Tag Archives: History

When Scarborough was ‘Panacot’

Common sense, as we all know, is far from common. Then there are the things we hold to be true without question. When we take the trouble to give these a second look, sometimes we are surprised to find the opposite to be true. People who have followed this column for many years know how […]

Historical Truths and Lies: Scarborough Shoal in Ancient Maps

The Ateneo de Manila University, in partnership with the Institute for Maritime and Ocean Affairs, launched a cartographic exhibit  on “Historical Truths and Lies: Scarborough Shoal in Ancient Maps “featuring copies of ancient maps of China and the Philippines on February 5, 2015. The exhibit is based on the lecture on Supreme Court Justice Antonio […]

South China Sea: Jakobson and Glaser are both right

There has recently been a touch of disagreement on this site between Linda Jakobson of the Lowy Institute and Bonnie Glaser of CSIS about the motivations for China’s actions in the South China Sea. In short, Jakobson argues that China’s decision-making can be explained by bureaucratic competition between China’s various maritime agencies, whereas Glaser says […]

‘Confucius’ on the South China Sea dispute

If you walk around the Chinese garden section of the Luneta Park, you would find a statue of China’s most important teacher, Kong Zi, or more popularly known under his Latinized name, Confucius. From the moment the Han dynasty officially made his thoughts the ideological cement of society, Confucius has served as the symbol of […]

Why Specks of Land in the South China Sea Are Fueling Tensions Between Beijing and Its Neighbors

They have names like Pigeon Reef, West Sand, Taisho-To, and Scarborough Shoal. Most are no more than outcrops of rock poking out of the sea. Most have never been inhabited. Few have any direct economic value. If not for the perceived fish and oil wealth in the waters around them, the spat over these specks […]

South China Sea: Why Beijing avoids the court

On 7 December, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released an official position paper outlining China’s legal position on the South China Sea UNCLOS arbitration. This paper appears to serve two purposes. First, China seeks to indirectly participate in the arbitration without formally acknowledging its legitimacy. While the Foreign Ministry has timed the release of this […]

China’s sea claim ‘does not accord with intl law’ – US govt paper

A United States government report has challenged China’s claims in the South China Sea. In a paper released last Friday, the US State Department’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs (OES) said that China’s claim on nearly the entirety of the South China Sea—an area within a so-called “nine-dash line” described by […]

South China Sea: Still no evidence of historical Chinese claims

Two scholars have responded to my call for supporters of Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea to provide verifiable evidence in support of their arguments. However the response of Dr Li Dexia and Tan Keng Tat (http://www.rsis.edu.sg/rsis-publication/rsis/co14165) shows just how difficult this task is likely to be. They are unable to prove any […]