China has reportedly installed "anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems" on three of its outposts in the South China Sea, a US TV network said on Wednesday.

The report citing intelligence sources said this could be China's first attempt to deploy missiles in the hotly contested South China Sea area which consists of Spratly islands where several countries including Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan lay their claim.

The US network quoting intelligence sources said the missiles were moved to Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef and Mischief Reef within the past 30 days.

The South China Sea has seen military manoeuvres by the US and its allies who have been conducting military exercises which has been severely criticised by China.

Last month, the Chinese Navy was involved in an "encounter" with the Australian Navy vessel. The Chinese Navy said it acted "professionally and lawfully".

Greg Poling, a South China Sea expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, told Reuters that deploying missiles on the outposts would be important.

The report said YJ-12B anti-ship cruise missiles allowed China to strike vessels within 295 nautical miles. It said the HQ-9B long-range surface-to-air missiles could target aircraft, drones and cruise missiles within 160 nautical miles.

The report said YJ-12B anti-ship cruise missiles allowed China to strike vessels within 295 nautical miles.

China has reportedly installed "anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems" on three of its outposts in the South China Sea, a US TV network said on Wednesday. The report citing intelligence sources said this could be China's first attempt to deploy missiles in the hotly contested South China Sea area which consists of Spratly islands where several countries including Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan lay their claim. The US network quoting intelligence sources said the missiles were moved to Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef and Mischief Reef within the past 30 days. The South China Sea has seen military manoeuvres by the US and its allies who have been conducting military exercises which has been severely criticised by China. Last month, the Chinese Navy was involved in an "encounter" with the Australian Navy vessel. The Chinese Navy said it acted "professionally and lawfully". Greg Poling, a South China Sea expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, told Reuters that deploying missiles on the outposts would be important. The report said YJ-12B anti-ship cruise missiles allowed China to strike vessels within 295 nautical miles. It said the HQ-9B long-range surface-to-air missiles could target aircraft, drones and cruise missiles within 160 nautical miles.

China has installed anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles in South China Sea: Report

The Chinese Navy which has been conducting exercises in the South China Sea said today it was involved in an "encounter" with the Australian Navy.

"Chinese and Australian naval vessels had an "encounter" in the South China Sea this week, and China acted professionally and lawfully," China's defence ministry said.

"The Chinese side's ships used professional language to communicate with the Australian side, and their operations were lawful, in compliance, professional and safe," the ministry added.

"The encounter&nbsp;happened on Sunday,"&nbsp;it said.

The Australian Navy confirmed three ships had recently travelled to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam but did not give any more details.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said later that if Australia is referring to "freedom of navigation" in accordance with international laws, there is no problem whatsoever, Reuters reported.

"But if Australia has other motives, we hope it can see the trend in the South China Sea is stable and improving, and work together with China and other neighbouring countries for the peace and stability of the region," the Chinese ministry spokesman said.

The South China Sea has become a centre for naval exercise with China and the US fueling the race in an area which has several disputed islands hotly contested by China and the rest of the countries namely Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan and others.

Australia which is a close ally of the US said in a statement that it had deployed ships &nbsp;- &nbsp;Anzac, Toowoomba and Success - which will conduct naval exercises with countries around the region.

The Australian Navy confirmed three ships had recently travelled to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam but did not give any more details.

The Chinese Navy which has been conducting exercises in the South China Sea said today it was involved in an "encounter" with the Australian Navy. "Chinese and Australian naval vessels had an "encounter" in the South China Sea this week, and China acted professionally and lawfully," China's defence ministry said. "The Chinese side's ships used professional language to communicate with the Australian side, and their operations were lawful, in compliance, professional and safe," the ministry added. "The encounter happened on Sunday," it said. The Australian Navy confirmed three ships had recently travelled to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam but did not give any more details. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said later that if Australia is referring to "freedom of navigation" in accordance with international laws, there is no problem whatsoever, Reuters reported. "But if Australia has other motives, we hope it can see the trend in the South China Sea is stable and improving, and work together with China and other neighbouring countries for the peace and stability of the region," the Chinese ministry spokesman said. The South China Sea has become a centre for naval exercise with China and the US fueling the race in an area which has several disputed islands hotly contested by China and the rest of the countries namely Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan and others. Australia which is a close ally of the US said in a statement that it had deployed ships - Anzac, Toowoomba and Success - which will conduct naval exercises with countries around the region.

