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☆ China, U.S. Navy in row over guided-missile destroyer in South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, March 24 (Reuters) - China's defence ministry said on Friday that it yet again had to monitor and drive away the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Milius that entered its territorial waters in the South China Sea near the Paracel Islands. The U.S. Navy said the guided-missile destroyer was asserting its navigational rights and freedoms. "Unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea pose a serious threat to the freedom of the seas, including the freedoms of navigation and overflight, free trade and unimpeded commerce, and freedom of economic opportunity for South China Sea littoral nations," the U.S. Navy 7th fleet said in an emailed statement. U.S. forces operate in the South China Sea on a daily basis, the U.S. Navy said. It was the second straight day of a stand-off between the two super powers amid growing tensions in the South China Sea.

☆ Vietnam may resist diplomatic upgrade with Washington as U.S.-China tensions simmer
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Francesco Guarascio | Thomson Reuters | Francesco Leads A Team Of Reporters In Vietnam That Covers Top Financial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The United States is hoping for an upgrade in the relations this year, ideally to coincide with the 10th anniversary in July of its comprehensive partnership with Vietnam. The United States is a major investor in Vietnam and the largest ever U.S. business mission visited the country this week. Though it is Vietnam's biggest export market, it is currently ranked as a third-tier diplomatic partner for Hanoi. A formal ties upgrade this year "is not considered realistic anymore," said Florian Feyerabend, the representative in Vietnam for Germany's Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Le Hong Hiep, a Senior Fellow at Singapore's ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, said there was no doubt Vietnam wants to upgrade ties with Washington, but it was unlikely to agree to that this year.

☆ China's military says US warship illegally entered waters in South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, March 23 (Reuters) - China's military said on Thursday it monitored and drove away a U.S. destroyer that had illegally entered waters around the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. In a statement, the military said without the approval of the government, the guided-missile destroyer Milius illegally intruded into China's territorial waters, undermining peace and stability in the busy waterway. "The theater forces will maintain a high state of alert at all times and take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and security and peace and stability in the South China Sea," said Tian Junli, a spokesman for China's Southern Theatre Command. Tension between the United States and China has been growing in the area. The United States has been shoring up alliances in the Asia-Pacific seeking to counter China's assertiveness in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, as Beijing seeks to advance its territorial claims.

REUTERS/Edgar SuSINGAPORE, March 23 (Reuters) - The United States does not see an imminent threat of China invading Taiwan but is ready to defend the self-ruled island, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday in Singapore. "Anyone who contemplates an act of aggression that would involve the United States is making a very serious mistake," he said. Kendall said China has done "a number of things that are fairly aggressive", including "militarising" the South China Sea, the strategic trade corridor in which several countries have overlapping claims. China claims most of the waterway as its territory and has said the United States is the biggest driver of militarisation in the region. The Chinese military said on Thursday it monitored and drove away a U.S. destroyer that had illegally entered waters around the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.

☆ China's military says U.S. warship illegally entered waters in South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

China's military said on Thursday it monitored and drove away a U.S. destroyer that had illegally entered waters around the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. In a statement, the military said without the approval of the government, the guided-missile destroyer Milius illegally intruded into China's territorial waters, undermining peace and stability in the busy waterway. "The theater forces will maintain a high state of alert at all times and take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and security and peace and stability in the South China Sea," said Tian Junli, a spokesman for China's Southern Theater Command.

☆ Marcos says new military bases with US to be "scattered" around the Philippines
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANILA, March 22 (Reuters) - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Wednesday he will make a formal announcement soon on the locations of four additional military bases under the Enchanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States. "There are four extra sites scattered around the Philippines. There are some in the north there are some around Palawan there are some further south," Marcos told reporters at the sidelines of the Philippine army's founding anniversary. Speaking before Philippine troops, Marcos told them to be vigilant as he said that the external threat to his country's security was becoming more "complex" and "unpredictable." Marcos said he was aware of an "emerging threat" to his country's territory, which he said would require "adjustments in our strategy."

