Japan, U.S., Philippines to step up maritime security ties

China ranks second highest in military spending after the United States and is rapidly modernizing its forces. It says its military is purely for defense and to protect its sovereign rights.

It is clear the growing Chinese military is to secure new territories and attempt to enforce sovereign rights over these new acquired territories such as the South China sea and more.

China can fool its own people and supporters but the rest of the world can easily see through the charade from China.

And yes the Solomons told the UK and USA to take a hike

Interestingly even as the Solomon Islands government denied permission for US Coast Guard Cutters to refuel, a team of US Navy Seabees are busy in the Solomon Islands making repairs to public buildings and a playground there as part of Pacific Partnership 2022.

https://www.solomontimes.com/news/us-navy-engineers-busy-as-bees-throughout-solomon-islands/12156

The national bird of the United States is an eagle. An eagle is a predator that preys on small animals. 

The large emblem behind the conferees, an eagle with olive leaves in one claw and arrows in the other, seem to suggest what this conference is for. 

China is not a small squirrel as it used to be but has grown a big bear which an eagle cannot predate easily. What will it do? Offer olive leaves?

It’s obvious you have never seen one of these beautiful birds. You also failed to mention what’s the Eagle is holding in the other talon.

“The Founding Fathers made an appropriate choice when they selected the bald eagle as theemblem of the nation. The fierce beauty and proud independence of this great bird aptly symbolizes the strength and freedom of America”.

The amount of anti American hate on this site really get old.

Philippines is China.

Since ancient times!

Laughable. The first humans in what are now the Philippines were negritos, seafaring Austronesians possibly from Australia who settled the south. The north was settled by Polynesians or Micronesians probably from Taiwan long before Han Chinese first explored Taiwan. They were ruled intermittently by Hindu and Muslim dynasties from India, Malaysia and Borneo before the Spanish arrived in the 16th Century. Spain ruled Philippines from the 15th Century to the end of the 19th Century. The US drove the Spanish out but the south remains Muslim with rebel groups tied to Borneo. China has never ruled Philippines.

Battleships from US and Japan, yes, Philippines may be some boats...

Kimi looking her usual cheerful self.

And to think she is "moving up in the world"--yikes!

Laughable.

China has never ruled Philippines.

I'm aware of that.

I was merely poking fun at the Chinese.

Sorry, if it didn't come through.

On a more serious note, the Chinese do have a lot of influence over there.

Joemusic1980,

I am from Miyako Island in the Ryukyu Archipelago. In autumn, a large flock of grey-faced buzzards, a family of eagles, come to the island. Miyako is a stopover for them to rest while travelling to Southeast Asia. They are beautiful to look at individually as well as while they are hovering high above the sky.

They are eagles by nature, notwithstanding, and have to prey on small creatures to survive.

I think the founding fathers of the U.S. were eager to make their new-born country a great empire like Great Britain, Spain and France. You know, empire building was nothing wrong and unusual at the time of imperialism and colonialism. A late-comer Japan tried hard to emulate these preceding imperial powers.

(Revised)

Joemusic1980,

I am from Miyako Island in the Ryukyu Archipelago. In autumn, every year, a large flock of grey-faced buzzards, a family of eagles, come to the island. Miyako is a stopover for them to rest while travelling further to Southeast Asia. They are beautiful to look at individually as well as while they are hovering high above the sky.

They are eagles by nature, notwithstanding, and have to prey on small creatures to survive.

I think the founding fathers of the U.S. were eager to make their new-born country a great empire like Great Britain, Spain and France. You know, empire building was nothing wrong and unusual in the days of imperialism and colonialism. A late-comer Japan tried hard to emulate these great Western imperial powers including the U.S. but botched up itself miserably.

Who are the survivors of those repugnant imperial wars today?

I always wonder....People may not have much problems with People.

Some bunch of fools trying to cover up unknown issues with military drills and then immediately protest for others' drill - fun part is that it is all done in the name of Countries (dividing people with classification)

No one nation should be able to dominate Indo-Pacific waters through coercion and outright intimidation

... except for the US! /sarcasm off*

The national bird of the United States is an eagle. An eagle is a predator that preys on small animals. 

The large emblem behind the conferees, an eagle with olive leaves in one claw and arrows in the other, seem to suggest what this conference is for.

China is not a small squirrel as it used to be but has grown a big bear which an eagle cannot predate easily. What will it do? Offer olive leaves?

How much taxpayers money will this cost?

Philippines is China.

Since ancient times!