Washington: China’s hastily expanding campaign to reclaim land in the South China Sea for potential military use now totals 800 hectares, the US has said, stressing that the move to build artificial islands in the disputed area is inconsistent with the region’s desire for peace and stability. “We currently assess that China has reclaimed approximately […]
May 9 (Reuters) – China embarked upon extensive land reclamation efforts at five outposts in the disputed Spratly Islands last year, adding huge amounts of terrain to bolster its civil and military presence in an area claimed by rivals, a new Pentagon report said on Friday. Chinese building and land-filling efforts have accelerated this year, […]
WASHINGTON—China has dramatically expanded its construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea this year, American officials said, stoking U.S. fears of expanding territorial claims by Beijing in the region. American officials have determined that in the past five months alone, China has expanded the artificial islands on submerged reefs known as the Spratlys […]
China reserves the right to establish an Air Defense Identification Zone over the South China Sea, a move that would raise tensions in a region wracked by territorial disputes. “China is entitled to set up ADIZs,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Thursday. “A decision in this regard depends on whether the air safety […]
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, […]
May 8 (Reuters) – Newly released images show Vietnam has carried out significant land reclamation at two sites in the disputed South China Sea, though the scale and pace is dwarfed by that of China, a U.S. research institute said. In response, China condemned Vietnam’s actions, and said its work in the region was part […]
A handful of Democrats and Republicans have expressed an interest in running for their party’s 2016 presidential nomination while others are considering. Whoever is elected as the next president of the United States, he/she should place higher priority on the South China Sea (SCS). Why? First, the SCS has emerged as a central aspect of […]
The Philippines has done some minor “repairs and maintenance” work in Filipino-occupied areas within the country’s exclusive economic zone which is allowed under international law unlike the massive land reclamations by China which are far from its territory and grossly violates the law, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said Tuesday. At the same time, Del […]
Beijing’s new land-reclamation strategy in the South China Sea has been ringing alarm bells in the region and has prompted the U.S. to accuse China of attempting to force its way to de facto control of disputed waters. Several high-definition satellite images surfaced this month of China’s land reclamation and construction on Mischief Reef in […]
In the past, China’s presence in the disputed South China Sea waters was based on what it says are historical claims to the area. Now, China is shifting its narrative from a so-called regional military “reclamation” effort based on sovereignty claims to one that boasts humanitarian contributions for the region. Despite international criticism, China has […]