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South China Sea: Analysis

South China Sea: Analysis
The latest news, analysis and opinion on South China Sea: Analysis. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
last updated:
24 August, 2024
People in Hanoi protest over China’s 2012 announcement that it will open nine oil and gas lots in waters in the South China Sea. Photo: AP
South China Sea

Opinion | Vietnam wants a South China Sea dispute resolution pact with teeth, not more politics

Asean member states and China are a step closer to forming a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea after years of operating a toothless diplomatic pact that has failed to reduce tensions.

South China Sea

Opinion | What a stranded ship in South China Sea says about China-Philippine ties

South China Sea

How the US clouds China-Asean progress in South China Sea

South China Sea

Global Impact | Waves continue in South China Sea as China warns against ‘provocative actions’

In this week’s issue of the Global Impact newsletter, we recap the latest in the South China Sea.

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A China Coast Guard ship is seen from the Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Cabra. Photo: TNS
South China Sea

Explainer | Who is winning the fight for the South China Sea’s resources?

Claimants are competing for fish, oil and gas amid unresolved maritime boundaries and differing interpretations of law.

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South China Sea

Why Philippine warning of South China Sea war may not be cause for serious alarm

Manila’s defence chief said towing away a grounded ship would be an act of war, but one analyst said that is ‘not a good option’ for China.

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South China Sea

Can mini-lateral pacts help Manila navigate the South China Sea’s choppy waters?

The Philippines should focus on security ties with neighbours rather than hoping that Asean can secure a Code of Conduct, analysts say.

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Philippine Coast Guard personnel wave flags as a Vietnam Coast Guard patrol ship makes a port call at the Port of Manila on August 5. Photo: EPA-EFE
South China Sea

Explainer | What is Beijing’s 9-dash line in the South China Sea and what does it mean?

The cartographer’s mark was first drawn on official maps 80 years ago but has been the subject of numerous interpretations.

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US-China relations

As No 2 US envoy ends Pacific tour, Beijing scores a diplomatic win on Taiwan

After Beijing envoy demands ‘correction’, Pacific Islands Forum scraps Taiwan reference from its annual summit’s final communique.

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Vietnam

As South China Sea stakes ratchet ever higher, Vietnam seeks out calmer waters

Hanoi’s new leadership is doubling down on ‘bamboo diplomacy’ to navigate choppy geopolitical currents and protect economic gains.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Vietnam’s To Lam after a signing ceremony in Beijing on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Taiwan

China law enforcers mount joint sea patrols to extend maritime reach: observers

Beijing says latest operation designed to ‘enhance maritime traffic control and emergency rescue capabilities’ as Taiwan keeps watchful eye.

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As many as 55,000 fishing vessels are reported to have entered the East China Sea and South China Sea as a summer fishing ban ended on Friday. Photo: Xinhua
South China Sea

China vows ‘strong measures’ against Philippines in South China Sea

Sabina Shoal is latest flashpoint between Beijing and Manila as foreign ministry decries ‘infringing behaviour’.

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South China Sea

How will Manila answer as Beijing shifts its South China Sea tactics to the sky?

A confrontation between the two countries’ air forces has raised concerns that Beijing may use its aggressive maritime tactics in the sky.

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South China Sea

Beijing bankrolls science missions as conflict heats up South China Sea

China deploys several advanced ships and technologies to explore marine biology, fisheries and mineral resources.

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China’s Shen Kuo research vessel has been spotted around the Philippines in recent months. Photo: Handout
South China Sea

How is China’s ‘maritime militia’ supporting the PLA in the South China Sea?

Hundreds of fishing vessels used as auxiliary forces are ‘floating pieces of sovereignty’ that help the PLA with surveillance, reclamation support and disaster relief.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
South China Sea

China urged to set deadline for Philippines to withdraw from contested shoal

China should present time frame for withdrawal from Second Thomas Shoal and block supplies if Manila does not comply, says Wu Shicun.

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China-Philippines relations

Global Impact | Stakes higher than ever in South China Sea, scepticism looms despite meeting

In this week’s issue of the Global Impact newsletter, we look at the situation in the South China Sea after talks between China and the Philippines took place in Manila.

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South China Sea

Opinion | South China Sea: Marcos is resisting drastic moves, but for how long?

Calls in the Philippines are growing, for measures from building a lighthouse on Second Thomas Shoal to inundating China with litigation.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
South China Sea

Beijing exploiting talks to assert control over South China Sea: analysts

Analysts argue Beijing’s negotiations with the Philippines are being exploited to normalise China’s control over contested territory.

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South China Sea

Opinion | Philippines’ dithering over South China Sea clash fuelled by US doubts

Dithering official statements reflect not only Philippine fears of unwanted escalation but also, crucially, doubts over US defence commitments.

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South China Sea

Opinion | Asean all adrift over South China Sea consensus

Divisions are undermining Asean centrality as nations from Malaysia to the Philippines disagree on the China threat and nurture different priorities.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Malaysia

Malaysia urged to get tougher with Beijing over South China Sea claims

Toshi Yoshihara, an American expert who’s set to brief Malaysia’s armed forces on China’s military, said prioritising short-term trade benefits over addressing the territorial conflict could cost Kuala Lumpur dearly in the long run.

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Royal Malaysian Air Force jets fly alongside US aircraft above the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier during a scheduled deployment to the South China Sea in 2021. Photo US Navy/Handout
South China Sea

Opinion | In the South China Sea, Beijing can ill afford to be seen as a bully

China should rethink its approach to the Philippines in favour of de-escalation and genuinely mutually beneficial agreements. Meanwhile, the Philippines should maintain robust communication with China, avoid getting dragged into a US-led ‘Asian Nato’ and engage with Asean for stability.

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The Philippines

Is Beijing turning to ‘cognitive warfare’ against Manila over South China Sea?

Analysts say Beijing’s claims about an alleged deal on the South China Sea are likely a form of psychological manipulation aimed at breaking the Philippines’ resolve.

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South China Sea

Opinion | Why Marcos should restart South China Sea oil and gas talks with China

Jointly exploring and exploiting the oil and gas in the South China Sea would invigorate ties and solve Philippine gas supply woes. But Marcos Jnr must find the political determination and courage to make the first move.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
South China Sea

China’s threat to release audio of Spratly deal shows Beijing’s ‘frustration’

China feels the Philippines has broken its word and badly damaged political trust, observer says.

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A Chinese Coast Guard ship fires a water cannon on a Philippine Coast Guard vessel near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on April 30. Photo: EPA-EFE/Philippine Coast Guard
South China Sea

Opinion | Asean must prevent the South China Sea from becoming another Ukraine

As the Philippines looks for allies outside Asean to support its South China stance against Beijing, Southeast Asia risks becoming a theatre of war. Asean must act to to de-escalate tensions and ensure regional peace and prosperity.

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The Philippines

What a second Trump presidency could mean for Philippines and South China Sea

Most analysts believe Trump would maintain the alliance to counter Beijing, but some said major shifts including a potential troop pull-out were possible

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