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 scientists unlock possible key to dark matter after almost 90 years

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Understanding dark matter would transform our knowledge of the universe. Photo: Getty Images

China’s 7,000-year-old sunmao woodwork led to the most efficient DNA editing tool

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The new gene-editing strategy is more precise at insertion and replacement in rice. Photo: Shutterstock

Chinese ‘rising star’ leaves MIT, woman prays to Shrek for 4 years: 7 highlights

A woman in the Philippines spent four years worshipping the animated character Shrek. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/IG@thetropixs

China’s supercooling tech packs 40% more punch into chips used in military radar

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A team of Xidian University scientists, including Hao Yue (centre), is behind an innovation in semiconductor supercooling that has been called the “most significant breakthrough” in the field in two decades. Photo: Handout

Could China’s Yaogan-47 satellite have a lens as wide as the Hubble Telescope?

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The Yaogan-47 satellite was launched aboard a Long March 4B carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre on December 9. Photo: Xinhua
MORE China Science NEWS
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
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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China-Middle East relations

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

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US-Iran tensions

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

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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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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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Despite the need to stay vigilant, China should be confident of its strength and capabilities in managing its maritime issues with its neighbours, a Chinese expert has said. Photo: Xinhua
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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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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Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi looks on during a meeting in Israel on Sunday. He is due in Manila on Thursday. Photo: AP
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.

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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Illustration: Craig Stephens
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.

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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Two US Navy aircraft based on the USS Nimitz crashed into the South China Sea within half an hour of each other in October. Photo: Handout
Australia

Opinion | Australia is losing its ability to engage Asia on its own terms

With security increasingly tied to regional developments, Australia’s eroding Asia literacy risks shutting Canberra out of crucial decisions.

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War and conflict

Opinion | If Trump wants a deal with China, he must rein in US allies in Asia

From Manila to Tokyo, domestic political dynamics are increasing the risks of a dangerous confrontation between Washington and Beijing.

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The Philippines

China hints ‘illegal’ Philippine fishing is harming disputed Scarborough Shoal

Beijing designated the feature in the South China Sea as a nature reserve earlier this year, prompting criticism from Manila.

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The report said 135 different species of coral were found at the reef. Photo: CCTV
US-China relations

Opinion | Trump’s pivot puts Pacific Rim at heart of global power shift

America’s strategy is hastening the geopolitical change of influence from the Atlantic to the Pacific, with US-China competition the primary driver.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
The Philippines

Corruption, floods and clan wars rock Philippines in 2025

Deepening political feuds, ex-president Duterte’s ICC arrest and the South China Sea dispute have reshaped the Philippine landscape.

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Mainland China

China opens shopping centre on Woody Island in disputed Paracels

6,000 square metre complex is latest Chinese civilian facility on South China Sea island after first hardware store and hotpot restaurant.

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Singapore

Gaffes, breaches and sinkhole stars: Singapore’s 2025 social storms

Passionate online discussions have revealed concerns about power, accountability and how the country sees itself.

A still from a social media video shows a submerged car after it fell into a sinkhole in Singapore on July 26. Social media users hailed migrant workers for their quick response in saving the driver. Photo: X/HaggerDarren
Singapore

Open Questions | George Yeo on superpower ‘headaches’ and why the US dollar could crack

Singapore’s former foreign minister also discusses Trump, the latest China-Japan dust-up, and rivalry between Hong Kong and the city state.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
China-Japan relations

China’s military build-up could ‘seriously’ affect Japan’s security, Tokyo warns

Release of defence ministry report comes amid soaring tensions with Beijing and a boost to Japan’s military budget and goals.

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The Philippines

Philippines struggles to win back Chinese tourists as regional rivals surge

New data shows Chinese arrivals to the Philippines hit 312,000 last year, only 18 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

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