Category Archives: News

WATCH China Test Launch ‘Carrier Killer’ Missile Amid Strait Tensions With US

Earlier, the Chinese military mobilised its DF-26 nuclear-capable intermediate-range anti-ship missiles, also known as ‘Guam Killers’ for their ability to strike American military installations on the Pacific island, amid ongoing US ‘freedom of navigation’ missions in the South China Sea and through the Taiwan Strait. Chinese state television has released a video showing the People’s […]

Growing Chinese Navy Adds to Risk of Clashes in Asia’s Major Maritime Dispute

TAIPEI — A Chinese missile frigate returned last week from a five-day, friendly visit to the Philippines — days after a Chinese fleet had visited Cambodia and half a year after a Chinese state firm started taking bids to build a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, a sign of Beijing’s growing power at sea. Multiple media outlets […]

Coercive Gradualism Through Gray Zone Statecraft In South China Seas: China’s Strategy And Potential US Options – Analysis

China’s graduated use of coercive instruments of national power in the South China Sea (SCS) constitutes an informed strategy.1 Such coercive gradualism is supported by gray zone tactics, which are measures that are aggressive yet designed to remain below the threshold of conventional military conflict.2 This combined approach minimizes international involvement, localizes issues, and ensures […]

China’s ‘Dark Fishing Fleets’ Cast a Black Shadow Over the South China Sea

A U.S.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies report, “Illuminating the South China Sea’s Dark Fishing Fleets,” sheds new light on the size and behavior of fishing fleets in the Spratly Islands. The report reveals the presence of a large “dark fishing fleet” in the South China Sea and concludes that “most of these vessels […]

Christopher Pyne says China has raised regional ‘anxiety’ over its activities in the South China Sea

Defence Minister Christopher Pyne has called on Beijing to act responsibly in the South China Sea and avoid mimicking Russia’s “might is right” approach to diplomacy. But he urged Beijing to rethink its approach to the politically-charged waters of the South China Sea, arguing the world power was eroding regional confidence and increasing anxiety, including […]

US naval chief: American and Chinese navies in talks to reduce risk of South China Sea miscalculation

Admiral John Richardson said a ‘continuous dialogue’ is aimed at building understanding Admiral John Richardson told an audience at the Washington-based Brookings Institute that the interchanges between the two navies aim to build communication to avoid a potentially disastrous blunder. The discussions are a positive sign that China and the US are moving forward with […]