Tag Archives: Artificial Islands

Australia ‘deplores’ unilateral action in South China Sea: Tony Abbott

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has delivered a blunt warning to China that Australia “deplores” any unilateral action that would alter the status quo in the South China Sea, a clear reference to China’s ambitious reclamation and island-building projects that are designed to position its military hardware in the disputed Spratly Islands chain. Mr Abbott and […]

China angered by Philippine documentary on South China Sea

(Updated 6:03 p.m.) BEIJING – China on Monday accused the Philippines of spreading misinformation and “creating the illusion of the victim” in their dispute over the South China Sea after Manila aired a three-part documentary defending its position. The first part of the documentary series titled “Karapatan sa Dagat,” or maritime rights, was released as […]

Why is China hesitating to go to ICJ over South China Sea claims, asks Koh Tsu Koon

EIJING: Asean representatives have urged China to speed up negotiations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea to move another step forward and settle territorial disputes. “From the perspective of Asean as small countries, we are concerned of the South China Sea disputes and geo-politics (in the region), on how it […]

US to China: Prove your claim

WASHINGTON – If China can prove indisputably it owns the islets, shoals and reefs that are at the heart of a dispute with the Philippines and other neighbors, the US will support it 100 percent, Deputy US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Blinken said the US made it clear during a US-China strategic and […]

Serenity in the South China Sea

The United States should accept many dimensions of China’s economic, and now military, growth with as much serenity as it can muster. But there are some that call for pushback and the jury is still out on America’s capacity to make the right calls. The central, painful, reality that the US must accept is that […]

China aggressively building islands on reefs claimed by Philippines

China is reportedly proceeding with the construction of artificial islands on at least two reefs, which are claimed by the Philippines, despite Beijing promising to end some work soon. Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon of Kalayaan Islands, which falls under Philippine’s control, said that he saw Chinese land reclamation activity going on in ‘full swing,’ with many […]

Let world court settle South China Sea disputes, says Asean

BEIJING: Representatives of Asean have urged China to settle disputes in the South China Sea through the International Court of Justice, and to speed up negotiations on a code of conduct. The pro-chancellor of Malaysia’s Wawasan Open University, Koh Tsu Koon, said disputes that could not be solved through negotiations could be taken to the […]

Unease at China’s rise in South China Sea

Hainan Island, China — The U.S. and China are jockeying for power in the South China Sea, deploying sharp words and an expanding fleet of warships, spy planes and fighter jets to protect their interests in a vital maritime domain. Is this regional arms race and increasingly tense diplomatic showdown between the world’s two largest […]

Palace insists all bilateral means to solve sea row exhausted

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines has exhausted all bilateral means to find solutions to the West Philippine Sea dispute and could not be accused of provoking China to go into massive reclamation activities, Malacañang said yesterday. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the country has always acted accordingly in addressing the territorial dispute. “We have […]

Island Building

Follow the latest developments on island reclamation activities in maritime Asia. Exclusive new satellite imagery is added on a regular basis. Island Building Cuarteron Reef U.S. Board of Geographic Names: Cuarteron Reef Chinese: Huayang Jiao (华阳礁) Philippine: Calderon Reef Vietnamese: Bãi Châu Viên The artificial island at Cuarteron Reef saw most of its construction and […]