China, Australian Navy involved in 'encounter' in South China Sea

China conducted 'limited' <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/watch-china-conducts-live-fire-drills-in-taiwan-strait-131189">live-fire </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/watch-china-conducts-live-fire-drills-in-taiwan-strait-131189">excercise</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/watch-china-conducts-live-fire-drills-in-taiwan-strait-131189"> in Taiwan </a>Straits with the local media warning the&nbsp;"Taiwan independence groups" and the US not to damage "cross-Straits" ties.

China's Global Times said "military drills not only sent a tough message to Taiwan independence groups but also delivered a warning to the US, which recently boosted communication and ties with Taiwan."

The state-run newspaper quoting Chinese mainland's Fujian Maritime Safety Administration said he duration and location of the live-fire drills was relatively "closer to Fujian Province than Taiwan", and scale of the drills were "limited".

"The drills follow recent pro-independence activities on the island, especially the high-profile advocacy for independence by the head of Taiwan's administrative authority, Lai Ching-te," the newspaper said, adding that Taiwan also conducted military exercises on Friday, and Taiwan's regional leader Tsai Ing-wen watched the exercises. &nbsp;

Taiwan meanwhile said China's drills amounted to "military intimidation".&nbsp;

Taiwan's defence ministry said two Chinese H-6K bombers had flown around the island, passing first through the Miyako Strait to Taiwan's northeast and then back to base via the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines.

Taiwan's defence ministry said two Chinese H-6K bombers had flown around the island

China conducted 'limited' live-fire excercise in Taiwan Straits with the local media warning the "Taiwan independence groups" and the US not to damage "cross-Straits" ties. China's Global Times said "military drills not only sent a tough message to Taiwan independence groups but also delivered a warning to the US, which recently boosted communication and ties with Taiwan." The state-run newspaper quoting Chinese mainland's Fujian Maritime Safety Administration said he duration and location of the live-fire drills was relatively "closer to Fujian Province than Taiwan", and scale of the drills were "limited". "The drills follow recent pro-independence activities on the island, especially the high-profile advocacy for independence by the head of Taiwan's administrative authority, Lai Ching-te," the newspaper said, adding that Taiwan also conducted military exercises on Friday, and Taiwan's regional leader Tsai Ing-wen watched the exercises. Taiwan meanwhile said China's drills amounted to "military intimidation". Taiwan's defence ministry said two Chinese H-6K bombers had flown around the island, passing first through the Miyako Strait to Taiwan's northeast and then back to base via the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines.

Watch: China conducts 'limited' live-fire drills in Taiwan Straits

China today conducted live-fire drills in the Taiwan Straits which the Taiwan defence ministry dismissed as "cheap verbal intimidation and sabre rattling".

A day of China's fire drills, Taiwan had started its own live-fire shooting excercises in &nbspMatsu and Kinmen, islands close to China.

China considers Taiwan as a breakaway province.

"The Chinese communists have been using cheap verbal intimidation and sabre rattling on every aspect of the Republic of China in the hope of affecting our morale or creating social unease," Taiwan's defence ministry said.

China's aircraft carrier Liaoning has been carrying out drills in the South China Sea which is at the centre of dispute between several countries including Taiwan.

Chinese fighter jets took part in the excercise.

"We flew and recovered the fighter jets in a continuous manner, making a breakthrough in our flight missions, said Nie Kunxiang, deputy head of the carrier-based fighter jets dispatch detachment.

China does not recognise Taiwan as an independent country and has constantly lashed out at the country. It has often taken on the US over its support to Taiwan even attacking President Trump for his tasid support to the island nation.&nbsp

China's aircraft carrier Liaoning has been carrying out drills in the South China Sea which is at the centre of dispute between several countries including Taiwan.

