Legislators in Japan’s Ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) are urging Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to bring a case against China to an international tribunal to settle once and for all ownership over disputed islands in the East China Sea.
In a joint statement, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his counterpart President Taur Matan Ruak of East Timor noted their “serious concern” that the Chinese government is expanding its control over disputed territory in the South China Sea too aggressively.
The Malaysian government is seeking to expand cooperation with Australia to combat China’s expansive construction projects in the South China Sea, suggesting Beijing’s behavior in the region demands “pushback” from relevant parties.
Dozens of Vietnamese citizens congregated in their capital, Hanoi, to commemorate the anniversary of a battle against China in the South China Sea and demand that Beijing withdraw its presence in the contested Spratly and Paracel Islands.
China’s chess game to seize control of the South China Sea may take an interesting turn if an influential businessman’s suggestion is followed and Beijing turns one of the disputed islands into its very own Cayman Islands-style offshore bank.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper warned in a letter to Sen. John McCain this week that he expects China to boast “substantial offensive military power” in the illegally-occupied territories of the South China Sea by the end of this year or the beginning of 2017.
Without mentioning any nations in particular, the Defense Minister of Taiwan, Kao Kuang-chi, told the nation’s legislature that he is concerned with the growing presence of military weapons and facilities in the South China Sea, where Taiwan makes multiple territorial claims.
Reuters is reporting that Japan is sending a submarine to the Philippines as part of a Maritime Self-Defense Force fleet visit to the region, in a clear indication Japan is ready to challenge China’s claims in the South China Sea.
In a press conference Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi struck a conciliatory tone regarding China’s militarization of disputed territory in the South China Sea, suggesting “maritime cooperation” with the United States and teasing that Beijing may invite foreign journalists to tour the region in question.
The Navy Times minces no words about the mission of the USS John C. Stennis in the South China Sea, declaring “the United States just sent a carrier strike group to confront China.”
As China expands its military presence in the international waters of the South China Sea, U.S. Pacific Command head Admiral Harry B. Harris is proposing that the United States join with Australia, India, and Japan in conducting operations in the region to keep Beijing from stretching its military muscle against its smaller neighbors.
Fishermen from the Philippine island of Palawan have accused China of seizing nearby Quirino, also known as Jackson Atoll. The area is a popular fishing ground for Filipinos, but fishermen suddenly found themselves held off by a squadron of Chinese ships.
John Bolton agreed with Bannon that the American people have not been well-prepared by their political leaders to understand the enormous strategic significance of the South China Sea, or the true scope of China’s ambitions. He laid the task of providing that perspective, and rallying public support for whatever American counter-moves are necessary, at the feet of the next President.
Contents: India about to deploy its first nuclear-armed submarine, in challenge to China; China’s military takes control of another Philippines fishing ground; Mideast Sunni-Shia split grows as GCC says Hezbollah is terrorist organization
Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed an envoy of the head of the Vietnamese Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong, to Beijing this week, urging Vietnam to seek strengthened ties with China after years fighting over territory in the South China Sea have exacerbated tensions between the two nations.
The head of China’s military operations in the South China Sea threatened this weekend to use force to “deal with any security threat” in the region, asserting that “China’s sovereignty” in the region — highly disputed by its neighbors — was worth deploying the military.
The Japanese government signed an agreement with the Philippines that would allow it to sell a variety of military equipment to Manila, potentially starting with advanced aircraft that can be used for surveillance missions.
The Chinese navy is sending an advance missile frigate into the East China Sea, risking exacerbating tensions in waters it claims against Japan. The move follows a week in which the international community has condemned China’s illegal development of military facilities in the South China Sea.
Veteran war correspondent Michael Yon appeared on Breitbart News Daily with host Stephen K. Bannon on Friday morning to discuss the growing threat of China’s ambitions in the South China Sea.
Admiral Harry Harris, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, said Wednesday the Navy plans to expand the frequency and variety of freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, following reports that Beijing has escalated its militarization of islands and reefs in disputed territory in the region.
