Tag Archives: Military Conflict

China’s Claims in the South China Sea

Beijing and Washington are at odds over whether the U.S. has the right to send military planes and ships close to the Spratly Islands, where China is in the process of building a set of artificial islands.  International law – the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea — only goes so far […]

China’s Army Plays Down South China Sea Island-Building

BEIJING — China’s military on Tuesday compared its controversial island-building in the South China Sea to ordinary construction such as road-building going on elsewhere in the country, trying to deflect criticism over an issue seen as inflaming tensions in the region. At the same venue, however, the Defense Ministry issued a report reaffirming China’s more […]

China’s Army Plays Down South China Sea Island-Building

BEIJING — China’s military on Tuesday compared its controversial island-building in the South China Sea to ordinary construction such as road-building going on elsewhere in the country, trying to deflect criticism over an issue seen as inflaming tensions in the region. At the same venue, however, the Defense Ministry issued a report reaffirming China’s more […]

China state paper warns of war over South China Sea unless U.S. backs down

BEIJING, May 25 (Reuters) – A Chinese state-owned newspaper said on Monday that “war is inevitable” between China and the United States over the South China Sea unless Washington stops demanding Beijing halt the building of artificial islands in the disputed waterway. The Global Times, an influential nationalist tabloid owned by the ruling Communist Party’s […]

Aquino: PH to defy China

Philippine military and commercial aircraft will keep flying over disputed areas in the West Philippine Sea despite China’s warnings to its planes, President Aquino said on Monday. Aquino told reporters there was no declared air defense identification zone by China over what it claimed were parts of its territory in the South China Sea. “We […]

Experts warn of military conflicts in S.China Sea

Experts on Sunday warned of a potential military conflict over heightened US surveillance in the South China Sea and cautioned that both sides should try their best to avoid miscalculation in the world’s most important bilateral relations. Analysts believe that recent US military activity is another example of how the US is struggling to maintain […]

China state paper warns of war over South China Sea unless US backs down More

BEIJING – A Chinese state-owned newspaper said on Monday that “war is inevitable” between China and the United States over the South China Sea unless Washington stops demanding Beijing halt the building of artificial islands in the disputed waterway. The Global Times, an influential nationalist tabloid owned by the ruling Communist Party’s official newspaper the […]

Japan to join US, Australia war games amid growing China tensions

SYDNEY – Japan will join a major US-Australian military exercise for the first time in a sign of growing security links between the three countries as tensions fester over China’s island building in the South China Sea. While only 40 Japanese officers and soldiers will take part in drills involving 30,000 US and Australian troops […]

South China Sea dispute: Southeast Asia maritime build-up accelerates

Singapore: South-east Asian nations are prioritising spending on their navies and coastguards amid rising tensions in the South China Sea, but as their capabilities grow, so does the risk that any confrontation in the contested waterway will be harder to contain. Annual defence spending in south-east Asia is projected to reach $US52 billion ($66 billion) […]

China Unveils Plans for Greater Naval Role Beyond Its Coasts

China set out its ambitions for a bigger naval presence far from its coasts, amid wariness among its neighbors over whether the country’s fleet will be used to back up its territorial claims. The People’s Liberation Army will add “open seas protection” to “offshore waters defense” on a list of core naval missions, according to […]