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The Star
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Chinese fighter 'intercepts' Philippine plane over disputed shoal, Manila says
A Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy helicopter is seen from aboard a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft in the skies above Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea on Feb 18. - Photo: AFP-JIJI file OVER THE SCARBOROUGH SHOAL, South China Sea: A Chinese jet fighter "intercepted" a Philippine aircraft carrying journalists during a patrol flight over the Scarborough Shoal on Wednesday (Aug 13), the Manila government said, days after two Chinese vessels collided in the area while allegedly trying to block a Philippine supply mission. A Reuters journalist aboard the Philippine Coast Guard flight watched as the Chinese fighter closed in on the small Cessna Caravan turboprop. At one point the Chinese fighter came within about 200 feet (61 metres) as it manoeuvred behind, above, and alongside the plane, PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela said. It was the latest sign of the persistent tensions between the two nations in the disputed South China Sea atoll. "While they were conducting the flight, they have been intercepted by a Chinese fighter jet," Tarriela told a press conference held afterwards. The encounter lasted 20 minutes, during which radio demands from one of two Chinese navy ships spotted below ordering the Philippine plane to "leave immediately" could be heard from the cockpit. The same day, two US warships - littoral combat ship USS Cincinnati and the destroyer USS Higgins - were spotted about 30 nautical miles away from the shoal, Tarriela said. China's military claimed it "drove away" the US destroyer after it entered the area without permission, but Washington said its ships were conducting lawful freedom of navigation operations. Located 200 km (124 miles) off the Philippines and inside its exclusive economic zone, Scarborough Shoal is valued for its rich fishing grounds and sheltered lagoon. On Monday, the PCG sent three vessels to carry supplies to dozens of Filipino fishermen in the atoll. It said Chinese vessels then intervened to carry out what it called a "hazardous" attempt to prevent the delivery, leading to the first known collision between two Chinese ships in the area. China has not confirmed if any crew were injured, and ignored Manila's offer of medical and rescue aid. Neither China's defence ministry nor its embassy in Manila has commented on the incident. On Monday, China's coast guard said it took necessary measures to expel Philippine vessels from waters around the shoal. The United States also condemned Beijing's "reckless" actions. China claims almost the entire South China Sea via a U-shaped "nine-dash line," a claim invalidated by a 2016 arbitration ruling that also found China's blockade of the Scarborough shoal unlawful. Sovereignty over the shoal remains unresolved, but China, which rejects the ruling, has maintained a constant presence at the reef since seizing it in 2012, deploying coastguard vessels and "maritime militia". At least four Chinese coast guard vessels, and several ships identified by the PCG as "maritime militia," were visible in the area during Wednesday's patrol flight. - Reuters
NDTV
11-08-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Watch: Two Chinese Vessels Collide During Philippine Boat Chase In South China Sea
Beijing: A Chinese navy vessel collided with one from its own coast guard while chasing a Philippines patrol boat in the South China Sea on Monday, Manila said, releasing dramatic video footage of the confrontation. The incident occurred near the contested Scarborough Shoal as the Philippine coast guard escorted boats distributing aid to fishermen in the area, spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a statement. Video released by Manila showed a China Coast Guard ship and a much larger vessel bearing the number 164 on its hull colliding with a loud crash. While attempting to chase and corner a patrol boat with the Philippine Coast Guard near Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea on Monday, a ship with the China Coast Guard (CCG-3104) collided with a Type 052D Destroyer of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (DDG-164).… — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 11, 2025 "The (China Coast Guard vessel) CCG 3104, which was chasing the (Filipino coast guard vessel) BRP Suluan at high speed, performed a risky manoeuvre from the (Philippine) vessel's starboard quarter, leading to the impact with the PLA (People's Liberation Army) Navy warship," Tarriela said. "This resulted in substantial damage to the CCG vessel's forecastle, rendering it unseaworthy," he said. Gan Yu, a Chinese coast guard spokesperson, confirmed that a Monday confrontation had taken place without mentioning the collision. "The China Coast Guard took necessary measures in accordance with the law, including monitoring, pressing from the outside, blocking and controlling the Philippine vessels to drive them away," he said in a statement. The reported collision is the latest in a series of confrontations between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely despite an international ruling that the assertion has no legal basis. More than 60 per cent of global maritime trade passes through the disputed waterway. Speaking at a morning news conference, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos said the country's patrol vessels would "continue to be present" in the area to defend, as well as exercise Manila's sovereign rights over, what it considers to be part of its territory. The Scarborough Shoal -- a triangular chain of reefs and rocks -- has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. It was unclear if anyone was hurt in Monday's incident. Tarriela told AFP the Chinese crew "never responded" to the Filipino ship's offer of assistance. Earlier in the confrontation, the BRP Suluan was "targeted with a water cannon" by the Chinese but "successfully" evaded it, Tarriela's statement said.
