Tag Archives: Philippines

Document: Congressional Report on Maritime Territorial Disputes Involving China

Document: Congressional Report on Maritime Territorial Disputes Involving China

A 1947 map of China's maritime claims.

A 1947 map of China’s maritime claims.

The following is from the March, 14 2014 Congressional Research Service report, Maritime Territorial and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Disputes Involving China: Issues for Congress

China’s actions for asserting and defending its maritime territorial and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) claims in the East China (ECS) and South China Sea (SCS), particularly since late 2013, have heightened concerns among observers that ongoing disputes over these waters and some of the islands within them could lead to a crisis or conflict between China and a neighboring country such as Japan, the Philippines, or Vietnam, and that the United States could be drawn into such a crisis or conflict as a result of obligations the United States has under bilateral security treaties with Japan and the Philippines. Read More

Navy Activates Hospital Ship Mercy for Philippines Disaster Relief

Navy Activates Hospital Ship Mercy for Philippines Disaster Relief

Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) sits off the coast of the Philippines in 2012. US Navy Photo

Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) sits off the coast of the Philippines in 2012. US Navy Photo

The Navy is activating the hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) to the Philippines as part of the ongoing U.S. disaster effort following Super Typhoon Haiyan, according to a Navy statement provided to USNI News. Read More

Navy to Send Two Amphibious Ships to the Philippines

Navy to Send Two Amphibious Ships to the Philippines

The amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD-48) gets underway from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in 2012. US Navy Photo

The amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD-48) gets underway from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in 2012. US Navy Photo

The U.S. Navy is preparing two amphibious warships to join the disaster relief effort in the Philippines, Navy officials told USNI News on Wednesday.

USS Germantown (LSD-42) and USS Ashland (LSD-48) will shortly depart from Naval Station Sasebo, Japan and will arrive sometime next week. Read More

Navy and Marines Heading to Philippines for Disaster Relief

Navy and Marines Heading to Philippines for Disaster Relief

USS George Washington (CVN-73) conducts a replenishment-at-sea with dry cargo ship USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE-10) on Oct. 14, 2013. US Navy Photo

USS George Washington (CVN-73) conducts a replenishment-at-sea with dry cargo ship USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE-10) on Oct. 14, 2013. US Navy Photo

Aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) two cruisers and a destroyer are en route to the Philippines to aid in disaster relief efforts in the wake of Super Typhoon Haiyan, Navy officials told USNI News on Tuesday. Read More

China Critical of U.S. Senate South China Sea Resolution

China Critical of U.S. Senate South China Sea Resolution

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Chinese officials ‘strongly’ oppose a Monday U.S. Senate action that “condemns the use of coercion, threats, or force by naval, maritime security, or fishing vessels and military or civilian aircraft,” in the South and East China Sea, according to a Thursday report from the Xinhua news agency. Read More

Philippines Exploring Allowing U.S. and Japan More Use of Bases

Philippines Exploring Allowing U.S. and Japan More Use of Bases

USS Enterprise (CVN-65) at Subic Bay in 1993. US Navy Photo

USS Enterprise (CVN-65) at Subic Bay in 1993. US Navy Photo

The Philippines plan to give greater access to U.S. and Japanese allies to military bases including the former U.S. Naval Station Subic Bay, Philippine defense officials said Thursday in a report in Reuters.

The report comes in tandem with reports, the military is preparing a proposal to expand leftover U.S. bases after the Pentagons removed its forces in 1992.

According to the report, Philippine naval leaders are preparing a $230 million plan to base development bases as hedges against increased Chinese expansion into the South China Sea. Read More

Document: Guardian Grounding 'Wholly Preventable'

Document: Guardian Grounding ‘Wholly Preventable’

The following is from the May 22, 2013 U.S. Pacific Fleet investigation findings from the Jan. 17, 2013 grounding of the minesweeper USS Guardian (MCM-5). The report was released by the Navy on June 20.

Causation: This tragic mishap was wholly preventable and was the product of poor voyage planning, poor execution, and unfortunate circumstances. This investigation uncovers no single point of failure; instead, there were numerous links in the error chain leading up to the grounding. Had any one of which been appropriately addressed, the grounding would have been prevented. USS GUARDIAN leadership and watch teams failed to adhere to prudent, safe, and sound navigation principles which would have alerted them to approaching dangers with sufficient time to take mitigating action. Read More