News
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US-CHINA BATTLE FOR DOMINANCE EXTENDS ACROSS PACIFIC, ABOVE AND BELOW THE SEA
A 1,005 sq KM chain of US-controlled islands in the Pacific Ocean is shaping up to be a focal point in Washington and Beijing’s ongoing jockeying for global influence. The Mariana Islands in the north-western Pacific, comprising the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and Guam, were once seen as “the tip of the spear” of American power projection…
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Obey rules of the sea, U.S. urges China`
TOKYO — The U.S. Navy’s top officer said he urged China to follow international rules at sea to avoid confrontations and insisted Friday that ships should be able to pass safely through disputed areas of the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. Chief of U.S. Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson told reporters in Tokyo that U.S. Navy ships will continue…
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WW3 fears: China sets alarm bells ringing – expert issues ‘OLD SCHOOL IMPERIALISM’ warning
CHINA’s “imperial” ambitions represent a major threat to world security, with the South China Sea a potential flashpoint, an expert in US-China relations has said, just days after analysts suggested Beijing was drawing up plans for wars with United States and India. And Professor Michael Cullinane, Professor of US History at the University of Roehampton, said NATO was in danger…
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Singapore Moves Closer To Joining What China Calls The ‘U.S. F-35 Friends Circle’
The short and vertical takeoff and landing F-35B could be especially valuable for the tiny Southeast Asian country during a crisis. Singapore’s Ministry of Defense has announced that it is formally considering replacing its fleet of F-16C/D Viper fighter jets with F-35 stealth fighters. The vertical takeoff and landing-capable F-35B, in particular, could be especially valuable for the small Southeast…
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Is Vietnam adopting a tough South China Sea posture?
Over the past month, some international news outlets have reported that Vietnam is pursuing a strong stance on the South China Sea. Yet a closer look at Hanoi’s overall position – as well as those of other countries and international entities – vis-à-vis the maritime issue shows that is not the case. On December 30, Reuters reported that Vietnam was…
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Gov’t warned vs downplaying Chinese incursions in South China Sea
MANILA, Philippines — Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio yesterday warned the government against downplaying the reported presence of Chinese fishermen in disputed territories in the South China Sea that are within the country’s exclusive economic zone. “What we should do is we should not waive our rights under the ruling,” Carpio said, referring to the ruling issued by…
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How China Avoids War in the South China Sea
Beijing uses force, but not enough to cause an armed conflict. by Nicolai Fogth Gjøde Nielsen Seven East Asian nation-states are currently laying territorial claim on often overlapping areas in the South China Sea. The claims are over different portions of the sea and various small, mostly uninhabited islands. Possessing the territories is just a matter of national prestige, as…
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China ponders massive canals to link Yangtze and Pearl Rivers
Over the past month, some international news outlets have reported that Vietnam is pursuing a strong stance on the South China Sea. Yet a closer look at Hanoi’s overall position – as well as those of other countries and international entities – vis-à-vis the maritime issue shows that is not the case. On December 30, Reuters reported that Vietnam was…
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China, Brexit, the Philippines: Your Friday Briefing
President Trump announced new investments in missile defenses aimed at shielding the nation against growing threats from North Korea, China, Russia and Iran. “Our goal is simple: to ensure that we can detect and destroy any missile launched against the United States anywhere, any time, any place,” Mr. Trump said at the Pentagon. Background: Antimissile systems are extremely costly —…
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China school lessons: All of WPS ours
How can China acknowledge the arbitral ruling favoring the Philippines’ claim in the West Philippine Sea when its own government has been teaching Chinese students from grade school “false narratives” to validate its expansive claims in the disputed area? Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Thursday asked this rhetorical question in a forum where he discussed the Philippines’ maritime dispute…
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Philippine Defense Chief Eyes Subic Bay Amid Chinese Takeover Fears
Philippines authorities should take over a major shipyard that sits on the site of a former U.S. navy base, or risk letting it fall into the hands of the Chinese who could use it as a regional foothold amid contentious South China Sea claims, Filipino officials said Thursday. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he had met with President Rodrigo Duterte…
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China must follow international rules during naval encounters at sea: US
The chief of US naval operations, Admiral John Richardson said today that he had urged Chinese authorities to follow international rules during naval encounters at sea to ensure safety as tensions over China-US relations in the South China Sea continued. Richardson added that sending US aircraft carrier to Taiwan Strait remained an option for the US navy. “We don’t really…