Newsweek
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
China and Russia Challenge US Military Supremacy With Major Joint Exercise
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. China and Russia will carry out joint naval exercises in the Pacific next week, the Chinese defense ministry said Wednesday, as the quasi-alliance continues to mature. Why It Matters The neighbors have moved to strengthen security ties in recent years through bilateral and multilateral exercises spanning naval and air patrols and computer simulations. Over half of their 113 combined drills since 2003 have taken place in the past six years, according to analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies' China Power Project. This cooperation is especially concentrated in the Pacific. While Beijing and Moscow lack a formal treaty, they are aligned on challenging long-standing U.S. military dominance and seek to establish their own spheres of influence, analysts say. Newsweek reached out to the Russian defense ministry by email with a request for comment outside of office hours. What to Know The People's Liberation Army Navy will join Russia's Pacific Fleet for drills in the Sea of Japan, in the waters and airspace near the far eastern Russian city of Vladivostok, China's defense ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said during Wednesday's regular news conference. This handout photo made available by the Iranian Army Office on March 11 shows the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy guided-missile destroyer Baotou during joint military drills between Iran, Russia and China in the Gulf... This handout photo made available by the Iranian Army Office on March 11 shows the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy guided-missile destroyer Baotou during joint military drills between Iran, Russia and China in the Gulf of Oman. More Iranian Army via Getty Images The exercises, which will also include land-based training and collectively dubbed Maritime Interaction 2025, begin August 1, according to a Pacific Fleet statement shared by Russian state media. Both sides stressed that the drills are not directed at any third party. Naval forces will train in anti-submarine warfare, air defense and search-and-rescue operations, and will conduct "joint gun" exercises, according to a Russian statement. Participating Russian ships will be led by the large anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Tributs, with the Type 052 guided-missile destroyer Shaoxing leading the Chinese contingent. Diesel-electric submarines and naval aircraft from both countries will also take part. Following the exercises, the two sides will deploy to an unspecified part of the Pacific Ocean for their sixth joint maritime patrol, Zhang told reporters. What People Have Said Zhang Xiaogang, Chinese defense ministry spokesperson: "This is an arrangement within the annual cooperation plan between the Chinese and Russian militaries. It is not targeted at any third party, nor is it related to the current international and regional situation." Garrett Campbell, retired U.S. Navy captain and adviser to NATO on Russian military strategy, wrote for the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute in June: "It has become resoundingly clear that the increase in bilateral military activities is directly linked to a shared strategic vision held by both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Putin. "[...] Putin, incorrectly perceived by many in the U.S. national security community as a mere tactical opportunist, has committed Russia to a long-term strategic confrontation with the West." What's Next The last two days of the drills will overlap with a joint exercise between the Indian and Philippine navies in the South China Sea, in what observers have billed as a show of New Delhi's support for the U.S. treaty ally in its ongoing territorial dispute with China.
