HK turns back pregnant Chinese posing as Filipina

 News
May 302013
 
HK turns back pregnant Chinese posing as Filipina

By Philip C. TubezaPhilippine Daily Inquirer 3:35 am | Friday, May 31st, 2013 Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—Philippine immigration authorities arrested a couple from China after one of them tried to slip into Hong Kong by pretending to be a Filipino, Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said Thursday. David said Fong Waiyan and his wife, Fan Yueying, were arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) on May 11 after Hong Kong immigration sent them back to Manila after discovering that Fan was using a fake Philippine passport. He said Fan wanted to give birth to their second child in Hong Kong to avoid penalties under the mainland’s “one-child” policy. “The couple left Manila using their Chinese passports. But upon arriving at the Hong Kong airport, Fan pretended to be a Filipino by presenting a fraudulent Philippine passport to the immigration officer,” David said. “The woman was denied entry due to a dubious immigration departure stamp on her passport and Fong decided to go back with her to Manila,” he added. David said the couple would be deported to China and blacklisted as soon as the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) board of commissioners issues the order for their summary deportation. Fan will be deported for knowingly using a spurious travel document with the aid of her husband, who will also be kicked out for harboring and giving comfort to an illegal alien. Uso Dan Salasim, Naia-BI intelligence unit head, said Fan readily confessed to using Read More …

Phl stocks tumble on US Fed concerns; Q1 GDP fails to cheer market

 Economy
May 302013
 
Phl stocks tumble on US Fed concerns; Q1 GDP fails to cheer market

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) – The Philippine stock market suffered a huge loss today despite a better-than-expected growth of the Philippine economy in the first quarter. The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index dived by 3.81 percent or 275.22 points to 6,953.33. The broader all-share index slipped by 3.02 percent or 133.99 points to 4,298.18. Trading volume reached 1.9 billion shares worth P16.86 billion ($397.26 million) with 160 stocks declining, 15 advancing, and 38 were unchanged. All six counters were down. Analyst Justino Calaycay of Accord Capital Equities Corp. said a string of negative news overseas pulled down the Philippine stock market on Thursday, overshadowing the positive gross domestic output (GDP) of the country. “Concerns over the U.S. Federal Reserve’s stimulus stance and questions over European and China’s growth added dark clouds over the horizon,” Calaycay said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Overnight, US stocks retreated off a record high on fears that improving economic numbers may prompt the Federal Reserve to step on the stimulus brakes. European shares were likewise down with investors reading off a similar note, in addition to International Monetary Fund’s outlook of a slower growth for China, the world’s second largest economy. The international, multilateral lending institution project China to grow at less than 8 percent this year. These developments overshadowed the news of  a higher than expected growth rate. The National Statistical Coordination Board reported Thursday that an upbeat business and consumer sentiment, increased public spending and a robust manufacturing and construction Read More …

PH tells China: Don’t tell us what to do within our territory

 News
May 302013
 
PH tells China: Don’t tell us what to do within our territory

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 6:33 pm | Thursday, May 30th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines — No other country could tell the Philippines what it can and cannot do within its territory. Its message getting sharper, the Philippines told China, on Thursday, to keep its hands off the country’s sovereign affairs in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) after Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing expressed concerns that the country might be building more structures in the Ayungin Shoal. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also reiterated the country’s ownership of the territory and called on China anew to pull out its government and fishing vessels from around the shoal, where they were deployed nearly a month ago. The Philippines protested the Chinese deployment before its embassy in Manila but the DFA still has yet to receive an official response. “Ayungin shoal is an integral part of the Philippine national territory. China is not in a position to dictate on what the Philippines can do within its maritime domain,” said Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesperson, said. “In the first place, China has no right to be there and because they have no right to be there, they are also not in a position to dictate on whatever we want to do within our maritime domain,” he added. In a brief pull-aside meeting at the national military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday, Ma had told Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin that her government was concerned that the Philippines could be building Read More …