China today conducted live-fire drills in the Taiwan Straits which the Taiwan defence ministry dismissed as "cheap verbal intimidation and sabre rattling". A day of China's fire drills, Taiwan had started its own live-fire shooting excercises in &nbspMatsu and Kinmen, islands close to China. China considers Taiwan as a breakaway province. "The Chinese communists have been using cheap verbal intimidation and sabre rattling on every aspect of the Republic of China in the hope of affecting our morale or creating social unease," Taiwan's defence ministry said. China's aircraft carrier Liaoning has been carrying out drills in the South China Sea which is at the centre of dispute between several countries including Taiwan. Chinese fighter jets took part in the excercise. "We flew and recovered the fighter jets in a continuous manner, making a breakthrough in our flight missions, said Nie Kunxiang, deputy head of the carrier-based fighter jets dispatch detachment. China does not recognise Taiwan as an independent country and has constantly lashed out at the country. It has often taken on the US over its support to Taiwan even attacking President Trump for his tasid support to the island nation.

Watch: China conducts live-fire drills in Taiwan Strait

As US carriers Theodore Roosevelt appeared in the South China Sea, China's President Xi in a surprise visit in the area inspected the Chinese Navy.

Several naval vessels including aircraft groups of carrier-borne helicopters, anti-submarine patrols were part of the inspection team.

China's first aircraft carrier Liaoning was also present during Xi's visit.

The Chinese navy review involved 48 warships, 76 aircraft, and over 10,000 officers and sailors.

China is involved in long-ranging disputes with several countries around the South China Sea including Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Indonesia over claims to the islands.

The US has over the past one year sent its Naval feet in the South China Sea even as China has criticised the move.

US warships have been regularly conducting "freedom of navigation" operations near the South China Sea islands with several Naval warships sailing across the area in the presence of the Chinese navy.

China's first aircraft carrier Liaoning was also present during Xi's visit.

As US carriers Theodore Roosevelt appeared in the South China Sea, China's President Xi in a surprise visit in the area inspected the Chinese Navy. Several naval vessels including aircraft groups of carrier-borne helicopters, anti-submarine patrols were part of the inspection team. China's first aircraft carrier Liaoning was also present during Xi's visit. The Chinese navy review involved 48 warships, 76 aircraft, and over 10,000 officers and sailors. China is involved in long-ranging disputes with several countries around the South China Sea including Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Indonesia over claims to the islands. The US has over the past one year sent its Naval feet in the South China Sea even as China has criticised the move. US warships have been regularly conducting "freedom of navigation" operations near the South China Sea islands with several Naval warships sailing across the area in the presence of the Chinese navy.

Watch: President Xi reviews Chinese Navy in South China Sea

In a span of 20 minutes, 20 F-18 fighter jets took off and landed on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, in a powerful display of military precision and efficiency.

The nuclear-powered warship, leading a carrier strike group, was conducting what the US military called routine training in the disputed South China Sea on Tuesday, headed for a port call in the Philippines, a defence treaty ally.

The United States is not alone in carrying out naval patrols in the strategic waterway, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate, possibly increasing tensions and risking accidents at sea.

"We have seen Chinese ships around us," Rear Admiral Steve Koehler, the strike group commander, told a small group of reporters on board the three-decade-old carrier.

"They are one of the navies that operate in the South China Sea but I would tell you that we have seen nothing but professional work out of the ships we have encountered."

Navies in the western Pacific, including China and nine Southeast Asian countries, have been working on a code of unexpected encounters (CUES) at sea to avoid conflict.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt's presence in the South China Sea comes days after China's massive air and naval drills in the area, in what some analysts described as an unusually large display of Beijing's growing naval might.

China's growing military presence in the waters has fuelled concern in the West about Beijing's end game.

The United States has criticised China's apparent militarisation of manmade islands and carried out regular air and naval patrols to assert its right to freedom of navigation in stretches of a sea China claims largely as its own.

"This transit in the South China Sea is nothing new in our planning cycle or in a reaction to that. It is probably by happenstance that all that is happening at the same time," said Koehler, who gave a tour of the carrier to Philippine military officials and watched flight operations aboard the 100,000-tonne warship.