Canada News.Net
20-06-2025
- Business
- Canada News.Net
New Zealand aims to attract Chinese tourists and students
BEIJING/WELLINGTON: New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon commenced his visit to China on June 17, seeking to strengthen trade relations and attract tourists and students while also addressing sensitive topics related to security and defense in discussions with key leaders. This marks Luxon's first trip to China since taking office in November 2023. He began in Shanghai before traveling to Beijing, where, as his office announced, he is scheduled to meet with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on June 20. "It's all part of our strategy to boost our economy—creating more jobs, increasing wages, and ensuring more money is in your pocket," Luxon shared on Instagram as he departed. This visit occurs against the backdrop of rising Chinese influence in the Pacific, which has raised concerns among many Western countries, whose previous more substantial security presence is being tested. "There are numerous issues and challenges in the relationship," noted Jason Young, director of the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre at Victoria University, who mentioned that both nations recognize their significant mutual interests. In February, New Zealand expressed worries when the Cook Islands, under its constitutional umbrella, signed several agreements with China regarding cooperation in areas such as economy, infrastructure, and seabed mining without prior consultation. Additionally, Young added that the presence of a Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy task force in the Tasman Sea and other Chinese activities in the Pacific present further obstacles to the relationship. Despite these challenges, trade and travel represent less contentious areas between the two nations. New Zealand was the first developed country to establish a free trade agreement with China in 2008, exporting significant amounts of dairy, meat, and wood products. The tourism and educational sectors are also substantial. According to the foreign ministry, New Zealand's exports to China in 2024 reached NZ$20.85 billion (US$12.64 billion), comprising NZ$17.75 billion in goods and NZ$3.1 billion in services. Chinese tourists make up the third-largest group of international visitors to New Zealand, although their numbers remain almost 20 percent lower than in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the weekend, New Zealand announced it would introduce a 12-month trial of visa waivers for Chinese passport holders arriving from Australia with valid visas starting in November. This move reciprocates China's policy of offering visa-free entry to New Zealanders implemented last year. Luxon has referred to China as "an essential part" of his country's economic narrative and indicated that discussions during his four-day visit will touch on security and defense matters. He has noted the importance of engaging with China on significant issues, given the challenging global landscape. Previously, leaders from both countries met during November's APEC summit in Peru, and Li visited New Zealand in June 2022. Historically, Wellington has adopted a more accommodating stance towards China compared to Australia and its fellow members of the Five Eyes security alliance. However, in recent years, it has become more assertive on topics such as human rights, international law, and potential militarization in the Pacific. In June 2023, former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins visited Beijing ahead of Luxon's trip.
The Advertiser
17-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
NZ PM to discuss trade, tourism and security in China
New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will use his China visit to foster trade ties and woo tourists and students, although thorny issues of security and defence will figure on his agenda in meetings with top leaders. Making his first visit to China since becoming prime minister in November 2023, Luxon will arrive in the financial hub of Shanghai on Tuesday before heading to Beijing for meetings on Friday with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, his office said. "It's all part of our plan to grow our economy - creating more jobs, lifting wages, and putting more money in your back pocket," Luxon said in an Instagram post as he set off. The visit comes as Beijing's growing influence in the Pacific during the last few years has alarmed many Western nations whose traditionally stronger security foothold there is being challenged. "There are a whole bunch of issues and challenges in the relationship," said Jason Young, director of the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre at Victoria University, while adding that both sides agree they have significant interests. New Zealand aired concerns in February, for instance, when the Cook Islands, within its constitutional ambit, signed pacts, such as one on co-operation on the economy, infrastructure and seabed mining, with China, without consulting it first. The presence of a Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy task force in the Tasman Sea and Chinese activity in the Pacific also pose challenges for the relationship, Young added. Trade and travel have proved less fractious areas for the two countries, however. The first developed nation to sign a free