West Philippine Sea
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South China Sea: Reconciling Washington’s policy debate with effective responses
According to a recent Navy Times article, at a National Security Council meeting on 18 March, National Security Advisor Susan Rice ‘imposed a gag order on military leaders over the disputed South China Sea’. Its alleged aim was to “give Presidents Obama and Xi Jinping ‘maximum political maneuvering space’…during the Global Nuclear Summit,” held earlier […]
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U.S. to give Philippines eye in sky to track South China Sea activity
The United States will transfer an observation blimp to the Philippines to help it track maritime activity and guard its borders amid rising tensions in the South China Sea, a U.S. diplomat said on Monday. Philip Goldberg, U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, said Washington would give Manila, its oldest Asia-Pacific security ally, $42 million worth […]
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Growing Militarization of the South China Sea, US-China Confrontation
The South China Sea Dispute or Crisis as it has come to be known, is a rather complicated dispute involving many different parties, both directly and indirectly, and that concerns a number of key issues. These concerns include national sovereignty, control of oil and natural gas, fishing rights, and the freedom of navigation on the […]
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Any downgrade of Taiping Island to a ‘rock’ illegal: Ma
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on Thursday reiterated that Taiwan holds sovereignty over Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島) and said that any international court ruling that downgrades the legal status of Itu Aba from an “island” to a “rock” would be illegal and would hurt Taiwanese sovereignty. “Whether from the perspective of history, geography or […]
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Hanoi says bilateral settlement alone won’t solve East Vietnam Sea disputes
Vietnam has said that disputes in the East Vietnam Sea cannot be resolved only by bilateral settlement but also require the effort of all relevant parties and the international community. The statement was announced by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Le Hai Binh during a regular press meeting in Hanoi on Thursday, in response to […]
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Chinese general visits man-made South China Sea islands
BEIJING (AP) — China’s second-ranking general recently visited the country’s man-made islands in the South China Sea, the Defense Ministry said Friday, underscoring China’s defiance in the face of calls by the U.S. and others to cease construction work that they say is raising tensions in the region. According to the brief statement, Gen. Fan […]
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Japan and the South China Sea
HONG KONG – For a country that believes strongly in noninterference in other countries’ internal affairs, China, oddly, is constantly telling other countries what they can and cannot talk about. Last week, China again was putting on the pressure, this time on Japan, host of the Group of Seven foreign ministers’ meeting last Sunday and […]
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South China Sea fisheries on verge of collapse
Beijing is using the country’s fisherman as the advance guard to press its expansive territorial claims, experts … Beijing is using the country’s fisherman as the advance guard to press its expansive territorial claims, experts say. Photo by Adam Dean for The Washington Post Chinese fishermen muscling in on Filipino fishing grounds South China Sea: […]
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US, Philippines launch joint South China Sea patrols MANILA – The US said Thursday it has launched joint South China Sea patrols with the Philippines, and will temporarily deploy 275 troops and five warplanes in the country which is locked in a territorial row with China. US Navy personnel raise their flag during a bilateral […]
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Ma urges peaceful resolution of South China Sea issues
Taiping Island is the largest naturally formed island in the Nansha chain and boasts freshwater, a permanent contingent of Coast Guard Administration personnel and infrastructure like a hospital, airport and wharf. (Courtesy of CGA) President Ma Ying-jeou called for peaceful resolution of South China Sea disputes through negotiations April 14, urging proper recognition of Taiping […]