News
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US Admiral: US Army Needs to Create Ship-Killing Units for South China Sea
The head of U.S. Pacific Command, Admiral Harry Harris, said that he wants the U.S. Army to create new ship-killing units to threaten U.S. adversaries’ surface warships in the Western Pacific including in the East China Sea and South China Sea. “I believe that the army can do a lot in cross-domain fires,” the admiral said in remarks delivered at…
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Stunning Aerial Photos Show Extent Of China’s Developments In The South China Sea
In October a U.S. navy warship sailed near islands claimed by China in an attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing’s efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters. The guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur challenged “excessive maritime claims” near the Paracel Islands, among a string of islets, reefs and shoals over which China has territorial disputes with…
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Experts warn vs PH ceding Scarborough to China, isolating nation
Maritime and law experts on Monday warned the Philippine government against unwittingly ceding Scarborough Shoal to China and isolating itself by pushing away allies like the United States. Dr. Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines (UP) Institute of Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea (IMLOS), told reporters that the Philippines should not be satisfied with “being…
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How Much Will Duterte Wreck the US-Philippines Military Alliance?
The fallout, though significant, will likely be more limited than the rhetoric had suggested. As I’ve repeatedly pointed out, for all the headlines that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte generates – including on his “separation” from the United States – more often than not his rhetoric does not translate well into reality (See: “The Limits of Duterte’s US-China Rebalance”). Indeed, even…
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Ex-DFA Secretary del Rosario: Independent foreign policy should be based on rule of law
Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Carpio (left) and Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario (right) received the “Outstanding Leadership in Diplomatic Service Award” on Saturday from the Miriam College Department of International Studies for their work in the successful arbitration case against China on the West Philippine Sea. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Former Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)…
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Modern Times: “How soon we forget the lessons of the past”
Amid a rising global tide of nationalism and self-interested states, Andrew Hunter reflects on history to praise the value of international institutions and cooperation. “Japan, a country that places importance on the rule of law, trusts that the outcome of this case upholds stable multilateralism…but when one morning you find your state bound by the policy of the majority…the only…
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Trump presidency’s impact on South China Sea disputes uncertain —PHL officials
Philippine officials who defended the country’s rights over South China Sea said Donald Trump’s presidency may or may not have an impact on the territorial dispute, depending on his policies on foreign affairs. “It’s difficult to say what the relations between the United States and the Philippines would be under a Trump presidency,” former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario…
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New chance to settle South China Sea dispute
The recent trade deals may put us in a better position to negotiate with Beijing, says an IDEAS official. Azrul-Mohd-KhalibKUALA LUMPUR: An official of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) says the recent signing of trade agreements between Malaysia and China presents a new opportunity for Putrajaya to find a solution to the South China Sea dispute. “Like…
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Water Wars: Looking Through a Glass, Darkly, in the South China Sea
Donald Trump’s election has created significant uncertainty about the future of U.S. strategy in the South and East China Seas. While there is no Trump agenda for this issue in particular, the President-Elect’s discussions with regional leaders and statements from influential surrogates begin to paint a picture of the new administration’s policy. “Peace through strength” appears to be the byline…
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South China Sea: India, Japan Indicate Dispute Should Be Resolved Under UN Law
Looking beyond Asia, India and Japan have also raised the stakes by including Africa in their development strategy, implicitly setting up a rival to China’s One Belt, One Road. New Delhi: Even as they cement their relationship with a much-delayed nuclear deal and building a parallel to China’s ‘OBOR’, India and Japan asserted on Friday that the South China Sea…
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What’s Special About This Taiwan Military Drill In The Contested South China Sea
Taiwan’s coast guard and navy are planning a drill on the biggest island in the widely disputed South China Sea. The exercise at Taiping Island in the Spratly chain will obviously remind rivals China and four Southeast Asian countries of Taiwan’s massive but normally passive claim to the sea. The government in Taipei uses historical documents derived from China to…
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China pivot yields ‘modus vivendi’ at West PH Sea 1
THE Duterte administration’s pivot to China will bring about a change in perception on both sides, allowing a “modus vivendi” of “peace” at the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), the country’s next ambassador to China said on Thursday. Jose Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana, president of the Philippine Association of Chinese Studies, said the country’s foreign policy shift would allow…