US should sell more defensive weapons to Vietnam in case of conflict with China
U.S. Sen. John McCain says America needs to provide Vietnam with more defensive weapons, as tensions in the Asia Pacific region heighten over China’s expanding land reclamation projects in the South China Sea. McCain says he wants to see a gradual removal of the U.S. ban on providing lethal arms to Vietnam. The Republican […]
Six powers agree on UN sanctions ‘snapback’ in push for Iran deal, sources say
Six world powers have agreed on a way to restore UN sanctions on Iran if the country breaks the terms of a future nuclear deal, clearing a major obstacle to an accord ahead of a June 30 deadline, Western officials told Reuters. The new understanding on a UN sanctions “snapback” among the six powers […]
US-China tensions rise over Beijing’s ‘Great Wall of Sand’
Every year the Shangri-La Dialogue, organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) brings together everyone who is anyone in Asia-Pacific defence circles “to take the temperature” – as IISS director general John Chipman puts it – of security developments in the region. This year, once again, US-China tensions are centre stage. Beijing’s efforts […]
US-China war ‘inevitable’ unless Washington drops demands over South China Sea
China’s armed forces are to extend their operations and its air force will become an offensive as well as defensive force for the first time, in a major shift in policy that will strengthen fears of accidental conflict. A policy document by the state council, or cabinet, said China faced a “grave and complex array […]
US warns China not to challenge military flights over South China Sea
The U.S. warned China Thursday against confronting U.S. aerial patrols over the South China Sea days after a verbal dispute between a Chinese military dispatcher and a U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft. The Los Angeles Times reported that the Navy released two videos and an audio recording of the confrontation, which took place on Wednesday […]
China says it’s entitled to watch over islands, following reported exchange with US surveillance plane
China said Thursday it is entitled to keep watch over airspace and seas surrounding artificial islands it created in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, following a reported exchange in which its navy warned off a U.S. surveillance plane. The comments came as the Chinese air force announced its latest offshore training […]
U.S., China set for high-stakes rivalry in skies above South China Sea
When the U.S. navy sent a littoral combat ship on its first patrol of the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea during the past week, it was watching the skies as well. The USS Fort Worth, one of the most modern ships in the U.S. navy, dispatched a reconnaissance drone and a Seahawk […]
Kerry Will Take Tough Approach in China Over South China Sea
Secretary of State John Kerry will leave China in “absolutely no doubt” about Washington’s commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation and flight in the South China Sea when he visits Beijing this weekend, a senior State Department official said Wednesday. Setting the scene for what could be contentious encounters with Chinese leaders, including President Xi […]
First Russia-China naval war games underway in Mediterranean
Neither Russia nor China has one inch of coastline on the Mediterranean Sea, making it an unlikely and provocative venue for their first joint naval war games. The 10 days of maneuvers that got underway Monday will include live-fire exercises in the strategic sea connecting Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The point is […]
Defense Department warns of China’s ‘extensive,’ expanding island-building
China’s mysterious campaign to build artificial islands in disputed waters of the South China Sea has grown to cover roughly 2,000 acres, a senior defense official said Friday, as the Pentagon issued a report warning the sites could be used to bolster the country’s military infrastructure. The assessments provide an unprecedented level of detail […]