Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has basked in an outpouring of respect and appreciation in Washington this week. He was feted by U.S. President Joe Biden at a state dinner at the White House. The event was attended by a host of celebrities, such as Robert de Niro, as well as top brass from the … Read more
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. yesterday denied the existence of a “gentleman’s agreement” between his predecessor and the Chinese government that Manila would not make repairs to a military outpost on a contested shoal in the South China Sea. Last week, Harry Roque, who served as Rodrigo Duterte’s presidential spokesperson, told the media that Duterte … Read more
President Joe Biden will China about its recent aggressive activity in the South China Sea when he meets later this week with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Washington, according to a report in the Financial Times. According to the report, which cited two senior U.S. officials with knowledge … Read more
The Philippines is set to launch joint naval patrols in the South China Sea with Japan and the United States later this year, in a bid to counter China’s increasingly assertive behavior in disputed waters. The news was reported on Friday by the U.S.-based outlet Politico, which cited “a U.S. official and a foreign diplomat … Read more
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been attending “prayer rallies” in opposition to the charter change (ChaCha) planned by the government of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. On January 28, Duterte and his family joined a “prayer rally” in Davao. He attended a similar event in Cebu on February 25 and in Manila on March … Read more
U.S. President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a summit in Washington on April 11, the White House has announced. In a statement to the press yesterday, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said that leaders “will discuss trilateral cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and … Read more
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken next week to discuss cooperation and security matters amid continuing tensions in the South China Sea. In a statement issued last night, Marcos’ office said that the meeting would discuss the strengthening of defense and economic ties between the … Read more
The plan to amend certain economic provisions of the 1987 Philippine Constitution is proceeding, with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announcing his preference to hold a plebiscite during the 2025 midterm local election. Both Houses of Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives, are already conducting public hearings about the proposal, despite the concerns … Read more
Next week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will host leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Melbourne for the second ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. The March 4-6 summit marks 50 years since Australia became the bloc’s first official Dialogue Partner, and will also be attended by Xanana Gusmão, the leader of aspiring ASEAN member … Read more
Ahead of next week’s Australia-ASEAN summit in Melbourne, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. addressed a joint sitting of both houses of the Australian Parliament on February 29. The speech was symbolic of the increasingly close ties that Australia and the Philippines have developed over recent years. The election of Marcos in 2022 provided a more … Read more