trade deal with Beijing in 2008, New Zealand counts dairy, meat and wood products as its largest items of export to China. Tourism and education are major services sectors. The Pacific country's exports to China in 2024 stood at NZ$20.85 billion ($A19.36 billion), made up of NZ$17.75 billion ($A16.48 billion) in goods and NZ$3.1 billion ($A2.9 billion) in services, the foreign ministry says on its website. Chinese tourists are the third-largest group of international visitors to New Zealand, though their numbers are still nearly a fifth lower than in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, official data shows. On the weekend, New Zealand said it would start in November a 12-month trial of visa waivers for Chinese passport holders arriving from Australia with visas valid for its neighbour, reciprocating China's visa-free policy for New Zealanders last year. Luxon, who has called China "a vital part" of his Pacific nation's economic story, has told domestic media that based on the "mature relationship" with Beijing, he expects talks during his four-day visit to cover topics of security and defence. "The challenging global outlook makes it vital that we are sharing perspectives and engaging China on issues that matter to New Zealand," his office said in a statement last week. The leaders of the two countries previously met on the sidelines of November's APEC summit in Peru, while Li visited New Zealand in June last year. New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will use his China visit to foster trade ties and woo tourists and students, although thorny issues of security and defence will figure on his agenda in meetings with top leaders. Making his first visit to China since becoming prime minister in November 2023, Luxon will arrive in the financial hub of Shanghai on Tuesday before heading to Beijing for meetings on Friday with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, his office said. "It's all part of our plan to grow our economy - creating more jobs, lifting wages, and putting more money in your back pocket," Luxon said in an Instagram post as he set off. The visit comes as Beijing's growing influence in the Pacific during the last few years has alarmed many Western nations whose traditionally stronger security foothold there is being challenged. "There are a whole bunch of issues and challenges in the relationship," said Jason Young, director of the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre at Victoria University, while adding that both sides agree they have significant interests. New Zealand aired concerns in February, for instance, when the Cook Islands, within its constitutional ambit, signed pacts, such as one on co-operation on the economy, infrastructure and seabed mining, with China, without consulting it first. The presence of a Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy task force in the Tasman Sea and Chinese activity in the Pacific also pose challenges for the relationship, Young added. Trade and travel have proved less fractious areas for the two countries, however. The first developed nation to sign a free trade deal with Beijing in 2008, New Zealand counts dairy, meat and wood products as its largest items of export to China. Tourism and education are major services sectors. The Pacific country's exports to China in 2024 stood at NZ$20.85 billion ($A19.36 billion), made up of NZ$17.75 billion ($A16.48 billion) in goods and NZ$3.1 billion ($A2.9 billion) in services, the foreign ministry says on its website. Chinese tourists are the third-largest group of international visitors to New Zealand, though their numbers are still nearly a fifth lower than in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, official data shows. On the weekend, New Zealand said it would start in November a 12-month trial of visa waivers for Chinese passport holders arriving from Australia with visas valid for its neighbour, reciprocating China's visa-free policy for New Zealanders last year. Luxon, who has called China "a vital part" of his Pacific nation's economic story, has told domestic media that based on the "mature relationship" with Beijing, he expects talks during his four-day visit to cover topics of security and defence. "The challenging global outlook makes it vital that we are sharing perspectives and engaging China on issues that matter to New Zealand," his office said in a statement last week. The leaders of the two countries previously met on the sidelines of November's APEC summit in Peru, while Li visited New Zealand in June last year. New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will use his China visit to foster trade ties and woo tourists and students, although thorny issues of security and defence will figure on his agenda in meetings with top leaders. Making his first visit to China since becoming prime minister in November 2023, Luxon will arrive in the financial hub of Shanghai on Tuesday before heading to Beijing for meetings on Friday with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, his office said. "It's all part of our plan to grow our economy - creating more jobs, lifting wages, and putting more money in your back pocket," Luxon said in an Instagram post as he set off. The visit comes as Beijing's growing influence in the Pacific during the last few years has alarmed many Western nations whose traditionally stronger security foothold