<img alt="2_0.PNG" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/2_0.PNG" width="770" />

US Navy personnel prepare to launch an F18 fighter jet on the deck of USS Carl Vinson in the South China Sea.(Reuters Photo)

Function of law

"All of the operations that we do in and around the South China Sea or any of the bodies of water we operate in, there is a function of international law and that is ultimately what we want to recognise," Koehler said.

The tension between the United States and China over trade and territory under US President Donald Trump has been stepped up of late, with fear in the region that the South China Sea, vital to global trade, could one day become a battleground between the two rival powers.

Philippine ties with China have meanwhile warmed under President Rodrigo Duterte, who has put aside disputes with Beijing and wants it to play a key role in building and funding urgently needed infrastructure, from highways and ports to railways and power plants.

China has long objected to US military operations off its coasts, even in areas Washington insists are free to international passage.

"They (China) certainly have the right to exercise off their coast like we do, nor are they necessarily in charge of our transit cycle, but our deployment's been planned," Koehler said.&nbsp;

As the crew in colour-coded uniforms raced to service dozens of aircraft taking off and landing, "handlers" in the flight deck control made sure the deck had enough room for jets to manoeuvre and refuel with the help of an "Ouija board".

The board has all the models of each aircraft, which are marked with squadron name, model, make, and the number of personnel. At any given moment, the flight deck is home to dozens of aircraft and helicopters.&nbsp;

"It is a showcase of the capability of the U.S. armed forces," Philippine army chief Rolando Bautista said of the demonstration.

"Since Americans are our friends in one way or another, they can help us deter any threat."&nbsp;

The USS Theodore Roosevelt's presence in the South China Sea comes days after China's massive air and naval drills in the area.

In a span of 20 minutes, 20 F-18 fighter jets took off and landed on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, in a powerful display of military precision and efficiency. The nuclear-powered warship, leading a carrier strike group, was conducting what the US military called routine training in the disputed South China Sea on Tuesday, headed for a port call in the Philippines, a defence treaty ally. The United States is not alone in carrying out naval patrols in the strategic waterway, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate, possibly increasing tensions and risking accidents at sea. "We have seen Chinese ships around us," Rear Admiral Steve Koehler, the strike group commander, told a small group of reporters on board the three-decade-old carrier. "They are one of the navies that operate in the South China Sea but I would tell you that we have seen nothing but professional work out of the ships we have encountered." Navies in the western Pacific, including China and nine Southeast Asian countries, have been working on a code of unexpected encounters (CUES) at sea to avoid conflict. The USS Theodore Roosevelt's presence in the South China Sea comes days after China's massive air and naval drills in the area, in what some analysts described as an unusually large display of Beijing's growing naval might. China's growing military presence in the waters has fuelled concern in the West about Beijing's end game. The United States has criticised China's apparent militarisation of manmade islands and carried out regular air and naval patrols to assert its right to freedom of navigation in stretches of a sea China claims largely as its own. "This transit in the South China Sea is nothing new in our planning cycle or in a reaction to that. It is probably by happenstance that all that is happening at the same time," said Koehler, who gave a tour of the carrier to Philippine military officials and watched flight operations aboard the 100,000-tonne warship. US Navy personnel prepare to launch an F18 fighter jet on the deck of USS Carl Vinson in the South China Sea.(Reuters Photo) Function of law "All of the operations that we do in and around the South China Sea or any of the bodies of water we operate in, there is a function of international law and that is ultimately what we want to recognise," Koehler said. The tension between the United States and China over trade and territory under US President Donald Trump has been stepped up of late, with fear in the region that the South China Sea, vital to global trade, could one day become a battleground between the two rival powers. Philippine ties with China have meanwhile warmed under President Rodrigo Duterte, who has put aside disputes with Beijing and wants it to play a key role in building and funding urgently needed infrastructure, from highways and ports to railways and power plants. China has long objected to US military operations off its coasts, even in areas Washington insists are free to international passage. "They (China) certainly have the right to exercise off their coast like we do, nor are they necessarily in charge of our transit cycle, but our deployment's been planned," Koehler said. As the crew in colour-coded uniforms raced to service dozens of aircraft taking off and landing, "handlers" in the flight deck control made sure the deck had enough room for jets to manoeuvre and refuel with the help of an "Ouija board". The board has all the models of each aircraft, which are marked with squadron name, model, make, and the number of personnel. At any given moment, the flight deck is home to dozens of aircraft and helicopters. "It is a showcase of the capability of the U.S. armed forces," Philippine army chief Rolando Bautista said of the demonstration. "Since Americans are our friends in one way or another, they can help us deter any threat."

