China is Master Chess Player in South China Sea. Obama is Not

A somber commemoration occurred in Hanoi, Vietnam on March 14.While it received minimal international coverage, the event commemorated should cause both the U.S. and the democratic nations of Southeast Asia serious concerns as China continues its militarized island-building campaign in the South China Sea.

03/04/2016

Obama Tests China’s Xi on South China Sea

U.S. President Barack Obama will host China’s President Xi Jinping for a special bilateral meeting on March 31. The encounter will be special because it is the only scheduled bilateral meeting of heads of state during the upcoming U.S.-hosted Nuclear Security Summit of many nations, including U.S. allies. 

30/03/2016

Saving the South China Sea Without Starting World War III

Greater operational transparency in the South China Sea has become a strategic imperative, and the United States needs to treat it as such by investing greater resources and political capital toward increasing the shared maritime awareness of Southeast Asian states. It simply will not happen without U.S. leadership.

30/03/2016

Weekly News 28/03 - 03/04

-(LFT 04/04) South China Sea: Hainan is the ‘tip of the naval spear’: Hainan is not just about military hardware. Its fishermen are tasked with protecting China’s sovereignty through their frequent fishing trips. -(Lowyinterpreter 04/04) Is Beijing’s militarisation of the South China Sea really 'defensive'? Given the differing national interpretations of 'militarisation', Beijing pursues its own...

29/03/2016

Weekly Bulletin 21/03 - 27/03

China deploys oil-rig to the disputed South China Sea; Vietnam demands Taiwan to respect its sovereignty; 100 China-registered boats, ships encroaching into Malaysian waters; Australia’s PM criticized China’s assertive actions on the South China Sea.

29/03/2016

What India Thinks About the South China Sea

Developments in the South China Sea are bringing India into a debate it generally maintains a distance from. India's shift in its maritime policies and a relatively vocal stand on the issue may be a signs of a future where India is willing to play a more direct role in the South China Sea.

29/03/2016

Beijing Ups the Ante in South China Sea Dispute with HQ-9 Deployment

China’s recent deployment of HQ-9 missiles to the Paracel Islands represent part of a larger effort to consolidate the country’s position in the South China Sea. 

28/03/2016

Weekly News 21/03 - 27/03

-(Philstar 28/03) US contingent for Balikatan exercises arriving today: The exercises would focus on maritime law enforcement and disaster response efforts.   -(Straitstimes 28/03) Chinese poachers caught with coral haul near Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in South China Sea: The Coast Guard Administration said it would continue to crack down on Chinese fishing boats trespassing in the area.

27/03/2016

Japan opens radar station close to disputed isles, drawing angry China response

Japan on Monday switched on a radar station in the East China Sea, giving it a permanent intelligence gathering post close to Taiwan and a group of islands disputed by Japan and China, drawing an angry response from Beijing.

27/03/2016

In the South China Sea, China's Gaze Moves South

In the sea's south, China's relationships with Indonesia and Malaysia have largely been unexplored. Though not as dramatic as maneuvers in the east, developments in the south offer a more holistic picture of the maritime trade, energy flows and resource use that define disputes in the South China Sea.

26/03/2016