☆ Mistakes by the US's top spies allowed China to turn a deadly mid-air collision into an intelligence coup
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( James Bamford | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +36 min

On April 1, 2001, a US EP-3 spy plane collided with a Chinese fighter jet over the South China Sea. One of eleven left in the fleet, the tired 1960s-era spy plane bristled with porcupine-like antennas. Within minutes, however, the fighters had reached the lumbering spy plane, and while Zhao Yu hung back about a half-mile, Wang Wei rapidly closed in. In severe trouble, he immediately radioed the base, telling them he was unable to maneuver and being sucked in by the spy plane. "You are not allowed aboard the aircraft," Osborn said.

☆ Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announces new Indo-Pacific plan during India visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Hyderabad House on March 20, 2023 in New Delhi, India. During the meeting, Kishida invited the Indian PM to the G-7 Leaders Summit in Japan in May. Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday invited his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for the Group of Seven summit in May and announced action plans for a new Indo-Pacific initiative aimed at countering China's influence in the region. The relationship between New Delhi and Beijing also has deteriorated since 2020, when Indian and Chinese troops clashed along their undefined border in the Himalayan Ladakh region, leaving 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead. Kishida also held talks with Modi to deepen bilateral cooperation while also addressing food security and development financing.

[1/6] Philippines Air Force Acting Commanding General Ramon Guiang, Assistant Secretary of the Office of American Affairs Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga, Philippines defence chief Carlito Galvez Jr., U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall; U.S. REUTERS/Eloisa LopezBASA AIR BASE, Philippines, March 20 (Reuters) - The United States and Philippines will announce new sites as soon as possible for an expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which gives the Western power access to military bases in the Southeast Asian country. Leaders of local governments at the potential EDCA sites have backed the government's decision to allow the United States greater access to the bases, Philippines' defence chief, Carlito Galvez, said in a joint news conference with Kendall. Galvez and Kendall were leading a groundbreaking ceremony for the rehabilitation of the Basa Air Base's runway. The runway rehabilitation is part of $82 million the United States has allocated for infrastructure investments at the existing five EDCA sites.

[1/3] Admiral John C. Aquilino, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command speaks at the IISS Special Lecture in Singapore March 16, 2023. REUTERS/Caroline ChiaSINGAPORE, March 16 (Reuters) - The current friction in the Indo Pacific is alarming and "trending in the wrong direction", but the U.S. presence was not an effort to contain or invite conflict with China, a senior U.S. admiral said on Thursday. Admiral John Aquilino, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said an "AUKUS" partnership between Australia, Britain and the United States to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines was to boost its defence capability. Aquilino said the United States, with its exercises and patrols in the region, was not seeking conflict or to contain China, and would not support Taiwan's independence. "There's a place for China in this world to adhere and follow the rules like all the rest of us do," he said.

☆ Analysis: Chinese suppliers race to Vietnam as COVID let-up opens escape route from Sino-U.S. trade war
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Francesco Guarascio | Thomson Reuters | Francesco Leads A Team Of Reporters In Vietnam That Covers Top Financial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Adding impetus to the move is the increasing cost of labour in China, expanding U.S. restrictions on high-tech-related trade with China, and tit-for-tat tariffs from a Sino-U.S. trade war that triggered a past wave of Chinese investment in Vietnam. "Enquiries from Chinese firms about manufacturing investment in Vietnam grew exponentially in the last quarter of last year," said Michael Chan, senior director of leasing at industrial real estate specialist BW Industrial Development. "Chinese investment has also increased remarkably," he said. Chinese firms also experience longer times to obtain staff visas and work permits, said Filippo Bortoletti, who heads the Vietnamese unit of investment consultancy Dezan Shira. "Chinese companies move here mostly to serve their clients who moved earlier," said BW Industrial Development's Chan.

☆ India-Russia defence firm eyes $200 mln missile deal with Indonesia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Devjyot Ghoshal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The company has been in protracted negotiations with Indonesia and details about the size and timeline of a potential deal have not been previously reported. "I have a team right now in Jakarta," Rane told Reuters in an interview, adding that a deal could be in place within the year. "The defence forces of Indonesia are extremely interested." A spokesperson for the Philippine Department of National Defence did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Western-led sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine have not impacted BrahMos production or planning, said Rane.