After massive China drill, US patrols disputed South China Sea

As tension between the US and China continues the South China Sea, the US embassy in Hanoi said the Trump administration has delivered six patrol boats and equipment worth $20 million to Vietnam.

The embassy said it "will serve to deter bad actors from committing crimes against or near Vietnam".

Recently, the USS Carl Vinson entered Vietnam for first time since the end of the war in 1975. Both the US and Vietnam have rebuilt defence and bilateral ties even as China's clout in the region as grown in the past decade.

The move demonstrates US support for a "strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam that contributes to international security and the rule of law", the embassy statement added.

However China's presence in the region continues to grow. Barely three weeks after the Vinson’s visit, the Vietnamese government bowed to Chinese pressure and canceled a major oil drilling project in disputed South China waters, Reuters reported.

China is reportedly conducting military drills in the area including sending aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait and flying jets between Japan’s southernmost islands, a move which has alarmed neighbours in the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

As a result, the US has increased its presence and sent in fighter jets and its Naval feet in the area. In a bid to push back the US, China said it plans to conduct monthly military exercises in the South China Sea.

China has in fact gone ahead an built several military posts on disputed atolls and reefs, transforming the area into military hotspot.

&nbspMischief Reef is now a well-armed Chinese military base.

China has in fact gone ahead an built several military posts on disputed atolls and reefs, transforming the area into military hotspot.

As tension between the US and China continues the South China Sea, the US embassy in Hanoi said the Trump administration has delivered six patrol boats and equipment worth $20 million to Vietnam. The embassy said it "will serve to deter bad actors from committing crimes against or near Vietnam". Recently, the USS Carl Vinson entered Vietnam for first time since the end of the war in 1975. Both the US and Vietnam have rebuilt defence and bilateral ties even as China's clout in the region as grown in the past decade. The move demonstrates US support for a "strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam that contributes to international security and the rule of law", the embassy statement added. However China's presence in the region continues to grow. Barely three weeks after the Vinson’s visit, the Vietnamese government bowed to Chinese pressure and canceled a major oil drilling project in disputed South China waters, Reuters reported. China is reportedly conducting military drills in the area including sending aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait and flying jets between Japan’s southernmost islands, a move which has alarmed neighbours in the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. As a result, the US has increased its presence and sent in fighter jets and its Naval feet in the area. In a bid to push back the US, China said it plans to conduct monthly military exercises in the South China Sea. China has in fact gone ahead an built several military posts on disputed atolls and reefs, transforming the area into military hotspot. &nbspMischief Reef is now a well-armed Chinese military base.

Amid tensions over South China Sea, US delivers patrol boats to Vietnam

China&#39;s air force has held another round of drills in the disputed South China Sea and the Western Pacific after passing through Japan&#39;s southern islands, the air force said on Sunday, calling such exercises the best preparation for war.

China is in the midst of an ambitious military modernisation programme overseen by President Xi Jinping with a heavy focus on its air force and navy, from building stealth fighters to adding aircraft carriers.

China insists it has no hostile intent, but its sabre-rattling in the busy South China Sea waterway, and around Taiwan, has touched a nerve in the region and in Washington.

In a statement, the air force said H-6K bombers and Su-30 and Su-35 fighters, among other aircraft, carried out combat patrols over the South China Sea and exercises in the Western Pacific after passing over the Miyako Strait, which lies between two southern Japanese islands.

