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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

75% cost cut: China unveils world’s first fixed-wing drone made of bamboo fibre

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The bamboo-based unmanned aerial vehicle’s maiden flight took place in February, researchers said. Photo: Xinhua

Manufacturing talent boom? Why China’s smartest students are factory-bound

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For graduates of China’s top universities, working in manufacturing means contributing to cutting-edge fields. Photo: Reuters

China team mulls hitting typhoons with an energy beam from space

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Duan Baoyan theorises that microwave beams from outer space could “alter regional atmospheric circulation and change a typhoon’s intensity and path”. Photo: Shutterstock

What cost foreign prestige? China says no to some Western science journal fees

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Chinese researchers accounted for at least a quarter of the more than 10,000 papers published in one leading international journal last year. Photo: Shutterstock

Why Chinese team’s flexible organic battery could revolutionise wearables

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Flexible organic materials for batteries are inherently stable and easier to synthesise and recycle. Photo: Shutterstock
MORE China Science NEWS
A screen grab from China’s CCTV news footage shows (from left) David Servañez, Albert Endencia and Nathalie Plizardo, the three Philippine nationals arrested on suspicion of spying in China. Photo: CCTV
The Philippines

Philippines arrests Filipino nationals suspected of spying for China

China has dismissed the espionage allegations as fabricated and politically motivated, accusing Manila of ‘stigmatisation’.

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China-Middle East relations

Why China is staying on the sidelines of the US-Iran conflict

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US-China relations

US patrol flights over South China Sea drop 30% as focus shifts to Middle East

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US-China relations

Will Iran attack derail Trump’s high-stakes China visit to meet Xi Jinping?

China has condemned killing of Iranian leader as a grave violation of sovereignty and called US incitement of regime change ‘unacceptable’.

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US President Donald Trump is expected to meet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping when he travels to Beijing later this month, the first such visit by an American leader since his own trip in 2017. Photo: AP
The Philippines

‘Deliberate signal’: Philippines elevates officer amid South China Sea tensions

Analysts say Marcos is doubling down on the country’s ‘transparency initiative’ while engaging Beijing diplomatically behind closed doors.

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Mainland China

South China Sea expert warns 2026 code of conduct is ‘simply not achievable’

The agreement ‘cannot be successfully negotiated’ while rival claimant Philippines holds Asean chair, Chinese analyst Wu Shicun says.

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The Philippines

Indonesia is getting an aircraft carrier. The Philippines isn’t. Does it matter?

Indonesia wants to project power. The Philippines wants to deny it. In the South China Sea, one approach may matter more than the other.

The Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi pictured in 2016. Photo: AFP
Asean

Letters | Asean is not choosing sides, but strategically maximising space

Readers discuss how Southeast Asian governments have gained bargaining power, the benefits of cheap public transport, and a harbourfront project.

Mainland China

Can China and Philippines ‘swap disputes with cooperation’ in disputed waters?

Senator says the two sides might start joint patrols in the South China Sea by the end of next month.

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Mainland China

Chinese maritime militia in South China Sea hit ‘record high’ in 2025: US report

Deployments averaged 241 vessels per day, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative report says, notes waning role for civilian fishing fleets.

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A vessel identified by the Philippine coastguard as Chinese maritime militia is seen near the contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea in February 2025. Photo: AFP
China-South Korea relations

Seoul’s protest seen as reluctance to let US Forces Korea confront China

South Korean complaint highlights growing difficulty in balancing ties with both security ally US and top trading partner China: analyst.

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Seoul’s defence minister has protested to the head of US Forces Korea about a stand-off between US and Chinese fighter jets in the Yellow Sea, according to South Korean media. Photo: AP
China's military weapons

China’s 155mm naval gun on test vessel signals boost to amphibious landing power

The weapon – reportedly capable of firing guided munitions – represents a significant upgrade for PLA Navy.

The Philippines

Art as advocacy: Philippine mural contest adds to South China Sea messaging push

The government-backed drive is the latest in a series of creative campaigns aiming to shape public narrative around the maritime dispute.

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China-Australia relations

Beijing monitors Australian frigate Toowoomba’s passage through Taiwan Strait

Anzac-class frigate ‘conducted a routine transit through the South China Sea’, Australian defence department says.

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A Royal Australian Navy helicopter flies above the HMAS Toowoomba as it sails in the South China Sea. Photo: Handout
China-Japan relations

What next for China ties as Japan’s Takaichi targets Chinese ‘coercion’?

Japan facing ‘most severe and complex’ security scenario since World War II, prime minister says.

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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addresses parliament in Tokyo on Friday. Photo: AP
Japan

Takaichi vows to make Japan ‘strong’, says no to ‘reckless’ fiscal policy

The prime minister said Tokyo was facing ‘the most severe and complex security environment’ since World War II, citing China and Russia.

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The Philippines

US missile deployments in Philippines signal deeper strategic shift in region

Analysts said the move bolsters the First Island Chain strategy and deepens Manila’s role in regional defence planning.

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China’s coastguard

Chinese coastguard reveals growing reliance on drones at Scarborough Shoal

Lunar New Year post gives rare look at the role of uncrewed aircraft in training and operations near disputed South China Sea reef.

Qiu Canhui operates a drone aboard the Chinese coastguard vessel Wanshan near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on February 11. Photo: Xinhua
The Philippines

‘Knowing your friend’: Japan to join US-Philippines drills for first time

Australia also joins the fray as the US and its allies shift away from simple bilateral deals towards tighter regional security networks.

Asean

Why big power rivalry poses ‘main threat’ to Asean maritime security

Smaller players ‘become pawns’ in a bigger geopolitical game as ‘strategic mistrust among major powers’ grows, Asean leaders say in Munich.

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China's military weapons

Why the growing network of American MQ-9 drones is a challenge for China

Reapers can carry out both reconnaissance and strike missions and an increasing number of US allies and partners are buying them.

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The MQ-9 Reaper has been deployed as part of the US military’s surveillance network in the Indo-Pacific. Photo: Reuters
China-Philippines relations

Opinion | Can Manila’s South China Sea strategy of defiance and diplomacy hold?

China and the Philippines are both signalling openness to diplomacy alongside continued military flexing, but this may not be sustainable.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
China’s navy

Why Chinese navy still trails the US in high-stakes game of underwater recovery

PLA Navy risks exposing sensitive technology as factors including more open-sea operations heighten crash risks, military magazine warns.

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China’s military

Xi’s new year greeting reveals PLA Cyberspace Force post in South China Sea

Analyst says deployment signals Chinese military’s cyber warfare capabilities ‘are no longer confined to the mainland’.

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China-Philippines relations

The Philippines rebukes China over travel ban on Kalayaan officials

Beijing responds to local government declaration that the Chinese ambassador is persona non grata.

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Chinese and Philippine coastguards have tussled repeatedly over the South China Sea. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard via AP
China-Philippines relations

Amid Chinese embassy row, Philippines eyes boosting Spratlys population

Filipino leaders from Kalayaan and Chinese embassy officials in Manila have clashed over entry bans for personnel on either side.

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Construction takes place on the Philippine-occupied Thitu island, locally called Pagasa, in November 2024. Photo: AP
US-China relations

US establishes new army foothold in Southeast Asia to ‘contain China’: analyst

US deploys new rotational force to Southeast Asian ally, a move experts say is aimed at deterring China and supporting Typhon missile system.

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China-Philippines relations

How Manila’s ‘naming and shaming’ challenges Beijing’s South China Sea stance

Analysts say the Philippines’ approach of ‘assertive transparency’ may be wearing thin at home and in the region.

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