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☆ Chinese jet came within 20 feet of U.S. military aircraft- U.S. military
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 29 (Reuters) - A Chinese military plane came within 20 feet (6 metres) of a U.S. air force aircraft and forced it to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision in international airspace over the South China Sea last week, the U.S. military said on Thursday. The close encounter followed what the United States has called a recent trend of increasingly dangerous behavior by Chinese military aircraft. The incident, which involved a Chinese Navy J-11 fighter jet and a U.S. air force RC-135 aircraft, took place on Dec. 21, the U.S. military added in a statement. In a meeting with his Chinese counterpart in November, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin raised the need to improve crisis communications, and also noted what he called dangerous behavior by Chinese military planes. Reporting by Idrees Ali and Doina Chiacu Editing by Frances KerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Taiwan's remote islands are on the frontline with China — sometimes only a few hundred yards from Chinese troops
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Taiwan is roughly 100 miles from mainland China, but some Taiwanese islands are much closer. Taiwan's outlying islands would stand little chance against China, but they wouldn't be easy to take. While celebrated, this year's anniversary was also a reminder of Taiwan's islands' growing vulnerability to Chinese attack. Taiwan's islands are much easier to reach. Tourists watch a Chinese military helicopter fly over Pingtan Island, one of mainland China's closest points to Taiwan, on August 4.

☆ The US military is planning for a 'transformative' year in Asia as tensions with China continue to rise
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Amid rising tensions with China, the US military has sought to bolster its presence in Asia. US forces there may see the "most transformative year" in a generation in 2023, a US official said. Major changes to the US military presence in Asia face logistical and political hurdles, however. Other countries have sought more training with the US military or, in the case of Palau, to host US forces. There are opportunities for the US "to expand its access and deepen relationships" in both Northeast and Southeast Asia, said Thompson, a former US Defense Department official, but US leaders will have to reckon with the limits of those partnerships, especially in Southeast Asia.

☆ Vivid new photos give you a rare look at the South China Sea islands that a top US commander says China has fully militarized
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Beijing has used both natural and artificial islands to build up its military capabilities in the area. Island airbasesAn airfield, buildings, and structures on the artificial island built by China at Subi Reef on October 25. Port for Chinese warshipsAn airfield, buildings, and structures on the artificial island at Fiery Cross Reef on October 25. More than 40 vessels of different types appear to be anchored near Fiery Cross, the Associated Press said in March. These islands have sports fieldsAn airfield, buildings, and recreational facilities on the artificial island at Fiery Cross Reef on October 25.

☆ Philippines orders strengthened military presence after 'Chinese activities' near islands
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANILA, Dec 22 (Reuters) - The Philippines' defence ministry on Thursday ordered the military to strengthen its presence in the South China Sea after monitoring "Chinese activities" in disputed waters close to a strategic Philippine-held island. The ministry did not specify what activities those were and its statement follows a report this week of Chinese construction on four uninhabited features in the disputed Spratly islands, news that Beijing has dismissed as "unfounded". The Chinese embassy in Manila reiterated that China strictly abides by a consensus reached among claimants that included not developing uninhabited reefs and islands. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which billions of dollars worth of goods pass each year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have overlapping claims to various islands and features.

☆ U.S. and China trade barbs over South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANILA, Dec 20 (Reuters) - China's embassy in Manila accused the United States on Tuesday of driving a wedge between the Philippines and Beijing, deploring Washington's "unfounded accusations" that it said sought to stir up trouble in the South China Sea. The South China Sea has become one of many flashpoints in the testy relationship between China and the United States, with Washington rejecting what it calls unlawful territorial claims by Beijing in the resource-rich waters. Price said China's actions "reflect continuing disregard for other South China Sea claimants and states lawfully operating in the region". He reiterated that the United States stands by the Philippines in upholding rules-based international order. China claims vast swathes of the South China Sea that overlap with the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines.

☆ Wild video shows F-35B jet crashing and skidding in botched vertical landing, forcing the pilot to eject
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A video showed a fighter jet crash landing at a military base in Fort Worth, Texas, on Thursday. The pilot was forced to eject from the F-35B aircraft after it spun out of control. The plane was landing at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth on Thursday when things went wrong. The aircraft, however, was being flown by a "US government pilot" at the time of the crash, he said. The next year, a Japanese F-35A crashed into the sea; however, the crash was attributed to pilot error.

