DEFENSE SECRETARY Delfin N. Lorenzana said on Monday, July 3, the Philippines will likely “protest” China’s reported militarization of the disputed South China Sea, following an update by a US think tank on Chinese military facilities there. In a report dated June 29, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) of Washington’s Center for Strategic and […]
Why Australia must send its navy to assert the freedom to operate in the South China Sea I appreciate Hugh White taking the time to critique my essay in the current edition of Foreign Affairs, which recommends a course correction in US strategy to deter and, if necessary, deny Chinese control of the South China […]
Tensions in the South China Sea are growing as China rapidly develops man-made islands in the critical waterway. Fox News explains the conflict in the region and why the U.S. is paying close attention For the second time since President Trump took office, the Pentagon dispatched a U.S. Navy warship to sail near a disputed […]
New imagery shows that while China is keeping attention focused on its negotiations with Southeast Asian countries over basic principles to manage the South China Sea disputes, its construction of military and dual-use facilities on the Spratly Islands continues. New missile shelters, radar/communications facilities, and other infrastructure are going in on Fiery Cross, Mischief, and […]
Marine environmental protection and management is an important aspect of climate change adaptation. Coastal and marine habitats — especially coral reefs and wetlands — are bastions against waves, erosion and flooding that are predicted to get more frequent and intensified due to climate change. A report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of […]
Since President Duterte took office, he has been claiming that he is pursuing an “independent foreign policy.” The sad part is that we had an independent foreign policy, until the start of his administration. How we got to this mess may be traced to the often quoted commencement speech of then Sen. Claro M. Recto […]
The China strategy of US President Donald Trump’s administration is confused and confusing, both in general and in particular vis-a-vis the South China Sea. Ordinarily, US policy regarding some marginal sea in Asia would not be a front-burner issue. Indeed it should not be of prime importance when compared to US problems with North Korea […]
In the era of fake news, the public also needs to be wary of fake islands. Top US military commander Admiral Harry Harris has accused Beijing of building up combat power and positional advantage in an attempt to assert de facto sovereignty over disputed territory in the South China Sea. ‘Fake islands should not be […]
What are the implications of China’s abrupt cancellation of military border activities with Vietnam? This year’s long-scheduled Vietnam-China 4th Border Defense Friendly Exchange was unexpectedly canceled, reportedly due to Chinese displeasure at Vietnam’s resumption of oil exploration activities in the South China Sea. Neither side officially has confirmed this development. This article reviews public and […]
Manila and Hanoi resumed naval personnel interaction on a feature in the disputed waters. On June 22, Vietnam and the Philippines conducted the third iteration of their naval personnel interactions on Southwest Cay in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. In doing so, both sides have effectively resumed an intra-ASEAN confidence-building activity in […]