From the Editors

Towards the end of September, a regional shake-up has transpired. Did you catch wind of it?

AUKUS is the name of the game. While a generally welcomed development, Australia, the UK, and the US's transition towards a strategic trilateral cooperation stirred the region and world afar. The development received a mixed bag of responses. China, the least happiest with the development, has been ramping up its activities in the region, from 1) enacting a new and transgressive revisions on its on its maritime traffic security law to gauge how other countries would react to 2) ramping up its military pressure over Taiwan for putting its name forward in a bid to join the CPTPP. More news on this from our Taiwan Observer segment. 

Domestically, the Philippines boast positive developments in its maritime security domain protection and promotion. This month, September 2021, the Philippines celebrated Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANAMO) - an effort to build awareness of the Philippines' inherent maritime orientation among the public and private sectors. On the security front, our security front-liners from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Navy have fended off intrusions from Chinese vessels. After 45 years, the Philippines enters the global supply chain with an international ship under the Philippine flag. We finally have an honest-to-goodness shipping line going international! The Department of Trade and Industry and the Maritime Industry Authority sought to correct import-export delays brought by the pandemic. This new development can be a great boon to many businesses and to the economy in the long-run. Our very own research fleet (called National Academic Research Fleet or NARFleet for short) is set to sail for its first expedition very soon!

We are turning one year old next month! We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued patronage of the Philippine Maritime Matters newsletter!

News and Updates

PSF Monthly Highlight

Karagatan Observer: September 2021

The month of September saw the birth of an enhanced trilateral security partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US - called "AUKUS". The announcement sent shockwaves around the world and around the Indo-Pacific region, eliciting positive and negative reactions. Simultaneously, the Philippines celebrated Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANAMO) and continued the trend of fortifying its maritime sovereignty.

Maritime News Across the Region

At the top of our maritime news, the US, China, the Quad (and member states), and the AUKUS has taken center-stage as of late. Cross-Strait relations is taking a new level of diplomatic strain as China enters Taiwan's ADIZ with record number of military air assets. The US-Philippines relations are ramping up strategic cooperation across all fronts whereas China-Philippines relations is taking a back seat after Beijing's Maritime Traffic Security law amendments.

The Region: ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific

• Ideology Versus Pragmatism: Vietnam's Statecraft towards China and America
• Biden, Morrison 'reaffirm' Aus-US alliance, commitment to peace on 70th anniversary of ANZUS Treaty
• "The Russia-China Strategic Partnership and Southeast Asia: Alignments and Divergences"

• VIDEO: Dutton to push for greater access to US defence technology
• China and Australia urged to hold fire after Nazi Germany comparison makes Beijing slam 'toxic rhetoric'
• Biden announces joint deal with U.K. and Australia to counter China

• First Chinese firm wins contract for Russian floating nuclear power project
• US, UK and Australia forge military alliance to counter China
• China denies German warship entry into harbor, Berlin says

• VIDEO: AUKUS partnership more a 'symbolic deal' than a 'capability deal'
• French reactions to AUKUS: Sept. 16; Sept. 19; Sept. 20
• Japan sends message to China, US with largest military drill in 30 years

• Statement of the Honorable Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. Secretary of Foreign Affairs On the Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) Enhanced Trilateral Security Partnership
• Why is Southeast Asia so concerned about Aukus and Australia's plans for nuclear submarines?
• Aukus fallout: for years, US told India it couldn't share nuclear submarine technology. 'And now this...'

• US-China policy: Biden is bringing together Japan, Australia and India to stare down China
• Japan's defence minister draws red line in island dispute with China
• "The Quad and the Indo-Pacific: Going Slow to Go Further"

• China Has Only Itself to Blame for AUKUS
• First German Navy ship to visit Australia in more than 30 years arrives in Western Australia
• AUKUS shakes up the region, but that is a good thing
• Japan, the U.S. and Vietnam not on same page with China

Other Maritime News

• MODERNIZATION UPDATE | The acquisition of eight units of Fast Attack Interdiction Craft-Missile (FAIC-M)
• PH waters secure, PCG assures after terror warning from Japan
• NARFleet is on its way to prowl Philippine waters

• Coast Guard to setup own airbase in Negros Occidental
• Australian maritime group docks in Manila for 3-day port visit
• After 45 years, a Philippine shipping line goes international!

The West Philippine Sea

• Lorenzana: South Korea, Australia ships to boost maritime patrols
• Lorenzana: Projects now being constructed in West Philippines Sea
• PAF intercepts unknown aircraft entering PH airspace
• Identity of intruding aircraft still a mystery to PAF

• Philippines to ignore new China maritime law within West PH Sea
• PH Coast Guard: Chinese ships leave West PH Sea when challenged
• Filipinos must fish in the West Philippine Sea to protect its aquatic resources
• Fisher's group to support 2022 poll bets who would asset PH's rights in WPS

The South China Sea

• China demands all foreign vessels register for South China Sea access
• US says new Chinese rule that vessels register for South China Sea access threatens freedom of navigation
• Chinese research ship on maiden voyage to South China Sea amid distrust by neighbors
• South China Sea: Beijing ramps up drills and tests its ability to seize an island

• US 7th Fleet: Nothing China says will deter us
• China's Maritime Traffic Safety Law likely to trigger 'conflict' in South China Sea
  • China's Maritime Traffic Safety Law (Updated)
• China bolstering presence in South China Sea - US Think Tank
• Indonesia adds patrol after detecting ships in South China Sea

• Duterte asserts: South China Sea Arbitral Award must be honored by all nations
• China Is a Declining Power - and That's the Problem
• Indonesia, China go toe-to-toe in gas-rich Natunas
• China's EMP missile would plunge cities into darkness

The Philippines and the US

• Philippines, US hold joint coast guard drills in Subic
• US Coast Guard cutter Munro ends maritime exercises with PCG, BFAR in West PH Sea
• PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty needs comprehensive review

• Philippines Seeks U.S. Help In Dispute With China Over Maritime Law
• Secretary Locsin and Secretary Blinken Reaffirm PH-US Alliance, Commit to Ramp up Bilateral Engagement
• After 70 years, It's Time to Modernise the US-Philippines Alliance

The Philippines and China

• Chinese govt, PNP discuss return of 'China Desk' in PH
• 'PH won't follow Chinese law in Philippine waters'
• Duterte: No amount of disregard can diminish PH's arbitral win over China
• China tried to oppose review of Mutual Defense Treaty - Lorenzana

Taiwan Observer

• Taiwan says China can 'paralyze' its defenses, threat worsening
• Chinese military sends 19 aircraft into Taiwan's air defence zone
• The Retreat from Afghanistan Has Made America's Allies Nervous. None More So Than Taiwan.

• Taiwan Navy launches 'carrier killers' with 28 missiles
• Taiwan's fighter jets landed on a highway in another test of the island's ability to counter a Chinese attack
• Taiwan Welcomes AUKUS Pact, Calls For Stronger Ties With Democracies

• Taiwan says China is a 'bully' after one of the largest PLA warplane incursions yet
• China issues threat, sends warplane into Taiwan airspace over island's trade deal bid
• Chinese military plans for Taiwan hampered by second island chain

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