West Philippine Sea
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China expands South China Sea outposts to station ships, establish airfields
WASHINGTON – China is expanding its outposts in the South China Sea to include stationing for ships and potential airfields as part of its “aggressive” effort to exert sovereignty, the U.S. intelligence chief said Thursday. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper was speaking at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on worldwide threats. His comments […]
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Is China Reclaiming the Law of the Sea?
Artificial Islands, ASEAN, China, Code of Conduct, Cuarteron Reef, Fiery Cross Reef, Gaven Reef, Hughes Reef, Johnson South Reef, Lawfare, Mischief Reef, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, Unsinkable Aircraft CarrierThe Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative has released a special issue on land reclamation and development activities in the South China Sea. As part of its ongoing effort to promote transparency in maritime Asia, AMTI obtained exclusive, never-before-published, imagery of China’s recent building efforts in the Spratly Islands. The collection of exclusive photographs includes coverage of […]
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U.S.-China Relations: The Hypocrisy of Rules
Perhaps, as the expression goes, hypocrisy rules the world; but certainly hypocrisy rules politics, at least the political aspect of U.S.-China relations relating to the establishment of rules intended to bring order to potential dangerous situations. Each country purports to want rules, but only in areas where it suits them, and then follows them when […]
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How China is transforming the South China Sea
ADIZ, Aird Defense Identification Zone, Artificial Islands, China, Militarization, Oil, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, Unsinkable Aircraft CarriersNew images reveal the extent of China’s land reclamation and construction in the South China Sea. Experts warn the new developments will make it increasingly difficult to counter Beijing’s regional claims. On February 4, the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest to the Chinese Embassy in Manila, urging Beijing to stop the land reclamation at the […]
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Why the South China Sea is so crucial
Artificial Islands, China, Economics, Philipines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, Unsinkable Aircraft CarriersIn this excerpt from “Asia’s Cauldron: The South China Sea And The End Of A Stable Pacific,” author Robert D. Kaplan, chief geopolitical analyst for Stratfor and former member of the Pentagon’s Defence Policy Board, explains how the region’s unique geography fosters aggression. The South China Sea functions as the throat of the Western Pacific […]
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Dispute over the South China Sea could put East Asia at war again
Arms Buildup, Artificial Islands, Brunei, China, Fishing Rights, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Militarizaiton, Oil, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, USA, Vietnam, WarPhilippine authorities have released satellite pictures of six reefs in the Spratly archipelago that indicate that the Chinese are building artificial structures in the disputed territories of the South China Sea. According to some observers, these features could allow China to extend the range of its navy, air force, coastguard and fishing fleets into the […]
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China’s island-building spree is about more than just military might
Aritificial Islands, China, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, Unsinkable Aircraft CarriersChina’s playing Monopoly in the South China Sea—only, instead of building hotels on Pacific Avenue, it’s constructing helipads and, in some cases, whole new islands. In less than a year, shallow reefs in the Spratly Islands have sprouted white-sand outcrops, sporting what look to be Chinese military facilities, according to satellite imagery published this week by IHS Jane’s Defence […]
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This is Japan’s Best Strategy to Defeat China at Sea
The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is a highly capable navy, although it is the smallest of Japan’s military branches. It is technologically more advanced, more experienced, and more highly trained than its main competitor – the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Yet, in the long-run, the JMSDF and the Japanese Coast Guard (JCG) – Tokyo’s principle […]
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South China Sea Manoeuvrings: More of the same in 2015?
Analysis, Artificial Islands, Brunei, China, expert analysis, IMOA, International Law, Maritime Disputes, maritime issues, Maritime Security, MIMA, Philippines, Reclamation, Regional Stability, South China Sea Dispute, Sovereignty, VietnamRead Sumathy Permal’s expert commentary on maritime issues, published by the Centre for Maritime Security and Diplomacy, MIMA. Explore perspectives on sovereignty, security, and international maritime law.
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China Nixes South China Sea Discussions at Defense Meeting
According to a report from IHS Jane’s, China’s delegation is refusing to allow the South China Sea issue to be put on the agenda for an upcoming defense minister’s meeting. Specifically, Jane’s reports that China “declined the proposal by ASEAN countries to have the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea […]