The United States is giving Vietnam’s coastguard a second cutter vessel, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday, vowing to maintain a routine military presence in the disputed South China Sea. The new security ship “represents another concrete symbol of our strengthening relationship”, Esper said at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam after a tour […]

THE UNITED States has stoked tensions with China after Defence Secretary Mark Esper confirmed it was providing Vietnam with another coast guard cutter for its growing fleet of ships, boosting Hanoi’s ability to patrol the South China Sea amid tensions with China. And Mr Esper also upped the stakes by accusing China of “bullying” its […]

  MANILA, Philippines – The U.S. defence chief has urged governments affected by China’s sweeping territorial claims in the South China Sea “to take a very public posture” and assert their sovereign rights, adding that acting collectively is the best way to send a message “to get China on the right path.” Defence Secretary Mark […]

  US Defence Secretary Mark Esper yesterday vowed more support for the Philippines in efforts to modernise the country’s military and improve maritime security as tensions build over the disputed South China Sea. Esper, who was in Manila for a one-day visit, said he and Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana discussed various ways to strengthen […]

United States Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has urged all nations, especially claimants to the hotly contested South China (West Philippine) Sea, to take a stand publicly by asserting their sovereign rights and to adopt public postures. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Esper cited the recently concluded Association of […]

The US Navy is strengthening its presence in the South China Sea by deploying two Independence-class ships specialising in nearshore operations. This deployment of the littoral combat ships suggested that the US strategy had switched from reconnaissance and deterrence to increasing its attack capability, a Beijing-based think tank said. The USS Gabrielle Giffords left Singapore’s […]

MANILA – China is responsible for most of the destruction in the West Philippine Sea, an American scientist told House lawmakers Tuesday. Marine biologist Dr. Kent Carpenter of US-based Old Dominion University told House members that China alone accounts for most of the destruction in the disputed waters. “If you look at the total damage […]

  MANILA- The Philippines and the United States reaffirmed on Tuesday their commitment to uphold the lawful use of the disputed South China Sea as Washington reiterated its support for Manila. Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and his US counterpart Mark Esper emphasized during a meeting in Manila on Tuesday the need to uphold freedom […]

New Filipino coast guard chief prefers cooperation over confrontation in South China Sea Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has named a new coast guard commandant who is widely viewed as his new “czar” for the South China Sea, an appointment that could put the wider military establishment on a back foot regarding their sea tensions with […]

  ASEAN members remain optimistic that they can come up with a substantive and effective code of conduct on the South China Sea by 2021. Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen said developing the code of conduct is vital as there is potential for mishaps and incidents to occur in the disputed waters. May Wong […]