News
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Peace at sea
With the rule of law and political will, every dispute, including those in the South China Sea, can be resolved. In 2008, I received an award from the Rhodes Academy of Ocean Law and Policy and the Onassis Foundation. I was given the Onassis Distinguished Scholar Award for my contributions to peace at sea. In this essay, I wish to…
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U.S. Walks a Fine Line on China Message Before Big Defense Forum
HARBIN, CHINA – JANUARY 21: (CHINA OUT) Smokes rise from the buildings surrounded by heavy smog on January 21, 2016 in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province of China. The visibility in the city fell as the smog hit Harbin On Thursday. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images) China Toxic Debt Solution Has One Big Problem The Federal Reserve’s Comprehensive Capital Analysis &…
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A Court You’ve Never Heard of Is About to Raise the Stakes in the South China Sea
An international tribunal’s decision will reorder the tense chess game over the South China Sea — and test Washington’s commitment to the Philippines. An obscure court in The Hague will soon issue a ruling likely to inflame tensions in the South China Sea and force Washington to clarify how far it is willing to go to defend its allies in…
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Upcoming U.N. ruling on South China Sea dominates Asian security summit
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Thailand’s prime minister and India’s defence minister called on Friday for upholding international law as they spoke at an Asian security summit that is being held ahead of a key U.N. court ruling on the South China Sea dispute. But both stopped short of saying that the decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague,…
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Eyeing China, Obama demands Senate ratify UN sea law
WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama asked Congress to ratify contentious UN maritime rules Thursday, hoping to strengthen his hand in a dangerous stand-off with Beijing over the disputed South China Sea. Crew members of China’s South Sea Fleet taking part in a drill in the Xisha Islands, or the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea on May 5,…
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Timor-Leste Blazing a Trail for Maritime Dispute Resolution
As the US grapples with escalation in the South China Sea, Timor-Leste makes an unprecedented move that may present a solution. The words spoken by President Barack Obama in Hanoi, Vietnam in May resonated loudly with the people of Timor-Leste. The president reminded all that “Nations are sovereign, and no matter how large or small a nation may be, its…
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As Beijing flexes muscles in South China Sea, Malaysia eyes harder response
MIRI, Malaysia — Spotting a large vessel off the coast of Sarawak state in March, officers on a Malaysian patrol boat were shocked when it steamed toward them at high speed, blaring its horn before veering off to reveal “Chinese Coast Guard” emblazoned on its side. According to an officer from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Chinese Coast Guard vessels…
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Report: International Arbitration Court Ruling Can Cause Major Effects on China
Report: International Arbitration Court Ruling Can Cause Major Effects on China China said it will assert its rights over islands in the South China Sea while maintaining its compliance with international laws and the UNCLOS. China said it will assert its rights over islands in the South China Sea while maintaining its compliance with international laws and the UNCLOS. (Photo…
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New Taiwan Leadership Takes Tough Stance On Disputed South China Sea
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Taiwan under a new political party will extend its Teflon stance on claims to almost the entire 3.5 million-square-kilometer South China Sea, despite bigger and more diplomatically connected rivals, and renew calls for joint use of resource-rich waters. That position explained Tuesday by the 11-day-old government of President Tsai Ing-wen will delight…
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Will China decide to reduce tension in the South China Sea?
On May 19, The Straits Times published an article written by Xu Bu, China’s Ambassador to Asean, that criticises US involvement in the South China Sea ( “US ‘rebalancing’ is fishing in S. China Sea’s troubled waters”). Ambassador Xu accused the United States of being the “driving force” behind increased tensions in the region, but his rhetoric is based on…
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Simmering South China Sea dispute expected to boil after court ruling: experts
The simmering dispute in the contested South China Sea is about to turn to a boil. With an international arbitration court ruling on the legality of China’s “nine-dash line” claim to much of the South China Sea set to be handed down in the coming days or weeks, experts say the situation is likely to get a lot more complicated…
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China to ‘pressure’ U.S. on maritime issues, paper says
BEIJING (Reuters) – China will “pressure” the United States on maritime issues at key talks in Beijing next week because of Chinese concerns over the increased U.S. military presence in the disputed South China Sea, a major state-run newspaper said on Tuesday. China has been angered by what it views as provocative U.S. military patrols close to islands China controls…