South China Sea

China deploys 90 naval vessels from Japan's Southern Islands to S China Sea

China is also forming two walls in the western Pacific, deploying large numbers of vessels to the eastern end of Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone

US, Japan, and Philippine forces jointly patrol in South China Sea

The United States deployed a reconnaissance aircraft while Japan and the Philippines sent navy ships in a joint patrol in the disputed South China Sea on Friday, two days after the allied forces condemned actions by Chinese coast guard vessels against Philippine patrol ships. The US Indo-Pacific Command said the joint patrol was conducted in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone by allies and partners to uphold the right to freedom of navigation and overflight " and "other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace." Those phrases are used by the US, Japan and the Philippines to oppose China's increasingly aggressive actions in the disputed waters. Two Philippine security officials said the patrol was staged about 40 nautical miles (74 kilometers) from Scarborough Shoal, a fishing area hotly disputed by Beijing and Manila off the northwestern Philippines. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they didn't have authority to discuss such details ...

We're keeping a watch on Chinese Navy in Indian Ocean region: Navy chief

Naval Chief said that the Chinese Navy was manifesting itself more in the Pacific oceans and ensuring that Indian interests in the Indian Ocean are not affected

Japan PM meets Xi Jinping, voices concern over Taiwan, South China Sea

The two leaders meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru

Philippines enacts maritime laws to strengthen sovereignty amid tensions

Experts suggest that these laws are part of a broader strategy by Manila to counter China's growing assertiveness in the region

Taiwan detects 24 Chinese military aircraft, 6 PLA navy vessels around it

The Taiwanese MND stated that fifteen of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central southwestern and eastern Air Defense Identification Zone

Don't expect Trump will demand payment for protection: Philippine def secy

Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said Tuesday that he didn't expect President-elect Donald Trump's next administration would demand that the Philippines pay more for military protection because both allies faced the shared threat of China. Teodoro was speaking at a news conference with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles following an inaugural bilateral annual meeting aimed at improving security ties. Asked if Trump would expect the Philippines, like Taiwan, to pay for U.S. protection, Teodoro replied: I really don't expect some sort of a statement from Mr. Trump, hopefully not. I really don't have any preconditions or any assumptions as to what will be the outcome of this administration, except on what we are working on on institutional ties, he said. We have an interest, both the United States and the Philippines, in ensuring that our partnership continues because not totally, but principally ... of shared threats. And that is undoubtedly the overreach and

Taiwan rejects China's claims over South China Sea amid military escalation

The assertion comes as military confrontations and territorial disputes in the area intensify, Focus Taiwan (CNA) reported

Indonesia President calls for collaboration with China before heading to US

Indonesia's new leader called for collaboration rather than confrontation with China after the signing of $10 billion in new deals at a business forum on Sunday in the Chinese capital before heading to the U.S. President Prabowo Subianto told the forum that his country wants to be part of China's emergence as not only an economic but also a civilizational power. We must give an example that in this modern age, collaboration not confrontation is the way for peace and prosperity, he said. Subianto wrapped up the first stop of his first overseas trip since taking office three weeks ago. He is headed next to Washington where the U.S. government is confronting China's rise and then to Peru and Brazil for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and Group of 20 summits. He and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed Saturday to deepen ties, elevating security to a fifth pillar of cooperation in addition to political, economic, maritime and people-to-people exchange. They agreed to hold a ..

India has effective mechanism to monitor oceans, says Navy chief Tripathi

India has a highly effective mechanism for monitoring the oceans, known as maritime domain awareness, and is fully aware of "who is where and who is doing what" to ensure the country's interests are not compromised, Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi has said. The Navy Chief also dismissed the dual carrier operation by China in the South China Sea as "nothing we should be concerned of ". Addressing the media after the grand finale of THINQ 2024, a nationwide quiz competition organised by the Indian Navy on Friday evening, Tripathi also said India keeps a "close watch" on activities in its "area of interest". He made these remarks at the Ezhimala Naval Academy here in response to a question on China's growing influence in the region through its cooperation with Sri Lanka. "What China does in any part of the globe, let them do it. What they do in our area of interest, we are keeping a close watch. Nothing happens in our part of the world which we do not know," CNS added.

China's PLA Navy holds historic dual aircraft carrier exercises in SC Sea

This milestone reflects China's ambition to enhance its naval capabilities

China flexes naval might, reveals 2 new jets and dual-aircraft carrier ops

Indian Navy also conducted dual-aircraft carrier operations in June last year, involving INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant

Indonesia says its coast guard drove away Chinese ship in disputed waters

Indonesian patrol ships drove a Chinese coast guard vessel away from a survey vessel in a disputed area of the South China Sea for the second time in four days, Indonesian authorities said Thursday. Indonesia's Maritime Security Agency said the Chinese ship twice approached the MV Geo Coral, interrupting a seismic data survey being conducted by the state energy company PT Pertamina in a part of the South China Sea claimed by both countries. China's nine-dash line, which it uses to roughly demarcate its claim to most of the South China Sea, overlaps with a section of Indonesia's exclusive economic zone that extends from the Natuna Islands. A 2016 international arbitration ruling involving the Philippines invalidated most of China's sweeping claims in the sea, but China has ignored the ruling and called it a sham. Chinese ships have regularly entered the area Indonesia calls the North Natuna Sea, fueling tensions between the countries. Indonesian authorities said the Chinese coast gu

Taiwan detects 19 Chinese aircraft, 6 naval ships around its territory

"19 PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 15 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central and southwest

Will not renounce use of force over Taiwan, says China after recent turmoil

Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future

Petronas' exploration in South China Sea to continue: Malaysian PM Ibrahim

This includes exploration activities in Petronas' Kasawari gas development off Sarawak state on Borneo, he told parliament

China conducts new military drills near Taiwan, warns of separatist acts

The drill also serves as a stern warning to the separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces

India, Asean urge peace as tensions continue to rise in South China Sea

China has been accused of harassment, intimidation and patrolling exclusive economic zones of Asean nations, leading to rising tensions in the South China Sea

US concerned about China's risky sea actions, Blinken warns ASEAN

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Southeast Asian leaders Friday that the US is concerned about China's increasingly dangerous and unlawful activities in the disputed South China Sea during an annual summit meeting, and pledged the US will continue to uphold freedom of navigation in the vital sea trade route. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations' meeting with Blinken followed a series of violent confrontations at sea between China and ASEAN members Philippines and Vietnam, which have fueled concerns that China's increasingly assertive actions in the waterways could spiral into a full-scale conflict. China, which claims almost the entire sea, has overlapping claims with ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan. About a third of global trade transits through the sea, which is also rich in fishing stocks, gas and oil. Beijing has refused to recognize a 2016 international arbitration ruling by a U.N.-affiliated court in the .

China seeks deeper economic ties with Asean as South China Sea row lurks

Chinese Premier Li Qiang called for deeper market integration with Southeast Asia on Thursday during annual summit talks where territorial disputes in the South China Sea are likely to be high on the agenda. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations' meeting with Li followed recent violent confrontations at sea between China and ASEAN members Philippines and Vietnam that raised unease over China's increasingly assertive actions in the disputed waters. Li didn't mention the row in his opening speech at the summit talks but said that intensifying trade relations between Beijing and ASEAN a market of 672 million people are beneficial for the bloc. The global economy is still seeing a sluggish recovery, protectionism is rising and geopolitical turbulence has brought instability and uncertainty to our development," Li said. An ultra large-scale market is our greatest foundation for promoting economic prosperity. Strengthening market coordination and synchronization is an ..