Military Conflict
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US, China heading toward face-off, says Mearsheimer
TOKYO — If China continues to grow economically and militarily, the possibility of armed conflict in Asia will grow as countries such as Japan and the U.S. step up their security efforts, says John J. Mearsheimer, a professor of political science at the University of Chicago. The American scholar and author said he came to […]
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Japan flexing muscles in South China Sea disputes
China, Foreign Relations, Japan, Militarization, Military Conflict, Mutual Defense, Philippines, South China Sea Dispute, USA, VietnamJapan used to be aloof from the three-way chess game of conflicting territorial claims in the South China Sea. Tokyo was pre-occupied with its own territorial dispute with China over a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea, known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Daioyu in China. However, quietly encouraged by […]
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China Challenges ASEAN with Land Fills in South China Sea
Artificial Islands, ASEAN, Cambodia, China, Code of Conduct, Destabilization, Malaysia, Military Conflict, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, String of Pearls Strategy, VietnamA stunning series of photos released by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C. offer a grim outlook for the region as Beijing ratchets-up its territorial assertions over the hotly disputed Spratly and Paracel islands. At least four major man-made structures have been erected on Itu, Gaven, Johnson South and Fiery […]
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In a Test of Wills, Japanese Fighter Pilots Confront Chinese
NAHA, Japan — Once a sleepy, sun-soaked backwater, this air base on the southern island of Okinawa has become the forefront of a dangerous test of wills between two of Asia’s largest powers, Japan and China. At least once every day, Japanese F-15 fighter jets roar down the runway, scrambling to intercept foreign aircraft, mostly […]
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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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At China Sea Impasse, Manila Bolsters Navy
MANILA— The Philippine Navy is upgrading its capabilities at a time of continuing tensions with China over disputed territory in the South China Sea. In recent weeks, an Indonesian naval shipbuilder started work on two “strategic sealift vessels” that the Philippines is acquiring for more than $87 million and expects within two years, said Commander […]
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Crowded Waters: The South China Sea’s Next Big Flashpoint?
Analysis, Arms Race, China, Military Buildup, Military Conflict, Philippines, South China Sea DisputeThe South China Sea ranks high on any list of the world’s geopolitical hotspots. But though the region has been volatile for centuries, the last two decades have witnessed a subtle shift in the underlying drivers of conflict. Through most of the second half of the twentieth century, the biggest threats to regional stability were […]
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China is pushing South China Sea situation to the brink of miscalculation
Artificial Island, Ayungin Shoal, BRP Sierra Madre, China, Militarization, Military Conflict, Military Exercises, Naval Blockade, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Dispute, SpratlysSecurity experts believe China is pushing the region to the “brink of miscalculations” in the South China Sea with its expansive land reclamation in disputed territories as the Philippines anticipates more blockades by the Chinese in the West Philippine Sea once their facilities become fully operational next year. “The bases are being constructed very fast, […]
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Why reduced South China Sea tension is possible in 2015
MANILA, Philippines — The long-standing rivalry over maritime zones in the South China Sea will not be settled but may simmer down this year, analysts say. Robert Farley, professor at University of Kentucky’s Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, believes that the import-oriented trend in the oil industry can affect how rival claimants China […]
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The Fog of Law: China’s Great South China Sea Dilemma
Arbitration, China, Lawfare, Military Conflict, Philippines, Position Paper, South China Sea Dispute, UNCLOSRecent months have witnessed an impressive Chinese diplomatic blitzkrieg, with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang feverishly courting friends and foes alike, proposing ambitious trading agreements and acquiescing to various confidence building measures (CBMS) aimed at de-escalating geopolitical tensions in the region. But China’s intensifying legal battle with the Philippines has injected new uncertainties […]