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Ex-DFA chief urges PH to protest China’s creation of new districts in South China Sea
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 19) — Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario is urging the government to protest China’s creation of new districts that cover features in the South China Sea, including the Philippine-claimed Spratly Islands, Scarborough Shoal and Fiery Cross Reef. Del Rosario said just as the Philippines protested China’s reported sinking of a Vietnames fishing…
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PH told to protest 2 new Chinese districts in South China Sea
MANILA, Philippines — In an apparent move to further tighten its grip in the South China Sea, Beijing recently announced it was establishing two districts in Paracels and Spratly Islands. The two administrative units are under the control of Sansha City, Chinese People’s Liberation Army said in its news website on Friday (April 17). The ”Nansha District” would be…
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Power vacuum left by U.S. in region could tempt China: analyst
Taipei, April 19 (CNA) China might take advantage of the power vacuum in the region following the halt of overseas movements by the United States military, but a military offensive against Taiwan is unlikely, according to a Taiwanese defense analyst. “The U.S. military deployed in the western Pacific has been a force that secures the safety of the region. Whether…
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Chinese ship tagging Malaysian vessel in S. China Sea: Sources
KUALA LUMPUR • A Chinese government survey ship was seen tagging an exploration vessel operated by Malaysia’s state oil company Petronas in disputed waters in the South China Sea, three regional security sources have said. China’s Haiyang Dizhi 8 entered waters near Malaysia last Thursday, according to ship tracking website Marine Traffic. On Friday, it was close to the Petronas-operated…
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China steps up governance of South China Sea
China says it recently approved the establishment of two districts to administer islands and reefs in the disputed South China Sea in an apparent bid to strengthen its claim to sovereignty over the area. The Chinese government announced on Saturday the creation of the new districts in Sansha city in Hainan province. China earlier said the city administered the area.…
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China’s administrative activity in East Sea null and void
When the novel coronavirus pandemic is showing no signs of abating, requiring global joint efforts to combat it, China moved to intensify its unlawful sovereign claims in the East Sea. In 2019 China violated Vietnam’s sovereignty after sending survey vessel Haiyang Dizhi 8 along with its coast guard and paramilitary escorts to Vietnam’s territorial waters, staying there for more than…
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Chinese navy conducts regular training in South China Sea
China’s Navy confirmed on Monday that a naval formation including the Liaoning aircraft carrier recently sailed to the South China Sea for regular trans-theater training through the Miyako Strait and Bashi Channel. Navy spokesperson Gao Xiucheng said the exercise is being conducted according to the Navy’s annual plan and is in accordance with international law and regulations. Gao also…
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What the South China Sea tells us about the new geopolitics of Southeast Asia
China’s actions in the South China Sea show what the next stage of geopolitics in Southeast Asia will look like. As China projects its power amid the pandemic, ASEAN governments will see their economies and development further defined by how they embrace or contest Beijing’s agenda. Editorial When the lockdowns are lifted and borders reopen, governments in Southeast Asia…
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Taiwan scrambled warships on Saturday night to monitor the movements of a mainland Chinese carrier strike group after it was spotted by Japan heading towards the western Pacific. The fleet, led by China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was seen passing through the Miyako Strait near Okinawa, and then turning south, the Japanese Ministry of Defence said. Although the…
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China and Vietnam ‘likely to clash again’ as they build maritime militias
China and Vietnam have both been building up paramilitary forces and fishing fleets to stake claims in the disputed South China Sea, according to observers, who warn that the neighbours risk further clashes there after the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat last week. While Beijing continues its assertive tactics to try to control more waterways in defiance of…
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Carpio blasts China Coast Guard goodwill visit as another ship loiters Ayungin
MANILA – Retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Friday slammed China after one of its ships was spotted patrolling Ayungin Shoal on the day the Chinese Coast Guard arrived in Manila for a goodwill visit. “We tended a dinner for them. We welcomed them with a brass band, but they are putting pressure on our BRP Sierra Madre…
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How Would A U.S.-China War Go Down? We Asked An Expert
The year is 2016, and two of the U.S. Navy’s latest ships are backing a key ally in the tinderbox of the South China Sea. They’re facing down the Chinese navy halfway across the world with the latest weapons and systems the United States can get its hands on. But is it enough? For more than a hundred years,…