U.S. Deploys Two Aircraft Carriers in the South China Sea
The United States deployed two aircraft carriers in the South China Sea for exercises that included hundreds of launches of jets, surveillance planes, and helicopters (Wall Street Journal)
China held its own exercises around the disputed Paracel Islands. While a U.S. Navy official said the exercises were routine and preplanned, the Pentagon recently said it was monitoring China’s exercises near the Paracels (New York Times)
Vietnam Rejects Chinese Fishing Ban
The Vietnamese government is urging fishing crews to ignore a ban on summer fishing that China has imposed on disputed waters in the South China Sea (New Straits Times)
Chinese Military Claims Expulsion of U.S. Warship From South China Sea
A Chinese military spokesperson stated that Beijing’s air and naval forces had tracked and forced out the USS Barry, a U.S. guided missile destroyer, from the Paracel Islands, calling the ship’s presence an “intrusion” and violation of Chinese sovereignty (NBC News)
China Accuses United States of Interference in South China Sea
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson claimed that specific U.S. legislators are attempting to encroach on the South China Sea dispute and rejected these moves as futile (Reuters)
Australian Warship Joins U.S. Exercise in South China Sea
An Australian warship joined three U.S. vessels operating in the South China Sea near an area where U.S. forces suspect a Chinese ship is surveying for oil. China said its ship is conducting normal activities (Reuters)
U.S. Deploys Naval Vessels to Disputed Area of the South China Sea
The U.S. Department of Defense announced that an amphibious assault ship and a guided missile cruiser are operating in a part of the South China Sea claimed by both Malaysia and China and that these vessels had made contact with Chinese naval forces in the area. The deployment comes in the wake of accusations that China has exploited the COVID-19 crisis to advance its territorial claims in the region (Reuters)
United States Criticizes China’s Sinking of Vietnamese Fishing Boat
The U.S. State Department condemned China’s sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel near the Paracel Islands yesterday. Washington accused Beijing of capitalizing on the global COVID-19 crisis to aggressively assert maritime claims in the South China Sea (U.S. State Department)
U.S. Navy Conducts FONOP Near Spratly Islands
The USS Montgomery, a U.S. Navy warship, sailed close to the Spratly islands as part of the first U.S. freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) of 2020. China, which claims the disputed territories and maintains military installations on the Spratly islands, stated that it “expelled” the vessel from the area (Japan Times)
Chinese Oil Vessel Departs Contested Waters
A Chinese ship, surveying for oil in Vietnamese-controlled waters, left the region after a months-long standoff between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels (Reuters)
United States, Southeast Asia Partners Begin Drills in South China Sea
Military drills by the United States and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are underway this week, a first for the group. ASEAN held similar drills with China last year (New York Times)
U.S. Navy Conducts FONOP in South China Sea
The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer traveled within twelve nautical miles of Fiery Cross and Mischief Reefs today, conducting a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) amidst rising tensions with China (Reuters)
Separately, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte arrives in Beijing today, where he will discuss territorial claims in the South China Sea (Al Jazeera)
United States Condemns Chinese Actions in South China Sea
The U.S. Department of Defense yesterday accused China of “coercive interference” in waters near Vietnam. This development comes two days after a Chinese survey vessel expanded activities near Vietnam’s coast (Reuters)
China said that such accusations dangerously inflate tensions in the region (Reuters)
Philippine’s Duterte to Address South China Sea on China Trip
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he will address the 2016 Hague arbitration on the South China Sea during a visit to China in August. Separately, the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard launched joint military drills with Malaysia, and U.S. troops trained with Australia, Canada, and New Zealand in Guam (Associated Press)
Chinese Ships Enter Disputed South China Sea Region Near Vietnam
A Chinese survey vessel entered disputed waters yesterday, accompanied by at least two Chinese coastguard ships. Several Vietnamese ships followed close behind (Al Jazeera)
Philippines to Meet with China Over South China Sea
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will soon meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss territorial disputes in the South China Sea and a 2016 arbitration by an international tribunal in The Hague (Reuters)
Separately, China announced new military exercises in the South China Sea. These exercises come as a U.S. aircraft carrier enters the region (Japan Times)
China Warns Against Interference in South China Sea
Following an increase in tensions with the Philippines and Vietnam in the South China Sea, Chinese Councilor Wang Yi warned foreign countries against interference in the region. This development shortly precedes a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Reuters)
Vietnam Extends Work Schedule of Oil Rig in South China Sea
The Southern Vietnam Maritime Safety Assurance Corporation announced that the Hakuryu-5 oil rig’s operations will be extended through mid-September. The rig has become a symbol of national sovereignty amidst rising tensions with China (South China Morning Post)
Philippines Considers Tourism in South China Sea
The Philippines is considering hosting tourists at Thitu island, its largest outpost in the South China Sea. The government is rebuilding its runway in Thitu and will soon build bases for troops and, possibly, tourist hotels (Reuters)
U.S. Officials Condemn Chinese Interference in South China Sea
U.S. officials condemned Chinese coercion of its Southeast Asian neighbors and interference in offshore oil and gas development in the South China Sea. China’s Foreign Ministry called the accusations slander and accused the United States of “irresponsible behavior” (Reuters)
United States Condemns Chinese Missile Tests in South China Sea
Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Defense condemned China’s recent tests of antiship ballistic missiles in the South China Sea. China has not confirmed the tests, which took place during military drills between the Spratly and Parcel Islands (Reuters)
China Conducts Missile Tests in South China Sea
China launched the first in a series of antiship ballistic missile tests in the South China Sea. China is expected to continue testing through July 3 (NBC)
United States, Japan, India, and Philippines Conduct Joint Drills in the South China Sea
The U.S. Navy reported that a U.S. guided missile destroyer conducted drills in the South China Sea with a Japanese aircraft carrier, two Indian naval ships, and a Philippine patrol vessel (Reuters)
Two Hundred Chinese Vessels Sighted Near Disputed South China Sea Islands
According to Philippine officials, two hundred Chinese ships have been sighted near the South China Sea’s disputed Spratly Islands since January (South China Morning Post).
United States Sails Warships in South China Sea
The United States sailed two warships close to the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, the second such operation reported by the U.S. Navy this year. In response, a spokesperson from China’s Foreign Ministry called recent U.S. activity in the South China Sea a violation of international law and a threat to China’s sovereignty (CNN)
China Opens Rescue Center in the South China Sea
China completed the construction of a rescue center located on Fiery Cross Reef, an artificial island part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, reportedly for the purpose of protecting navigation and transport safety according to Chinese media (ABC News)