News
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Chinese aircraft enter Japan’s ADIZ
A Tu-154 electronic warfare aircraft of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force and a Y-12 utility aircraft of China’s State Oceanic Administration entered the Japanese air defense identification zone (ADIZ) simultaneously on Feb. 21, according to the state-run China News Service. The Japanese defense ministry first reported on Friday that a Chinese Tu-154 was detected near the border of its…
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PH says China fired water cannon at fishermen in Scarborough
MANILA (UPDATED) – The Philippines’ military chief on Monday accused China’s coast guard of firing water cannon at Filipino fishermen for the first time to drive them away from a disputed sea shoal. General Emmanuel Bautista said Chinese vessels fired cannon on January 27 near Scarborough Shoal — the subject of a bitter territorial row in the strategically important South…
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South China Sea Disputes Enter a Dangerous Phase: The U.S. Pivot Gathers Steam
“At what point do you say: ‘Enough is enough’?” Philippine President Benigno Aquino exclaimed in an exclusive interview with the New York Times. It was a forceful call for international support amid intensifying territorial disputes with China. Quite shockingly, he even compared China to Nazi Germany, cautioning the Western powers against appeasing Beijing over disputed maritime features in the Western…
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US envoy warns against altering status quo in South China Sea
The United States’ top envoy to the Philippines on Monday warned against changing the status quo in the disputed South China Sea and other contested areas in the region and called on all rival nations to adhere to international law. Defying China’s position against Washington’s involvement in the disputes, US Ambassador Philip Goldberg maintained that it is in America’s national…
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China seeks WWII focus on Japan during visit to Germany, but Germans feel uncomfortable about it
China wants to make World War Two a key part of a trip by President Xi Jinping to Germany next month, much to Berlin’s discomfort, diplomatic sources said, as Beijing tries to use German atonement for its wartime past to embarrass Japan. China has increasingly contrasted Germany and its public contrition for the Nazi regime to Japan, where repeated official…
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The Dangers of Economic Proximity with China
In a U.S.-China trade war, Taiwan faces the risk of getting caught up in the crossfire. As Taiwan’s legislature prepares to review the controversial Cross-Strait Services Trade Agreement with China next month, apprehensions over the island’s growing economic reliance on China continue to rise. A recent anti-dumping case initiated by a U.S. trade commission, and subsequent decisions on legal representation,…
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China vows closer cooperation with Vietnam
BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) — Chinese top political advisor Yu Zhengsheng pledged on Sunday to step up cooperation with the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), and enhance bilateral ties. Yu, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the remarks while having talks with Nguyen Thien Nhan, president of the VFF Central Committee. Calling Vietnam…
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China urges US to correct mistakes on Tibet
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang on Saturday evening urged the United States to correct its mistakes after President Barack Obama met with the Dalai Lama. “We once again urge the U.S. side to correct mistakes,” Qin said in a press release. He said the United States should stop conniving and supporting anti-China, secessionist force which pursues “Tibet independence,” halt…
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Vietnam joins submarine arms race amid South China Sea tensions
Vietnam finally has a new weapon against the Chinese maritime expansion after receiving its first Kilo-class submarine from Russia on the last day of 2013, according to the Washington-based Strategy Page on Feb. 20. The submarine is the first of six 2,300-tonne Kilo-class submarines to arrive in Vietnam after the country signed a US$2.1 billion deal with Russia in 2009.…
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Phl, SoKor complete talks on 12 fighter jets
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is close to acquiring 12 lead-in fighter trainer jets from South Korea as the two countries completed negotiations for the multi-billion-peso project yesterday. The Department of Defense’s special bids and awards committee, led by Undersecretary Fernando Manalo, approved the offer of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) after about seven months of negotiations. The completion of the…
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4 Chinese ships back at Ayungin
MANILA, Philippines – Four Chinese surveillance ships have returned to Ayungin Shoal after several months of absence. A security official who asked not be named said two of the Chinese ships have the 306 and 363 markings on their bows, while the two others look like frigates. “They’ve been spotted near Ayungin since last week,” the security official said. Another…
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China gives order to commence war with Japan ‘if it is appropriate to fight’
The following is a translation from Chinese media: Quite a few people have said that the conflict over the Diaoyus (known as Senkakus in Japan) has passed the stage of oral confrontation and what follows may very probably be direct military conflict. It is especially so as, relying on US support, Japan is obviously declaring war against China already. Sources…