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  • 17 Sep 2024
    • China
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Defence & Security

    A step-change to Beijing's "lawfare" in the South China Sea

    Peter Leavy
    The “salami slice” approach to island building in the South China Sea has worked well for China. The world risks seeing that same approach repeated in international law.
  • 9 Sep 2024
    • China
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Defence & Security

    South China Sea: The “transparency initiative” success is plain to see

    Richard Javad Heydarian
    But pressure on the Philippines means that its key partners must step up more.
  • 6 Aug 2024
    • China
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Defence & Security

    A respite for the Sierra Madre, but Philippines-China tensions remain

    Rommel Ong
    A provisional understanding is just that. Much now depends on China’s behaviour and its record is not encouraging.
  • 17 Jul 2024
    • China
    • China's Military
    • South China Sea
    • Defence & Security
    • Maritime Security

    Moving beyond the grey zone: The case for ICAD

    Adam Lockyer , Yves-Heng Lim , Courtney J Fung
    Why some Indo-Pacific nations are renaming the place between peace and war.
  • 20 Jun 2024
    • China
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Maritime Security
    • International law

    Overcoming the deliberate legal ambiguity adopted by China’s coast guard

    Peter Leavy
    A new order is telling of Beijing’s selective and ongoing effort to undermine the law of the sea.
  • 12 Jun 2024
    • China
    • South China Sea
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security

    Deterring China’s military violence against Australians

    Peter Layton
    Options to respond should be made clear before the worst happens.
  • 6 Jun 2024
    • China
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea

    Unpacking China’s propaganda narratives against the Philippines

    Susannah Patton
    The danger in deception.
  • 4 Jun 2024
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Public Opinion

    Not in the same boat? Perceptions of the Australia-Philippines security partnership

    Rahman Yaacob
    The closer and growing defence ties between the countries doesn’t appear to have permeated the public mind yet.
  • 15 May 2024
    • Asean
    • China
    • South China Sea

    A code of conduct won’t solve the South China Sea crisis

    Rahman Yaacob
    Sub-optimal negotiations are likely to lead to a sub-standard agreement.
  • 9 May 2024
    • India
    • Japan
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Quad
    • United States

    “Squad” goals: Consolidating the new quadrilateral partnership

    Richard Javad Heydarian
    With China flexing its muscle in the South China Sea, a revised grouping that includes the Philippines strikes a new balance.
  • 29 Apr 2024
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Defence & Security

    Balikatan 2024: Philippines and friends send a clear signal to China

    Richard Javad Heydarian
    Drills will for the first time take place outside of the Philippines’ 12 nautical miles “territorial waters”, thus directly challenging China’s expansive claims across the South China Sea.
  • 11 Apr 2024
    • Asean
    • South China Sea
    • Cyber Security
    • Cyber Warfare
    • Emerging Threats
    • Maritime Security
    • Technology

    ASEAN and the military applications of AI

    Ngô Di Lân
    While artificial intelligence can be used to magnify lethal force, it can also promote regional peace and stability.
  • 25 Mar 2024
    • China
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea

    The Philippines seeks out old friends and new

    Rahul Mishra , Peter Brian M. Wang
    Beijing’s assertiveness means hedging is a luxury Manila can no longer afford.
  • 21 Mar 2024
    • China
    • South China Sea
    • Defence & Security

    China's grey-zone provocations: Time to reciprocate

    Peter Layton
    Those subject to China's actions have responded cautiously. They now need to consider a change in tactics.
  • 13 Mar 2024
    • China
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Taiwan

    Understanding China’s efforts to bridge the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait disputes

    Sophie Wushuang Yi
    Regional problems are challenging enough without lumping them together.
  • 22 Jan 2024
    • China
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Defence & Security

    South China Sea: A formula for the Philippines

    Richard Javad Heydarian
    Manila should adopt a three-pronged response to Beijing's assertiveness.
  • 4 Dec 2023
    • Asean
    • China
    • China's Military
    • South China Sea
    • Southeast Asia
    • Australia
    • Australian Navy
    • Defence & Security
    • International law

    How to stop any repeat of the Australia-China sonar incident

    Collin Koh
    A regional deal to close a loophole relating to the use of sonar in international law could be a good place to start.
  • 18 Nov 2023
    • China
    • South China Sea
    • Australia
    • Australian Navy
    • Defence & Security

