West Philippine Sea
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Marines Prepare for Rising Challenge From China’s Military With Island Training
The exercise reflected a new emphasis on small, dispersed troop units and command centers, which are intended to be harder to locate and destroy. The simulation was one of the first to be directed from a command hub consisting of three armored vehicles that can be set up or moved in minutes and emit fewer […]
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Beijing says ‘new window of hope’ is opening as it offers Biden admin an olive branch
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has offered an olive branch to the incoming Biden administration, saying a “new window of hope” is opening. In a wide-ranging interview with state news agency Xinhua published on Saturday, he urged the Biden administration to adopt a sensible approach and restart engagement with China to get bilateral ties back […]
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Beijing prepares for ‘World War III’ with US in South China Sea as military spending SOARS
CONGRESS has approved a new $740.5bn (£541.9bn) defence spending bill overturning President Trump’s veto as a Senator warned of “World War III” with Beijing. This was achieved by a cross-party alliance of Democrat and Republican lawmakers. The bill included a five year $18.5bn (£13.5bn) ‘Pacific Deterrence Initiative’ to boost the US military presence in the […]
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China’s largest military cargo plane flew to a base in the South China Sea, but it’s not clear why
China flew its biggest warplane, the Y-20 transporter, to Fiery Cross Reef in the disputed South China Sea on December 25, satellite images show. The huge aircraft was seen on the airstrip on the militarised reef in the Spratly Islands but was not observed loading or unloading cargo. The images were posted on LinkedIn on […]
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Vietnam pins hopes on Japan to face down Beijing in South China Sea oil hunt
HANOI IS PROCEEDING WITH JOINT DRILLING VENTURES WITH JAPANESE FIRMS IN THE DISPUTED WATERWAY DESPITE THE FAILURE OF SIMILAR PROJECTS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES BUT ANALYSTS SAY CHINA IS LIKELY TO TEST VIETNAM THROUGH MARITIME PROVOCATIONS IF THE ENERGY VENTURES GO AHEAD When the Japanese energy firm Inpex in November settled a four-year legal battle against […]
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South China Sea: Biden ‘unlikely’ to stop Trump anti-Beijing policy in ‘larger’ trade war
JOE BIDEN has his hands tied over the US’ approach to the South China Sea, and is tipped to carry on Donald Trump’s policy in the disputed waters as the trade conflict between Washington and Beijing moves to “larger issues”. Nick Marro, Global Trade Lead at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), told Express.co.uk the President-elect […]
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USS John S. McCain conducts Christmas Eve Freedom of Navigation Operation in South China Sea
According to the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet, the Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer “asserted navigational rights and freedoms near Vietnam in the vicinity of the Con Dao Island in the South China Sea” on Thursday. “The ship conducted normal operations within Vietnam’s claimed territorial seas to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access and navigational […]
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China’s ‘vaccine diplomacy’: A global charm offensive
As wealthy countries scramble to buy up the limited supply of big-name coronavirus vaccines, China is stepping in to offer its homegrown jabs to poorer countries. But the largesse is not entirely altruistic, with Beijing hoping for a long-term diplomatic return. The strategy carries multiple possible benefits: deflecting anger and criticism over China’s early handling […]
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[OPINION] Law and justice in the West Philippine Sea
‘The battle to defend our sovereign rights in the WPS is also a battle for the hearts and minds of the peoples of the world’ The following is former Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio’s speech at the conferment of his honorary doctoral degree from the University of the Philippines on December 10, 2020. One of […]
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Philippines Looking to Reverse Course on Scrapping US Military Pact
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – The Philippines, an old American ally in Asia, is changing its view on whether to scrap a key U.S. military pact, as it explores new ways of benefiting from U.S. defense aid without isolating its newer superpower friend, China, analysts and officials say. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte this month announced that cancelling […]