Tag Archives: Spratlys

China says it warned and tracked U.S. warship in South China Sea

(CNN)China said it warned and tracked a U.S. Navy warship as it came close to one of its artificial islands in the South China Sea’s contested waters. Cui Tiankai, Chinese ambassador to the United States, told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday that the U.S. operation is “a very serious provocation, politically and militarily.” Cui said […]

The Tipping Point: Has the U.S.-China Relationship Passed the Point of No Return?

Conflict between a rising power and an established power is not inevitable as most realist scholars suggest. However, in every relationship, there is a tipping point or a point of no return, and China and the United States are rapidly approaching this point. As traditional diplomatic outlets have done little to resolve the more challenging […]

China’s Unilateral Action On South China Sea Threatens Regional Stability – OpEd

China’s aggressive policy to build small islands on the South China Sea, ignoring territorial claims of fellow nations in the region, is hitting Pacific nations at a more visceral level, bringing anxiety over security. Asia-pacific region remains a flashpoint as China is gradually trying to expand its control over the common sea territories in South […]

A maritime game of chicken in East Asia

SINGAPORE: The US appears to be moving toward a military test of China’s claims of sovereignty in disputed areas of the South China Sea, and officials here seem pleased that President Obama is prepared to put more muscle into his famous “pivot” to Asia. The US has been briefing Asian allies about its new readiness […]

South China Sea Decision Up to Lawmakers, Admiral Says

U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Scott Swift speaks during an interview in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015. Swift says it’s up to policymakers in Washington whether his sailors patrol within 12 nautical miles of newly constructed islands claimed by China in the South China Sea, but they are ready to do so if […]

U.S. Pacific Fleet Waiting For Orders

The Commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, Admiral Scott Swift says that it is up to the policymakers in Washington whether to give orders to the country’s sailors to patrol within 12 nautical miles of the newly constructed islands claimed by China in the controversial South China Sea. While speaking during an interview on Thursday, the […]

Freedom of Navigation Operations in the South China Sea: What to Watch For

It is widely expected that in the next several days, the United States will conduct a freedom of navigation exercise near China’s artificial islands in the South China Sea. The Obama Administration has been debating the use of freedom of navigation operations (FONOPS) in the Spratly Islands for several months, and a public debate on […]

Vietnam’s maritime sovereignty claims in line with UNCLOS: US expert

Hanoi’s claims of sovereignty in the East Vietnam Sea are consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while Beijing has tried to change the status quo in the maritime area, a U.S. expert has said. There is no evidence showing that Vietnam is conducting island construction activities in the […]

China now has more surface combat ships than Japan

By commissioning more advanced destroyers and frigates into active service, China now possesses more surface combat ships than Japan, reports the Hangzhou-based Qianjiang Evening News. After China showcased its DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile and DF-26 medium-range ballistic missile during its military parade held on Sept. 3 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of […]

Asia-Pacific: Unofficial lobbying in Canada highlights battle over South China Sea

An aerial photo shows China’s efforts to fill in Mischief Reef to create land in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. I was speaking to a leading academic about Canada’s efforts to engage Asian countries when the topic of “track II diplomacy” came up. The term describes informal contacts between people representing different […]