Tag Archives: Spratlys

China’s 5 Constitutions refute Beijing sea claim

This resumes Wednesday’s piece, “China’s Own Ancient Maps Disprove Beijing Sea Claim.” The article detailed 15 maps of China, 1136-1933, by Chinese officials and citizens. Their common feature: Hainan Island (ancient names Zhuya, Qiongya, Qiongzhou) always has been China’s southernmost territory. Supreme Court Senior Justice Antonio T. Carpio dug up the maps. They belie Beijing’s […]

David vs. Goliath in the South China Sea: The Philippines vs. China

In a dramatic display of strategic naiveté, the Philippines decided (early-October) to suspend the repair and upgrade of its age-old airstrip on the Spratly island of Thitu (Pagasa to the Filipinos), among the biggest and most prized land features in the South China Sea, which can generate its own 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The […]

Philippines pushes arbitration in China sea row

MANILA, Philippines (AP) The Philippine president said Wednesday that the international arbitration Manila has initiated to challenge China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea and a legally binding “Code of Conduct” are the only ways to settle the long-raging disputes peacefully. The Philippines says that China has been intruding into its exclusive economic zone, […]

Taiwan Considers Permanent Armed Ships For Disputed South China Sea Island

(Reuters) – Taiwan is considering stationing armed vessels permanently on a disputed South China Sea island, officials said, a move bound to renew friction in a region claimed almost wholly by China, with Vietnam already dismissing such a plan as “illegal”. The potentially energy-rich Spratly islands are one of the main flashpoints in the South China Sea, with claims […]

East Sea: 100-year experience for Vietnam

The second part of the article by Thai Van Cau on the relations between the freedom of navigation and sovereignty over the archipelagos of Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) will be the author’s suggestions on the choice of solutions for Vietnam. Military action is not available “Chinese dream” is a phrase raised by […]

South China Sea: Lots of oil, lots of uncertainty

The South China Sea is expected to hold billions of barrels of oil and trillions of cubic feet of gas, but some energy firms are tentative about exploring the region. And for now at least, they seem likely to stay that way. Energy analysts are cautioning companies to stay away from the highly contested body […]

Ma’s Peace initiative in South China Sea is feasible

A new article in The Economist had some misinterpretations about President Ma Ying-jeou’s recent remarks on the South China Sea’s territorial disputes given on September 1st as addressing the Exhibition of Historical Archives on the Southern Territories of the Republic of China. The article mistakenly presents that Taiwan would hugely limit its claim to only […]

Freedom of navigation and sovereignty of Paracel and Spratly Islands

Earlier May 2014, China unexpectedly moved the HD-981 oil rig to the location that is about 17 nautical miles from the island of Tri Ton (of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa Archipelago) and 120 nautical miles from Ly Son Island (Da Nang province), deep in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Vietnam, and 180 nautical miles from […]

Freedom of navigation and sovereignty of Paracel and Spratly Islands

Earlier May 2014, China unexpectedly moved the HD-981 oil rig to the location that is about 17 nautical miles from the island of Tri Ton (of Vietnam’s Hoang Sa Archipelago) and 120 nautical miles from Ly Son Island (Da Nang province), deep in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Vietnam, and 180 nautical miles from […]

Philippines Halts Work in Disputed South China Sea

MANILA— The Philippines has stopped all development work in the disputed South China Sea because of the impact such activity might have on an arbitration complaint it has filed against China, a defense official said on Friday. The Philippines has called for all countries to stop construction work on small islands and reefs in the […]