News
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As World Watches Kim, China Quietly Builds South China Sea Clout
Last month, a Philippine lawmaker released photos he said showed Chinese fishing, coast guard and navy vessels surrounding a Philippine-occupied isle in the Spratly island chain, preventing planned repairs to a runway. Vietnam in July halted drilling in an area leased to Spain’s Repsol S.A, amid reports it did so under Chinese duress. The incidents suggest China is…
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The Truth About China’s Indonesia South China Sea Tantrum
Beijing’s displeasure is all too predictable and far from convincing. Last week, media outlets began disclosing that China’s Foreign Ministry had sent a note dated August 25 to the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing opposing Jakarta’s decision in July to rename its portion of the South China Sea to the North Natuna Sea. Despite the hype surrounding the note, it represents…
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US sets more patrols in waters disputed with China: report
U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) is gearing up for more regular naval patrols in the South China Sea, a move that is likely to further complicate relations between the U.S. and China. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the Pentagon has set a schedule for freedom of navigation operations to challenge Chinese maritime claims in the sea. …
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China demands Indonesia rescind decision to rename part of South China Sea
JAKARTA: China has demanded that Indonesia rescind a decision to rename its maritime area in the southwest part of South China Sea to North Natuna Sea. The Chinese Foreign Ministry sent an official note to the Indonesian embassy in Beijing expressing its opposition to Jakarta’s Jul 14 move, when it unveiled a new official map of the national archipelago…
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‘India’s refusal to bend showed the world how to deal with Chinese coercion’
The damage the 10-week troop Doklam standoff inflicted on the already frayed India-China relationship will not be easy to repair. Indeed, the China-India divide over border, water, trade, maritime and other issues, including transportation and economic corridors, may only widen. There is also the risk that the end of the face-off could prove just a temporary respite…
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The United States Has Not Lost the South China Sea
Despite some setbacks, the United States has not lost influence in the vital waterway. The last two months saw an uptick in tensions in the South China Sea (SCS) following a period of relative calm since the arbitral tribunal at the Hague handed down its historic and sweeping award on maritime entitlements in the SCS, overwhelmingly favoring Manila over Beijing.…
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Vietnam Protests at Chinese Military Drill in South China Sea
HANOI (Reuters) – Vietnam on Thursday opposed what it said was a Chinese announcement of military exercises in the disputed South China Sea, amid rising tension between the neighboring countries. Vietnam did not give any details of when it said the announcement was made or when any drill would take place. China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately…
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China exploits the Philippines’ soft-pedalling in South China Sea
Duterte’s conciliatory stance on Beijing’s territorial claims is backfiring But Beijing’s blatant display of force risks undermining its newfound rapprochement with the Philippines, where the defense establishment and public are already highly critical of China. Suspicious movements Intelligence reports on suspicious movements of Chinese vessels near Thitu Island were leaked by Philippine defense officials to Gary…
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COUNTERING CHINESE COERCION: THE CASE OF DOKLAM
Two nuclear-armed powers have stepped back from the brink — for now. Yesterday India and China announced they had agreed to end a two-month border confrontation, in which a few hundred troops had faced off in the Doklam area claimed by both China and Bhutan, and many thousands more had been placed on heightened alert. The immediate crisis seems…
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Chinese boats stir Philippine anxieties
While Filipino leader Rodrigo Duterte plays down reports that China has occupied another contested land feature in the South China Sea, his defense establishment is calling for a tougher stance “Why should I defend a sandbar and kill Filipinos because of a sandbar?” declared Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte when asked about reports suggesting China has sought to occupy a…
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Sharing resources could calm seas for China and Philippines
Richard Heydarian says China’s and the Philippines’ weighing of resource sharing marks an upward turn for two nations once awash in acrimony For the Filipino president, who is intent on improving strategic relations with Beijing, this is the best available modus vivendi to manage and eventually resolve territorial disputes among claimant states. While in theory a JDA could break the…
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Use it or lose it: Why Canada’s navy needs to be in the South China Sea
Canada’s diplomatic and strategic engagement in East Asia has been erratic over the past two decades. Successive governments have been incapable or unwilling to clearly articulate a regional strategy, remaining virtually silent on major geopolitical tensions. Some observers have advocated regular deployments of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) to create a visible, routine presence in the region. One unexplored…