Defense chief says China, not PHL, violating code of conduct in Spratlys

 News
May 302013
 
Defense chief says China, not PHL, violating code of conduct in Spratlys

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Thursday claimed that China and not the Philippines was allegedly violating the Declaration on the Code of Conduct (DOC) in disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea. Gazmin made the statement in a chance interview with reporters at Camp Aquinaldo a day after his meeting with Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing over questions about whether or not China will remove its ships from the Ayungin Shoal. On Wednesday, Gazmin said China intends to keep monitoring Manila over concerns that the Philippines intends to put up new structures on Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas) in the disputed Spratly Islands. Gazmin explained that China was concerned about a Philippine ship that was on its way to the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. Gazmin explained that the ship is not there to build structures in the disputed territories but is on a supply mission. On Thursday, Gazmin said, “Well we’ve been adhering to the conduct, we’ve been following the DOC, wala naman tayong viniolate.” Gazmin alleged that it is China that is not adhering to the DOC. “Sila ang hindi [sumusunod], kaya nga ito pwedeng [isama] sa ating mga protesta, kaya nga lumalabas yang sunud-sunod na protest natin,” Gazmin said. “Tayo ay nagpupunta dun because of routine provisional missions, at saka yung regular rotation of forces. Ang tao dun stays there for three months, alangan naman three months ka dun sa barko, ang area mo napakaliit, tapos puro dagat lang so kailangan constant ang rotation,” he added. ‘Deescalation’ Read More …

China raises concerns over PH’s reported development plans on Ayungin Shoal

 News
May 282013
 
China raises concerns over PH’s reported development plans on Ayungin Shoal

By Frances Mangosing Philippine Daily Inquirer 12:51 pm | Wednesday, May 29th, 2013 Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin speaking with Chinese Ambassador to Manila Ma Keqing after the International Day of UN Peacekeepers event at Camp Aguinaldo. Frances Mangosing/INQUIRER.net MANILA, Philippines—China raised its concerns over the Philippines’ reported plans of establishing structures on Ayungin Shoal in the disputed West Philippine Sea. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and China Ambassador to Manila Ma Keqing discussed issues on Ayungin among other things on the sidelines of the commemoration of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on Wednesday at Camp Aguinaldo. The two leaders were seen talking for a few minutes after the event. “They were concerned [with the] Philippines coming up with structures, additional structures in the Ayungin Shoal and I told her that the ship that is moving towards Ayungin is only for provisions of food and water for soldiers who are there,” he told reporters when asked what they discussed. The BRP Sierra Madre is the Philippine Navy’s detachment on Ayungin Shoal. Gazmin said he assured Ma that the Philippines would not build structures there. “We will not violate the agreement not to construct new structures. We told them we’re only bringing supplies for our troops there, like water, food. There will also be rotation of troops because we can’t put our men there permanently or they’ll go crazy,” he said. He quoted Ma as saying that China is continuously monitoring Philippine troops there or whether new structures are being built. Read More …

Taiwan scraps basketball invite to Philippines amid row

 News
May 282013
 
Taiwan scraps basketball invite to Philippines amid row

Our govt should pull-out all the OFWs in Taiwan… move them to Malaysia or any other country. Let’s see whose e****my will collapse… our govt should provide them (OFWs) with livelihood programs, train them through TESDA… And let’s not send OFWs to both China and Taiwan… those countries are the worst criminal on earth… especially in Piracy. US govt are so dumb and stupid they invested in China, due to low manpower cost. Now, China are stealing all those technology from them through reverse engineering. And they became a military superpower. I just saw on TV how the Chinese were able to steal even the US fighter planes technology and they were able to copy the US’s war planes. China will beat the US not in WAR, but on e****mic warfare… they have all the US monetary (money) stashed in their country. And they are tra****ing Euro money not US dollar. I****S will start to make threats against them, they will release all the US dollar and it will dropped the value o****S dollar into nothing (like a bank-run). The US knows it, that’s why they are so scared sh*t of China.

Aquino bares AFP buildup vs ‘bullies in our backyard’

 News
May 212013
 
Aquino bares AFP buildup vs ‘bullies in our backyard’

Agence France-Presse 8:55 pm | Tuesday, May 21st, 2013 President Aquino AP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino on Tuesday announced a $1.8-billion military upgrade to help defend his country’s maritime territory against “bullies,” amid an ever-worsening dispute with China. The announcement came on the same day that the Philippines filed a protest with China over the “illegal and provocative” presence of a Chinese warship and two other vessels at a Filipino-claimed shoal in the disputed South China Sea. In thinly veiled comments referring to China, Aquino vowed during a speech to mark the navy’s 115th anniversary that the armed forces would be given the resources necessary to protect Philippine sovereignty. “We have a clear message to the world: The Philippines is for Filipinos, and we have the capability to resist bullies entering our backyard,” Aquino told naval chiefs. Aquino detailed a P75-billion ($1.82-billion) military modernization program that gives priority to upgrading the navy, which is one of the weakest in Southeast Asia. He said by 2017 the Philippines would acquire two new frigates, two helicopters capable of anti-submarine warfare, three fast vessels for coastal patrols and eight amphibious assault vehicles. “We will also improve our communications, intelligence and surveillance systems,” he said. The Philippines has been locked for more than two years in an increasingly hostile dispute with China over rival claims to the South China Sea, which is believed to sit atop vast resources of oil and gas. China insists it has sovereign rights to most Read More …

