Tag: S. China Sea

China, Philippines Territorial Claims Trigger Buoy Battle in South China Sea

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Taipei, Taiwan —  In a tit-for-tat move in the evolving dispute over South China Sea sovereignty, China has set up three “navigation beacons” in the maritime region to offset five navigation buoys placed by the Philippines. The move comes as Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has pursued warmer ties with the United States, including giving the U.S. access to more military bases in the face of China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the area. China’s Ministry of Transport announced on May 24: “To ensure the safety of ships’ navigation and operations,…

US Says Chinese Fighter Jet Conducted ‘Unnecessarily Aggressive Maneuver’ Near US Reconnaissance Plane

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The U.S. military says a Chinese fighter jet flew close to one of its reconnaissance aircraft during a patrol mission over the South China Sea last week. A statement by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command says a Chinese J-16 fighter jet “flew directly in front of the nose” of the RC-135 plane “in an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver,” forcing the pilot to fly through the turbulence caused by the fighter jet. Video footage of the incident from the cockpit of the U.S. reconnaissance plane showed the plane shaking soon after the Chinese…

War Would Bring Disaster to China, Too, Taiwan Vice President Says

Chin@Strategy

taipei, taiwan —  War over Taiwan would bring about a “global catastrophe” that China would find hard to bear, the presidential candidate for Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, William Lai, said on Saturday. China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, staged war games around the island this month, expressing its anger at a meeting in California between Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy. China said it had tested precision strikes and a blockade of Taiwan, whose government denounced the drills and rejects Beijing’s…

US Denies Chinese Military Drove Away US Destroyer in South China Sea

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The United States denied a Chinese claim Thursday that Chinese forces drove away a U.S. guided-missile destroyer that had entered Chinese territorial waters. Tian Junli, a spokesman for China’s Southern Theatre Command, said the USS Milius intruded into waters around the Paracel Islands “undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea.” The U.S. Navy 7th Fleet rejected China’s statement as false, saying the destroyer was “conducting routine operations in the South China Sea and was not expelled.” “The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international…

Australian Pilots Offered Counseling After Missions Over South China Sea

Chin@Strategy

Sydney —  Australian Air Force chiefs have revealed that pilots are being offered counseling after they encounter Chinese military jets over the South China Sea. Under Operation Gateway, Australia carries out maritime surveillance patrols in the North Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. Most patrols are routine, but some have caused alarm. In May 2022, a Royal Australian Air Force surveillance plane was intercepted by a Chinese military aircraft which released aluminum chaff, that was ingested into the engine of the Australian plane. At the time, officials in Canberra…

US Renews Warning It’ll Defend Philippines After China Spat

Chin@Strategy

Manila, Philippines —  The United States renewed a warning that it would defend its treaty ally if Filipino forces come under attack in the disputed South China Sea, after a Chinese coast guard ship allegedly hit a Philippine patrol vessel with military-grade laser that briefly blinded some of its crew. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian in Manila on Tuesday to express his serious concern “over the increasing frequency and intensity of actions by China against the Philippine coast guard and fishermen,” Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said…

Crew Temporarily Blinded by Chinese Laser, Philippines Says

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The Philippine Coast Guard said Monday that when China’s coast guard aimed a “military grade” laser earlier this month at a Philippine crew, the light temporarily blinded the crew members. The ships were in the disputed waters of the South China Sea. Images of the incident show a green light coming from the Chinese ship. Other countries have also accused China of the same thing. The Philippine crew was delivering food and supplies to military personnel stationed on a ship in Second Thomas Shoal, 195 kilometers off the Philippine province…

India’s Aircraft Carriers Key to Indo-Pacific Strategy

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New Delhi —  India is preparing to relaunch its INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier after a major refit, a critical step toward fulfilling its plan to deploy two carrier battle groups as it seeks to strengthen its regional maritime power to counter China’s increasing assertiveness. The Vikramaditya, a former Soviet carrier acquired from Russia, is expected to be launched imminently and will join India’s first domestically built carrier that was launched in September, the INS Vikrant, in undergoing outfitting and sea trials, with the plan to have both fully operational later…

US Defense Officials Not Losing Sight of China, North Korea

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Aboard a U.S. military plane over the Pacific —  Less than a week after helping secure billions of dollars in additional military assistance for Ukraine in its fight against Russia, including U.S.- and German-made battle tanks, top U.S. defense officials are shifting their focus to the Indo-Pacific and growing threats from China and North Korea. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is making his sixth official visit to the region, starting late Monday with high-level meetings in Seoul, followed by a visit to the Philippines to meet with recently elected President Ferdinand…

Philippines’ Marcos Vows to ‘Strengthen’ China Ties on Beijing Trip

Chin@Strategy

Beijing —  Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos said Wednesday he hoped to strengthen ties with Beijing on his first state visit to China since taking office. China and the Philippines are at odds over the hotly disputed South China Sea, with Marcos expected to sign a deal in Beijing this week to establish direct communication on maritime issues. Manila considers it “of primary importance to… strengthen the relationship between China and the Philippines”, Marcos said in a meeting on Wednesday with top Chinese legislator Li Zhanshu. Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos…