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 […]
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 […]
The strategic discussion between the U.S. and China can’t be called a dialogue of the deaf. The talk is loud and each side hears the other. Yet a lot of mishearing is happening. Perhaps the metaphor should be a security debate shaking on a sea of scrambled semiotics. Everybody purports to be talking about the […]
MANILA – (UPDATED 6:31 P.M) Because of China’s unbridled reclamation, the South China Sea “is already in an environmental crisis,” the Philippines’ envoy to the United Nations has warned in a forum, where experts estimated that US$280 million in ecosystem products and services have been lost thus far. In another forum in Palawan, National Scientist […]
China on Tuesday slammed the Group of Seven (G-7) nations for making “irresponsible remarks” about Beijing’s disputed territorial claims in the East and South China Seas. In a statement at the end of a summit in Germany on Monday, G-7 leaders expressed concern about Asian maritime tensions and called on all sides to respect international […]
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 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 […]
MANILA, Philippines – The documentary promoting awareness instilling patriotism among Filipinos worldwide in the country’s struggle to maintain its hold over some of the islands in the South China Sea is gaining ground on various social media platforms. Dubbed as “Karapatan sa Karagatan” the maritime and sovereignty awareness video launched by the Department of Foreign […]
Although Asean has so far played a passive role in addressing the South China Sea dispute, a series of incidents — which raise concerns over the severity of tensions — should prompt Asean to take an assertive role to maintain peace in the region. Some Asean leaders might be content with the current stance of […]
NEW YORK CITY—“One hundred seventeen years later, China is invading the Philippines by creating artificial islands surrounding the Philippines. China is saying they own all of [the] South China Sea, that they own all of West Philippine Sea. Mga ulol [They are crazy]!” These were the words of business tycoon Loida Nicolas-Lewis, chair of the […]