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A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 23 February 2023

Philippines eyes South China Sea patrols with U.S., Australia

By JIM GOMEZ and Galvez said, and added,
EDNA TARIGAN “We can do it again.”
Associated Press Aside from the United
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — States, Australia is the only
The Philippines is in talks with other country that struck a
the United States as well as defense agreement with
Australia on future joint pa- the Philippines for joint com-
trols in the South China Sea, bat exercises in the country.
where China’s increasingly The Philippine Constitution
aggressive actions in the prohibits the permanent
disputed waters are caus- basing of foreign troops
ing concern, top defense and their involvement in lo-
officials in the three nations cal combat.
said Wednesday. Austin announced after
U.S. Defense Secretary meeting Marcos on Feb. 2
Lloyd Austin called his Phil- that the Philippines had ap-
ippine counterpart, Car- proved an expanded U.S.
lito Galvez Jr., to reiterate military presence by allow-
Washington’s support and ing rotating batches of U.S.
commitment to help de- forces to stay in four more
fend its oldest treaty ally in Philippine military camps, in
Asia after a Chinese coast In this photo provided by the Department of National Defense, Defense Communications Service, addition to five others.
guard aimed a military- Philippines Defense Chief Carlito Galvez Jr., left, walks with Australian Deputy Prime Minister It was the latest move by
grade laser at a Philippine and Defense Minister Richard Marles, right, during his visit at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, the Biden administration to
patrol vessel near a disput- Philippines on Wednesday Feb. 22, 2023. strengthen an arc of military
ed shoal. Associated Press alliances in the Indo-Pacific
The Feb. 6 incident off Sec- enhance the United States had said the allies agreed 1982 U.N. Convention on to better counter China,
ond Thomas Shoal briefly and the Philippines’ shared to carry out joint patrols. the Law of the Sea, in the including in any future con-
blinded some of the Filipino security, including the re- Separately, Galvez and South China Sea, where a frontation over Taiwan.
crew and prompted Ma- cent decision to resume visiting Australian Defense bulk of Australia’s trade tra- Austin reaffirmed in his talk
nila to file a strongly word- combined maritime ac- Minister Richard Marles said verses, “we did talk today with Galvez on Wednesday
ed diplomatic protest. Pres- tivities in the South China in a news conference on about the possibility of ex- the U.S. Defense Depart-
ident Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Sea,” according to details Wednesday that they were ploring joint patrols,” Marles ment’s “commitment to
also summoned China’s of the phone conversa- looking at Australian and said, without elaborating. bolstering the Philippines’
ambassador to express his tion provided by Pentagon Philippine forces possibly Australian and Philippine defense capabilities and
concern. press secretary Brig. Gen. carrying out their joint pa- forces have undertaken capacity to resist coercion
“The two leaders discussed Pat Ryder. During Austin’s trols in the busy waterway. joint patrols off the south- as the allies develop a
proposals to deepen op- visit to Manila this month, As countries asserting the ern Philippines in the past security-sector assistance
erational cooperation and Galvez and U.S. officials rule of law, including the to counter terrorist threats, roadmap.” q

Nearly 1 million asylum requests

in the EU in 2022

By RENATA BRITO ing already backlogged They were followed closely
Associated Press asylum systems. by Afghans fleeing the spi-
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) The European agency raling security, humanitar-
— Nearly 1 million people linked the increase to con- ian and financial troubles
applied for international tinuing easing of COVID-19 that followed the Taliban
protection in the European travel restrictions, increas- takeover in August 2021,
Union in 2022, according to ing food insecurity and with 129,000 requests.
data published Wednes- conflicts in many parts of Coming in third were ap-
day, bringing the number the world. Though most plicants from Turkey who
of asylum requests to a lev- asylum-seekers enter the doubled in numbers with
el not seen since the refu- EU legally, mainly by plane 55,000 requests. Soaring
gee crisis of 2015-2016. with travel visas, some also inflation and “democratic Two men share a meal in a makeshift tent camp outside the Petit
The EU agency for asylum crossed the EU’s land and backsliding” were among Chateau reception center in Brussels, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023.
Associated Press
said 966,000 asylum appli- sea borders without per- the factors believed to
cations were made in the mission, mainly through the have caused the increase,
27 EU countries as well as Western Balkans and the the agency said. and Syria has raised fears vulnerable Syrian refugees
in Norway and Switzerland Mediterranean. In many places, reception of a potential surge in irreg- from Turkey, which is home
last year, up 50% from 2021. After more than a decade centers are overwhelmed, ular border crossings into to 4 million refugees.
That doesn’t include more of war and economic col- leaving asylum-seekers in Greece. Germany offered Venezuelans, Colombians,
than 4 million Ukrainian ref- lapse in their country, Syr- the streets. earlier this month to tempo- Bangladeshis and Geor-
ugees who were granted ians continued to be the The recent earthquake that rarily ease visa restrictions gians applied for asylum in
temporary protection in the top nationality of asylum- killed nearly 46,000 people to some quake survivors record numbers last year,
EU, a special mechanism seekers in Europe with more and left hundreds of thou- while Spain promised to re- as did Moroccans, Tunisians
activated to avoid collaps- than 130,000 applications. sands homeless in Turkey settle a small group of 100 and Egyptians. q