    China’s sonar pulse poses another test of Australia’s will

    Sam Roggeveen
    Even with international law on its side, Australia is still grappling with the conundrum of whether might makes right.
  • 25 Oct 2023
    • China
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Defence & Security

    As the world looks elsewhere, China stirs trouble in the South China Sea

    Peter Layton
    The Chinese Communist Party-controlled Global Times is already forecasting “more serious collisions”.
  • 13 Oct 2023
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security

    Australia must act fast on joint patrols with the Philippines

    Jennifer Parker
    Australia “recommitted” two months ago. The Philippines is waiting, China is watching – and so is the region.
  • 2 Oct 2023
    • Indonesia
    • Malaysia
    • Singapore
    • South China Sea
    • Coronavirus
    • International law
    • Transnational Challenges

    The surprising link between piracy and Covid-19

    Jade Lindley , Dhiyaul Aulia Huda
    Poverty, institutional incapacity and budget cuts fuelled a surge in pandemic piracy. The lessons are many.
  • 12 Sep 2023
    • Asean
    • China
    • South China Sea
    • Southeast Asia

    ASEAN, China and the trust deficit

    Rahman Yaacob
    The gap between rhetoric and action is Beijing’s biggest problem – and the region showed it isn’t afraid to call this out.
  • 6 Sep 2023
    • China
    • Indonesia
    • South China Sea
    • Recommendations

    The Fix: Explaining Indonesia’s silence in the North Natuna Sea

    Aristyo Rizka Darmawan
    Your weekly Interpreter feature about issues, resources or helpful distractions that might otherwise be missed.
  • 17 Jul 2023
    • China
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Vietnam

    It might be plastic fantastic, but Barbie lends cartoonish credibility to China’s nine-dash line

    Donald R Rothwell
    Barbie does her dash with Vietnam, showing how maps have meaning.
  • 14 Jul 2023
    • China
    • India
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea

    Despite the excitement, India’s South China Sea policy remains unchanged

    Abhijit Singh
    Backing the Philippines over the 2016 arbitration award doesn’t mean India is about to abandon caution in efforts to balance China.
  • 19 Jun 2023
    • Asean
    • India
    • India's Navy
    • South China Sea
    • Defence & Security

    Acting East on the seas: India’s naval cooperation with ASEAN

    Moksh Suri
    Strengthening defence ties is smooth sailing compared to wider regional integration efforts by New Delhi with Southeast Asia.
  • 5 May 2023
    • Asean
    • China
    • Indonesia
    • South China Sea
    • Southeast Asia

    Indonesia’s dilemma as China pushes a “Global Security Initiative”

    Alfin Febrian Basundoro
    Existing regional mechanisms can accommodate diverse interests in Southeast Asia without the need for a new forum.
  • 30 Mar 2023
    • China
    • South China Sea
    • Australia
    • Resource security

    Climate change, ironically, reduces the heat in the South China Sea

    John Quiggin
    The days for oil and gas are numbered, so the economic case of a fight over undersea resources doesn’t stack up.
  • 3 Feb 2023
    • China
    • Indonesia
    • South China Sea
    • Southeast Asia
    • Energy
    • Resource security

    Global energy scarcity and the South China Sea

    Suryaputra Wijaksana
    A new source of natural gas within the controversial “nine-dash line” should revive questions about sharing access.
  • 26 Jul 2022
    • South China Sea
    • Singapore
    • China
    • Malaysia
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • United Kingdom

    Answering China’s South China Sea flying safety challenge

    Peter Layton
    A regional response can best manage risks, and the Five Power Defence Arrangement offers just the mechanism.
  • 6 Jun 2022
    • Defence & Security
    • South China Sea
    • Australia
    • China

    A flare up in China’s deliberate pattern of aggression

    Peter Layton
    The intercept of an Australian patrol over the South China Sea escalates a “grey zone” conflict to a dangerous level.
  • 15 Apr 2022
    • Maritime Security
    • South China Sea
    • Asean
    • Vietnam

    Taming troubled waters

    Lai Thai Binh
    Looking from Vietnam, multi-layer joint efforts to ensure maritime security are welcome in the South China Sea.
  • 6 Apr 2022
    • Defence & Security
    • South China Sea
    • Asean
    • International law

    Protecting law and order at sea means educating people on their rights

    Jay Batongbacal
    Broad understanding about the need to balance and compromise interests will strengthen the system of international law.
  • 4 Apr 2022
    • Defence & Security
    • South China Sea
    • Asean
    • China
    • Southeast Asia

