West Philippine Sea
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Intentional? Chinese ship in Recto Bank incident ‘explicitly connected’ to Beijing
MANILA, Philippines – Contrary to what Chinese authorities previously claimed, the Chinese ship involved in the sinking of Philippine fishing boat Gem-Ver in the West Philippine Sea had been “explicitly connected” to state-backed activities, an international think tank said. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) […]
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Fears of military build-up as China secretly leases entire island in Solomons
The government of the Solomon Islands has reached a secretive deal with a Chinese company with close ties to the Communist party that grants it exclusive rights to develop Tulagi, once the seat of British colonial rule in the Pacific archipelago. The confidential arrangement has alarmed residents and raised fears that Beijing could be […]
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Chinese ship that sank Philippine fishing boat in South China Sea may have been on enforcement mission, US analysts say
A Chinese vessel that collided with a Philippine ship in the South China Sea in June may have been sent to the disputed waters on enforcement duty, according to US analysts. In a report released on Wednesday, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) in Washington challenged Chinese claims that the nighttime collision on June […]
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Malaysia needs to be ready for the worst in South China Sea: foreign minister
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia needs to boost its naval capabilities to prepare for possible conflict in the South China Sea, its foreign minister said on Thursday, even as Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy pursues non-militarization of the disputed waterway. Tensions have escalated in recent weeks, especially after a U.S. Navy destroyer sailed near islands […]
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Study: Chinese boat in Recto Bank incident likely maritime militia
MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese vessel that rammed and sank an anchored Filipino fishing boat near Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea in June may likely be a part of maritime militia, according to analysts. The US-based think tank Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative gathered all publicly available information on “Yuemaobinyu 42212” and concluded […]
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China vs US: Choosing side
A recent visitor to the Philippines was celebrity author of the book When China Rules the World. He presented two arguments – one debatable and the other one disturbing. I found the title of the book disturbing since I have no desire to be ruled by another country, even by China. We have gone […]
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Water war risk rising on the Mekong
China’s newly consolidated ability to stop the river’s flow to SE Asia points to an emerging new regional flashpoint The Mekong River, a waterway that originates in China and snakes through five Southeast Asian countries, is emerging as a new security flashpoint, similar in dynamic to escalating conflicts in the South China Sea. China […]
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Chinese Nuclear Submarine May Have Been Involved In Incident In South China Sea
Vietnamese fishermen recently may have gotten a big surprise: an 11,000-ton submarine surfacing among their boats. The incident reportedly occurred in September but has only recently come to light via social media. The Chinese Navy Jin Class ballistic missile submarine was said to have been operating near the Paracel Islands. The islands, known as […]
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Is China planning to use military force?
HONG KONG: CHINA IS IMPLEMENTING THE LARGEST MILITARY BUILD-UP THE WORLD HAS SEEN SINCE THE END OF WORLD WAR II. THE UPPERMOST QUESTION THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED IS WHY. CHINA HAS BEEN INVESTING HEAVILY IN THE PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY (PLA) EVEN THOUGH THE COUNTRY IS NOT AT WAR AND DESPITE THE FACT THAT […]
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A ‘Game of Drones’ resets the rules in the South China Sea
As the rules of the sovereignty endgame are revved up for reconnaissance and surveillance of the environment and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), the increased use of unmanned aerial vehicles or non-lethal drones emits more than a steady buzz in the latest foreign policy salvos among claimant nations against Beijing’s control of the South China […]