News
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China building runway on disputed islands: reports
Airstrip, Artificial Islands, China, Fiery Cross Reef, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, SpratlysBEIJING — China is rapidly building an airstrip on an artificial island in disputed South China Sea waters, recent satellite pictures show, potentially ramping up tensions with several Southeast Asian neighbors. Fiery Cross in the Spratly Islands was little more than a reef when China began land reclamation works to turn it into an island […]
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China’s activities in South China Sea good for maintaining security, navigation freedom: ambassador
Artificial Islands, ASEAN, China, Code of Conduct, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea DisputeWASHINGTON, April 16 (Xinhua) — The Chinese Ambassador to the United States said Thursday that China’s buildup of its capabilities in the South China Sea provides public goods to all and “serves the interests of maintaining security, stability and freedom of navigation there.” In a keynote speech to the International Conference on China-U.S. cooperation in […]
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China ‘building runway in disputed South China Sea island’
Airstrip, Artificial Islands, China, Fiery Cross Reef, Militarization, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, USAThe images, published by IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly, show construction work on reclaimed land on Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands. The landmass could accommodate a runway about 3,000m long, the report said. China’s land reclamation work in the area has raised concern around the Asia-Pacific region. China claims almost the whole of the […]
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Who’s Got the Biggest Muscles in the South China Sea?
The United States and China have been trading barbs over each other’s ‘strength’ and ‘muscle’ as alarm continues to intensify about Beijing’s massive land reclamation activities in the South China Sea. U.S. President Barack Obama told a town-hall event in Jamaica last Thursday ahead of a Caribbean summit in Panama that Washington was concerned about […]
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Philippines seeks help from U.S. in South China Sea dispute
(Reuters) – The Philippines is seeking more “substantive” support from its long-time security ally United States on how to counter China’s rapid expansion in the South China Sea, the foreign secretary said on Wednesday. China’s rapid reclamation around seven reefs in the Spratly archipelago of the South China Sea has alarmed claimants, including the Philippines […]
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Chinese claim of South China Sea reclamation not causing damage unacceptable —DFA
Artificial Islands, China, Coral Reefs, Environment, Fisihing Rights, Philippines, Reclamation, Scarborough Shoal, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys(Updated 12:38 p.m.) The Philippines on Monday said it finds “unacceptable” China’s claim that its massive reclamation work in several disputed South China Sea territories are not causing marine environment damage, warning that that coastal states stand to lose $100 million annually from Beijing’s activities. China’s ongoing reclamation activities, Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said, […]
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‘World should fear China’s actions in South China Sea’
China’s efforts to stake its claim to most of the South China Sea should spark fear around the world, with military conflict possible, Philippine President Benigno Aquino says. In an exclusive interview, Aquino also warned that China’s increasingly assertive actions raised the spectre of other nations having access cut to vital international shipping lanes and […]
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DFA chief: 50 meetings with China reached dead end
MANILA, Philippines — The country’s top diplomat on Wednesday dismissed Vice President Jejomar Binay’s position that the country should resume bilateral talks with China on the sea row. Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said Manila had exhausted all means to deal with Beijing directly in attempting to resolve or at least de-escalate the maritime […]
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China reef work in Spratlys could lead to new air exclusion zone: US commander
ADIZ, Air Defense Identification Zone, Artificial Islands, China, Militarization, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, USAWASHINGTON – China could eventually deploy radar and missile systems on outposts it is building in the South China Sea that could be used to enforce an exclusion zone over the disputed territory, the US military commander for Asia said on Wednesday. Admiral Samuel Locklear, speaking at a congressional hearing in Washington, described as “aggressive” the land reclamation and construction […]
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US$11.5bn spent by China to expand disputed Fiery Cross Reef
Artificial Islands, China, Fiery Cross Reef, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, Taiwan, USA, VietnamChina has spared no expense on its land reclamation activities in the South China Sea, spending an estimated 73.6 billion yuan (US$11.5 billion) on expanding Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratlys alone, reports our Chinese-language sister paper China Times. For at least a year, China has been actively reclaiming land on seven islands in the […]
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Chinese reclaimed land worries US
Artificial Islands, China, Great Wall of Sand, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, USATOKYO — An influential U.S. Navy official made waves recently with an unusually open criticism of Beijing. “China is creating a great wall of sand, with dredges and bulldozers, over the course of months,” he said. U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Harry Harris’ remarks highlight a growing sense of crisis among American military about Beijing’s recent behavior in […]