In a recent essay, eminent political scientist Graham Allison downplays international criticism of China’s blatant rejection of an unfavorable legal verdict at The Hague. By pointing out the unlawful behavior of status quo powers, his article gives the misleading impression that China’s noncompliance to the international court’s decision is essentially normal. “[N]one of the five […]

China has claimed to have unmasked Japanese malfeasance and “manipulation” amid a campaign to discredit an international tribunal ruling two weeks ago that largely invalidated Beijing’s claims to most of the South China Sea. In the days since the July 12 ruling on a case brought by the Philippines before the Hague-based Permanent Court of […]

Last month’s ruling by an international court redrew the map of the South China Sea…though China refuses to accept the decision. But while attention is focused on that regions reefs, shoals and artificial islands, law of the sea scholars now say the court decision could also affect another disputed feature, with a strange history…more on […]

“We ask every state involved to abide by those rules,” said Ahmad during his meeting with British Chamber of Commerce Philippines in Makati City Tuesday. He added that as a party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), United Kingdom seeks for “total compliance” with the ruling of the PCA […]

On 12 July 2016, the Tribunal constituted under Annex VII to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) located at The Hague in the Netherlands passed judgement on the case of the Republic of the Philippines V. the People’s Republic of China. The Award, concerning the historic rights and maritime entitlements […]

As Southeast Asian nations continue to be split on the tribunal award, Beijing has demonstrated its will to power and determination to defend its interests in the teeth of opposition. China sees the U.S. hand ubiquitous in the July 12 award by the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the Scarborough Shoal dispute in the South […]

Typhoon Nida is barreling through the South China Sea, after dumping over 300 millimeters of rain on the Philippines over the weekend. As Hong Kong braces for landfall sometime tonight (Aug. 1), some controversial, much-less-populated landmasses may already be feeling the brunt of the storm. That’s because in the past few years China has rapidly […]

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan’s president on Monday apologized on behalf of the government to the island’s aboriginal peoples for 400 years of conquest and colonization, saying the facing of difficult historical facts was necessary for society to move forward. Tsai Ing-wen said her government wished to “take a further step” and offer its “fullest apology.” […]

As the typhoon season rages, Chinese officials will be keeping a nervous eye on the weather. The runways and harbours built on rocks and reefs in the South China Sea may be as physically precarious as the legal basis to the maritime claims they epitomise. John McManus of the University of Miami reckons the “supertyphoons” […]

France is pressing its allies in the European Union (EU) — especially Germany and the United Kingdom (despite Brexit) — to establish joint EU naval patrols of the South China Sea. France is urging the 27-nation EU to coordinate naval patrols in the South China Sea to ensure a “regular and visible” presence in the […]