West Philippine Sea
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A ham-fisted hegemon
IT IS already being described as the moment when America’s “pivot” to Asia was seen to have gone awry. Not the shock when Rodrigo Duterte, the new president of the Philippines, an American ally, caused titters by calling Barack Obama the “son of a whore”—but when he called a few days later for an end […]
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Experts Advocate Harder Stance Against Illegal Claims In South China Sea
Three South China Sea and maritime law experts advocated a tougher stance against illegal Chinese actions, calling for more freedom of navigation operations, possibly with regional allies, that are aimed at Chinese territorial claims that have not previously been challenged. The experts from the U.S. Naval War College and the Center for Strategic and International […]
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While Courting China, Vietnam Prepares For a Future South China Sea Crisis
Vietnam’s prime minister, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, concluded a six-day state visit to China last week that included meetings with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and top legislator Zhang Dejiang. Phuc also attended the China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning and made a business-focused visit to Hong Kong. But the trip’s […]
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It’s time for the US to call out China in the South China Sea
While military deployments to the tense seas around Southern China often make headlines, China has been quietly building paramilitary forces out of their coast guard and fishing fleets. China operates the biggest fishing fleet in the world, and in the South China Sea, where its sweeping territorial claims conflict with its neighbors, Beijing uses these […]
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Taiwan’s new facilities on Taiping Island may have military use Outpost is part of the Spratly Islands and is also claimed by mainland China, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Taiwan is building four concrete structures on the disputed Taiping Island in the South China Sea, in what might be a facility to increase its military alertness. The structures, about three to four storeys high, were found to have been built on the coastline of the west side of Taiping surrounding a circular structure still […]
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Saving Duterte
“THE STRONG do as they will… The weak suffer as they must.” The Greek historian Thucydides made that memorable observation to describe the behavior of states as they struggled for power and survival in the Aegean region in 416 B.C. One could easily connect this dictum to President Duterte’s perspective on how to rule and […]
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Just empty talk? Philippines’ Duterte is playing China off against US, analysts say
Philippine presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte gestures during a labor day campaign rally on May 1, 2016 in Manila, Philippines. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte may have said he wants to buy arms from China, but he is simply playing China off against the United States rather than presenting a realistic plan, analysts say. And the fallout […]
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THE SPRATLYS: A GEOPOLITICS OF SECRET MARITIME SEA-LANES
The role of bathymetry and submarine warfare in the Spratly Islands dispute has been largely ignored. To better understand this aspect of the dispute, it is necessary to dispel the myth of the Spratlys as an area of shallow sea, extremely dangerous for navigation and to be avoided at all costs. This perception, common before […]
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Beijing may be waiting for the perfect timing to strike in South China Sea
Reports suggest China may seize Scarborough Shoal during the final weeks of the US presidential election as America’s gaze turns inward. President Obama has already warned China about the consequences and he should remind its leaders that such an attempt would constitute a challenge to the peace and stability of Asia and would force Washington […]
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DiCaprio unveils free technology to spy on global fishing
American movie star Leonardo DiCaprio has today (September 15) unveiled a new, free technology that allows users to spy on global fishing practices, in a bid to curb illegal activity in the oceans. The technology, known as Global Fishing Watch, was officially released to the public during the Our Oceans Conference hosted by US Secretary […]