As the present world order weakens, the mega confrontations have appeared more likely: On its post-Soviet revival quest, Russia becomes increasingly assertive in Euro-MED theatre and beyond. The Sino-American relations are increasingly adversarial, with escalating frictions over trade, advanced technology,… Read More ›
COVID-19 (C-19) event is posing serious challenges for the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2020. But Vietnam, as current ASEAN chair, is trying to make the best of the situation and demonstrate leadership. As 2020 marks a… Read More ›
COVID-19 (C-19) event is posing serious challenges for the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2020. But Vietnam, as current ASEAN chair, is trying to make the best of the situation and demonstrate leadership. As 2020 marks a… Read More ›
In Taiwanese politics, a mayor candidate’s comments about his own benefits from drinking honey-lemonade sparked retribution from the medical community. After a lump under his eye went away, apparently from a vegetarian and honey-lemonade diet, he actually said so. A… Read More ›
China is in trouble. We don’t know why, but we know the indication: Trump will be absent from ASEAN. He was absent from a funeral this week and his support grew. He was absent from a Republican debate, then he… Read More ›
“Australia, the United States, India and Japan are talking about establishing a joint regional infrastructure scheme as an alternative to China’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative in an attempt to counter Beijing’s spreading influence …” reported by Reuters on Feb… Read More ›
This BBC video tells you that when the “US President Donald Trump continues his five-nation tour of Asia, one term crops up over and over again. ‘Indo-Pacific region’ is being used to define America’s new geopolitical view of Asia.” In… Read More ›
We no longer live in a world without alliances. Yes, individual nations retain sovereignty within their borders. However, the days are over when a single nation will boss and police an entire region alone. One nation can no longer take… Read More ›
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday he would visit Russia and China this year to chart an independent foreign policy and “open alliances” with two powers with historic rivalries with the United States. Duterte said the Philippines was at… Read More ›
The Japanese government said on Wednesday it is ready to provide Vietnam with new patrol ships, in its latest step to boost the maritime law-enforcement capabilities of countries locked in territorial rows with China. On Tuesday, Japan agreed to provide… Read More ›
China is speeding up efforts to design and build a manned deep-sea platform to help it hunt for minerals in the South China Sea, one that may also serve a military purpose in the disputed waters. Such an oceanic “space… Read More ›
China is angry. It’s always easy to tell when someone makes lightly veiled threats in the forms of “advice” or “caution”. These comments came from a Chinese diplomat, that pressure in the South China Sea could “rebound” like a “coiled… Read More ›
North Korea launched a missile that travelled 1/10 the distance it needs to. Pyongyang considered it a “success”. China has come to a consensus about it’s activity in the South China Sea. The consensus did not include all ASEAN nations…. Read More ›
As the two possible ‘Joint Development Areas’ — “off Triton Island in the Paracels” and “Reed Bank off Philippine Palawan” [Note 1] — have almost been out of the minds of both the analysts and general public of the Philippines,… Read More ›
The following is based on a translation of a report on a Chinese news site: Chinese news site mil.news.sina.com.cn reports that the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) navy has been making great efforts to obtain access to ports abroad so that… Read More ›
The most powerful navy officer on earth, US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Scott Swift, has fired a broadside at China and other regional nations who are flouting international law in the South China Sea. Speaking to a high-powered audience that… Read More ›
The corollary of the decline of the west is not the rise of Asia. It is the erosion of Asia, at least as an idea, as rivalries within geographic Asia overtake the notion of regional cohesion that once bound these… Read More ›
The secretary-general of Southeast Asia’s 10-member trade and security bloc Sunday said the group can’t agree to China’s use of its so-called nine-dash line to claim the contested waters of the South China Sea as Beijing continues its land-reclamation efforts… Read More ›
By making things and selling them to foreigners, China has transformed itself—and the world economy with it. In 1990 it produced less than 3% of global manufacturing output by value; its share now is nearly a quarter. China produces about… Read More ›
China’s new bank (AIIB, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) dominated headlines this week. AIIB’s history suggests China wants infrastructure money without being told to clean up the environment, respect human rights, or play nice with their hope-to-be soon-to-be-annexed neighbors. The US could have… Read More ›
Southeast Asia’s major economies drew more foreign direct investment combined than China for the second straight year in 2014, as growth in their giant neighbour cooled. But by country, inflows into the region were uneven, swayed by political change and… Read More ›
Some Muslims wanted attention… They got it. Japan authorised millions in aid to fight terrorism. Myanmar calls on China to help them fight against terrorist attacks, ostensibly being launched from inside China. Beijing may not like being asked to turn… Read More ›
The economic turbulence in China has another hidden layer to it – losing jobs to Southeast Asia as multinational companies relocate their manufacturing units to those countries as a way to enhance cost efficiency. “I definitely think Southeast Asia is… Read More ›
Japan‘s direct investment in China in 2014 dropped 38.8 percent from the previous year to $4.33 billion, the Commerce Ministry said Thursday. The plunge, which compares with a decline of about 4 percent in 2013, reflects soured bilateral relations over… Read More ›
After his successful charm offensive in central and eastern Europe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang directed the same offensive at South East Asia. According to a Reuters report, the Chinese government’s mouthpiece Xinhua said in its report yesterday that Li has… Read More ›
