News
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Indonesia Seeks to Assert Authority in Waters in South China Sea
Indonesia plans to develop lucrative fishing grounds in the South China Sea as part of efforts to assert its sovereign authority over waters in which it has clashed with China. The Natuna Islands on the edge of the South China Sea, rich in gas and fish stocks, would be developed into a fishing hub, Indonesia’s […]
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China ‘inappropriately aggressive’: new US Ambassador Arthur Culvahouse
The new US Ambassador to Australia Arthur Culvahouse has accused China of being “inappropriately aggressive” and failing to play by the rules across the Indo-Pacific region. In strongly worded comments, he said China’s recent behaviour, including its “coercive” economic approach and military brinkmanship in the South China Sea makes the Australia-US alliance more relevant than […]
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Hanoi Is Happy Cozying Up to Trump
At the U.S.-North Korea summit, the host may be the biggest winner. As the world waits to see if U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un make any headway at next week’s summit in Hanoi, the hosts see a diplomatic coup of their own. Vietnam, among the world’s poorest pariah states […]
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Indonesia to open fishing zone near disputed S. China Sea
JAKARTA: Indonesia plans to open a fishing zone within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) at the southern edge of the disputed South China Sea, most of which is claimed by China, later this year, to prevent foreign encroachment, a cabinet minister said Wednesday. Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan told a press conference the […]
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China’s steady plan to take control of the Asia-Pacific region
A US Defence Department report warns that China’s military buildup is reaching the point where it can attempt to “impose its will on the region and beyond.” Visiting recently with senior officials from two US allies in the region, Japan and Singapore, gave me a visceral feeling of how things look on the ground (and […]
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Report: Beijing Runs Unannounced South China Sea Military Drills
The Chinese military this week concluded a month of unannounced exercises in the South China Sea and the Pacific aimed at testing its “wartime command system” and enhancing its missile defenses, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) revealed on Thursday. “Military observers said the exercises indicated the People’s Liberation Army [PLA] wanted to put its […]
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China’s Military Seeks New Islands to Conquer
Allies in the Pacific are worried that the U.S. and Europe are no longer reliable. James Stavridis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a retired U.S. Navy admiral and former military commander of NATO, and dean emeritus of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is also an operating executive […]
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Chinese-British relations ‘complicated’ by South China Sea military plans
Britain said its relationship with China was facing complications, triggered by the plan to send a new Royal Navy aircraft carrier to the Pacific. The admission follows Britain’s participation this week in a joint naval drill with the US in the South China Sea, as part of an effort by the US and its allies […]
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US, UK hold second South China Sea joint drills in 2 months
MANILA, Philippines — For the second time this year, the American and British navies recently concluded maritime security drills in the South China Sea. The US Navy deployed replenishment oiler USNS Guadalupe while the Royal Navy deployed frigate HMS Montrose last February 18 for a maritime security and logistics training. Last January, the US Navy’s […]
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Sino-PH, Sino-US tensions persist in the South China Sea
The Ronald Reagan Strike Group ship’s the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, the guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam and the guided-missile destroyer USS Milius conduct an exercise in the South China Sea in August 2018. Reuters There are rifts within the Duterte administration on how Manila should handle its dispute with Beijing over the South China […]
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Trump CONFRONTS China: Beijing bigger threat than North Korea claims US Admiral
US WARSHIPS entered the disputed South China Sea last week in a direct challenge to the Chinese state, which a US Admiral has claimed is a bigger threat to the region than North Korea. The visit, which took place last Monday, was made by guided missile destroyers USS Spruance and USS Preble. American warships have […]
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China ‘puts wartime command system to test’ in South China Sea drills
China has conducted a month of drills in the South China Sea and the western and central Pacific involving its navy, air force and missile unit. Military observers said the exercises indicated the People’s Liberation Army wanted to put its wartime command system to the test and also strengthen its missile defences in the South […]