West Philippine Sea
-
What Happens if China Sinks Two U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers?
“What the United States fears the most is taking casualties,” said Lou. “We’ll see how frightened America is.” Sinking an American carrier would be an act of war, period. If Chinese like Admiral Lou are right, then America is finished as a major power. If 10,000 dead American sailors aren’t worth fighting over, then neither will the U.S. defend Taiwan,…
-
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Duterte set to tackle economic, military partnership
MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte might discuss the country’s mutual defense cooperation with the United States as well as freedom of navigation issues with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tonight in Manila. This was according to National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon who expressed optimism that the brief meeting would boost further the long-time defense alliance between the Philippines and…
-
US Navy and British Commandos defy China, conduct joint exercises around the South China Sea
In direct defiance to China’s claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea, the U.S Navy (USN) and British Royal Marines Commandos conducted joint training close to the disputed island chain. A Royal Marine Boarding Team from 42 Commando’s Juliet Company boarded and searched the USNS Guadalupe, a replenishment ship assigned to the 7th Fleet. The Commandos thoroughly checked and…
-
Why a U.S.-China trade deal is not enough
WASHINGTON – As Chinese and American trade negotiators met in Washington through the weekend, observers were largely focused on the countries’ economic disagreements, such as over China’s subsidies to its state-owned enterprises. But to think that an agreement on trade would protect the world from a Sino-American cold war would be as premature as it would be naive. Of course,…
-
China, The US, And Realistic Expectations
Deng Xiaoping once said that “the China-U.S. relationship can never be too good or too bad” because it is too important. In other words, meaning the leaders and people of both countries should be realistic about how close their bilateral relationship can be at any given point in time, and they should never let their disagreements get so out of…
-
US Navy dispatches destroyer, cargo ship through Taiwan Strait in message to China
The U.S. Navy dispatched a guided-missile destroyer and a cargo ship through the Taiwan Strait Monday, the latest in a series of American military maneuvers intended to send a message to Beijing that the United States will continue its support of Taiwan in the face of recent threats by the Chinese government. The passage through the strait — shadowed by…
-
China’s military seeks new islands to conquer
A DEFENCE Department report warns that China’s military build-up is reaching the point where it can attempt to “impose its will on the region and beyond”. Visiting recently with senior officials from two US allies in the region, Japan and Singapore, gave me a visceral feeling of how things look on the ground (and at sea). “We are deeply concerned…
-
Recent developments surrounding the South China Sea
BEIJING — A look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves: Indonesian reports say the country plans to develop fisheries surround the Natuna Islands it controls in…
-
US Lawmakers Urge Trump to Push Vietnam on Rights Record During North Korea Summit
Three U.S. lawmakers have called on U.S. President Donald Trump to raise human rights issues with officials in Vietnam when he travels to the one-party Communist Southeast Asian nation next week for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. In a letter dated Feb. 19, U.S. House of Representatives members Zoe Lofgren, Chris Smith, and Alan Lowenthal—co-chairs of…
-
U.S. Secretary of State to visit PH next week
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit the Philippines next week to meet with President Rodrigo Duterte and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr. Pompeo will be in Manila for a two-day trip from February 28 to March 1, the U.S. Department of State said in a press release Friday.…