It did not say when the exercises took place nor specify the parts of the South China Sea or the Western Pacific.

In a &quot;freedom of navigation&quot; operation on Friday, a U.S. Navy destroyer came within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island China has built in the South China Sea, provoking condemnation from China, which claims most of the strategic waterway.

Sending Su-35 fighters over the South China Sea aims to help increase the air force&#39;s ability to fight far out at sea, the air force said in the statement on its microblog.

Flying across the Miyako Strait, which also sits to the northeast of the self-ruled island of Taiwan that China claims as its own, accorded with international law and practice, it added.

&quot;Air Force exercises are rehearsals for future wars and are the most direct preparation for combat,&quot; it said.

The more exercises China practices far from its shores the better it will be positioned as &quot;an important force for managing and controlling crises, containing war and winning battles&quot;, it added.

China is in the midst of an ambitious military modernisation programme overseen by President Xi Jinping.

China's air force has held another round of drills in the disputed South China Sea and the Western Pacific after passing through Japan's southern islands, the air force said on Sunday, calling such exercises the best preparation for war. China is in the midst of an ambitious military modernisation programme overseen by President Xi Jinping with a heavy focus on its air force and navy, from building stealth fighters to adding aircraft carriers. China insists it has no hostile intent, but its sabre-rattling in the busy South China Sea waterway, and around Taiwan, has touched a nerve in the region and in Washington. In a statement, the air force said H-6K bombers and Su-30 and Su-35 fighters, among other aircraft, carried out combat patrols over the South China Sea and exercises in the Western Pacific after passing over the Miyako Strait, which lies between two southern Japanese islands. It did not say when the exercises took place nor specify the parts of the South China Sea or the Western Pacific. In a "freedom of navigation" operation on Friday, a U.S. Navy destroyer came within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island China has built in the South China Sea, provoking condemnation from China, which claims most of the strategic waterway. Sending Su-35 fighters over the South China Sea aims to help increase the air force's ability to fight far out at sea, the air force said in the statement on its microblog. Flying across the Miyako Strait, which also sits to the northeast of the self-ruled island of Taiwan that China claims as its own, accorded with international law and practice, it added. "Air Force exercises are rehearsals for future wars and are the most direct preparation for combat," it said. The more exercises China practices far from its shores the better it will be positioned as "an important force for managing and controlling crises, containing war and winning battles", it added.

China Air Force holds drills again in South China Sea, Western Pacific, says 'best preparation for war'

China&rsquo;s navy will carry out combat drills in the South China Sea, the military&rsquo;s official newspaper said on Friday, describing the move as part of regular annual exercises.

Taiwan&rsquo;s defence ministry said this week it had shadowed a Chinese aircraft carrier group traversing the Taiwan Strait in a southwesterly direction - meaning into the disputed South China Sea - in what Taiwan judged to be a drill.

Also, the Chinese People&#39;s Liberation Army Navy is to hold regular military drills in the South China Sea soon, reports said.

The drills are planned annual exercises, the goal of which is to test and improve the military&rsquo;s training level and ability to win, China Central Television reported. They are not directed against any third parties or targets, according to the channel.

China regularly holds military drills in the South China Sea, a marginal sea that Beijing claims most of. Apart from Beijing, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines also claim parts of the South China Sea and often protest over China&rsquo;s military exercises.

In a brief report on its WeChat account, the People&rsquo;s Liberation Army Daily said the combat exercises would take place shortly, though it gave no details of timing, location or what ships would participate.

&ldquo;This is a routine annual planned arrangement for the navy, the aim of which is to test and improve the military&rsquo;s training level and to fully raise the ability to win. It is not aimed at any specific country or target,&rdquo; the newspaper added, without elaborating.

China&rsquo;s navy and air force frequently carry out drills in the South China Sea, where the government has been building man-made islands and constructing airstrips and other facilities, unnerving the region.

Meanwhile, A US Navy destroyer carried out a &ldquo;freedom of navigation&rdquo; operation on Friday, coming within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island built by China in the South China Sea, U.S. officials told Reuters, a move likely to anger Beijing.

