West Philippine Sea
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China Expands Island Construction in Disputed South China Sea
Artificial Islands, China, Hughes Reef, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, South Johnson Reef, Unsinkable Aircraft CarriersBEIJING—Newly released satellite images show a dramatic expansion in China’s construction of artificial islands on disputed South China Sea reefs, intensifying concerns about Beijing’s territorial ambitions. The images provide the first visual evidence that China has built an artificial island covering 75,000 square yards—about 14 football fields—and including two piers, a cement plant and a […]
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Reefer Madness: Why Is China on a Building Spree in the South China Sea?
Artificial Islands, China, Fishing Rights, Militarization, Oil, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, USAChina’s frantic construction activity on a series of disputed reefs in the South China Sea has set off alarm bells across the Pacific and in Washington, raising fears that Beijing is putting steel in the ground to back up its contentious claims to a big swath of one of the world’s key waterways. Since last […]
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Mischief Reef, Fiery Cross Reef, Johnson South Reef, Cuarteron Reef, Hughes Reef, and Gaven Reef
Artificial Islands, China, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, Unsinkable Aircraft CarrierNotwithstanding the protest by smaller Asian nations over the swift pace that China has been constructing facilities in disputed islands in the South China Sea, Beijing again flexed its military muscle by claiming a seventh reef. The news of another China claim comes from the Philippines, one of the Southeast Asian nations that is contesting […]
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Philippines Skeptical of China’s Reclamation Work in Contested Sea
ADIZ, Albert del Rosario, Artificial Islands, China, Militarization, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, SpratlysMANILA— The Philippines is expressing “serious concern” over newly released satellite images that show major progress in China’s reclamation work at contested outcroppings in the South China Sea. The latest images published by IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly show “a large facility” in the works at Johnson South Reef. In May 2014, the Philippine military reported […]
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Before and After: The South China Sea Transformed
Artificial Islands, China, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, Unsinkable Aircraft CarriersThis map shows four land features in the Spratly Islands that have undergone significant construction or land reclamation work in the past year. They are: Itu Aba, Gaven Reef, Johnson South Reef, and Fiery Cross Reef. Read more details about the features of these projects and use click and drag the slider in the middle […]
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When Scarborough was ‘Panacot’
Ambeth Ocampo, Bajo de Masinloc, Cartographic Exhibit, China, History, Justice Antonio T. Carpio, Maps, Panacot, Philippines, Scarborough Shoal, South China Sea DisputeCommon sense, as we all know, is far from common. Then there are the things we hold to be true without question. When we take the trouble to give these a second look, sometimes we are surprised to find the opposite to be true. People who have followed this column for many years know how […]
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South China Sea Dispute
The South China Sea dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands has again escalated, with IHS Jane’s reporting that China is building a large scale military heliport 300 KM from the islands. Within this range, Chinese helicopter forces would be able to aid forces active in any potential conflict over the islands. The distance won’t allow the […]
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Brit author to talk on sea row
MANILA, Philippines–A British journalist and author of two books on Southeast Asia, one of which was named Book of the Year by The Economist, will visit the Philippines next week and conduct lectures on the South China Sea dispute. Bill Hayton, a reporter of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and an analyst on Southeast Asian […]
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Justice Carpio explains Itu Aba issue in the PH suit vs China
Last year, Itu Aba (also known as Taiping or Ligaw), the biggest feature in the Spratly group of islands being disputed by the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, figured in a controversy involving the appointment of the Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza to the Supreme Court. Supreme Court Justice Lourdes Sereno opposed the appointment […]
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China’s mischief: Expansion, reclamation
Artificial Islands, China, Fishing Rights, Panatag Shoal, Panganiban Reef, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, Unsinkable Aircraft CarriersPUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines—China has deployed a dredging ship at the disputed Panganiban Reef (Mischief Reef) and is doing “substantial” reclamation in the partially submerged area, signaling Beijing may be preparing to expand its facilities there, according to the military command that is directly in charge of securing the country’s maritime interests in the West […]