The Philippine coastguard called on its country’s fishing fleets to keep operating around the Scarborough Shoal (known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines and Huangyan Dao in China) despite the large Chinese presence in the disputed South China Sea area.
Coastguard spokesperson Jay Tarriela said while Philippine government vessels can’t maintain a constant presence, they are committed to protecting the country’s fishing rights in what it sees as its Exclusive Economic Zone.
Country: Saudi Arabia
$23 Billion of Deals Signed at China-Arab Trade Fair
The China-Arab Trade Expo closed on Sunday in the northwestern region of Ningxia with $23.4 billion in deals signed. As is customary with these kinds of announcements, Chinese officials did not release any specific details about the deals or the companies involved.
WEEK IN REVIEW: ASEAN Kicked off First-Ever Joint Naval Drills in South China Sea on Tuesday
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) kicked off its first-ever joint naval drills in the South China Sea on Tuesday near Indonesia's Nantuna island. The five-day exercise comes at a sensitive time when many ASEAN members are locked in bitter maritime territorial disputes with China.
WEEK IN REVIEW: Chinese President Xi Jinping Will Not Attend This Week’s G77 Summit in Havana
Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend this week's G77 Summit in Havana, making this the third major international event in as many weeks that he's avoided. Li Xi, head of the Chinese Communist Party's powerful anti-corruption body, will go in his place as part of a three-nation ...
Saudi Arabia to Boost Oil Sales to China Next Year
Saudi Arabia is preparing to increase oil shipments to China in 2024 to meet growing demand from a crop of new refineries that will come online next year, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights. While Russian sales are expected to remain strong ...
WEEK IN REVIEW: South Africa Reportedly in Negotiation With Chinese EV Giant BYD to Open Manufacturing Plant in the Country
South Africa is reportedly in negotiation with the Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD to open a manufacturing plant in the country, according to the cabinet. BYD, China’s best-selling car brand, launched its first e-vehicle in SA last year. South Africa has a robust auto-building sector, which includes a ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Philippine Fishing Fleets Urged to Maintain Presence at Disputed Shoal as Tensions Build
From Manufacutring to Movies to Stock Markets, China and Saudi Arabia Sign a Flurry of New Development Deals
The pace of news business development deals between Saudi Arabia and China appears to be gaining momentum amid a slate of new announcements this week, highlighting increasingly close financial ties between the two countries: MOVIES: Leading Saudi Arabian ...
Saudi Arabia Eying China to Build Nuclear Power Program as Part of an Effort to Pressure U.S.
The U.S. wants Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with Israel, Saudi Arabia wants to build a civilian nuclear power program but the U.S. doesn't want Riyadh to enrich its own uranium for fear it could be used to build weapons -- so Saudi Arabia turns to China ...
Plunging Chinese Trade Data Rattles Global South Stocks and Currencies
From Chile to South Africa to the Philippines, stock markets across the developing world fell sharply on Tuesday after Chinese customs authorities released worse-than-expected trade data. Chinese exports plunged 14.5% in July compared to the same time last year, the ...
The China-Mediterranean Observer: Iranian, Saudi Commentators Reflect on What’s Next for China’s Role in the Region
In April, news outlets throughout the wider Mediterranean region continued to discuss the “Beijing Agreement”, the recent China-brokered deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran to reestablish official diplomatic relations. Interest in the agreement remained high as the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers reconvened in Beijing ...
Q&A: China’s New Global Initiatives? What Are Its Goals and How Does It Affect the Middle East and Israel?
In the past two years, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced three global initiatives: the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative. To understand the nature of the initiatives and their consequences for the Middle East we spoke with researcher Tuvia Gering, a ...