South China Sea

South China Sea: US warns Beijing against building ‘great wall of self-isolation’

China risks further alienating regional neighbours and building a “great wall of self-isolation” as it pursues its military expansion across the South China Sea, US defense secretary Ashton Carter warned on Saturday. Speaking at a security summit in Singapore, Carter said countries across the Asia-Pacific region continue to fret over China’s sweeping claims of sovereignty in the South […]

China Promoting Tourism for Disputed Paracel Islands

Tropical islands in the South China Sea have become a major strategic headache between China and the United States. As tensions escalate over China’s construction of military installations on disputed islands, the United States Navy has sent extra warships to the waterway. A Chinese fighter jet recently flew so close to an American surveillance plane that there […]

Obama Banishing Vietnam War Vestige by Lifting Arms Embargo

After spending his first day in Vietnam shuttling among meetings with different government leaders, Obama will spend the next two days speaking directly to the Vietnamese people and meeting with civil society groups and young entrepreneurs.

China’s Dangerous Intercept of US Navy Aircraft

It appears as if no lessons were learned in the Hainan Island incident back in April of 2001. In that case, a US Navy EP-3 was intercepted by Chinese PLAN (People’s Liberation Army Navy) J-8’s. Allegedly one of the J-8’s was flying extremely dangerously and ended up colliding in midair with the EP-3. The J-8 […]

Beijing Denies Dangerous Interception of U.S. Spy Plane Over South China Sea

Chinese official says jets maintained a safe distance from American aircraft; urges Washington to halt such reconnaissance activities. China criticized Washington for deploying a U.S. reconnaissance plane near Chinese territory, but denied a Pentagon account that Chinese jet fighters conducted a risky close-range interception—the latest spat between the powers that fueled concern over the growing risks […]

DOD: China’s Military Presence Becomes Increasingly More Formidable

China’s military in 2015 became more assertive in the South China Sea, projected a greater global presence and underwent nascent reforms intended to make it deadlier and more loyal to the ruling political party, according to an annual U.S. Defense Department report. The report, mandated by Congress, highlights China’s defense strategy and developments. “China continues […]

U.S. destroyer sails near disputed Chinese island

The U.S. Navy on Tuesday sent a guided missile destroyer within 12 miles of a disputed island in the South China Sea where China has built an airstrip — prompting China to scramble fighter jets and dispatch warships to “expel” the American ship. “USS William P. Lawrence exercised the right of innocent passage while transiting […]

China to Increase Military Exercises and Patrols in South China Sea

China’s military will carry out more military exercises in the South China Sea this month involving advanced warships and submarines, state news agency Xinhua said on Wednesday, terming the drills routine. China claims almost all of the energy-rich waters of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of maritime trade passes each […]

Russia Backs China’s Challenges to U.S. Over Asian Flashpoints

Russia offered support for China’s opposition to U.S. actions in two of Asia’s biggest security flash points amid mounting tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in the South China Sea. Foreign ministers from China and Russia expressed “grave concern” about the possible U.S. deployment of the Thaad anti-missile system in South Korea to defend against […]