BEIJING, Feb 13 – China is set to build a deep-sea research facility in the resource-rich South China Sea, a move that could strengthen its territorial claims while advancing marine exploration. According to the South China Morning Post, the 2,000-meter-deep station will allow scientists to study methane-rich cold seep ecosystems, which hold vast deposits of … Read more
Crew members assigned to the Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Sindangan say they knew their mission would involve facing off against huge, numerous, intimidating Chinese vessels in the contested waters of the South China Sea. But that did not fully prepare them for the reality. “My heart beats up every time a clash is imminent,” … Read more
The Philippines will once again receive Japan’s Official Security Assistance, marking the third consecutive year of such support. In 2024, Tokyo pledged coastal radar systems and patrol boats to the Philippines and speed boats to Indonesia under the government-to-government scheme. Yet as Tokyo’s Indo-Pacific ambitions grow, a critical question emerges: Can OSA expand beyond … Read more
India and Indonesia are apparently near a deal that will see the former to supply the latter with the BrahMos supersonic missile, a potential game-changer for security dynamics vis-à-vis-China in the southern reaches of the South China Sea. A BrahMos missile deal was reportedly discussed during Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s recent visit to India as … Read more
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine Senate president said Thursday the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will begin after Congress reopens in June and vowed to avoid a repeat of stalled 2001 impeachment proceedings that sparked massive protests and forced a president to step down. The previous day, the House of Representatives impeached … Read more
Recent years have seen a noticeable ramp-up of China’s aggressiveness in the South China Sea. While China previously held a far more passive stance in regards to its neighbors, it seems that shaky footage of Chinese Coast Guard vessels or fishing boats shadowing and attacking Philippine vessels with water cannons, ramming attacks, or even hatchets … Read more
Representative image (Image credits: ANI) BEIJING: China has made no secret of its desire to annex Taiwan, which it may do by cutting off supplies and imposing a blockade on the self-governing island. To thwart the US military from assisting Taiwan, the Chinese military recently conducted drills, according to a report by The Eurasian Times.According … Read more
Indonesia is walking a fine line between bolstering ties with Beijing and preserving its long-standing non-aligned stance. As Jakarta ramps up military and coastguard cooperation with China, it sends a message of pragmatism to its Southeast Asian neighbours and the United States – but also risks raising questions about its long-standing non-aligned stance. The signal … Read more
Agence France-Presse January 23, 2025 | 9:02am WASHINGTON, United States — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the United States under President Donald Trump remained committed to the Philippines’ defense, as tensions simmer with Beijing in the South China Sea. In a call with his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo, Rubio “underscored the … Read more
The new isopod species has been named Bathynomus vaderi after the most famous Sith Lord in the Star Wars movie series, Darth Vader, whose helmet resembles the marine animal’s head. Bathynomus vaderi. Image credit: Ng et al., doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1223.139335. The newly-discovered species belongs to Bathynomus, the dominant scavenging isopod genus in the tropical and temperate … Read more