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Month: January 2020

ASEAN unlikely to conclude ‘meaningful’ COC in South China Sea – Vietnamese academic

Published by Ellen on January 11, 2020

A slide from the presentation by Dr. Vo Xuan Vinh in a New Delhi conference on South China Sea.

A Vietnamese academic pierced whatever illusion about the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea being worked out between ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and China and being coordinated by the Philippines.

Speaking in aconference on South China Sea in New Delhi, India November 29, 2019, Dr. Vo Xuan Vinh of the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences said, “It is unlikely that ASEAN and China could conclude a COC as scheduled (2021).”

“If they do, “ Vo said, “the COC is not meaningful.”

Continue readingASEAN unlikely to conclude ‘meaningful’ COC in South China Sea – Vietnamese academic

There’s more to the U.S. visa ban that Duterte and allies are afraid of

Published by Ellen on January 6, 2020
Senator Leila de Lima waves to supporters on her way to a court hearing, June 7, 2019. Photo from Senator de Lima’s office.

Why is Malacañang panicking over the U.S. visa ban on officials involved in the “wrongful imprisonment” of Senator Leila de Lima that has yet to be implemented?

The panic was obvious in the President’s order at the beginning of the New Year that aside from banning the three American senators – Richard Durbin of Illinois, Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Edward Markey of Massachusetts from entering the country – he had wanted “to require all Americans intending to come to the Philippines to apply and secure a visa.”

The order would trash the current policy of a 30-day visa free privilege for U.S. citizens.

Continue readingThere’s more to the U.S. visa ban that Duterte and allies are afraid of