Of seven new dams planned in Laos, at least four are co-financed by Chinese companies, according to Mekong Dam Monitor data. 'WAKE-UP CALL'Farmers in the Vietnamese Mekong River Delta region were not prepared for the speed at which their landscape - and fortunes - have changed. The Mekong River Commission estimated in 2018 that total sediment flow by now would be around 47 million tonnes per year. "Mainstream dams catch everything," said economist Brian Eyler at the Stimson Center, which runs the Mekong Dam Monitor. The Xayaburi and Don Sahong dams in Laos are the most recent to come online, with Xayaburi the largest on the entire Mekong River.

☆ Vietnam in big push to expand South China Sea outposts - U.S. think tank
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( David Brunnstrom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Vietnam has conducted a major expansion of dredging and landfill work at several of its South China Sea outposts in the second half of this year, signaling an intent to significantly fortify its claims in the disputed waterway, a U.S. think tank reported on Wednesday. Basing its findings on commercial satellite imagery, CSIS's Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) said the effort included expanded landfill work at four features and new dredging at five others. Tennent Reef, which previously only hosted two small pillbox structures, now had 64 acres (26 hectares)of artificial land, the report said. "But Vietnam’s dredging and landfill activities in 2022 are substantial and signal an intent to significantly fortify its occupied features in the Spratlys," the report said. China claims most of the South China Sea and has established military outposts on artificial islands it has built there.

☆ UK, Japan, and Italy are joining forces to build a new next-generation fighter jet that can fight with artificial intelligence
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Britain, Japan, and Italy are working to build a next-generation fighter jet together. The fighter jet will have cutting-edge weapons and advanced capabilities, such as the ability to work with uncrewed aircraft. Britain's defense ministry said in a release that it hopes to develop the fighter jet with various advanced capabilities such as cutting-edge weapons, innovative data systems, and advanced sensors. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that the aircraft's development, and partnership with Japan and Italy, highlights that "the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions are indivisible." In a joint statement with Japan's defense ministry on Thursday, the US Department of Defense said it supports Tokyo's security cooperation with London and Rome.

☆ With tension rising in the Pacific, US special operators have a new goal: Creating 'multiple dilemmas' for China
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

US special operators are aiming to create "multiple dilemmas" for China, SOCOM's commander says. Multiple dilemmasUS Navy SEALs, Philippine Navy special operators, and Australian special-operations soldiers during an exercise in Palawan in April. 1st Class Jared N. GehmannUS special operators need to continue "developing and strengthening the partner and ally piece that's a comparative and competitive advantage for this nation," Fenton said. Moreover, US special operators have been working closely with all US military branches to better understand how those branches operate and how SOCOM can support them in a conflict with China. The Pentagon's top special-operations official said in May 2021 that special operators could be "a key contributor" to resisting a Chinese attempt to seize Taiwan.

☆ With eye on China, US to boost military forces in Australia – and ‘invite’ Japan to join in
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The United States will increase the rotational presence of air, land and sea forces in Australia, including bomber aircraft and fighter jets, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday, amid shared concerns about China. Australia’s Northern Territory is already host to frequent military collaborations with the US. Thousands of US Marines rotate through the territory annually for training and joint exercises, started under former President Barack Obama. Just before last year’s AUSMIN talks, the US, United Kingdom and Australia created a security deal, known as AUKUS, that will provide Australia with the technology to deploy nuclear-powered submarines. The two sides said they had further discussions on that issue and Britain’s Defense Minister Ben Wallace will attend a first in-person meeting of AUKUS ministers on Wednesday in Washington.

☆ Philippines needs to find ways to exploit South China Sea resources, says Marcos
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANILA, Dec 1 (Reuters) - The Philippines must find a way to explore for oil and gas in the South China Sea even without a deal with China, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Thursday, emphasising his country's right to exploit energy reserves in the contested waterway. Talks over joint energy exploration between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea had been terminated, the previous government said in June, citing constitutional constraints and issues of sovereignty. I think there might be other ways so it does not have to be G-to-G (government-to-government)," Marcos said. During a three-day visit last week, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris affirmed American defence commitments to the Philippines and reiterated support for a 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidated Beijing's expansive South China Sea claims. The ruling, which China refused to recognise, states that the Philippines has sovereign rights to exploit energy reserves inside its 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone.

