Hong Kong (CNN)When the British defense minister revealed this week that new military bases were being considered in Asia, critics questioned whether London has the money — or strategic vision — to carry out such a plan. But an examination of recent British defense initiatives shows that far from being an off-the-cuff play, a base […]

During his six-year term, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III pursued a balancing or a challenging policy on China’s expansive maritime claim in the South China Sea. He countered China by shifting the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ focus from domestic security to territorial defense. This included bolstering closer Philippine-U.S. security relations, acquiring American military equipment, […]

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario on Friday proposed a joint consultation between the Philippines and Vietnam on key provisions of a proposed code of conduct in the disputed South China Sea. “Clearly, it would be a constructive move to consult with Vietnam to give us an opportunity to share and appreciate each other’s […]

What’s the nature of China’s power, and what should the world do about it? In a series of debates organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, leading experts confronted the challenges and opportunities presented by the country’s rise. Here we’re bringing you the fourth of five debates. Sign up to the Inkstone newsletter […]

I HAVE yet to meet a Philippine Supreme Court judge. For most of us, they are remote, intimidating, dispassionate, imposing figures of authority. It is not hard to imagine them as cold, stern, rigid and aloof. This is perhaps not too far from reality. The journalist Marites Dañguilan Vitug, who has observed the Supreme Court […]

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Tough negotiations lie ahead over a new pact between China and Southeast Asian nations aimed at easing tensions in the South China Sea, as Vietnam pushes for provisions likely to prove unpalatable to Beijing, documents reviewed by Reuters suggest. Hanoi wants the pact to outlaw many of the actions China has […]

The year ahead will test China’s ability to navigate geopolitical flux. China must face up to concerns about its rise, says Tom McGregor. BEIJING: 2018 has been a watershed year for China, coming on the back of the removal of term limits on the presidency, amid an increasingly confrontational relationship with the United States. But […]

Beijing has a devastating plan to force the world out of the East and South China Seas — and it could cost the US 10,000 lives. They’re the pride of the US fleet: enormous 100,000 tonne, 333m long nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. But Beijing thinks they’re Washington’s achilles heel. Rear Admiral Lou Yuan has told an […]

Peter Dutton of U.S. Naval War College is convinced that China is not able to exert control over the South China Sea in circumstances short of war because of the space, determined resistance and potential reactions from other states. The premise that China has the capability to control the South China Sea in all circumstances […]

Bryan Clark of Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments argues that China has acquired the ability to control the scope and pace of escalations in the South China Sea – and the US is a willing partner because it has not developed the capabilities to proportionally respond to Chinese provocations. China has the ability to […]