China has been steadily laying its so-called sovereign claims on what it considers as its rightful territorial waters that span the East and South China seas. But one nation stands in the way of Beijing – America. On the account of its military might, the United States is essentially tempering the aggressiveness that China has […]
Australian ships and aircraft are in the South China Sea as part of “normal activities”, says a senior military officer. The comment came as Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told the Lowy Institute in Sydney that Australia would object if China made a unilateral claim of an air defence zone over the sea. Sixty per cent […]
Defence Minister Kevin Andrews has said Australia will continue to fly military aircraft over disputed waters in the South China Sea even if Beijing imposes a unilateral restricted air zone. A day after demanding an end to Beijing’s island-building in the contested waters during a key Asian security conference, Mr Andrews indicated Australia would not heed any […]
China’s rapid claim on contested islands in the South China Sea is beyond anything seen previously and raises legitimate questions about Beijing’s intentions in the region, the secretary of the Australian defence department, Dennis Richardson, said. Richardson told a Senate estimates committee on Monday that the military buildup on China’s reclamation program in the South […]
Australia has urged China and south-east Asian countries squabbling over territory in the South China Sea to sign a code of conduct immediately. The defence minister, Kevin Andrews, issued a veiled swipe at China during a speech to an Asia Pacific security summit in Singapore on Sunday. “We are particularly concerned at the prospect of […]
Australia has urged China and south-east Asian countries squabbling over territory in the South China Sea to sign a code of conduct immediately. The defence minister, Kevin Andrews, issued a veiled swipe at China during a speech to an Asia Pacific security summit in Singapore on Sunday. “We are particularly concerned at the prospect of […]
SYDNEY – Japan will join a major US-Australian military exercise for the first time in a sign of growing security links between the three countries as tensions fester over China’s island building in the South China Sea. While only 40 Japanese officers and soldiers will take part in drills involving 30,000 US and Australian troops […]
A structure built by China in one of the islands in the Spratlys: China’s island building has alarmed its neighbours. Photo: Reuters Rising tensions in the South China Sea are not simply driven by disputes over reefs, hydrocarbon resources and fisheries. China is seeking to exercise greater control over the waters and airspace in ways […]
Last month, Thailand’s navy requested funding for a submarine program which, when finalized, will make it the region’s eighth submarine-equipped nation—joining Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, India, and Australia. The Philippines, Thailand, and Bangladesh, meanwhile, have all expressed interest in acquiring submarine fleets. As tensions in the South China Sea continue to escalate, this arms race […]
Australia urged China not to create a proprietary air zone over the disputed South China Sea, with defusing tensions in the waters a priority, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said. “The Asean countries have been discussing this and I believe they’ve made their position quite plain that they would be deeply concerned if there was any […]