☆ Japan will use G7, UN roles to pressure Russia on Ukraine - foreign minister
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Tim Kelly | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TOKYO, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Japan will use its turn next year in leadership roles at the Group of Seven and the United Nations to pressure Russia to halt its war in Ukraine, Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Yoshimasa Hayashi said at the Reuters NEXT conference. In October, the G7 committed to providing financial, humanitarian, military, diplomatic and legal support to Ukraine for as long as necessary. Japan wants to coordinate with other "G7 nations and like-minded countries to keep on good teamwork vis-a-vis such issues as Russia's aggression on Ukraine and other measures." "We would like to further strengthen the movement for reform for the United Nations," Hayashi told Reuters. "Since the start of the United Nations, the membership has not changed.

☆ China's military has been spending a lot more time working on how to forcefully capture an island, Pentagon says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

China's military has been increasingly practicing seizing islands, the Pentagon says. The US has accused China of engaging in aggressive behavior around Taiwan and in the South China Sea. As an extensive assessment of China's military might, the report outlines the threat that China poses to the self-ruled democratic island of Taiwan. In addition to Beijing's longstanding focus on Taiwan, China also holds competing claims to islands and reefs in the South China Sea, where China has been building military outposts and strengthening its position. Earlier this month, Vice President Kamala Harris made a rare trip to a South China Sea hotspot, specifically the Philippine island of Palawan, which overlooks contested areas in the strategic waterway.

☆ China says it drove away U.S. cruiser near Spratly Islands
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Nov 29 (Reuters) - China's military said on Tuesday it drove away a U.S. guided-missile cruiser that "illegally intruded" into waters near the South China Sea's Spratly Islands. Tian said the U.S. cruiser's intrusion showed that the United States was a "security risk maker" in the South China Sea and "is another iron-clad proof of its hegemony in the navigation and militarization of the South China Sea". China's military said its troops would remain on high alert, the Southern Theatre Command said on its WeChat social media account. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea and it has become one of many flashpoints in the testy relationship between it and the United States. U.S. warships have passed through the South China Sea with increasing frequency in recent years, in a show of force against the Chinese claims.

☆ China poses increasing threat in military space race, top U.S. general says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A Long March-7 Y3 carrier rocket carrying the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on May 29, 2021 in Wenchang, Hainan Province of China. Rapid advancements in China's military capabilities pose increasing risks to American supremacy in outer space, the head of the United States military's space wing said on Monday. Nina Armagno, director of staff of the U.S. Space Force, said Beijing had made significant progress in developing military space technology, including in areas such as satellite communications and re-useable spacecraft, which allow countries to rapidly scale up their space programs. Along with Russia, China has also conducted "reckless" missile tests that have created dangerous amounts of space debris in recent years, Armagno said. "These debris fields threatened all of our systems in space, and these systems are vital to all nations' security, economic and scientific interests," she said.

☆ Kamala Harris Seeks to Strengthen Philippines Alliance Amid Fraught China Relations
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Feliz Solomon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines—Vice President Kamala Harris pledged deeper maritime cooperation with the Philippines and held discussions on the proposed expansion of a military pact between the two countries as Washington seeks to firm up its alliances in Asia. Ms. Harris’s three-day visit to the Southeast Asian country—which closely follows President Biden’s trip to the region for a string of summits—builds on U.S. efforts to step up diplomacy as it faces an assertive China. Washington and Beijing are at odds over a range of issues, from Taiwan and trade to China’s actions in the South China Sea that the U.S. says amount to bullying of smaller nations.

☆ Kamala Harris says U.S. will defend Philippines in South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines — Vice President Kamala Harris called on countries Tuesday to stand up for territorial integrity and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, which has been challenged by China, and said Washington would press an international campaign against “irresponsible behavior” in the disputed waters. Haiyun Jiang / APCiting the profound stakes for America and the international community in the region, particularly in the busy South China Sea, Harris called for a broad effort to fight for unimpeded commerce and freedom of navigation and overflight in the disputed waters. Haiyun Jiang / AFP - Getty ImagesIn Palawan’s main city of Puerto Princesa, Harris visited a small fishing community and discussed with impoverished villagers the impact of illegal fishing on their livelihood. China has warned Washington not to meddle in what it calls an Asian dispute and has said that U.S. Navy and Air Force patrols and combat exercises in the disputed waters are militarizing the South China Sea. In July, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on China to comply with a 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidated Beijing’s vast territorial claims on historical grounds in the South China Sea.