☆ Factbox: Britain calls out Russia, China in updated foreign policy review
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LONDON, March 13 (Reuters) - Britain published an update to its foreign policy framework on Monday, which announced increases in defence spending and labelled China as a challenge while citing Russia as the most acute threat to Britain's security. The new strategy towards Russia will focus on denying it any benefit from invading Ukraine; contesting Russia's "malign" influence globally and degrading the country's capabilities threatening Britain, including preventing access to critical technology and materials. Britain said Russia's growing cooperation with China and Iran following the invasion of Ukraine are developments of particular concern. CHINABritain said China poses an "epoch-defining challenge" with implications for almost every area of government policy and the lives of British people. NUCLEAR PLANRecognising the growing importance of nuclear to its security, energy and economy needs, Britain said it would publish a Defence Nuclear Strategy later this year.

☆ A new Pentagon map shows how China is beefing up what a top US general calls its 'dangerous position' in the South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

China and several of its neighbors have claimed parts of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The map also gives rough locations for seven Chinese outposts, including three airfields, and 63 other outposts in the Spratlys. China's outposts "are capable of supporting military operations" and "have supported non-combat aircraft," the Pentagon report says. Recent action by those forces around Taiwan, as well as ongoing Chinese activity in the South China Sea, have worried US commanders. The Spratly IslandsFilipino fishermen sail by a Chinese coast guard ship near Scarborough Shoal on February 5.

☆ Philippines, US kick off joint drills amid China concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Adrian Portugal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Lisa Marie DavidFORT MAGSAYSAY, Philippines March 13 (Reuters) - The Philippines and United States launched army-to-army exercises on Monday, with a focus on enhancing the Southeast Asian nation's ability to protect and defend its territory from external threats. "The scenarios would involve the defence of the Philippine archipelago from potential foreign aggressors," Philippines Army Chief Lieutenant General Romeo Brawner told reporters following the opening ceremony. "Since this is an army-to-army exercise, we will focus on defence operations such as air defence and also our defence from the shorelines," he added. Under the agreement, the United States can use the bases for joint training, pre-positioning of equipment and building of facilities such as runways, fuel storage and military housing, but not to maintain a permanent presence. China has slammed the expanded agreement, calling it "part of U.S. efforts to encircle and contain China through its military alliance with this country".

The agreement will also see U.S. and British submarines deployed in Western Australia to help train Australian crews and bolster deterrence. This first phase of the plan is already underway with the U.S. Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine Asheville visiting Perth in Western Australia, officials said. Briefing a small group of reporters on Friday, Sullivan dismissed China's concerns and pointed to Beijing's own military buildup, including nuclear-powered submarines. 'DOUBLE DIGIT BILLION' INVESTMENTAustralia had agreed to contribute funds to boost U.S. and British submarine production and maintenance capacity, the official said. Australia's nuclear-powered submarine program with the United States and Britain will cost Australia up to A$368 billion ($245 billion) by 2055, a defense official said.

☆ Britain's Sunak boosts defence spending to try to silence critics
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Elizabeth Piper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

With his government unveiling the update to Britain's national security and international policy, Sunak, on a visit to the U.S., will also set out an "ambition" to increase defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product in the longer term. He said his previous increases to defence spending showed he was a man of his word, and described the new commitments as a "strong and positive statement". COUNTERING CHINAMeeting U.S. President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Sunak will want to underline that the increase in spending will only bolster the AUKUS pact. Instead, Britain will seek to engage China and be robust in defending the things it cares about, he said. The island, increasingly concerned about the threat from China, was left out of the earlier document which was published in 2021.

☆ The next world power will be the first to harness the power of AI, former defense official argues in new book
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

Paul Scharre, a former defense official, argues AI dominance will determine the next global power. The battle for AI power will revolutionize world militaries and economies. His book, "Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence," was released on February 28. In his latest book, "Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence," Scharre explores how the international battle for the most powerful AI technology is changing global power dynamics. Over time, regulation in some fashion of AI technology; probably much of which will be sector-specific.

