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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

Chinese semiconductor engineer Xu Zhenpeng says he left US to find freedom

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Xu said his decision to work at Shanghai Jiaotong University was motivated by long-term academic goals and a desire for a more independent research environment. Photo: Shutterstock

Tibet’s exploitable green power could meet China’s energy needs: official survey

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Chinese researchers have reported that the technically exploitable capacity of hydropower in Tibet could reach 178 gigawatts, and more than 100GW for wind power. Photo: Getty Images

Ming dynasty ‘Guide to the Galaxy’: China names 2100 space plan after 1637 book

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“Tiangong Kaiwu” is a renowned Ming dynasty encyclopaedia documenting over 130 types of handicraft techniques, including advanced textile processes and metallurgical methods. Photo: Handout

NIH-funded biomedicine researcher Gao Zhonghua leaves US for China

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Gao Zhonghua is now recruiting a research team. Photo: Handout

China’s first-of-kind ABF crystal creates most energised solid-state laser beam

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The ammonium fluorooxoborate (ABF) crystal is at the heart of a breakthrough by Chinese scientists who say they have attained the shortest wavelength of a laser beam generated from a crystal. Photo: Handout
MORE China Science NEWS
A transfer of oil between MT Nora ship (left) and Rcelebra ship (right) off Penang last month. Photo: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
Malaysia

Malaysian waters see return of oil transfer by ‘dark fleet’ of tankers

A crackdown against two vessels off Penang was the first disruption of such a ship-to-ship oil transfer in the state for over 10 years.

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The Philippines

Calls grow for tougher rules to track foreign-paid ‘trolls’ in Philippines

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Vietnam

Friend or foe? Leaked Vietnamese military document labels US ‘belligerent’

Malaysia

Malaysia rushes to plug leaks as Sabah’s subsidised fuel flows to Philippines

The Malaysian state’s proximity to southern islands in the Philippines has made enforcement against fuel smugglers difficult.

A fisherman goes out in his boat in Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia. Photo: Ushar Daniele
China-Philippines relations

Asian Angle | South China Sea: 6 risks facing Philippines, China as conflict threshold lowers

From violent incidents to US missiles in Luzon, a ‘perilous new normal’ and vanishing red lines threaten to derail the Code of Conduct.

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China’s military drills

China patrols around Scarborough Shoal, days after US-Philippine drills

‘Combat readiness patrols’ meant to counter ‘infringement and provocative actions’, PLA Southern Theatre Command says.

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Japan

Video | South Korea and Japan’s defence ministers face off in table tennis

The defence ministers of Japan and South Korea agreed to strengthen cooperation with the United States amid growing security risks, particularly with North Korea.

Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and South Korea's Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back pose after playing table tennis at the headquarters of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, in Yokosuka District, Tokyo, January 30, 2026. Eugene Hoshiko/Pool via REUTERS
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The Philippines

China says Philippines is stoking tensions with Scarborough Shoal drill

Manila reportedly issued a notice warning of military exercises across a wide area of the South China Sea until the end of March.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | China’s rejection of Darwinian geopolitics is rooted in its history

Davos signalled the collapse of the post-war order but not what will replace it. China can play a role in preventing a descent into anarchy.

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Mainland China

China’s Scarborough Shoal presence ‘unprecedented’ in 2025: report

Beijing substantially increased patrols as well as broadened coverage near contested sites in prized waters, researchers say.

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A China Coast Guard ship patrols the waters near Scarborough Shoal, which Beijing claims and calls Huangyan, in the South China Sea on November 14, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
The Philippines

New gas find prompts Philippines to step up defence of energy frontier

The move to boost security around Malampaya East-1 is seen as a test case for protecting future offshore energy projects in contested waters.

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Drilling of the Malampaya East-1 reservoir in Palawan province, Philippines, on January 19. Photo: Prime Energy via AP
Cambodia

Fear of Thai border action steers Cambodia towards UN law of sea after 43 years

Cambodia’s smaller and weaker navy will find safety in numbers and rule of law now that it has ratified Unclos, according to analysts.

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Philippine Coast Guard

Video | Parents lose baby in Philippine ferry sinking

More than 350 were on board the inter-island ferry from Zamboanga when it sank on its way to Jolo island.

China's military weapons

Shandong’s use of PLA dry dock near South China Sea suggests carrier milestone

China may avoid a ‘carrier gap’ and could support carrier operations along the Indian Ocean to the Middle East and beyond, analysts say.

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Analysis by a US geospatial intelligence company says satellite imagery shows the first use by a Chinese aircraft carrier of a new dry dock near the South China Sea. Photo: AllSource Analysis
China-Philippines relations

Filipino crew head home after China Coast Guard rescue near Scarborough Shoal

Chinese vessels transfer 15 survivors and the remains of two others to Philippine ships on Sunday afternoon.

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Surviving crew members of the capsized Devon Bay cargo ship reunite after their rescue by the China Coast Guard near Scarborough Shoal on Friday. Photo: Handout
Indonesia

‘Resilience’ is Indonesia’s new foreign policy buzzword, but is it just rhetoric?

Analysts warn the vague concept lacks a long-term strategy and risks Jakarta drifting from its non-aligned values into transactional deals.

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US-China relations

US banks on strength – not confrontation – to deny China in Indo-Pacific

Pentagon says it will focus on the first island chain while urging partners to contribute more to the collective defence.

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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.

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
China-Philippines relations

Chinese coastguard rescues Filipino sailors near Scarborough Shoal

PLA Navy also deploys plane as search continues for missing crew from capsized vessel.

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US-China trade war

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

Consultancy warns geopolitical tensions and supply chain exposure are reshaping risk calculations for military manufacturers.

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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 BBNJ Agreement provides a framework for governing the ocean that lies beyond the jurisdiction of any individual country, covering around two-thirds of global waters. Photo: Shutterstock
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.

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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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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US actions are fuelling fears that the Donald Trump administration is dismantling the rules-based global order. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
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 Villa Le Corail, A Gran Meliá Hotel is nestled on Vietnam’s stunning coastline on a private beach. Photo: Handout
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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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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