South China Sea
Is history repeating itself with Beijing's 'great wall of sand' in the South China Sea?
For many outside observers, the Great Wall of China is a symbol of ancient China's strength, military might and power. The Xi Jinping Administration is currently undertaking land…
Air power in the South China Sea: Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines
Much of the recent strategic analysis on the South China Sea has largely focused on the naval sphere, with the acquisition of new submarines by Vietnam and Malaysia and the US…
Is Beijing's militarisation of the South China Sea really 'defensive'?
The latest buzzword of the South China Sea 'war of words', as observed in media reports, academic opinion and official press remarks is none other than 'militarisation'. But what…
The domestic politics of Jakarta's South China Sea policy
Over the past week, there have been renewed calls for Jakarta to take a tougher stance against Beijing following an incident where a Chinese coast guard vessel rammed one of its…
What India thinks about the South China Sea
Developments in the South China Sea are bringing India into a debate it generally maintains a distance from. India's shift in its maritime policies and a relatively vocal stand on…
Philippines vs China in South China Sea: Tough talking could box China in
The International Court in The Hague is due to soon rule on the case of the Philippines vs the People’s Republic of China in the South China Sea. The general…
South China Sea: Beijing is winning, but here's how to retake the initiative
China is once again causing concern in the South China Sea, this time by moving surface-to-air missiles to the Paracel Islands.
Over several years, this dispute has evolved into…
How will the next Philippine president navigate the turbulent waters of the South China Sea?
The leadership change in Manila after the May 2016 presidential elections will certainly have significant impact on the country's policy towards China over the ongoing dispute in…
Turnbull Government adrift on ambiguous South China Sea rhetoric
With the revelation last week that China had reportedly deployed surface to air missiles on Woody Island, rising tensions in the South China Sea have once again been thrust into…
We should think carefully about an Australian FONOP in the South China Sea
On 30 January, 95 days after its previous effort, the US Navy conducted another 'freedom of navigation operation' in the South China Sea (an operation known by the unlovely FONOP…