☆ How Beijing Boxed America Out of the South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Niharika Mandhana | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

In early February, a Philippine coast guard vessel approached a small outpost in the South China Sea when it was hit by green laser beams that temporarily blinded its crew. The source was a Chinese coast guard ship, which Philippine authorities said approached dangerously close. A few weeks earlier, the U.S. military accused a Chinese fighter pilot of another unsafe action over the waterway—flying within 20 feet of the nose of a U.S. Air Force aircraft.

☆ Over the South China Sea, dispute simmers via radios and rhetoric
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Eloisa Lopez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] An aerial view shows the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island, locally known as Pag-asa, in the contested Spratly Islands, South China Sea, March 9, 2023. REUTERS/Eloisa LopezABOARD PHILIPPINES COAST GUARD PLANE, South China Sea, March 10 (Reuters) - As a Philippine coast guard aircraft flew over the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea on Thursday, a message came in over the radio telling it to immediately leave "Chinese territory". "Calling China coast guard vessel. China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Beijing insists its coast guard is defending its territory. China's coast guard challenged the plane again as it flew over the shoal, located inside the Philippines 200-mile exclusive economic zone.

☆ Biden to host Australia and Britain to reveal details of submarine pact to counter China
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( David Brunnstrom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

In the early 2030s, Australia would buy three Virginia class submarines and have the option to buy two more. Under the initial AUKUS deal announced in 2021, the United States and Britain agreed to provide Australia with the technology and capability to deploy nuclear-powered submarines. It will be the first time the United States has shared nuclear-propulsion technology since it did so with Britain in the 1950s. Currently no party to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty other than the five countries the NPT recognizes as weapons states - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France - has nuclear submarines. General Dynamics Corp (GD.N), which makes Virginia class submarines, has 17 of them in its current backlog delivering through 2032.

☆ PREVIEW Biden to host Australia and Britain to reveal details of submarine pact to counter China
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( David Brunnstrom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Two of the officials said that after the annual port visits, the United States would forward deploy some submarines in Western Australia by around 2027. In the early 2030s, Australia would buy three Virginia class submarines and have the option to buy two more. It will be the first time the United States has shared nuclear-propulsion technology since it did so with Britain in the 1950s. Currently no party to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty other than the five countries the NPT recognizes as weapons states - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France - has nuclear submarines. General Dynamics Corp (GD.N), which makes Virginia class submarines, has 17 of them in its current backlog delivering through 2032.

☆ China is scrambling to find pilots to fly from its growing aircraft carrier fleet
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

China's fleet of aircraft carriers has grown quickly, expanding from one to three in a decade. To use that fleet effectively, China's navy also has to train pilots to operate carrier aircraft. "Starting in 2023, the Navy will select carrier-based aircraft pilots from fresh graduates from local ordinary colleges and universities," according to a Chinese navy brochure. Yet it takes more than ships to build an effective carrier fleet. In fact, the Chinese navy ended up copying a Russian carrier jet without permission to give its carrier program a boost.

WASHINGTON, March 8 (Reuters) - China will maintain its cooperation with Russia to continue trying to challenge the United States despite international concerns about the invasion of Ukraine, U.S. intelligence agencies said on Wednesday. "Despite global backlash over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, China will maintain its diplomatic, defense, economic, and technology cooperation with Russia to continue trying to challenge the United States, even as it will limit public support," they said in a report released as the Senate Intelligence Committee held its annual hearing on worldwide threats to U.S. security. "The next few years are critical as strategic competition with China and Russia intensifies in particular how the world will evolve, and whether the rise of authoritarianism can be checked and reversed," Haines added. Haines described "a grinding, attritional war" in Ukraine and said U.S. intelligence does not foresee the Russian military recovering enough this year to make major territorial gains. Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Jonathan Landay, Michael Martina; Editing by Doina Chiacu;Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ The U.S. Is Not Yet Ready for the Era of ‘Great Power’ Conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Michael R. Gordon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Clint Hinote returned from a deployment in Baghdad in the spring of 2018 to a new assignment and a staggering realization. A classified Pentagon wargame simulated a Chinese push to take control of the South China Sea. The Air Force officer, charged with plotting the service’s future, learned that China’s well-stocked missile force had rained down on the bases and ports the U.S. relied on in the region, turning American combat aircraft and munitions into smoldering ruins in a matter of days.

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