☆ Pentagon chief raises concern about Beijing's 'dangerous' behavior with Chinese counterpart
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/PoolPHNOM PENH, Nov 22 (Reuters) - U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday emphasized the need to improve crisis communications during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart while raising concern about "increasingly dangerous" behavior by Chinese military aircraft. In June, a Chinese fighter aircraft dangerously intercepted an Australian military surveillance plane in the South China Sea region in May, Australia's defence department said. Tuesday's meeting of the defence ministers took place on the sidelines of an ASEAN gathering in Siem Reap, Cambodia. read moreAfter Pelosi's visit, China announced it was halting dialogue with the United States in a number of areas, including between theater-level military commanders. The United States has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan but is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

☆ U.S., China defence ministers meet for second time this year
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In June, a Chinese fighter aircraft dangerously intercepted an Australian military surveillance plane in the South China Sea region in May, Australia's defence department said. Tuesday's meeting of the defence ministers took place on the sidelines of an ASEAN gathering in Siem Reap, Cambodia. read moreAfter Pelosi's visit, China announced it was halting dialogue with the United States in a number of areas, including between theater-level military commanders. Pelosi's Taiwan trip infuriated China, which saw it as a U.S. attempt to interfere in its internal affairs. The United States has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan but is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

☆ 5.6-Magnitude Quake Kills More Than 250 People in Indonesia
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Reuters | The Associated Press | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

0:3038 Killed in Chinese Factory Fire1:03Harris Pledges Support for Philippines in South China SeaNOW PLAYING5.6-Magnitude Quake Kills More Than 250 People in Indonesia0:41Xi Scolds Trudeau at G20 Summit0:29Footage Shows Rare Protest Against Covid Lockdown in China1:57Biden Says Meeting With Xi Was ‘Open and Candid’1:30Victims of Halloween Crowd Surge Are Remembered in Seoul0:27Rescuers Continue Search After India Bridge Collapse0:42Rescue Workers Search for Survivors After Bridge Collapses in India1:00Seoul Mourns Victims of Deadly Halloween Crowd Surge0:48Halloween Crowd Surge Leaves Dozens Dead in Seoul0:34

☆ Chinese coast guard seizes rocket debris from Philippine navy
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese coast guard forcibly seized floating debris the Philippine navy was towing to its island in another confrontation in the disputed South China Sea, a Philippine military commander said Monday. The debris appeared to be from a Chinese rocket launch. The Chinese coast guard vessel then deployed an inflatable boat with personnel who “forcefully retrieved said floating object by cutting the towing line attached to the” Filipino sailors’ rubber boat. Maj. Cherryl Tindog, spokesperson of the military’s Western Command, said the floating metal object appeared similar to a number of other pieces of Chinese rocket debris recently found in Philippine waters. She added the Filipino sailors did not fight the seizure.

☆ Kamala Harris’ visit to the Philippines sends China a message of US intent
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

According to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, the Philippines occupies nine features in the Spratly chain while China occupies seven. In 2016, a tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in a maritime dispute, concluding China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to the bulk of the South China Sea. “Philippine President Marcos appears open to the idea of pursuing pragmatic cooperation in the South China Sea, while not surrendering its long-standing position when it comes to the territorial issues in the South China Sea,” Banlaoi said. During her trip to the Philippines, Harris is expected to make a number of other announcements including tighter US cooperation with Manila on clean energy, cybersecurity, communication and agriculture. The deals show US intent in the Pacific region, but one South China Sea expert said Harris’ trip to the military base risks aggravating Beijing to the potential detriment of the Philippines.

☆ Philippine military says China 'forcefully retrieved' floating object in South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANILA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - A Chinese coast guard ship on Sunday "forcefully retrieved" a floating object being towed by a Philippine vessel in the South China Sea by cutting a line attaching it to the boat, a Philippine military commander said. The team tied the object to their boat and started towing it before the Chinese coast guard vessel approached and blocked their course twice before deploying an inflatable boat that cut the tow line, then took the object back to the coast guard ship, the statement said. The statement did not say what the object was or whether the Chinese coast guard vessel indicated why it took the object. Harris, whose three-day trip includes a stop on Palawan, an island on the edge of the South China Sea, will also reaffirm Washington's support for a 2016 international tribunal ruling that invalidated China's expansive claim in the disputed waterway, a senior U.S. official said..China claims most of the South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which billions of dollars of goods passes each year. Thitu, one of nine features the Philippines occupies in the Spratly archipelago, is the Southeast Asian country's strategically most important outpost in the South China Sea.

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