The United States and China had a frank exchange of views on the disputed South China Sea during a visit to Beijing by US President Donald Trump on Thursday, US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said. China claims almost the entire strategic waterway through which about $3-trillion worth of goods pass every year, […]
BEIJING – China has plans to test launch a Long March rocket in the South China Sea soon, for commercial purposes, reported Global Times on Wednesday (Nov 8). “If a rocket is launched closer to the equator, its carrying capacity can be higher with lower costs,” Mr Hu Haifeng, a rocket system designer […]
Many reports have focused on the way China’s government uses censorship to suppress certain views in its academic sphere, both of Chinese academics and foreign presses. But how does it use carrots as opposed to sticks? Given China’s rising international importance, it is worth considering the topics the Chinese government is encouraging its international […]
Recent news that Australia’s Foreign Minister has indicated interest in taking part in a resurrected US-Australia-Japan-India quadrilateral dialogue on the sidelines of the upcoming ASEAN Summit is to be welcomed. It is an indication how much the strategic situation in the Asia Pacific has shifted. Positive as this latest development might be, it should […]
MANILA, Philippines — China is eyeing to deploy military aircraft and missiles on its artificially-constructed islands in the West Philippine Sea and continues with its building activities in the region, according to an international expert. Gregory Polling, a fellow of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, said the installation of military equipment and hardware […]
MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – President Rodrigo Duterte aborted plans by the Philippine military to construct artisanal facilities on one of the sandbars near Philippine-occupied Pag-asa (Thitu) Island following a protest from China. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana revealed this while addressing an ASEAN Leadership forum in Makati on Wednesday, November 8, which was attended […]
BEIJING, China — China has unveiled a massive ship described as a “magic island maker” that is Asia’s largest dredging vessel, state media reported Saturday. The ship, capable of building artificial islands of the sort the country has constructed in the contested South China Sea, was launched Friday at a port in eastern […]
The anointment of President Xi Jinping as the ‘core leader’ in the recently concluded 19th Chinese Communist Party congress, and by enshrining his thoughts on “Socialism with Chinese characteristics in a new era” in the party’s constitution, Jinping has elevated himself to the exalted status of Chairman Mao Zedong. Like the Little Red Book, Jinping’s […]
China is continuing with its plan announced earlier this year to create two Chinese-controlled international maritime courts that would be used to provide China’s interpretation of maritime law. The continuation of the plan is the latest signal that China has not given up on pushing forward its maritime claims in the South China Sea, […]
Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano on Sunday expressed alarm over the launch of China’s 140-meter long, 28-meter wide dredging vessel Tian Kun Hao, pointing out the threat it may pose to the Philippines’ claim over territories in the West Philippine Sea. In a statement, Alejano said the Tian Kun Hao, which Chinese […]