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South China Sea
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South China Sea

South China Sea
South China Sea
The latest news on South China Sea territorial disputes. The contrasting claims have been an ongoing point of contention among several countries including China, Brunei, Vietnam and the Philippines.
LATEST China Science NEWS

This Chinese scientist boosts the PL-15 missiles that downed India’s Rafales

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The Pakistan Air Force deploys the Chinese-made J-10CE, a single-engine, delta-wing fighter jet. Photo: AFP

Chinese scientists shrink semiconductor chip into fibre as thin as human hair

A fibre integrated circuit is a novel electronic device that is as thin as a strand of human hair. Photo: Handout

Chinese scientists turn carbon dioxide to starch with 10-fold productivity boost

Industrial starch is mainly derived from corn. Photo: Xinhua

China’s new analogue chip could cut over 99% of AI data centre energy needs

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A research team at Peking University is developing an alternative to digital-based AI systems using an older, analogue-based technology. Photo: Getty Images

A mother’s mind appears restored: might ultrasound be a cure for Alzheimer’s?

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Chinese neurologist Sun Bomin says high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment of his mother and apparent alleviation of some Alzheimer’s symptoms sparked him to study it as a viable treatment for the condition. Photo: Handout
MORE China Science NEWS
US President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping after their talks at the Gimhae Air Base in Busan on October 30, 2025. Photo: TNS
Asean

Asian Angle | What a US-China ‘grand bargain’ would mean for Southeast Asia

Washington’s Venezuela raid has resurrected old fears about ‘spheres of influence’, sounding alarm bells for Southeast Asian autonomy.

China-Philippines relations

Chinese coastguard rescues Filipino sailors near Scarborough Shoal

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US-China trade war

China reliance and tariff wars emerge as top risks for global defence industry: report

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China-Philippines relations

Beijing and Manila working on South China Sea talks ‘road map’: ambassador

Jing Quan says ‘best option is to sit down for talks’ aimed at ending long-running territorial dispute between China and Philippines.

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The two countries’ coastguards have regularly clashed, including this incident in October where a Chinese ship (right) fired a water cannon at a Philippine vessel. Photo: AP
Diplomacy

China bids to host High Seas Treaty secretariat, even as US exits UN bodies

China puts forward Xiamen as potential future home of Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction secretariat as treaty comes into force.

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The Philippines

Philippines’ new gas find offers lifeline as Malampaya field starts to run dry

The discovery of a natural gas well near the island of Palawan suggests the potential to produce even more, Marcos says.

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Taiwan

PLA sends drone into airspace near Taiwan-held Pratas Island in South China Sea

Southern Theatre Command cites ‘completely legitimate’ routine flight training, while Taipei calls it ‘provocative and irresponsible’ act.

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Pratas, bridging the Taiwan Strait and the Bashi Channel, is the largest natural island in the South China Sea and commands a vital strategic position in its northern reaches. Photo: CNA
US-Venezuela conflict

How US actions in Venezuela and beyond could spell opportunity for China

Beijing is trying to present itself as a more responsible power, but analysts say concrete actions will be needed to win over its neighbours.

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Luxury travel

Looking for a luxury Vietnamese escape with Spanish flair? We know a place

Villa le Corail, A Gran Meliá Hotel is a stunning beachfront retreat with private villas, a Michelin-star chef and even some coral conservation thrown in.

The Philippines

Philippines enters its ‘hour of danger’ in Marcos vs Duterte clash

Analysts warn of a ‘very messy year’ ahead as coup fears swirl, the economy falters and political warfare rages out in the open.

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Effigies of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr (left) and Vice-President Sara Duterte are seen at a protest march in Manila. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

French ‘intimacy’: Philippines, France near deal for Indo-Pacific strength

The visiting forces deal comes on top of similar pacts with other nations and could help the Philippines attain a ‘muscular defence arsenal’.

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Philippine Navy personnel aboard BRP Miguel Malvar during a naval exercise in the South China Sea in August 2025. Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines, Public Affairs Office via AP
China-Middle East relations

China warns against ‘law of the jungle’ amid anti-government protests in Iran

Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that Beijing was willing to mediate.