Australia unveiled a massive new investment in the nation’s defence capabilities on Thursday to address what Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called “high stakes” and “momentous times” in Asia. Citing increased defence spending around the region and potential flashpoints in the
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Secretary of State John Kerry that the South China Sea belongs to his country and they have every right to defend their territory, despite a lack of evidence China ever legally controlled the territory it claims in the region.
A report surfacing after a long day of talks between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Secretary of State John Kerry claims China has placed up to ten fighter jets in the Paracel Islands, disputed territory in the South China Sea. The report follows satellite evidence that Beijing has added surface-to-air missiles and an advanced radar system to its arsenal in the region.
A new think tank report asserts that China has begun building a high-frequency radar installation in the contested Spratly Islands of the South China Sea, which would greatly expand its surveillance capabilities in one of the most trafficked trade routes in the world.
Contents: China building powerful new radar system in South China Sea; Report: China’s military buildup neutralizes America’s aircraft carriers; John Kerry and Russia announce a new Syria peace plan
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be in the United States from Tuesday to Thursday, meeting with his counterpart, Secretary of State John Kerry, and other high-level officials on everything from North Korea’s growing belligerence to China’s own provocations in the South China Sea.
Secretary of State John Kerry has vowed to engage the Chinese government in “a very serious conversation” over satellite images released this week that show China has placed surface-to-air missiles in the Paracel Islands, a contested territory in the South China Sea.
During his appearance on Thursday’s edition of Breitbart News Daily with host Stephen K. Bannon, former U.N. ambassador John Bolton warned that Barack Obama’s weakness has inspired adversaries around the globe to push forward – from Islamist terrorists to serious global powers
John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, argued on Breitbart News Daily Thursday morning that Apple’s response to the U.S. government’s demand for Apply to unlock the San Bernardino jihadi’s iPhone is “simply wrong.”
New satellite images indicate that the Chinese government has placed “an advanced surface-to-air missile system” on illegally constructed artificial islands in the South China Sea, threatening both the nations who claim that territory and any passersby navigating those international waters.
Contents: China speeds rapid military buildup in South China Sea; China promises ‘Peace in our time’ at ASEAN conference
Satellite images published in The Diplomat indicate that China has begun an extensive construction operation in the South China Sea’s Paracel Islands, following years of work building artificial islands in the Spratly Archipelago.
President Barack Obama arrives in California on Wednesday for a week-long trip filled with a host of Democratic fundraisers, including one at the home of Hillary Clinton donor Steve Westly, who spent more than $35 million on an unsuccessful 2006 run for governor.
U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said today he expects the Chinese government to continue its illegal construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea, as propaganda in Chinese media becomes increasingly vocal in support of efforts to cement the nation’s hold over the region.
In this excerpt from “Asia’s Cauldron: The South China Sea And The End Of A Stable Pacific,” author Robert D. Kaplan, chief geopolitical analyst for Stratfor and former member of the Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board, explains how the region’s unique geography fosters aggression.
Contents: Jordan’s King demands more refugee aid from international community; US Navy’s Freedom of Navigation Ops in South China Sea to grow in scope and complexity
The U.S. Navy has outraged the Chinese government once again by performing a legal “freedom of navigation” exercise in disputed South China Sea territory, for which the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused America of seeking “maritime hegemony” in the region.
Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou visited the largest island in the Spratly Archipelago Thursday, in a move the United States described as “extremely unhelpful” in the context of a larger territorial dispute in the South China Sea.
Contents: India deploying ‘submarine killer’ planes to counter China’s submarines; India to build satellite tracking station in southern Vietnam; China demolishes Southern Mongolian herders’ homes in mid-winter
The USS Fort Worth, prior to breaking down in Singapore earlier this month, had been deemed vulnerable by the Pentagon after being subjected to simulated effects of equipment shutdowns and battle damage.
