Weekly News 26/3-1/4

(-Scmp 27/3) Territorial claims set out in map of South China Sea: Mainland authorities will publish a map of the South China Sea this year to strengthen their claim to the disputed region

27/03/2012

Weekly News 19/3-25/3

-(Economist 24/3) Full unclosure? As oil-and-gas exploration intensifies, so does the bickering -(Foreignaffairs 22/3) All Quiet in the South China Sea: Beijing is also unlikely to be more assertive if that sustains Southeast Asian countries' desires to further deepen ties with the United States.

19/03/2012

AIT In Taiwan: Coast guard asks for USG intervention over South China sea dispute

Taiwan coast guard minister Syu Huei-You met with AIT director June 3 to request USG assistance over recent suspected PRC incursions around the disputed Pratas island. Syu noting that PRC exploration in the disputed East China Sea has effectively marginalized Taiwan's ability to enforce its EEZ claims there. The Director registered concern over the lack of prior U.S.-Taiwan coordination over the incident,...

19/03/2012

Weekly News 12/3-18/3

-(Nytimes 15/3) Six Monks vs. One Warship: Asia has seen varying displays of hard power and soft power in recent days; Party Ousts Chinese Regional Chief, Halting His Rise -(Channelnewsasia 15/3) Pacific big enough for all of us, says China: The Chinese ambassador to the Philippines on Wednesday moved to calm growing fears of armed confrontation in the Pacific

13/03/2012

US Embassy in Manila: Controversy over Spratly Islands territorial

The underlying controversy over the Spratlys strikes a chord in Philippine national pride, both because of the awareness that the Philippine armed forces cannot defend the Philippines' claim to the islands, and because of concern over growing Chinese influence in the region. In addition, there is widespread suspicion that corruption may influence Philippine policy.

10/03/2012

US. Embassy in Manila: Philippine compromise on Spratlys draws PRC ire

The Philippine Senate and House recently agreed to exclude the disputed Spratly Islands from the country's baselines, defining them instead under the terms of the UN Convention on Law of the Sea as a "regime of islands" -- although still subject to Philippine claims.

10/03/2012

Weekly News 5/3-11/3

-(Economist 9/3) Having it both ways: If China follows UNCLOS in this area of the sea, can it ignore it in areas where it has no such claim, just its nine-dashed assertive line? -(WP 8/3) China testing cyber-attack capabilities, report says: For a decade or more, Chinese military officials have talked about conducting warfare in cyberspace, but in recent years they have progressed to testing attack...

06/03/2012

Weekly News 27/2-4/3

-(Atimes 3/3) Rising tide of conflict in South China Sea Sovereignty over the Spratly and Paracel Islands in the South China Sea is continually cited as one of the most important security issues for the 21st century -(Atimes 2/3) Philippines builds anti-China muscle Future procurements are expected to boost the Philippines' ability to project power in relation to its territorial dispute with China...

27/02/2012

Weekly News 27/2-4/3

-(Inquirer 27/2) DFA: No to joint development with China The joint development of areas in the South China Sea that “are clearly ours is not a viable solution” to our problem with China, according to Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario -(Msn 27/2) China denies firing at Vietnamese fishing vessel Saying that the media reports in this regard were untrue

27/02/2012

Weekly News 20/2-26/2

-(Wsj 23/2) Washington and Hanoi Approach Cautiously: Given the challenges it faces, America would welcome another willing partner in an increasingly tense region -(The-diplomat 23/2) India’s “Look East” Power Play In recent months New Delhi has been making impressive strides in strengthening its defense ties in Southeast Asia

20/02/2012