Since China began reclaiming land in the South China Sea a few months ago using advanced dredging techniques, the Spratly Islands have become a test of wills between U.S. President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. As WSJ’s Andrew Browne writes, one tiny reef in particular has become a potential flashpoint for U.S.-China ties: […]
Secretary of State John Kerry recently visited Beijing for the purpose, among other things, of persuading the Chinese to submit their claims in the South China Sea to negotiation with the other ASEAN states. To no one’s surprise, the mission was a failure; the Chinese flatly refused to budge from their position, and had the […]
SINGAPORE – Asean and China should “expeditiously” ink an agreement that is aimed at easing the tensions in the South China Sea, urged Singapore Defence minister Ng Eng Hen. China and the claimant states should “expeditiously conclude” the Code of conduct, a pact that would forbid the first use of force in potential conflicts and […]
Instead of becoming more deeply entangled in the South China Sea quarrel, the United States needs to take a step back. It is one thing to make clear to Beijing that Washington will never countenance China transforming 80 percent of that area into Chinese territorial waters. It is quite another matter to implicitly back rival […]
In the past 12 months, China has provoked considerable attention with its reclamation activities in the South China Sea, particularly in the Spratlys where it controls seven maritime features. China’s history of salami-slicing presents a dilemma to regional countries as well as external powers with regional interests: do they escalate an incident each time China […]
Vietnam said it will not respect a fishing ban imposed by China in the Gulf of Tonkin. Tensions sparked once again Sunday after Vietnam refused to abide by China’s fishing ban on the disputed maritime area. Since 1999, China has imposed an annual fishing ban to promote and maintain the fishing industry, however, Hanoi believes […]
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has been presenting nothing but facts to reveal China’s massive reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), and it is up to the global community to determine its implications on the security of the region, Malacañang stressed yesterday. China’s Foreign Ministry accused the Philippines of working together […]
BEIJING (REUTERS) – The United States and China clashed over a territorial dispute in the South China Sea yesterday, as China’s foreign minister asserted its sovereignty to reclaim reefs saying its determination to protect its interests is “as hard as a rock”. After a private meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry, China’s Foreign […]
Vietnam has protested and dismissed China’s annual ban on fishing ban in the East Sea, the Vietnamese name for the South China Sea, for the next two-and-a-half months. Le Hai Binh, spokesman for the Vietnamese foreign affairs ministry, said in a statement late Saturday that the ban violates Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, […]
MANILA, Philippines – Illegal fishing activities of the Chinese and Vietnamese in the West Philippine Sea have caused alarm with Filipino fishermen residing in the area. According to a report, the foreigners have been seen fishing near Pagasa Island which lies in the disputed waters. The Filipino fishermen would chase or warn illegal fishers away but […]