West Philippine Sea
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AMERICA IS NAVIGATING FREELY TO NOWHERE IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA
How we judge the success of the U.S. Navy’s freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) near Mischief Reef last week depends on what it was supposed to achieve. Was it intended to address a legal problem or a strategic one? To be more specific, did it aim to contest China’s claim of a 12-nautical mile territorial […]
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US Praises Narendra Modi’s Call For Freedom Of Navigation For Peace
PM Modi has termed sea lanes passing through South China Sea as “main arteries” of global trade. SINGAPORE: The US today praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on having freedom of navigation and adhering to the international norms for peace and economic growth, amidst China flexing its muscles in the disputed South China Sea. Speaking […]
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EU to raise South China Sea issues again after last year’s tense discussion
The European bloc is cautious about China’s militarization of islands. EU officials are set to bring up discussions about the South China Sea during a summit on Friday, possbily in a careful manner to avoid the tense situation seen last year. Premier Li Keqiang will meet top EU officials at the summit in Brussels to […]
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US warns Beijing on South China Sea islands
The US will not accept China’s militarisation of man-made islands in the South China Sea, Defence Secretary James Mattis has warned. Speaking at a security conference in Singapore, he said such moves undermined regional stability. China’s territorial claims in the resource-rich South China Sea are contested by several nations. At the same time, Gen Mattis […]
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US Defense chief criticizes China on South China Sea
SINGAPORE—Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said Saturday that North Korea posed a global threat and praised China’s efforts to influence Pyongyang, while also criticizing Beijing over its continued “militarization” of the South China Sea. President Donald Trump — who frequently denounced China on the campaign trail — has turned to Beijing to help rein in North […]
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Waiting for Uncle Sam
Unlike in past years, China is not likely to be in the spotlight. Instead, it’s the United States that will be in the hot seat as observers watch what it has to say about its commitment to the region. It will be all ears when General James Mattis speaks at the first plenary of the […]
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Trump administration’s operation in South China Sea: Better late than never
Trump administration’s first freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea is a key indicator of US commitment to the region Pundits have been keeping a close eye on if, when, and how the Donald Trump administration conducts a freedom of navigation operation near disputed features in the South China Sea. The willingness to […]
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Justice Tony Carpio, hero
These past few months, in more than one occasion, President Duterte has been quoted as criticizing Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio for “just talking” and not doing anything about the South China/West Philippine Sea dispute. What a strange thing to say about the man who has in fact done the most about the issue, to […]
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Trump’s big mistake in the South China Sea
The South China Sea, at least until last year, was the most important strategic issue in the Asia-Pacific, and certainly in the top five of potential global hotspots. The reasons were obvious. With China flexing its muscles in an effort to dominate one of the most important bodies of water in the world — one […]
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How China Tamed the Green Watchdogs
Too many environmental organizations are betraying their ideals for the love of the yuan. Scores of Chinese dredgers ground up the coral of semisubmerged reefs in the South China Sea over the past three years to build artificial islands that are now becoming military bases. The enormity of the destruction to marine biodiversity is unprecedented. […]