ASEAN
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China’s maritime disputes: Fear, honor and interest
ADIZ, Air Defense Identification Zone, ASEAN, China, Code of Conduct, Diplomatic Relations, Foreign Policy, Philippines, South China Sea Dispute, Taiwan, UNCLOS, VietnamFueled by China’s growing assertiveness as a rising global power, tensions over territorial disputes have mounted in the Asia-Pacific region. In November last year, Beijing unilaterally expanded its Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) to cover most of the East China Sea, triggering a bitter dispute with Tokyo as the ADIZ also covers the airspace above […]
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ASEAN risks being divided in US pivot to Asia
WHILE the United States, with the pivot to Asia, is testing China’s capability to handle diplomatic challenges in ties with its neighbourhood, it is carrying out the strategy increasingly at the expense of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by driving wider the rifts among members of the regional bloc. Should the ASEAN nations […]
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PH-Vietnam Intel sharing eyed
IN agreeing to a strategic partnership with Vietnam, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin admitted that the Philippines is interested in enhanced intelligence exchange and inter-operability with Hanoi, but stressed that such an arrangement is not necessarily aimed at any third country. “On the defense front, our objective is closer information sharing and inter-operability in the region,” […]
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China’s Push in the South China Sea Divides the Region
ASEAN, Brunei, China, Code of Conduct, Diplomatic Relations, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South China Sea Dispute, USA, VietnamAs China brings in a $1 billion oil exploration rig, parking it in a disputed region of the South China Sea and unleashing a deadly anti-China protest in Vietnam, nearby Southeast Asian neighbors appear relatively mute and impotent. Burma (also known as Myanmar), which hosted the meeting of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations, […]
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Has China forgotten its commitments?
Ngo Huu Phuoc: China’s behavior has violated the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the basic principles of international law on friendly relations between countries that are prescribed in the UN Charter and codified in the Declaration of the UN General Assembly, dated 24/10/1970. Under the provisions of the UNCLOS, […]
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Xinhua: ASEAN Should Avoid Being Divided by South China Sea Issue
It was a busy week in China news, with the China-Vietnam stand-off continuing, the U.S. charging five PLA officers with cybercrimes, and a terrorist attack bringing tragedy to Xinjiang. Below, some stories you may have missed on the developments: Xinhua responds to the news that Vietnam and the Philippines are growing closer together in the […]
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South China Sea Dispute: China Unchallenged By ASEAN – Analysis
The coincidence of the China-Vietnam tussle and the ASEAN Summit of 2014 re-focused discussions on the South China Sea dispute but failed to create a significant impact. The foreign ministers of the ASEAN countries issued a standalone declaration that called for “restraint by all parties involved in the maritime dispute and to avoid resorting to […]
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Why Did China Set Up an Oil Rig Within Vietnamese Waters?
The who, what, where, when and how of China’s HD-981 oil rig foray into Vietnamese waters have been addressed comprehensively, both by commentators here at The Diplomat and elsewhere. The enduring question, as with many of China’s provocative actions in the Asia-Pacific, remains why? The opacity of China’s internal decision-making processes makes it rather difficult to conclusively answer that question, but a good amount […]
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ASEAN Leaders Summit to Take Place Amid South China Sea Concerns
Leaders from the ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will meet in in Napyidaw, Myanmar this weekend. The meeting is historic due to its venue: Myanmar is hosting an ASEAN summit for the first time. However, the meeting unfortunately coincides with two major maritime disputes between two ASEAN states and […]
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Indonesia Stresses Importance of Code of Conduct in South China Sea
Naypyidaw, Myanmar. Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said on Friday that it was important for members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China “to quickly conclude” the talks on a code of conduct on the South China Sea. “The recent incident in the South China Sea reminded us of the importance of concluding […]