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US-Iran tensions

US aircraft carrier steams from South China Sea to Mideast as Iran in turmoil

Pentagon orders USS Abraham Lincoln on new mission after live-fire drills near Scarborough Shoal.

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Paracel Islands

Beijing looks for social workers for posts on disputed South China Sea islands

Job adverts for ‘community workers’ say military veterans and Communist Party members will be favoured for the positions.

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China has built military and civilian infrastructure on the disputed islands. Photo: Getty Images
The Philippines

New deal eases logistics for Japan-Philippines drills amid China tensions

The agreement removes taxes on military supplies, including weapons and fuel used in joint exercises.

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A Japanese naval ship docks at the Manila Port, Philippines, last year. Photo: EPA-EFE
Diplomacy

Opinion | High Seas Treaty will both boost China’s power and hold it accountable

Beijing realises that maritime leadership will be measured not just by fleets and bases but also by who protects the planet’s last great commons.

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East China Sea

‘Strategic patience’ key for Beijing in South China Sea and other disputes

SCSPI’s Hu Bo said maritime disagreements with Manila and Tokyo would continue but that Beijing had ‘overwhelming advantages’.

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Mainland China

Claims of lies, coercion in Beijing-Manila war of words over South China Sea

On Monday, a Manila maritime council accused China of aggressive tactics; the next day Beijing said the Philippines was ‘provoking trouble’.

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The Chinese coastguard is said to have fired water cannons at Philippine fishing boats near Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea in December. Photo: Handout
Asean

Opinion | Why US ops in Venezuela have shaken Asia-Pacific’s middle powers

Middle powers fear a return to ‘rules of the jungle’ geopolitics as rival powers carve out spheres of influence.

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Japan

Japan’s top diplomat heads to Philippines with South China Sea top of mind

The talks are likely to focus on Manila’s push for a South China Sea code with ‘teeth’ as this year’s Asean chair, analysts say.

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The Philippines

Philippine navy ‘up to the challenge’ of defending territory in South China Sea

Manila is banking on modern ships and global alliances to challenge China’s increasing presence in the contentious waters.

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Chinese coast guards use a water cannon against a Philippine vessel in the South China Sea on October 12, 2025. Photo: China Coast Guard/Xinhua
Paracel Islands

China launches Woody Island fresh food link as disputed Paracels hub expands

Meat and produce to be supplied daily to Sansha supermarkets as Beijing bolsters infrastructure in contested South China Sea archipelago.

More than three dozen varieties of fresh vegetables are now available for sale in Sansha, China’s southernmost city, following the launch of a fresh food supply chain. Photo: Handout
China-North Korea relations

China’s role in Korean peninsula stability tested amid nuclear submarine moves

Seoul’s calls for Chinese mediation seen to underscore Beijing’s central role in preserving stability between two Koreas.

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The Philippines

Opinion | Why coastguards, not warships, are shaping future of South China Sea

The test is not claimants resolving their disputes but whether they preserve the infrastructure that keeps encounters from becoming a crisis.

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US-Venezuela conflict

China, Russia won’t ‘dare test’ US, says Hegseth after Venezuela military op

US Secretary of Defence believes show of ‘absolute deterrence’ sends clear message to their ‘enemies’ and the ‘world is taking notice’.

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US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth arrives for a briefing with bicameral congressional leadership in Washington on Monday. Hegseth believes the recent US military operation in Venezuela proves that his country is rebuilding its military dominance. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
The Philippines

Trump’s Venezuela move strains Philippines’ rules-based diplomacy, critics say

Critics said the US operation has undercut Manila’s claim to principled diplomacy, given its close alliance with Washington.

Protesters hold signs outside the US embassy in Manila on Monday during a rally opposing Washington’s military action in Venezuela following the seizure of President Nicolas Maduro. Photo: EPA-EFE
The Philippines

‘Not very high’ bar: Philippines inherits Thailand-Cambodia border crisis

Given Asean’s policy of non-interference, the Philippines may be better off leaving peace negotiations to the US and China, experts say.

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China’s navy

US Navy aircraft crashes offer lessons for PLA carrier operations, analysts say

Chinese military could learn from rival’s strengths in search and rescue response, but also its weaknesses in maintenance and training.

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