MANILA: The Philippines Sunday hailed what it termed growing international support for its efforts to counter China’s claims to most of the South China Sea. The comments from a presidential spokesman came as the U.S. Pacific Fleet released photographs of its commander in a surveillance flight over the sea, where tension is rising between Manila […]
The increasingly loud accusations and declarations from Beijing and Washington over China’s ambitions to reclaim a string of small islands, coral reefs and lagoons show no signs of ending. However, given the number of international stakeholders in the region, the real promise of science for diplomacy may now be at hand in this complex geopolitical […]
The South China Sea is a litmus test for South Korean grand strategy, which would benefit greatly by reorienting away from an inward obsession with North Korea and instead turning outward, to attend to the destabilizing trends in its neighborhood. Korea’s history is one of victimization at the hands of great power competition; avoiding that […]
Professor Philippe Sands QC is one of the foreign legal experts tapped by the Philippines to handle its case against China’s claims over parts of the West Philippine Sea. Sands is currently a barrister with Matrix Chambers in London, United Kingdom, where he practices international law focusing on maritime boundary disputes, international claims relating to […]
The Philippine government has hired foreign legal experts as its representatives in its case against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands. Answering criticisms, Malacañang argued that the country needs the help of these foreign experts who have “international reputation appearing before the tribunal.” Based on GMA News Online’s research, the […]
Though China has effectively boycotted the arbitration proceedings at The Hague, the Arbitral Tribunal has (once again) given Beijing the opportunity to respond to Manila’s claims and arguments. From the Philippines’ voluminous memorial, submitted in March 2014, to the Philippines’ additional arguments, submitted a year after, China has been repeatedly given the opportunity to make […]
MANILA, Philippines — The new U.S. commander of the Pacific Fleet assured allies Friday that American forces are well-equipped and ready to respond to any contingency in the South China Sea, where long-seething territorial disputes have set off widespread uncertainties. Adm. Scott Swift, who assumed command of the Pacific Fleet in May, said the Navy […]
U.S. Senators John McCain (Rep-Arizona) and Jack Reed (Dem-Rhode Island), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee; and Senators Bob Corker (Rep-Tennessee) and Ben Cardin (Dem-Maryland), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee released this statement: “Over the past week a legal team from the Philippines began oral arguments […]
The United States moved to reassure its jittery allies in the Asia-Pacific that it has enough firepower to maintain stability in the region that has seen increased Chinese muscle-flexing in recent years. Admiral Scott Swift, the commander of the US Pacific Fleet, said that the US could increase deployment of combat ships, if necessary, and […]
Since 2014 China has been constructing features atop seven coral reefs in the disputed Spratly/Nansha Islands of the South China Sea by dredging sand and coral from existing coral reefs. At last count China’s new features total more than 2,000 acres.[1] This activity has produced much commentary.[2] However, none of the commentary addresses all of […]