Marcos: EDCA sites won’t raise...

conference and we will decide once and for all. And we'll announce [the specific details]. But [it will not] take too long," he said.

In a statement on February 2, after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III finalized arrangements to set up four more EDCA sites, the Chinese embassy in Manila said the US' military posture in the region escalates tension and undermine regional peace and stability.

It said that Washington, "out of its self interests and zero-sum game mentality, continues to step up military posture in this region."

Austin "smeared China on the issue of South China Sea to advance the anti-China political agenda of the US," the embassy said. "Such moves contradict the common aspiration of regional countries to seek peace, cooperation and development." g

The Philippines has filed a diplomatic protest following the Ayungin Shoal incident.

China, however, asserted that the Philippines intruded into Chinese territory (Ren’ai Reef), and hence took action.

The Philippines has sovereign rights in the West Philippine

Sea, based on the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s 2016 ruling. China, however, refuses to recognize the court’s verdict. g

“More broadly, the PRC’s dangerous operational behavior directly threatens regional peace and stability, infringes upon freedom of navigation in the South China Sea as guaranteed under international law, and undermines the rules-based international order,” he added.

Citing the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s 2016 ruling, Price said that China has “no lawful maritime claims” to Ayungin Shoal.

The ruling invalidated China’s nine-dash line claim in the South

China Sea and said that the Philippines has sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.

The US called on China to abide by the ruling and the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention.

The western country also said that it stands with its ally, the Philippines.

“The United States stands with our Philippine allies in upholding the rules-based international maritime order and reaffirms an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft, including those of the Coast Guard in the South

China Sea, would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S. Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty,” Price said. China, meanwhile, claimed that the Philippines intruded into their territory, the Ren’ai Reef. Hence, illuminating the laser against the PCG vessel.

From 2016 to January 26 this year, the Philippines lodged 461 diplomatic protests against China’s intrusion and harassment in the West Philippine Sea. (Daniza Fernandez/Inquirer.net)

annual deployment cap of 7,500 for HCWs to ensure a sufficient supply of nurses in the country.

Citing data from the Professional Regulation Commission, Soriano said a total of 48,686 nursing graduates passed the licensure examination from 2016 to 2022.

The figure he said is insufficient to fill the huge demand for HCWs in the United States, United Kingdom and other European countries.

To curb the downtrend,