On 13 April 2015, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) released a statement calling out China’s reclamation activities as causing “irreversible and widespread damage to the biodiversity and ecological balance of the South China Sea (SCS)/West Philippine Sea (WPS).” The DFA pointed out that China’s activities have so far caused destruction to over 300 […]
While China’s recent assertiveness in the South China Sea might shock and surprise today’s observers, its behavior has actually been remarkably consistent over recent decades. China first exercised its power in the region in January 1974 when it ejected South Vietnam from the Crescent Islands. In March 1988, the Chinese Navy clashed with Vietnamese vessels, […]
Washington: The United States on Friday swiftly rejected a suggestion by a top Chinese military official who said that disputed South China Sea islands could be used for international rescue and relief operations. Beijing has been roundly criticized by the West for construction work on islands in the South China Sea, including the building of […]
China’s reclamation activities in disputed waters of the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) damage the environment and violate international laws, international researchers said. “Large-scale reclamation work in the South China Sea using living coral reefs as building material is causing severe environmental damage. It is also against international law,” said Youna Lyons and Wong […]
NEW DELHI: With China showing no signs of climbing down from its claim in the South China Sea region and continuing with building artificial islands including airstrips in the region, some members of the ASEAN including Vietnam and Singapore at their just concluded summit have called for immediate Code of Conduct (COC) by Beijing and […]
MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III said Tuesday he sees “very, very substantial progress” in discussions within ASEAN of the South China Sea issues. Arriving in Manila from Malaysia, where he attended the 26th ASEAN Summit and pushed for asserting ASEAN centrality in facing China’s increasingly aggressive moves to control the strategic waters, Aquino […]
LANGKAWI, Malaysia — Southeast Asian leaders on Tuesday expressed “serious concerns” over China’s land reclamation activities in disputed areas of the South China Sea, which they said could undermine peace, security and stability in the region. The stand was taken in the form of a “chairman’s statement” released by Malaysia one day after it hosted […]
BEIJING – China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that it was “extremely concerned” after leaders of Southeast Asian countries expressed worry about land reclamation and navigational freedom in the disputed South China Sea. China’s reclamation work in the South China Sea has become the latest source of tension with some of its smaller neighbours, several […]
MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III said Tuesday he sees “very, very substantial progress” in discussions within ASEAN of the South China Sea issues. Arriving in Manila from Malaysia, where he attended the 26th ASEAN Summit and pushed for asserting ASEAN centrality in facing China’s increasingly aggressive moves to control the strategic waters, Aquino […]
China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea are prompting a soul-searching query from Hanoi to Washington: At what point does a sliced-up salami cease being a salami at all? In a short space of time, China’s unilateral and incremental efforts to carve out a greater presence in the South China Sea — by, for […]