While it is the first time that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) failed to come up with a joint communique, it not so surprising especially when at the middle of it all is China. ASEAN flag (Creative Commons) The recent meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers and the regional bloc's dialogue partners failed to make any statement regarding the brewing tension at the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), where a two-month on-off standoff has been ongoing between the Philippine and Chinese militaries. China, the Philippines, Viet Nam, Malaysia, Brunei have conflicting claims over the sea believed to have huge gas and oil deposits and rich marine resources. China claims almost entirely the South China Sea while the rest are claiming parts, specifically the ones within their 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zones. Leaders of the Philippines and Viet Nam were particularly upset that the ASEAN ministers failed to openly support their members that are bei...
Welcome to my site. A bit about myself. I’m a professional journalist, academic researcher, and editor with more than two decades of experience in multimedia work. I'm also a serious photography hobbyist whose interests range from travel to portrait images. I hope you enjoy reading my stories and looking at the photos I have taken while jogging, walking around cities and villages or just when I'm gardening. :)