The following is a translation from Chinese media with commentary: The website of the US National Interest magazine published on November 30 the article “America’s Next Big Challenge: Countering China’s Diplomatic Blitzkrieg” by Richard Javad Heydarian, an Assistant Professor in… Read More ›
In my post “China’s Greater Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere” on January 28, 2012, I said: “Decades ago, Japan shed lots of blood to fight for the establishment of its Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere but failed disastrously. However, it seems that… Read More ›
As far back as January 2012, I pointed out “China’s desire to establish an East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere,” which Japan shed a lot of blood to establish decades ago, but failed. ASEAN plus China, Japan and Korea (APT – ASEAN Plus… Read More ›
There was an article on development of the weapons industry in Southeast Asia, ascribing it to the fear of China’s rise among countries there. However, we can blame China for the rising military budgets and purchases of weapon there, but… Read More ›
China appeared to rebuff pressure from the United States to rein in its assertive actions in the South China Sea on Sunday as Southeast Asian nations declined to overtly back Washington’s proposal for a freeze on provocative acts. The lack… Read More ›
US Secretary of State John Kerry was ticked off by his Chinese counterpart today after he arrived late for talks between the superpowers as Washington attempts to cool regional maritime tensions. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pointedly remarked that he… Read More ›
Sitting as far from its European roots as possible, perched on the southeast tip of Southeast Asia, Australia has for so long searched for security from our region. Now it needs to, and is, seeking security in the region. Traditional… Read More ›
The Philippines will propose a freeze on all activity that raises tension in disputed waters in the South China Sea as part of a three-part plan at a regional security meeting next month, Manila‘s foreign minister said on Tuesday. Southeast… Read More ›
The following is translated from Chinese media: Due to instability in the Middle East, China has determined to extract the oil and gas in the disputed waters in the South China Sea. China has the equipment and technology to do… Read More ›
With the United States once again preoccupied with events in the Middle East China has made another strategic adjustment to its claims in the South China Sea. It seems clear by now that Beijing has found a new way to… Read More ›
Indonesia and Philippines have rejected historical records, and accepted UNCLOS (1982) as the current prevailing law to settle maritime boundaries in the South China Sea. This should be a precedent to other claimant nations in the territorial disputes. The recent… Read More ›
I refer to TJ A. Burgonio’s “Philippines, Vietnam urge strong Asean action vs China” in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 12th with regard to the on-going 24th ASEAN Summit being held at Burma. The world is well aware that besides… Read More ›
China and the West want China and the West to know that they are in a prelude to war. Here are a few reasons why from recently… Philippines, US begin war games after Obama pledge The Mystery Shrouding China’s Communist… Read More ›
Six U.S. senators urged their colleagues on Friday to support legislation reaffirming U.S. support for freedom of navigation, saying they consider China’s recent actions in the South China Sea troubling. China this week accused Vietnam of intentionally colliding with its… Read More ›
The following article was translated from Chinese media: The trade route to the Indian Ocean through the Malacca Strait has the problems of pirates, shipwrecks, haze, sediment and shoals. Its rate of accidents is twice as high as the Suez Canal… Read More ›
The Philippines has rejected a Chinese offer to withdraw its ships from the Scarborough Shoal, if Manila did the same and delayed international arbitration on the territorial dispute. China‘s offer was made “informally through back channels”, Roilo Golez, a former… Read More ›
The submerged reef would be easy to miss, under turquoise seas about 80 km (50 miles) off Malaysia’s Borneo island state of Sarawak. But two Chinese naval exercises in less than a year around the James Shoal have shocked Malaysia… Read More ›
China sees itself as assertive, but the rest of the world sees it as aggressive. With the risk of war so high, many multinationals, especially from Japan, are speeding up relocation of industry out of China. The debate continues on… Read More ›
The opinions expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of China Daily Mail. The “Kawayan politika” and “Balimbing diplomasya” approaches adopted by the late Philippine president Corazon Cojuangco Aquino (1933-2009) remarkably cultivated warm relationships between The Philippines… Read More ›
US Secretary of State John Kerry encouraged Southeast Asian leaders on Wednesday in their efforts to resolve maritime disputes with China based on international legal principles, rather than by making individual deals as China would prefer. Mr. Kerry arrived in… Read More ›
I refer to Amado Doronila’s analysis Deal with China? Winner takes all, in the Philippines Daily Inquirer of August 5. As Doronila reported: “The Philippines’ second warship acquired from the United States, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, arrived on Sunday at… Read More ›
The eminent academician Dr. Anis H. Bajrektarevic says that “there [can be] no Asian century, without the Pan-Asian multilateral setting.” The Americas, he says, have the Organisation of American States (OAS), Africa has the African Union, and Europe has the… Read More ›
China agreed to hold formal talks with Southeast Asian nations on a plan to ease maritime tensions on Sunday as the Philippines accused it of causing “increasing militarisation” of the South China Sea, one of Asia’s naval flashpoints. The rebuke… Read More ›
China’s state media warned on Saturday that a “counterstrike” against the Philippines was inevitable if it continues to provoke Beijing in the South China Sea, potentially Asia’s biggest military troublespot. The warning comes as ministers from both countries attend an… Read More ›
Countries with territorial claims in the South China Sea that look for help from third parties will find their efforts “futile”, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned on Thursday, adding that the path of confrontation would be “doomed”. Beijing‘s assertion… Read More ›
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