Washington, Feb 17 (IANS) The United States and the Philippines reaffirmed their treaty alliance and pledged deeper military and economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.Senior officials met in Manila for the 12th Philippines-United States Bilateral Strategic Dialogue. The talks marked 80 years of diplomatic relations and the 75th anniversary of their Alliance. The Philippines is also serving as ASEAN Chair in 2026.First convened in 2011, the dialogue “serves as the annual platform to discuss …
Latest South China Sea News & Updates
Naypyidaw, Feb 16 (IANS) China’s actions constitute a systematic assault on the international legal order. By asserting adherence to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) — while violating its core provisions, spreading disinformation to obscure violations, intimidating monitors and negotiating in bad faith- Beijing demonstrates that law matters only when it aligns with Chinese interests, a report said on Monday. According to a report in Myanmar’s media outlet ‘The I…
Beijing, Feb 13 (IANS) China has consistently been accused by Western officials and cybersecurity researchers of conducting extensive offensive cyber campaigns, with those allegations based on intelligence assessments and technical forensics obtained following cyber attacks. The leaked materials, including source code, training data and software assets, offer rare documentary insight into the groundwork that could enable such attacks before they occur, a report said on Friday.Citing a cache of l…
Washington, Feb 11 (IANS) The National Security Strategy (NSS) of US President Donald Trump’s administration serves as a wake-up call for Southeast Asia, signalling that the US may no longer act as a counterbalance to China’s assertiveness in the region. The era of US security guarantees for parts in the region may also end sooner than anticipated, a report said on Wednesday. According to a report in Eurasia Review, the emerging environment shifts towards a more uncertain, competitive, and fra…
Naypyidaw, Feb 3 (IANS) China’s expanding use of fishing fleets and maritime militia in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) reflects a deliberate strategy aimed at normalising coercive presence and undermining established maritime norms. Through the weaponisation of civilian vessels and exploitation of legal ambiguities, Beijing is exporting instability, environmental degradation, and strategic pressure into a region vital to regional security, posing a direct maritime threat to the IOR rather than …
Taipei, Feb 2 (IANS) Chinese military aircraft incursions near Taiwan have increased nearly 15-fold over the past five years, local media reported citing a report from the Department of China Affairs of Taiwan’s ruling party Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) . According to the report, sorties in the Taiwan Strait were not entering regularly previously, with 380 in 2020. The report revealed that the sorties have now started routine operations in the Taiwan Strait, leading daily Taipei Times …
Washington, Jan 29 (IANS) A contentious US Senate hearing on Venezuela this week offered a revealing look at how Washington is fusing energy control, China’s debt diplomacy, sanctions, and calibrated force — a strategic mix that resembles challenges India faces across the Global South and the Indo-Pacific.Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio showcased Venezuela as a case study of how great-power competition now plays out through oil acce…
Canberra, Jan 20 (IANS) A broader functional scope for the ASEAN Coast Guard Forum (ACF) would enable members to address maritime challenges beyond countering China in the South China Sea, thereby enhancing the forum’s credibility — both regionally and internationally — while mitigating Chinese criticism, a report said on Tuesday. According to a report in Australia-based ‘The Strategist’, the ACF may in future explore cooperation with extra-regional states — including China — for e…
New Delhi/Tokyo, Jan 19 (IANS) The recent visit of Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi to India marked an “execution phase” in bilateral ties, moving from visionary agreements to tangible outcomes. Through diversified partnerships between the two nations, India enhances its strategic autonomy, reducing dependence on any singular power while promoting free and open Indo-Pacific principles to deter coercion, a report said on Monday. “Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi’s v…
Singapore, Jan 13 (IANS) Through use of centuries-old maps, voyages, and vaguely defined historical presence, China seeks to portray contested waters as inherently Chinese, despite the prevailing modern international law and adverse legal rulings, a report said on Tuesday. It added that this narrative strategy focuses less on persuading neutral arbiters and more on deligitimising the very idea of arbitration.According to a report in ‘The Singapore Post’, if sovereignty is framed as historically …