Beijing faces greater risks of aerial rather than maritime confrontations with the Philippines in the South China Sea, a leading Chinese analyst has warned. The note of caution from Hu Bo, director of the Beijing-based South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI), comes as China intensifies efforts to assert its claims over the disputed … Read more
The Philippines’ vow to maintain its strategy of openly challenging Chinese activities in the South China Sea while avoiding direct conflict has sparked calls for stronger measures, with a prominent American security analyst urging bolder steps from Washington to demonstrate its commitment to defending Manila. Raymond Powell, the director of SeaLight – a project of … Read more
A US Navy ship’s recent appearance near the coastline of the Philippines could be an attempt to track Chinese submarine movement in disputed waters and also signal Washington’s unwavering support for its longtime ally over the deployment of the Typhon missile system, according to observers. In the early hours of December 29, the USNS Victorious … Read more
The Philippines is forging ahead with its retention of a US-made Typhon missile system, brushing aside China’s demand for its removal, in a move seen by experts as both a declaration of self-reliance and a calculated gamble in the face of mounting tensions in the South China Sea. The Philippine Army announced plans on Monday … Read more
China expelled a Philippine plane that “illegally intruded” into the airspace over a contested South China Sea shoal on Thursday, according to the China Coast Guard. A C-208 light utility plane sent by the Philippines “illegally invaded the airspace of China’s Huangyan Island”, coastguard spokesman Liu Dejun said on Friday, using the Chinese name for … Read more