The government of the Solomon Islands has reached a secretive deal with a Chinese company with close ties to the Communist party that grants it exclusive rights to develop Tulagi, once the seat of British colonial rule in the Pacific archipelago. The confidential arrangement has alarmed residents and raised fears that Beijing could be […]
A Chinese vessel that collided with a Philippine ship in the South China Sea in June may have been sent to the disputed waters on enforcement duty, according to US analysts. In a report released on Wednesday, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) in Washington challenged Chinese claims that the nighttime collision on June […]
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia needs to boost its naval capabilities to prepare for possible conflict in the South China Sea, its foreign minister said on Thursday, even as Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy pursues non-militarization of the disputed waterway. Tensions have escalated in recent weeks, especially after a U.S. Navy destroyer sailed near islands […]
MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese vessel that rammed and sank an anchored Filipino fishing boat near Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea in June may likely be a part of maritime militia, according to analysts. The US-based think tank Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative gathered all publicly available information on “Yuemaobinyu 42212” and concluded […]
A recent visitor to the Philippines was celebrity author of the book When China Rules the World. He presented two arguments – one debatable and the other one disturbing. I found the title of the book disturbing since I have no desire to be ruled by another country, even by China. We have gone […]
China’s newly consolidated ability to stop the river’s flow to SE Asia points to an emerging new regional flashpoint The Mekong River, a waterway that originates in China and snakes through five Southeast Asian countries, is emerging as a new security flashpoint, similar in dynamic to escalating conflicts in the South China Sea. China […]
Vietnamese fishermen recently may have gotten a big surprise: an 11,000-ton submarine surfacing among their boats. The incident reportedly occurred in September but has only recently come to light via social media. The Chinese Navy Jin Class ballistic missile submarine was said to have been operating near the Paracel Islands. The islands, known as […]
HONG KONG: CHINA IS IMPLEMENTING THE LARGEST MILITARY BUILD-UP THE WORLD HAS SEEN SINCE THE END OF WORLD WAR II. THE UPPERMOST QUESTION THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED IS WHY. CHINA HAS BEEN INVESTING HEAVILY IN THE PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY (PLA) EVEN THOUGH THE COUNTRY IS NOT AT WAR AND DESPITE THE FACT THAT […]
As the rules of the sovereignty endgame are revved up for reconnaissance and surveillance of the environment and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), the increased use of unmanned aerial vehicles or non-lethal drones emits more than a steady buzz in the latest foreign policy salvos among claimant nations against Beijing’s control of the South China […]
The Dreamworks’ movie Abominable features China’s controversial “nine-dash line” map, which shows Beijing’s territorial claims in the contested waters. Vietnam has already ordered the movie pulled from cinemas because of the scene. MANILA (DPA) – The Philippines’ foreign affairs chief on Wednesday (Oct 16) said he wants a scene in the animated film Abominable […]