Vietnam demands that China compensate Vietnamese fishermen who were robbed by Chinese vessels while fishing off the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands earlier this month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday. MOFA spokesperson Le Hai Binh Binh condemned the acts of Chinese men as “inhuman” and demanded that such acts not be repeated. “Under any […]

Western and Asian governments and commentators have pilloried the Chinese government for its inscrutability on the so-called ‘nine-dash line’ in the South China Sea. Because the nine-dash line allegedly lacks a basis in international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), they have hectored China to clarify […]

This is an excerpt of a speech by veteran diplomat Bilahari Kausikan organised by the Institute of Policy Studies on Wednesday. This is his third lecture in the IPS-Nathan Lecture series. In the lecture, he examines the impact of US-China competition on Asean. In the extract below, he gives his reading of what has spurred […]

Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during his meeting with U.S. Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday that China is resolute in defending its sovereignty in the South China Sea, and believes the disputes should be settled peacefully by relevant claimants through direct talks, Xinhua said. Xi said Beijing “respects and safeguards the freedom of […]

BEIJING — Chinese diplomats are known to be tough, but it is rare to hear descriptions of how tough. A senior Singaporean diplomat has pulled back the veil and has talked about China’s efforts to put smaller Asian countries in their place. In a speech on Wednesday, the diplomat, Bilahari Kausikan, ambassador at large and […]

The move is part of a military buildup on islands overlooking the South China Sea that will see a refurbished runway and a new port constructed, Ryamizard Ryacudu said in an interview on Thursday with Bloomberg News. It also involves the deployment of marines, air force special force units, an army battalion, three frigates, a […]

Chinese vessels have been spotted in the waters around Scarborough Shoal, a hotly contested atoll just 140 miles off the coast of Manila, the Philippine capital on the island of Luzon. Details remain sparse, but the presence of survey craft suggests preparations may be underway for China to occupy Scarborough and build a base there. […]

“Drone war” appears to be building up in the South China Sea as China, Vietnam, and the Philippines jostle for advantage in their “Mexican standoff.” According to an expert, their turning to unmanned aerial vehicle technology reflects new terms of global competition changing the rules of the game for many long-simmering conflicts and rivalries. Drone […]

Malaysia announced on Tuesday that all foreign vessels are banned from fishing in its waters, following reports that some 100 fishing vessels were spotted off the Luconia Shoals. KUALA LUMPUR: All foreign vessels are not allowed to fish in Malaysian waters, National Security Minister Shahidan Kassim told reporters on Tuesday (Mar 29) after last week’s […]

KUALA LUMPUR: Contradictory statements on the encroachment or otherwise of Chinese vessels in Malaysian waters is very puzzling. The Diplomat reports that it could simply be a further illustration of Malaysia’s policy of playing it safe when it comes to the South China Sea dispute. The report said Shahidan Kassim, minister in the prime minister’s […]