Philippines

 Lucio Blanco Pitlo (Photo: China US Focus) Pitlo said China is increasing interventions in legal maritime economic activities of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. China is putting pressure on foreign companies to stop them from operating within the so-called nine-dash line and imposes groundless sovereignty in surrounding area, Pitlo said. He called China’s actions illegal and said other countries will continue their legal activities to challenge Beijing. Discussing the Chinese survey vessel Hai Yang Shi You 981 crisis, Pitlo said China wants to turn Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) into a disputed area. He said China’s operating ships deep in Vietnam’s EEZ violates the UN Convention of the Law on the Sea and Vietnamese law, and shows that Beijing is ready for further escalation. But these actions may be counterproductive for China, he said. First, they will make the Vietnamese more determined to protect their waters. Second, … [Read more...] about Chinese actions in the East Sea will backfire: Philippine expert

The 6.4-magnitude offshore earthquake struck off Davao Occidental province in the southern Philippines at 10.02 am local time on Sept 29, 2019, at a depth of 60km. (Source: INQNATIONAL/TWITTER) Hanoi (VNA) - A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Davao Occidental province in the southern Philippines on September 29. The epicentre was at a depth of 89km, about 84 km southeast of Pundaguitain. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) first said the quake was at 6.1 magnitude. Due to the quake occurred near the border of Indonesia and the Philippines, people in North Sulawesi province of central Indonesia felt the shake. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. On September 26, a 6.5-magnitude quake hit Maluku province, eastern Indonesia, killing at least 30 people and injured 156 others./. VNA … [Read more...] about 6.4-magnitude earthquake strikes southern Philippines

(Illustrative photo: manila-shimbun.ph) Hanoi (VNA) – At least two inmates were killed and 34 others injured in a riot which broke out at a jail in Manila city of the Philippines on September 29, according to local police. Police said the fight occurred between criminal gang members detained in the jail. Two inmates died while being treated at a local hospital. Manila City Jail spokesperson Senior Inspector Jayrex Buestinera said 34 inmates were also injured in the incident triggered by argument over a bed space in the overcrowded jail. A temporary lockdown was imposed in the jail in the wake of the incident, he added./. VNA … [Read more...] about Two inmates killed, 34 injured in Philippines jail riot

(Illustrative photo: www.scmp.com) Hanoi (VNA) – The Philippines’ Department of Agriculture on October 1 threatened legal action against hog traders ignoring strict animal quarantine rules. The country recently confirmed new cases of African swine fever (ASF) infections in Manila and the northern province of Pangasinan. Philippine Agriculture Secretary William Dar said there is still enough pork supply in the domestic market, and that the government is making sure that only pork meat marked safe to eat by the government's National Meat Inspection Service is sold to consumers. Relevant agencies have asked the local government units to further strengthen their checkpoints, he said, to make sure undocumented hogs possibly infected with the virus will not be transported to other provinces. The incurable disease is wreaking havoc on hog industries in Southeast Asia. The Philippines, the world's 10th-largest pork consumer and seventh-biggest importer, declared its first outbreak … [Read more...] about Philippines to impose strict fine on hog traders violating rule

Planes of Korean Air at Gimpo Airport in Seoul, the Republic of Korea (Photo: AFP/VNA) Seoul (VNA) - Korean Air Lines Co., the national flag carrier of the Republic of Korea, said on October 2 that it will open four new routes to China and the Philippines later this month, the RoK’s Yonhap news agency reported. Korean Air will begin services on routes to Clark of the Philippines, and Nanjing of China, on October 27 and to Zhangjiajie and Hangzhou, China, on October 28, the company said in a statement. In addition to the new services, the country's biggest full-service carrier plans to offer more flights on Southeast Asia, China and Oceania routes./. VNA … [Read more...] about Korean Air to open more routes to China, Philippines