Friday&rsquo;s operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing&rsquo;s efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the USS Mustin travelled close to Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands and carried out manoeuvring operations. China has territorial disputes with its neighbours over the area.

The U.S. military has a longstanding position that its operations are carried out throughout the world, including in areas claimed by allies, and they are separate from political considerations.

However, the latest operation, the first since January, comes just a day after U.S. President Donald Trump lit a slow-burning fuse when he signed a presidential memorandum that will target up to $60 billion in Chinese goods with tariffs, but only after a 30-day consultation period that starts once a list is published.

The United States has criticized China&rsquo;s construction of islands and build-up of military facilities in the sea, and is concerned they could be used to restrict free nautical movement.

China&rsquo;s claims in the South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes each year, are contested by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. The U.S. military put countering China and Russia at the centre of a new national defence strategy recently unveiled.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The drills are planned annual exercises, the goal of which is to test and improve the military’s training level and ability to win

China’s navy will carry out combat drills in the South China Sea, the military’s official newspaper said on Friday, describing the move as part of regular annual exercises. Taiwan’s defence ministry said this week it had shadowed a Chinese aircraft carrier group traversing the Taiwan Strait in a southwesterly direction - meaning into the disputed South China Sea - in what Taiwan judged to be a drill. Also, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy is to hold regular military drills in the South China Sea soon, reports said. The drills are planned annual exercises, the goal of which is to test and improve the military’s training level and ability to win, China Central Television reported. They are not directed against any third parties or targets, according to the channel. China regularly holds military drills in the South China Sea, a marginal sea that Beijing claims most of. Apart from Beijing, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines also claim parts of the South China Sea and often protest over China’s military exercises. In a brief report on its WeChat account, the People’s Liberation Army Daily said the combat exercises would take place shortly, though it gave no details of timing, location or what ships would participate. “This is a routine annual planned arrangement for the navy, the aim of which is to test and improve the military’s training level and to fully raise the ability to win. It is not aimed at any specific country or target,” the newspaper added, without elaborating. China’s navy and air force frequently carry out drills in the South China Sea, where the government has been building man-made islands and constructing airstrips and other facilities, unnerving the region. Meanwhile, A US Navy destroyer carried out a “freedom of navigation” operation on Friday, coming within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island built by China in the South China Sea, U.S. officials told Reuters, a move likely to anger Beijing. Friday’s operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing’s efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the USS Mustin travelled close to Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands and carried out manoeuvring operations. China has territorial disputes with its neighbours over the area. The U.S. military has a longstanding position that its operations are carried out throughout the world, including in areas claimed by allies, and they are separate from political considerations. However, the latest operation, the first since January, comes just a day after U.S. President Donald Trump lit a slow-burning fuse when he signed a presidential memorandum that will target up to $60 billion in Chinese goods with tariffs, but only after a 30-day consultation period that starts once a list is published. The United States has criticized China’s construction of islands and build-up of military facilities in the sea, and is concerned they could be used to restrict free nautical movement. China’s claims in the South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes each year, are contested by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. The U.S. military put countering China and Russia at the centre of a new national defence strategy recently unveiled. (With inputs from Reuters)

Chinese navy to carry out combat drills in South China Sea

The United States will deploy a record number of Marines to train in Australia, the Australian defence minister said on Friday, as Washington seeks to counter what it describes as Chinese aggression in the region.

Payne said 1,587 US&nbsp;Marines will spend six months training in Australia&#39;s remote north, an increase of nearly 27 per cent on its 2017 rotation for the programme known as the Force Posture Initiatives.

&quot;The US military plays a vital role in underwriting security and stability across the Indo-Pacific, and the Force Posture Initiatives will be an essential component in preserving stability and security over the coming decades,&quot; Defence Minister Marise Payne said in a statement.

The deployment, first introduced in 2011 as part of a US &quot;pivot&quot; to Asia, has emerged as a key indicator of Washington&#39;s commitment to the region under US President Donald Trump and his willingness to counter Chinese influence in a region where tensions have spiked amid disputes over the South China Sea.

