Category: South China Sea
Tensions Flare in South China Sea Following China’s Use of Water Cannon Against Unarmed Philippine Navy Supply Boat
The Philippine military condemned the Chinese Coast Guard's use of a water cannon against a much smaller unarmed supply boat that took place in disputed waters in the South China Sea on Saturday. The use of a cannon to block the ...
China’s Use of a Water Canon Against Philippines Vessels Was Planned in Advance to Set an Example for Others, Says U.S. Analyst
The following is an excerpt from an article written by Ray Powell, director of the Project Myoushu at Stanford University's Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, that tracks Chinese maritime activity in the South China Sea. Powell spent more than 30 ...
China Coast Guard: Philippines Hyping South China Sea Issue at the Behest of Its “American Father”
The China Coast Guard (CCG) published its side of the story in a post on WeChat on Sunday that blasted the Philippines for unnecessarily "hyping" what happened. It appears the tactic of the Philippine Coast Guard to quickly release videos and photos ...
EU’s Ursula von der Leyen Takes Aim at China During Philippines Visit, Pledges Maritime Security Assistance
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sharply criticized China's increasingly assertive behavior in the South China Sea and vowed closer security cooperation with the Philippines. "We are concerned about the rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific," she said during a visit to ...
New Philippine Military Head Signals China Focus
The Philippine government announced that its new military chief will be Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., the former head of its army. Brawner’s appointment seems to strengthen the Marcos administration’s hardening towards China in relation to territorial disputes in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea. ...
China Turns to Ex-President Duterte to Try and Salvage Ties With the Philippines
Chinese President Xi Jinping turned to an old friend this week in an effort to repair badly-damaged ties with the Philippines. Xi met with former president Rodrigo Duterte at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Monday in what appeared to ...
South China Sea Ruling Anniversary Adds Pressure to ASEAN Gatherings
Protests in Manila this week marked the seventh anniversary of a Permanent Court of Arbitration tribunal’s finding in favor of a Philippine claim over a stretch of the South China Sea also claimed by China. This comes as a week of ...
A Primer on the Escalating Tensions in the South China Sea
The South China Sea is one of the world's most strategically vital maritime zones where more than $5 trillion of trade passes through each year -- a whopping 60% of the globe's total maritime commerce. It's also the epicenter of an ...
Vietnam Takes Delivery of Two New Warships From India While U.S. and Japanese Carriers Make Ports of Call
India announced that it will provide two domestically-made warships to Vietnam that will help bolster the Southeast Asian country's coastal defense capabilities, presumably against incursions by Chinese maritime forces. The donation was the highlight of a visit this week by Vietnamese Defense ...
China, U.S. Compete in Military Cooperation With South China Sea Countries As Tension Simmers
This week it was confirmed that the U.S. and Japan will conduct joint exercises in the South China Sea with the Philippines. This comes as duels between Chinese vessels and counterparts from around the South China Sea are becoming an almost daily occurrence.