The BRICS group wrapped up its two-day leaders’ summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday. The summit’s final communique is a 16,000-word doorstop that covers numerous issues from economics to education.
The communique avoids any direct mention of the United States, and references to “unilateralism” and other coded criticism are also relatively scarce. Rather, the communique keeps the focus on the BRICS’ vision of the strengthening and reform of the global multilateral system ...
Category: Maritime
Chinese Surveillance Ship Intercepted by Philippines in Disputed Waters
The Philippine Coast Guard intercepted what appears to be a Chinese intelligence vessel on Saturday that was accompanied by a pair of PLA Navy escort ships that were operating within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone. The presence of the Chinese spy ship
China Says German Plane Laser Claim ‘Inconsistent With Facts’
Beijing dismissed on Wednesday claims by Berlin that the Chinese military had directed a laser at a German aircraft over the Red Sea as "completely inconsistent with the facts". The foreign ministry in Berlin said on Tuesday that a German aircraft ...
Berlin Says China Targeted German Plane With Laser Over Red Sea
Berlin on Tuesday said the Chinese military had targeted a laser at a German aircraft participating in an EU-led mission to protect marine traffic in the Red Sea. "Endangering German personnel and disrupting the operation is entirely unacceptable," the foreign ministry ...
Chinese Aircraft Carrier Shandong Arrives in Hong Kong
China's first domestically built aircraft carrier sailed into Hong Kong on Thursday, just days after the city marked 28 years under Chinese rule. Commissioned in 2019, the more than 300-metre (1,000-foot) Shandong is China's second carrier and key to the country's ...
China Says Aircraft Carriers Conduct Combat Training in Pacific
Two Chinese aircraft carrier groups conducted combat drills in the western Pacific Ocean, Beijing said Monday, as it honed its military capacity, unsettling some regional neighbors. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) said its Liaoning and Shandong carrier formations "recently... completed combat ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Japan Spots Chinese Ships Near Disputed Isles for Record 216 Straight Days
Japan spotted Chinese vessels sailing near disputed islets in the East China Sea for a record 216 consecutive days, Tokyo's coast guard said Sunday. The Tokyo-administered islands, known as the Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan, have long been a ...
Japan-U.S.-Philippines Coast Guards Simulate Crisis Amid China Threat
By Andrew McKirdy Helicopters buzzed in the shadow of a smouldering volcano, and boats rescued dummies from the sea this week in a show of maritime unity by Japan, the United States, and the Philippines. ...
Japan-U.S.-Philippines Hold Coast Guard Drills With Eye on China
By Andrew McKirdy, with Katie Forster in Tokyo Japan's coast guard will simulate a collision between vessels Friday during joint exercises with the United States and the Philippines seen as a show of unity against Chinese activity in disputed regional waters. ...
Chinese Defense Minister Calls for Closer Cooperation with South Africa
Dong Jun, China’s Minister of Defense, called for closer military cooperation with South Africa following a meeting with General Rudzani Maphwanya, chief of the South African National Defence Force, in Beijing on Tuesday. Dong said Beijing is ready to work with Pretoria against outside “bullying and hegemony.”
Japan Says Two Chinese Aircraft Carriers Seen in Pacific
By Kyoko Hasegawa and Katie Forster Two Chinese aircraft carriers were operating in the Pacific for the first time, according to Japan, whose defense minister said Tuesday the move revealed the expansion of Beijing's military activities.
China Carefully Assembling a Deep-Sea Mining Strategy
By Amelie Bottolier-Depois with Mary Yang in Beijing In a world hungry for crucial resources, China may not be poised to start deep-sea mining but it is planting seeds for such operations in a meticulously planned economic and geopolitical strategy.
Japan Says China Conducted Research Near Pacific Atoll
Japan has accused China of conducting unnotified maritime scientific research within its exclusive economic zone around its southernmost island in the Pacific Ocean, Tokyo said Tuesday. The alleged activity took place on Monday near the remote atoll of Okinotori in the ...