there is being challenged. "There are a whole bunch of issues and challenges in the relationship," said Jason Young, director of the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre at Victoria University, while adding that both sides agree they have significant interests. New Zealand aired concerns in February, for instance, when the Cook Islands, within its constitutional ambit, signed pacts, such as one on co-operation on the economy, infrastructure and seabed mining, with China, without consulting it first. The presence of a Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy task force in the Tasman Sea and Chinese activity in the Pacific also pose challenges for the relationship, Young added. Trade and travel have proved less fractious areas for the two countries, however. The first developed nation to sign a free trade deal with Beijing in 2008, New Zealand counts dairy, meat and wood products as its largest items of export to China. Tourism and education are major services sectors. The Pacific country's exports to China in 2024 stood at NZ$20.85 billion ($A19.36 billion), made up of NZ$17.75 billion ($A16.48 billion) in goods and NZ$3.1 billion ($A2.9 billion) in services, the foreign ministry says on its website. Chinese tourists are the third-largest group of international visitors to New Zealand, though their numbers are still nearly a fifth lower than in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, official data shows. On the weekend, New Zealand said it would start in November a 12-month trial of visa waivers for Chinese passport holders arriving from Australia with visas valid for its neighbour, reciprocating China's visa-free policy for New Zealanders last year. Luxon, who has called China "a vital part" of his Pacific nation's economic story, has told domestic media that based on the "mature relationship" with Beijing, he expects talks during his four-day visit to cover topics of security and defence. "The challenging global outlook makes it vital that we are sharing perspectives and engaging China on issues that matter to New Zealand," his office said in a statement last week. The leaders of the two countries previously met on the sidelines of November's APEC summit in Peru, while Li visited New Zealand in June last year. New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will use his China visit to foster trade ties and woo tourists and students, although thorny issues of security and defence will figure on his agenda in meetings with top leaders. Making his first visit to China since becoming prime minister in November 2023, Luxon will arrive in the financial hub of Shanghai on Tuesday before heading to Beijing for meetings on Friday with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, his office said. "It's all part of our plan to grow our economy - creating more jobs, lifting wages, and putting more money in your back pocket," Luxon said in an Instagram post as he set off. The visit comes as Beijing's growing influence in the Pacific during the last few years has alarmed many Western nations whose traditionally stronger security foothold there is being challenged. "There are a whole bunch of issues and challenges in the relationship," said Jason Young, director of the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre at Victoria University, while adding that both sides agree they have significant interests. New Zealand aired concerns in February, for instance, when the Cook Islands, within its constitutional ambit, signed pacts, such as one on co-operation on the economy, infrastructure and seabed mining, with China, without consulting it first. The presence of a Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy task force in the Tasman Sea and Chinese activity in the Pacific also pose challenges for the relationship, Young added. Trade and travel have proved less fractious areas for the two countries, however. The first developed nation to sign a free trade deal with Beijing in 2008, New Zealand counts dairy, meat and wood products as its largest items of export to China. Tourism and education are major services sectors. The Pacific country's exports to China in 2024 stood at NZ$20.85 billion ($A19.36 billion), made up of NZ$17.75 billion ($A16.48 billion) in goods and NZ$3.1 billion ($A2.9 billion) in services, the foreign ministry says on its website. Chinese tourists are the third-largest group of international visitors to New Zealand, though their numbers are still nearly a fifth lower than in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, official data shows. On the weekend, New Zealand said it would start in November a 12-month trial of visa waivers for Chinese passport holders arriving from Australia with visas valid for its neighbour, reciprocating China's visa-free policy for New Zealanders last year. Luxon, who has called China "a vital part" of his Pacific nation's economic story, has told domestic media that based on the "mature relationship" with Beijing, he expects talks during his four-day visit to cover topics of security and defence. "The challenging global outlook makes it vital that we are sharing perspectives and engaging China on issues that matter to New Zealand," his office said in a statement last week. The leaders of the two countries previously met on the sidelines of November's APEC summit in Peru, while Li visited New Zealand in June last year.
