Vietnam has discreetly fortified several of its islands in the disputed South China Sea with new mobile rocket launchers capable of striking China’s runways and military installations across the vital trade route, according to Western officials. Diplomats and military officers… Read More ›

Fiery Cross Reef
China denies US aircraft carrier entry to Hong Kong, no reason given
Beijing denied a US aircraft carrier permission to make a port call in Hong Kong, a US consulate official says, a rejection that comes amid escalating tensions in the South China Sea. The Chinese Foreign Ministry told the US on… Read More ›
China says airports in South China Sea are not capable of defending against attack by US aircraft carrier groups
The following is based on a translation of an article on a Chinese news site: Chinese military commentator Du Songtao says that China’s airport on Fiery Cross Reef, with an area of 23,000 square meters and a runway 3,125 meters… Read More ›
Cadence of Conflict: Asia, January 6, 2016
No one is happier today than Beijing. More hoops for law-abiding gun owners to hop through means an easier cakewalk if China invaded it’s number one enemy. Without the logistic ability to invade the US, all of China’s antics in… Read More ›
China is conducting air-sea patrols for Chinese oil rigs in waters disputed with Vietnam
The following is based on a translation of a report on a Chinese news website: Major Chinese military site mil.huanqiu.com has published photos of Chinese oil rigs to the southwest of China’s Hainan Island and the patrol amphibious aircraft and… Read More ›
India, Japan and U.S. can shape China’s peaceful rise
Coordination among India, Japan and the U.S. on security cooperation and economic ties are essential because they can fundamentally talk about how they can “shape China’s rise in a peaceful way”, said Nicholas Szechenyi, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow –… Read More ›
Official news in China stresses military use of Fiery Cross Reef in South China Sea, mocks United States
The following is based on a translation of a report in Chinese media: A report in mil.huanqiu.com titled”Yongshu Reef (Fiery Cross Reef) will be China’s foothold in Nansha (Spratly) for counterblow at US, Philippine and others’ provocation” has stressed the… Read More ›
China to turn Mischief Reef into ‘Pearl Harbor of the South China Sea’
The following is based on a translation of a report in Chinese media: The “On Military and War” column of news.ifeng.com published an article titled “Turning Mischief Reef into the Pearl Harbor of the South China Sea is of vital… Read More ›
China using ground effect aircraft to strengthen its claim in the South China Sea
The following is based on a translation from Chinese media: China reported some time ago that it was developing large ground effect vehicles as a means of transport between China’s artificial islands in the South China Sea. In this way,… Read More ›
U.S. senators seek strategy to stop China’s South China Sea reclamation
Leading U.S. senators expressed alarm on Thursday at the scale and speed of China’s land reclamation in the South China Sea and said a formal U.S. strategy was needed to slow or stop the work. In a letter to U.S…. Read More ›
South China Sea: China reclaims land on yet another reef, to show disregard to US, Vietnam and Philippines
The following is a translation from Chinese media: In addition to the artificial islands China has been building on Johnson South Reef, Cuarteron Reef, Hughes Reef, Mckennan Reef, Gaven Reef, Eldad Reef, Fiery Cross Reef and Mischief Reef, China has… Read More ›
With J-20 fighters on artificial islands, China plans to dominate the South China Sea
In my article “Chinese Troops to Seize Zhongye Island Back from the Philippines in 2014” on January 11, 2014, I said, Chinese troops were planning to seize Zhongye Island back from the Philippines in 2014”. In my article two days… Read More ›
China prepares for war
The following are the views of the original author, and not necessarily those of China Daily Mail: Apart from their frantic dredging and island-building in the South China Sea, China is now also building an air and naval base in… Read More ›
US State Department says China’s nine-dashed line in South China Sea wouldn’t pass any legal test
Last week the US State Department released a useful report on China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea. As M Taylor Fravel tweeted, it is a must-read for anyone interested in maritime security, the law of the sea, or… Read More ›
Vietnam warships visit Philippines amid South China Sea dispute
Vietnam on Tuesday showed off its two most powerful warships in the first-ever port call to the Philippines, but an official said it was not trying to challenge China’s superior naval forces amid tension in the South China Sea. Hanoi… Read More ›
China building South China Sea island big enough for airstrip
Satellite images show China is building an island on a reef in the disputed Spratly Islands large enough to accommodate what could be its first offshore airstrip in the South China Sea, a leading defence publication said. The construction has… Read More ›
China building military base in the Spratly Islands to control entire South China Sea; drops plans to invade Philippines’ Zhongye Island
The following is based on translations from Chinese media: On February 12, I said in my post “China to Build US$5 Billion South China Sea Military Base at Fiery Cross Reef” that according to an informed source, China would spend… Read More ›
Philippines to propose no action to raise tension with China in sea disputes
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 ›
China urges peaceful development of seas by all countries, while not following its own advice
China, involved in a growing dispute with its neighbours over the energy-rich South China Sea, wants to promote peaceful development of the oceans, Premier Li Keqiang said, warning conflicts in the past had only brought “disaster for humanity”. China claims… Read More ›
Top China diplomat to visit Vietnam in possible thaw over oil rig
China’s top diplomat will visit Vietnam on Wednesday in a sign the two countries want to ease tensions over China’s deployment of an oil rig in the disputed South China Sea, but experts said there were many obstacles to healing… Read More ›
Chinese media: China will challenge the US in South China Sea
The following is a summary of translations from Chinese media: China’s large-scale reclamation of land on five reefs to set up military, fishing, fish farming and tourism bases in the South China Sea and construction of a school on Woody… Read More ›
China’s plans to control South China Sea; Philippines and Vietnam are just the beginning
The following is a translation from Chinese media: China believes that it’s reclamation of land on Johnson South Reef can monitor and control three countries – Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia. China also believes that the construction of an artificial island… Read More ›
China to build South China Sea military base in waters claimed by Philippines and Vietnam
The following article was translated from Chinese media. Sources say due to changes in the international situation and the need to resolve South China Sea issues, Chinese military have recently drawn up a plan to conduct reclamation at Mischief and… Read More ›