?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 10:03:12 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun Jing Quan, formerly the second-in-command at the Chinese embassy in Washington, arrived in Manila on Saturday to assume his post as Beijing’s top envoy to the Philippines, pledging to both defend national interests and stabilise bilateral ties. “As the ambassador, I will firmly safeguard China’s national interests and dignity, while also serving as a bridge to ensure China-Philippines relations stabilise rather than deteriorate, and that our peoples draw closer instead of drifting apart,” Jing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335460/china-sends-seasoned-american-hand-serve-top-envoy-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335460/china-sends-seasoned-american-hand-serve-top-envoy-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Dec 2025 11:01:56 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The Philippines deferred the awarding of a project that is part of a plan to build one of the world’s longest marine bridges after local opposition over the potential involvement of a Chinese company due to national security fears. The proposals were “undergoing thorough review” by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which acts as a lender and an overseer of the project to ensure it meets international environmental and governance standards, Manila’s public works department said in a statement on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334941/philippines-delays-manila-bay-bridge-project-amid-china-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334941/philippines-delays-manila-bay-bridge-project-amid-china-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 12:20:42 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Tokyo is considering exporting a missile system to the Philippines as it seeks to ease its weapons-export restrictions, Japanese media reported – a move likely to draw criticism from Beijing. The missile system, dubbed Type 03 Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile, is of the same type that Tokyo plans to deploy on Yonaguni, an island only 110 kilometres (68 miles) away from Taiwan. Beijing has blasted the deployment on Yonaguni as “extremely dangerous”. Kyodo News reported on Sunday that Japan has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3334815/beijing-bristles-japan-weighs-missile-export-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3334815/beijing-bristles-japan-weighs-missile-export-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 17:23:00 +0000