    Cause and effect: The right security architecture for the Indo-Pacific

    Ian Storey
    Limitations in the established rules and forums have led the region to innovate.
  • 1 Apr 2022
    • South China Sea
    • International law

    “Lawfare” in the South China Sea disputes

    Tara Davenport
    Legal mechanisms, while not definitive, have compelled the claimants to examine their position and communicate them.
  • 25 Mar 2022
    • South China Sea
    • Asean
    • China
    • Indonesia
    • Vietnam
    • Philippines
    • Malaysia

    Stiffening the ASEAN spine in the South China Sea

    Arrizal Jaknanihan
    Any “minilateral” grouping among Southeast Asian nations must be mindful of its internal contradictions.
  • 3 Feb 2022
    • South China Sea
    • International law

    Navigating the limits in the South China Sea

    Donald R Rothwell , David Letts
    A new US report casts doubt on the legality of Chinese maritime claims by also critically examining Australian practice.
  • 26 Jan 2022
    • South China Sea
    • Indonesia

    Indonesia standing between great powers

    Johannes Nugroho
    Non-alignment has long defined Jakarta’s approach in the world. Neither China’s threats or US pledges will change that.
  • 24 Jan 2022
    • South China Sea
    • China
    • Indonesia

    Could minilateralism work in the South China Sea?

    Huynh Tam Sang
    Jakarta’s ambitions for a maritime alliance with its ASEAN neighbours is the right response to intimidation from China.
  • 23 Dec 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • United States
    • South China Sea
    • Australia
    • China
    • Taiwan

    Myths that stir trouble in the South China Sea

    John Quiggin
    A major shipping route, yes, but vital? False claims about the value of these waters only make diplomacy harder.
  • 5 Nov 2021
    • South China Sea
    • Asean
    • Australia
    • Southeast Asia

    Australia’s chance to dream with Southeast Asia

    Huynh Tam Sang , Pham Do An
    As a United States ally, Canberra can be a bridge between the region and Washington.
  • 2 Sep 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • Europe
    • South China Sea
    • European Union
    • Germany
    • United Kingdom
    • France

    Europe and the South China Sea 

    Loro Horta
    More warships in disputed waters may cause instability. But the presence of navies from afar sends a clear message, too.
  • 31 Aug 2021
    • South China Sea
    • China
    • International law

    Deliberate ambiguity of China’s new “territorial waters” declaration

    Aristyo Rizka Darmawan
    A hastily introduced regulation requiring vessels to register may be contrary to the rights of innocent passage.
  • 12 Jul 2021
    • South China Sea
    • China
    • Philippines
    • International law

    Whatever happened to the South China Sea ruling?

    Pratik Jakhar
    Five years ago the Philippines largely squandered a crucial legal win. But it’s not too late to marshal support.
  • 24 Feb 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • South China Sea
    • China

    What are China’s leaders saying about the South China Sea?

    Oriana Skylar Mastro
    The rhetoric weaves between cooperative and competitive, leaving the question of what – and who – to believe.
  • 17 Feb 2021
    • South China Sea
    • China

    How China is bending the rules in the South China Sea

    Oriana Skylar Mastro
    Beijing’s misapplication of international law in the disputed waters is more complex than it seems on the surface.
  • 12 Feb 2021
    • Defence & Security
    • South China Sea
    • China

    CCP governance comes to the South China Sea

    Zachary Haver
    Focusing exclusively on China’s use of coercion across the region obscures the true extent of Beijing’s ambitions.
  • 27 Nov 2020
    • Defence & Security
    • China's Military
    • South China Sea
    • China

    Beijing’s line on the South China Sea: “Nothing to see here”

    Oriana Skylar Mastro
    China’s official denials of growing military capability in the region look a lot like gaslighting.
  • 19 Nov 2020
    • Asia
    • Global Economy
    • South China Sea
    • WTO
    • Australia

    Economic diplomacy: Navigating Asia’s trade tangle and a NSW “step-up”

    Greg Earl
    Plus, revisiting assumptions that China would be reluctant to interfere with South China Sea trade routes.
  • 23 Oct 2020
    • South China Sea
    • Philippines

    Reading between the lines: Duterte’s careful South China Sea speech

    Andrea Chloe Wong
    The President of the Philippines may stump up with more nationalist rhetoric, but his true message to Beijing is plain.
Pagination
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