News
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Giant clams change fortune of village by South China Sea
Talk to any local in Tanmen about its transformation from quiet fishing village to buzzing tourist site and they will invariably point to two things: Xi Jinping and endangered giant clams. But while the Chinese president’s historic visit in 2013 momentarily shot the town to prominence, it is the popularity of giant clam handicrafts that […]
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Vietnam asks China to compensate fishermen robbed in East Sea
Vietnam demands that China compensate Vietnamese fishermen who were robbed by Chinese vessels while fishing off the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands earlier this month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday. MOFA spokesperson Le Hai Binh Binh condemned the acts of Chinese men as “inhuman” and demanded that such acts not be repeated. “Under any […]
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The ‘Nine-Dash Line’ and…Fishing?
Western and Asian governments and commentators have pilloried the Chinese government for its inscrutability on the so-called ‘nine-dash line’ in the South China Sea. Because the nine-dash line allegedly lacks a basis in international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), they have hectored China to clarify […]
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Pavlovian conditioning and ‘correct thinking’ on the South China Sea
This is an excerpt of a speech by veteran diplomat Bilahari Kausikan organised by the Institute of Policy Studies on Wednesday. This is his third lecture in the IPS-Nathan Lecture series. In the lecture, he examines the impact of US-China competition on Asean. In the extract below, he gives his reading of what has spurred […]
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Xi says China will defend its South China Sea sovereignty
Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during his meeting with U.S. Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that China is resolute in defending its sovereignty in the South China Sea, and believes the disputes should be settled peacefully by relevant claimants through direct talks, Xinhua said. Xi said Beijing “respects and safeguards the freedom of […]
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One Envoy’s Take on China’s Hardball Diplomacy
BEIJING — Chinese diplomats are known to be tough, but it is rare to hear descriptions of how tough. A senior Singaporean diplomat has pulled back the veil and has talked about China’s efforts to put smaller Asian countries in their place. In a speech on Wednesday, the diplomat, Bilahari Kausikan, ambassador at large and […]
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Indonesia Will Defend South China Sea Territory With F-16 Fighter Jets
The move is part of a military buildup on islands overlooking the South China Sea that will see a refurbished runway and a new port constructed, Ryamizard Ryacudu said in an interview on Thursday with Bloomberg News. It also involves the deployment of marines, air force special force units, an army battalion, three frigates, a […]
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Why China Might Seek to Occupy Scarborough Shoal
Chinese vessels have been spotted in the waters around Scarborough Shoal, a hotly contested atoll just 140 miles off the coast of Manila, the Philippine capital on the island of Luzon. Details remain sparse, but the presence of survey craft suggests preparations may be underway for China to occupy Scarborough and build a base there. […]
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Drone War: China, Vietnam, And Philippines Turn To Unmanned Flights In South China Sea ‘Mexican Standoff’
“Drone war” appears to be building up in the South China Sea as China, Vietnam, and the Philippines jostle for advantage in their “Mexican standoff.” According to an expert, their turning to unmanned aerial vehicle technology reflects new terms of global competition changing the rules of the game for many long-simmering conflicts and rivalries. Drone […]
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Foreign vessels ‘not welcomed’ in Malaysian waters: Minister
Malaysia announced on Tuesday that all foreign vessels are banned from fishing in its waters, following reports that some 100 fishing vessels were spotted off the Luconia Shoals. KUALA LUMPUR: All foreign vessels are not allowed to fish in Malaysian waters, National Security Minister Shahidan Kassim told reporters on Tuesday (Mar 29) after last week’s […]
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Did Chinese boats encroach into Malaysian waters?
KUALA LUMPUR: Contradictory statements on the encroachment or otherwise of Chinese vessels in Malaysian waters is very puzzling. The Diplomat reports that it could simply be a further illustration of Malaysia’s policy of playing it safe when it comes to the South China Sea dispute. The report said Shahidan Kassim, minister in the prime minister’s […]
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Chinese fishing boats ‘did enter Malaysian waters’
While Malaysia’s navy has insisted that no foreign fishing vessels were spotted in its waters in the South China Sea in the past week, its maritime authorities are adamant that up to 100 Chinese boats had entered waters off Sarawak since March 24 before leaving on Sunday. The head of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency […]