West Philippine Sea
-
China’s Floating Nuclear Power Plants Pose Risks in South China Sea
TAIPEI, TAIWAN — Floating Chinese nuclear power plants stationed in the South China Sea would help Beijing fortify its claims in a decades-old maritime sovereignty dispute, but come with environmental risks, scholars say. China plans to power some of its claimed islets with nuclear energy, the U.S. Department of Defense recently told Congress in an annual report on Chinese military…
-
Philippines informs China of grounded frigate amid South China Sea feud
MANILA – The Philippines notified China about a Philippine Navy frigate that ran aground in the South China Sea to avoid any misunderstanding because the incident happened near a hotly disputed region, three Philippine officials said Friday. The BRP Gregorio del Pilar ran aground during a routine patrol Wednesday night in the vicinity of Half Moon Shoal, which is called…
-
Philippine warship runs aground in disputed South China Sea
MANILA, Philippines — A Philippine navy frigate has run aground on a shoal in the disputed South China Sea and efforts are underway to retrieve it and its crew, who were unhurt. Military spokesman Col. Noel Detoyato said the BRP Gregorio del Pilar ran aground Wednesday night in the vicinity of the shoal, which the Philippines calls Hasa Hasa. US,…
-
Japan’s largest warship trains with US naval strike group in contested South China Sea
Japan’s newest helicopter carrier, Kaga, has trained with the USS Ronald Reagan Strike Group, showcasing its military might during a tour in the contested South China Sea, amid tensions between Beijing and US-backed Tokyo. The two navies practiced sailing in formation and joint maneuvering on Friday. The ships also trained in replenishment-at-sea procedures. The drill demonstrated how “seamlessly” the allied…
-
Japanese helicopter destroyer trains with U.S. aircraft carrier in disputed South China Sea
In the latest sign of Japan’s increased activity in the disputed South China Sea, the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s largest vessel, the helicopter carrier Kaga, linked up Friday for bilateral exercises with the U.S. Navy’s Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier strike group, both countries’ navies said. The bilateral training is part of a rare, monthlong tour by the Kaga and two guided-missile…
-
Trade, War, and the South China Sea
When crossing the expanse of the Pearl River Delta, from Macau to Hong Kong, at one point you lose sight of the mainland; before you is nothing but the sea. On this day in August, during typhoon season, a veil of rain moves swiftly across the bay falsely suggesting a void, where in fact rests the most densely urbanized region…
-
US and Japanese warships are drilling in the South China Sea in a show of force in China’s backyard
The US Navy’s Ronald Reagan Strike Group conducted drills in the South China Sea Friday with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Escort Flotilla 4 Battle Group, which is led by the Kaga, a helicopter destroyer. The drills followed US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress heavy long-range bomber flights through the contested region earlier in the week. China has bolstered its military…
-
The Economic Showdown in the South China Sea
The Trump administration wants to mobilize private American capital for high-quality investments in the Asia-Pacific region. As China inches closer to imposing a de facto exclusion zone across the South China Sea, it has sought to box the United States out of Southeast Asia. Having deployed state-of-the-art weapons systems to artificially created islands in the area, a Chinese Air Defense…
-
South China Sea: US, China Tussle Over Military Overflight
China continues to work to restrict access to the airspace above its South China Sea claims by U.S. and other military aircraft. Last week, a CNN crew documented communication by People’s Liberation Army ground crews on one of China’s artificial islands in the Spratly group warning a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft to leave the area. “Leave immediately…
-
China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier gets brand new command centre
China’s only aircraft carrier in service is undergoing its first major revamp since it was commissioned in 2012, giving it a brand new “island” command centre. Pictures circulating on the internet show the radar above the Liaoning’s bridge is now gone, as is air traffic control at the island’s rear, with scaffolding around the command centre suggesting there are more…