Aquino: We can fight back vs any threat

 News
May 212013
 
Aquino: We can fight back vs any threat

8:46 pm | Tuesday, May 21st, 2013 Members of the Philippine Navy SEALS display their gear during a ceremony celebrating the 115th anniversary of the Philippine navy at Fort San Felipe, Cavite city southwest of Manila, Philippines Tuesday, May 21, 2013. The Philippine government is planning to spend $1.8 billion dollars to modernize the Philippine navy with acquisition of additional ships and anti-submarine helicopters. AP MANILA, Philippines—Faced with territorial disputes and worries of external and internal threats, President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday claimed that the Philippines can fight back and defend itself within its bounds. “Our message to the whole world is clear: what belongs to the Philippines belongs to the Philippines,” Aquino said in a speech at a naval base in Cavite province south of Manila. “We can fight back and defend ourselves every time somebody will threaten us right in our own home ground.” Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said the Philippines denounced the “provocative and illegal presence” of Beijing’s ships off Ayungin Shoal in the South China Sea, adding the area is “an integral part of our national territory.” “We have already sent communications on this. We have already told them about our position regarding these vessels, which have intruded in our EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone),” Hernandez in a press briefing on Tuesday. Asked what such “communications” were, Hernandez said: “When we send communications on things like this, when there are intrusions, we file protests.” The DFA filed the protest with the Chinese Embassy Read More …

PH-China defense talks help ease sea dispute tension – DND

 News
May 062013
 
PH-China defense talks help ease sea dispute tension – DND

By Frances Mangosing Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:22 pm | Monday, May 6th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines – Notwithstanding territorial disputes, Philippines and China discussed “evolving regional security situation” and bilateral defense relations among others in its talks recently. “This year’s talks enabled the two sides to exchange views on the evolving regional security situation to include maritime security,” the Department of National Defense said in a statement Monday. It said the dialogue also “served as a platform for the Philippines and China to share perspectives on the regional security architecture to include regional multilateral institutions and relations between regional powers such as that between the US and China.” The dialogue, held last April 27, is the fourth Defense Talks since 2005 and is hosted alternately, with China as country host for this year. Among the activities of the Philippine delegation in China include a visit to National Defense University (NDU),where the Philippines has been sending officers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines. At present it has sent two AFP officers. “Both the Philippines and China acknowledged that the dialogue is indicative of their respective thrusts to continue cultivating good relations notwithstanding divergence of position on certain issues. The talks are in accordance with the declaration of President Aquino and former Chinese President Hu Jintao to have 2012-2013 as the Years of Friendly Exchange for the Philippines and China,” the statement added. The two countries also had the opportunity to review their bilateral defense relations and explore mechanisms “to further promote Read More …

Chinese firms keen on more trade, investments in Phl

 Economy
May 052013
 
Chinese firms keen on more trade, investments in Phl

MANILA, Philippines – Chinese businesses are keen to trade and invest more in the Philippines amid its growing economic growth. Xu Ningning, Executive Secretary General of China-ASEAN Business Council (CABC), said they are willing to cooperate with the Philippines in sectors such as agriculture, fishery, infrastructure, mining, energy, information and communication technology, manufacturing, tourism, engineering service, forestry and some other areas. “There are huge cooperation potential and numerous business opportunities for trade and economic cooperation between China and the Philippines,”  he said during the recent Philippine-China Business Forum organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) held here. Ningning said that as Chinese enterprises are eager to “go out”, the Philippines and other ASEAN countries have become their biggest markets. He said the Philippines is one of their preferred markets and investment locations, citing its fast economic growth that is expected to accelerate six to seven percent this year. “At present, the Philippines is actively attracting foreign investments and promoting its industrial development. And China is actively implementing its 12th Five-Year Plan, with its average annual GDP (gross domestic product) growth rate at seven percent as planned,” he added. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 With this, Ningning urged the need to implement the five-year development program for trade and economic cooperation signed by the Philippines and China in 2011 which targeted to expand the volume of bilateral trade to $60 billion by 2016. “The Philippines should actively promote its business opportunities and famous brands Read More …

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