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U.S. President Barack Obama. AP File Photo VIENTIANE, Laos—US President Barack Obama on Thursday reiterated that countries in the Asia-Pacific region should promote respect for human rights, when he spoke before leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), some of whom are facing accusations of human rights violations. In his opening speech at the Asean-US summit, Obama also maintained that maritime disputes over the South China Sea should be “resolved peacefully.” “We have laid out a common vision for the region articulated in the Sunnylands Declaration: An open, dynamic and economically competitive Asia Pacific that respects human rights and upholds the law-based order,” Obama said. “Today we can discuss further how we can advance that vision,” he said. The much-anticipated meeting between the American leader and President Rodrigo Duterte did not happen as the latter skipped the mid-morning event for still unknown reason. The President was also absent at the Asean-India conference held on the sidelines of the 28th and 29th Asean summits, which will conclude Thursday. Washington  earlier scrapped the bilateral meeting between Obama and Duterte after the Philippine President hurled profanities at the US leader for his supposed plan to raise the issue of spiralling drug killings in the Philippines. READ: Obama scraps meeting with Duterte — White House The two briefly spoke before the gala dinner for Asean leaders on Wednesday night. READ: Duterte, Obama briefly talk before ASEAN dinner Without elaborating, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose claimed the President was able to “iron out” Read More …

VIENTIANE, Laos – China on Wednesday told member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) that the territorial dispute over the South China Sea “should not represent” their relations. In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said all the 10 Asean countries raised the issue regarding the overlapping ownership claims over the resource-rich region during the Asean-China meeting at the National Convention Center. While the matter has remained controversial, the atmosphere during the session was “friendly and warm,” Andanar said. He said President Duterte himself spoke about the issue, but maintained that the territorial row “should inspire us to work together.” Andanar said Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also underscored the importance of China’s contribution to the regional bloc and the mutual trust among the nations. “(Li) mentioned the need to pursue common interests (of China and Asean),” Andanar told reporters. JE RELATED VIDEOS <div id=”vt-video-player”></div><script type=”text/javascript”>window.__ventunoplayer = window.__ventunoplayer||[];window.__ventunoplayer.push({video_key: ‘ODE4MjMwfHwyMzY4fHwxMDg2fHwxLDIsMQ==’, holder_id: ‘vt-video-player’, player_type: ‘vp’, width:’100%’, ratio:’16:9′});</script><script type=”text/javascript” src=”http://pl.ventunotech.com/plugins/cntplayer/ventunoSmartPlayer.js”></script> Latest Another short work day sees Djokovic into semi-finals China: Maritime row ‘should not represent’ relations to Asean ‘No Mario’s Sky’ gets shut down but re-releases under a new name Wozniacki, Kerber to clash for US Open final spot Recommended Disclaimer: Comments do not represent the views of INQUIRER.net. We reserve the right to exclude comments which are inconsistent with our editorial standards. FULL DISCLAIMER View Comments For feedback, complaints, or inquiries, contact us.

VIENTIANE – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) must have a firmer commitment to stamp out the narcotics trade, terrorism and other cross-border crimes to ensure development in the region. President Rodrigo Duterte delivered this message on Tuesday night to senior business leaders during the Asean Business and Investment Summit, one of the related conferences being held on the sidelines of the three-day 29th Asean summit. Reading a prepared speech, the President underscored the importance of enhanced cooperation in curbing transnational crimes to enable the 10-member organization to “confidently play its rightful role as a global player contributing to the economic growth and prosperity.” Duterte, who earned global notoriety for his controversial take-no-prisoner policy against illegal drugs, deviated from his usual profanity-laced speeches as he urged business leaders to take a more active role in regional development. “The trade (of) illegal drugs, in particular, has emerged as a pressing problem for our countries undermining social cohesion and the rule of law and socio-economic program of a country,” the President said in his seven-minute speech. “Asean needs stronger resolve and action to combat transnational crime, one of the most difficult and complex problems that we face in the region and a pressing concern for the Philippines,” he told the gathering at Muong Thanh Luxury Hotel. READ: Asean leaders vow stronger regional cooperation Duterte, who caused international stir for his verbal outburst against US President Barack Obama before flying here on Monday, said terrorism would only stunt economic progress in the region Read More …

Female members of the Philippine Coast Guard’s Special Operations Group conduct a rappel training emarking from flying Huey Chopper at the Coast Guard Headquarters at South Harbor Manila.INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES The United States is giving the Philippines two used military aircraft, the coast guard said Wednesday, to help Manila expand sea patrols in the face of territorial disputes with China. The two Sherpa 30-seater aircraft will be delivered in December, Philippine coast guard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo told AFP. “It will help us in the movements of the Philippine Coast Guard like patrol missions,” Balilo added. The announcement came days after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday sparked a major diplomatic row with Manila’s longtime treaty ally the United States by branding President Barack Obama a “son of a whore.” Duterte said Tuesday he regretted the tirade, sparked by the US leader’s plan to raise the issue of extrajudicial killings under Duterte’s war on crime. READ: Duterte voices regrets for insult on Obama Manila, which has one of Asia’s weakest militaries, has been trying to improve defence ties with its former colonial ruler Washington and other allies. Balilo said the Sherpas would help the coast guard augment its meagre air patrol capability, now comprised of two old Britten-Norman Islanders. The Philippines has expressed concern about Beijing’s massive island-building over reefs, some of them claimed by Manila, in the South China Sea. Duterte last week said China had sent barges to the contested Scarborough Shoal and had appeared to begin construction there for the Read More …

Multi-role response vehicle Tubbataha. SCREENGRAB FROM COASTGUARD.GOV.PH The Philippines received the first of ten coast guard vessels from Japan Thursday, the coastguard said, as the two countries boost security ties in the face of their separate maritime disputes with China. The 44 metre (144 foot) BRP Tubbataha has arrived in Manila, the Philippines coast guard said in a statement, adding that it will be used for search and rescue, law-enforcement and transport purposes. They did not specify where it would be deployed. This is the first of 10 Philippine coast guard ships being built in Japan, supported by Japanese aid money, as the former World War II foes seek to boost defense ties in the face of growing Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. Japan — the Philippines’ top source of development aid — said this month it would give Manila two additional patrol vessels, and that it was discussing the possible lease of surveillance aircraft. Japan and China are locked in a long-running dispute over uninhabited islets in the East China Sea. Manila and Beijing have overlapping claims in the South China Sea. The Philippines has been seeking closer defence ties with Japan as well as traditional allies like the United States and Australia in a bid to boost its capabilities against regional giant China. The Philippine military and coast guard are among the region’s weakest. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and his Philippine counterpart Perfecto Yasay last week called on China to observe the rule of law in Read More …