Trade and oceans have always been integral parts in the struggle for global supremacy. In 1829, English adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh wrote: “For whosoever commands the sea commands the trade; whosoever commands the trade of the world commands the riches of the world, and consequently the world itself.” It was the case for Great Britain […]

HONOLULU — From a distance, the Chinese warship warned the American destroyer that it was on a “dangerous course” in the South China Sea. Then it raced up alongside, getting perilously close. For a few tense minutes, a collision seemed imminent. The American vessel, the Decatur, blasted its whistle. The Chinese took no notice. Instead, […]

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines cannot claim Benham Rise as its own territory despite it being part of the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, Beijing said. In 2012, the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf approved the submission of the Philippines in 2009 with respect to the limits of its […]

China’s ongoing actions in the South China Sea belie its promises of the last five years. Its Foreign Ministry announced in 2013 that its suppression of non-Chinese fishermen was to protect the region’s sensitive marine environment. Since then, it has ripped up 2.4 million hectares of endangered coral reefs to enlarge atolls and islets into […]

HANOI, Vietnam — Vietnam has strongly protested China’s launch of weather stations in the disputed Spratly islands, saying they seriously violate Vietnam’s sovereignty and complicate the situation in the South China Sea. China last week announced it started operations of the stations on three islands to offer weather forecasts to fishermen. Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman […]

Under peaceful circumstances, a giant seaplane would be more a matter of curiosity or commercial interest. But there’s nothing peaceful about the geopolitical situation in the South China Sea, where multiple nations—notably China—claim sovereignty over scattered islands and resource-rich waters China’s AG600—believed to be the world’s largest amphibious aircraft—may soon be operational. The transport plane—the […]

In a startling claim, Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday said China’s leaders intimated during top-level talks recently that “they do agree that those areas” in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) “are ours.” Without elaborating as he had no authority to speak for the President, Sotto said there were looming positive developments in confidential […]

Pact expected to give China exclusive South China Sea exploration rights would put Filipino fishing communities at risk. San Salvador Island, Philippines – It is 6:30am on a Sunday morning and Rony Drio, 51, is on his way out into the water. He tosses his net and snorkelling gear into his small wooden boat, an […]

When Gen. Wei Fenghe, China’s defense minister, took to the stage at the Xiangshan security forum organized by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Beijing last month, he assured delegations from 64 countries that China’s military “has always been a staunch defender of world peace.” Yet in the same breath, he issued a sharp warning: […]

High-level talks now set for Friday as world’s two largest economies look for ways to resolve damaging trade war. The United States and China will hold top-level diplomatic and security talks in Washington, DC, on Friday, amid moves to try and resolve a damaging trade war. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defense Secretary James Mattis, […]