Category Archives: News

U.S. Prods Diffident Asian Allies into Challenging China in South China Sea

The U.S. Department of Defense wants the United States’ allies in Asia and the Pacific to bolster their military power in the South China Sea in support of its own efforts to confront and contain China’s illegal neocolonialist expansion. Washington, DC, United States (4E) – The U.S. Department of Defense wants the United States’ allies […]

Japan protests Chinese survey ship operating near Okinotorishima atoll, a small but vital piece in Tokyo’s maritime territory claims

The protest may fall on deaf ears, however, as Beijing has in the past carried out similar surveys and insisted Okinotorishima is merely a few rocks that would not be above the waves without reinforcement. Beijing has maintained Okinotorishima is not able to sustain human life and cannot be recognised as an island. And if […]

World View: Britain May Establish a Military Base in South China Sea After Brexit

In the 1800s, Britain was the world’s superpower. Now, Britain’s Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson says that Britain could return to being a “true global power” after Brexit. According to Williamson, Britain will become a much more important world player after Brexit: This is our biggest moment as a nation since the end of the Second […]

What’s in the New Indonesia South China Sea Base Hype?

A recent development has spotlighted Jakarta’s ongoing efforts to upgrade and integrate its existing capabilities to address a range of threats. Indonesia’s official announcement last month of an expanded security presence in the Natuna Islands near the South China Sea attracted significant headlines in the country and beyond. The development spotlighted Jakarta’s ongoing efforts to […]

Commentary: The geo-political fault line in Philippine society

During his six-year term, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III pursued a balancing or a challenging policy on China’s expansive maritime claim in the South China Sea. He countered China by shifting the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ focus from domestic security to territorial defense. This included bolstering closer Philippine-U.S. security relations, acquiring American military equipment, […]

Can China control the South China Sea?

What’s the nature of China’s power, and what should the world do about it? In a series of debates organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, leading experts confronted the challenges and opportunities presented by the country’s rise. Here we’re bringing you the fourth of five debates. Sign up to the Inkstone newsletter […]