Tag Archives: Regular Patrols

Land reclamation work in part of South China Sea is near completion, China says

China is about to complete some of its land reclamation work on the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday, shedding light on a controversial project that has inflamed regional tension. The announcement is likely to rattle the Philippines and the US, both of which have clashed with […]

China to Build Military Facilities on South China Sea Islets

BEIJING—China said it is shifting work on disputed South China Sea islets from the dredging of land to the construction of military and other facilities as it pushes forward with a program that has aggravated tensions with the U.S. and neighbors. In a statement on its website Tuesday, China’s Foreign Ministry said land reclamation on […]

Rules and Rocks: The US-China Standoff Over the South China Sea Islands

The long-running, multi-party dispute over control of islets in the South China Sea (SCS) is worsening both in rhetoric and provocative activity. Meeting in late May at the Shangri-La Dialogue on regional security, US and Chinese defense officials sparred over responsibility for the increased tension, though they stopped short of issuing threats. In fact, all […]

Checking China’s military build-up in the South China Sea

China intends to ignore the Obama administration’s demand that it halt its military base-building in the South China Sea. It is time for Washington to face a new reality: Either it leads the way to a new “armed peace” in this region, or China will soon commence a war for domination. First, it is important […]

A New Diplomacy to Stem Chinese Expansion

China’s aggression is pushing the South China Sea to a boiling point. Beijing’s massive island-building project is militarizing the territorial disputes, changing the territorial status quo and shifting the region’s balance of power. The U.S. response has been reactive, rhetorical and confused. To stop and reverse Chinese expansion, the U.S. needs a bold and comprehensive […]

China Warns Japan to Stay out of South China Sea

China is “gravely concerned and indignant” over Japan’s plans to step patrols in the South China Sea. In a regular scheduled press conference on Friday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Hong Lei, warned Japan to stay out of the South China Sea dispute. “The Chinese side is gravely concerned and indignant about the negative moves of […]

China to UN: PH ‘totally wrong’ on sea row

MANILA, Philippines – A Chinese diplomat at the United Nations (UN) lashed back at the Philippines’ criticism of its massive reclamation in the South China Sea, saying Manila has a “clear purpose to deceive the international community.” China’s deputy permanent representative to the UN Wang Min took exception to statements from the Philippine ambassador to […]

Through diplomacy, conflict in the South China Sea can be avoided

When a U.S. Navy P8-A surveillance aircraft recently flew near Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, it was warned eight times by the Chinese navy to leave the area. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that “China’s determination to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity is as firm as […]

Vietnam Muddles China’s South China Sea Challenge

China’s recently revealed massive land reclamation activities in the South China Sea represent a particular threat to rival claimant Vietnam’s strategic position and interests. Factional competition ahead of next year’s Communist Party National Congress, where five-year plans, policies, and leadership positions are determined, has complicated Hanoi’s ability to devise a coherent and credible response to […]