Title:

 2 Chinese commercial planes land at Kagitingan Reef

Author:

Camille Diola

Source:

The Philippine Star

Date:

 January 7, 2016

Description:

MANILA, Philippines — China continued on Wednesday its test flights over the South China Sea, landing two civilian planes on one of its man-made islands built atop of Philippine-claimed maritime feature Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef.

Title:

 Working with China despite differences

Author:

Tony Katigbak

Source:

The Philippine Star

Date:

 January 6, 2016

Description:

One of the best news pieces I read to end 2015 was the government’s decision to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). I have expressed my support for this venture many times in the past and have always felt that it would be in our country’s best interest to be a part of this institution along with other prominent ASEAN countries.

Title:

 SECDEF Carter Clarifies South China Sea Freedom of Navigation Operation in Letter to McCain

Author:

Megan Eckstein

Source:

USNI News

Date:

January 5, 2016

Description:

After two months, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter provided a clear explanation of an U.S. Oct. 27 South China Sea freedom of navigation operation (FON op) that both enraged China and left domestic maritime observers with lingering questions on American intentions. In a Dec. 22 letter to Senate Armed Services Committee chair Sen. John McCain, Carter outlined the mission of USS Lassen (DDG-82) that tested territorial claims of not only China but Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Title:

 Beijing likely to set its own course in South China Sea dispute with Philippines

Author:

Mark Valencia

Source:

South China Morning Post

Date:

 January 5, 2016

Description:

Last October, in a unanimous decision, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague announced that it has jurisdiction to hear seven of the Philippines’ 15 complaints in the dispute with China over islands in the South China Sea. Thus, the Philippines “won” the first round of its case.

Title:

 China Studies Majors Of The UP Asian Center Attend Forum, Roundtable In Guangzhou, China

Author:

UP Asian Center

Source:

UP Asian Center

Date:

January 4, 2016

Description:

Students from the UP Asian Center and the UP Department of Political Science embarked on a study tour in Guangzhou, China last 18–24 December 2015. The study tour was organized by the AS 235.3 class under Dr. Tina S. Clemente, in partnership with Jinan University and Sun Yat Sen University, both in Guangzhou, China.

Title:

 Philippines Announces New Ships for South China Sea Defense

Author:

Reuters

Source:

Reuters

Date:

December 21, 2015 

Description:

Philippine President Benigno Aquino vowed on Monday to leave behind a stronger and a more capable armed forces to face maritime challenges in the South China Sea when he leaves office next year. Aquino, ineligible to run for re-election under the constitution, promised to spend about 83.90 billion pesos ($1.77 billion) in a five-year period until 2017 to strengthen the military as China asserts its claims to most of the waters.

Title:

 ASEAN Economic Community seen as a trading powerhouse

Author:

Bernie Magkilat

Source:

Manila Bulletin

Date:

 January 2, 2016

Description:

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has achieved its goal to become one trade and investment hub to reckon with in the global economic arena. But long before the arrival of January 1, 2016, the official effectivity of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), the 10 member states had been trading with each other at zero duty on most of their goods already.

Title:

 PH joins China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

Author:

Paolo Taruc

Source:

CNN Philippines

Date:

 January 2, 2016

Description:

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — It's official: the Philippines has become the 57th founding member of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
TAGS: ,

Title:

 China Announces Military Reform, Creates Three Institutions

Author:

Vishakha Sonawane

Source:

International Business Times

Date:

 January 1, 2016

Description:

China announced Friday its new military reform plan that includes establishment of three military institutions, CCTV News reported. The announcement comes nearly two months after Chinese President Xi Jinping said that his country was continuing the most important overhaul of its military structure in decades.

Title:

 Chinese navy now imposing security zone over Spratlys

Author:

Jaime Laude

Source:

The Philippine Star

Date:

 January 1, 2016

Description:

MANILA, Philippines - China has imposed a security zone over its occupied areas in the disputed Spratlys archipelago in the South China Sea, challenging a Philippine military plane flying a doctor and chaplain to Kalayaan town on Pag-asa Island last Sunday.

Title:

 A ‘Special’ US-ASEAN Summit in Sunnylands in 2016?

Author:

Prashanth Parameswaran

Source:

The Diplomat

Date:

December 25, 2015

Description:

On December 23, a spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council confirmed that Southeast Asian leaders had accepted an invitation from U.S. President Barack Obama to meet for a summit in the Californian resort of Sunnylands early next year.

Title:

 China Protests Sale of U.S. Arms to Taiwan

Author:

Michael Forsythe

Source:

The New York Times

Date:

December 17, 2015

Description:

The Obama administration’s announcement that it would sell $1.83 billion worth of arms to Taiwan, including two warships and antitank missiles, has drawn a swift rebuke from China, which threatened to penalize the companies that made the armaments and summoned a United States diplomat to register an official protest.