TAIPEI – China is building two aircraft carriers that will be the same size as its sole carrier, a 60,000-tonne refurbished Soviet-era ship, according to a new Taiwanese Defense Ministry report on the capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Little is known about China’s aircraft carrier program, which is a state secret, although Chinese […]
Navigating the stormy waters of the South China Sea will require a realistic U.S. foreign policy anchored by comprehensive power, deep engagement, and enduring principles. The South China Sea is center stage for Asia’s intensifying maritime competition. China is incrementally but inexorably moving to assert its claim over the vast majority of that semi-enclosed body […]
China is consolidating its newfound authority over the international South China Sea by declaring it controls international waters off the coast of independent Vietnam. “India’s intention to once again explore for oil in the disputed waters of the South China Sea is an unwise move, as it will further complicate the maritime disputes and do […]
China appears to have emerged victorious in its initial bid to control part of the South China Sea. According to senior Australian sources, the country has finished construction of an archipelago of artificial islands. In response, Japan is allocating its largest defence budget ever to counter China’s reach. China has been advancing into the South […]
President Obama isn’t the only one making a visit to Alaska this week, according to a new report from Pentagon officials. The U.S. military has spotted five Chinese navy ships off the coast of Alaska in the Bering Sea, heading in the direction of the Aleutian Islands. The presence of the Chinese ships, including three […]
Moscow turned to its powerful Asian neighbor last year after being hit with sanctions by the West. But the plan for a deeper economic relationship is not working out. China’s slowdown is making it harder for Beijing to deliver on promises it made to Moscow, and Chinese investors are spooked by Russia’s deep economic crisis. […]
Former Philippine President and now Manila City mayor Joseph Estrada was quoted by Xinhua, the official press agency of the Chinese government, saying that China can help Philippines a lot rather than the United States in terms of infrastructure modernization. “Many Filipinos are of Chinese descent and this explains why the Philippines should maintain friendly […]
The Pentagon has laid down a fresh marker against China’s worrisome land reclamation effort in the South China Sea. In a congressionally mandated report published last week, the Defense Department outlined a strategy for maritime security in the Asia-Pacific that attempts to counter China’s provocative behavior. The real tests will come later, but they are […]
China has won the first round of its contest for control in the South China Sea by completing construction of an archipelago of artificial islands, say senior Australian sources. And there is little that will stop China from winning the next round, too, as an indecisive US Administration and allies including Australia struggle to follow […]
China is preparing to celebrate the 70th anniversary of victory in what its government calls “the war of resistance against Japanese aggression.” On Sept. 3, Beijing will host its biggest military parade in decades as visiting world leaders look on. Even so, China’s bravado could backfire, casting light on uncomfortable historical truths that its leaders […]