China claims most of the South China Sea, an important trade route that is also believed to contain large quantities of oil and natural gas, and has been building artificial islands on reefs, some with ports and airstrips.

In a move likely to irk Beijing, the US Marines will train with personnel from Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, some of which also have claims in the South China Sea.

&quot;China will monitor whatever the US does and it would prefer that the United States not work with the Asian countries included in these exercises,&quot; said Euan Graham, director of the international security programme at Australian think tank the Lowy Institute.

&quot;Beijing would like to deal one-on-one with Southeast Asia nations that have counter claims,&quot; he said.

The US Marines will also bring additional military equipment, including helicopters and F-18 jets, Payne said.

The military deployment also threatens to further weaken Australia-Chinese relations.

Australia, a staunch US ally with no claim to the South China Sea, has long maintained its neutrality in the dispute to protect its economic relationship with China.

But bilateral relations have soured in recent months after Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said China was improperly interfering in Canberra&#39;s affairs, an accusation that triggered a rare protest from Beijing.

The deployment, first introduced in 2011 as part of a US "pivot" to Asia, has emerged as a key indicator of Washington's commitment to the region under US President Donald Trump and his willingness to counter Chinese influence in a region where tensions have spiked amid disputes over South China Sea

The United States will deploy a record number of Marines to train in Australia, the Australian defence minister said on Friday, as Washington seeks to counter what it describes as Chinese aggression in the region. Payne said 1,587 US Marines will spend six months training in Australia's remote north, an increase of nearly 27 per cent on its 2017 rotation for the programme known as the Force Posture Initiatives. "The US military plays a vital role in underwriting security and stability across the Indo-Pacific, and the Force Posture Initiatives will be an essential component in preserving stability and security over the coming decades," Defence Minister Marise Payne said in a statement. The deployment, first introduced in 2011 as part of a US "pivot" to Asia, has emerged as a key indicator of Washington's commitment to the region under US President Donald Trump and his willingness to counter Chinese influence in a region where tensions have spiked amid disputes over the South China Sea. China claims most of the South China Sea, an important trade route that is also believed to contain large quantities of oil and natural gas, and has been building artificial islands on reefs, some with ports and airstrips. In a move likely to irk Beijing, the US Marines will train with personnel from Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, some of which also have claims in the South China Sea. "China will monitor whatever the US does and it would prefer that the United States not work with the Asian countries included in these exercises," said Euan Graham, director of the international security programme at Australian think tank the Lowy Institute. "Beijing would like to deal one-on-one with Southeast Asia nations that have counter claims," he said. The US Marines will also bring additional military equipment, including helicopters and F-18 jets, Payne said. The military deployment also threatens to further weaken Australia-Chinese relations. Australia, a staunch US ally with no claim to the South China Sea, has long maintained its neutrality in the dispute to protect its economic relationship with China. But bilateral relations have soured in recent months after Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said China was improperly interfering in Canberra's affairs, an accusation that triggered a rare protest from Beijing.

Record number of US Marines to train in Australia in symbolic challenge to China

China`s resolve to protect peace and stability in the South China Sea is unshakeable, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.

Speaking on the sidelines of an annual meeting of China`s parliament, Wang said that some outside forces were trying to muddy the waters in the disputed region. 
&nbsp; 
China has repeatedly accused countries outside the region - generally a reference to the United States and Japan - of trying to provoke trouble in the South China Sea while China and its neighbours are trying to resolve the matter through diplomacy.

This statement was given by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi

China`s resolve to protect peace and stability in the South China Sea is unshakeable, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday. Speaking on the sidelines of an annual meeting of China`s parliament, Wang said that some outside forces were trying to muddy the waters in the disputed region. China has repeatedly accused countries outside the region - generally a reference to the United States and Japan - of trying to provoke trouble in the South China Sea while China and its neighbours are trying to resolve the matter through diplomacy.

China says resolve to protect peace, stability in South China Sea unshakeable

Minutes after President <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/maldives-snubs-claims-of-violating-un-sanctions-on-north-korea-34357">Abdalla Yameen&rsquo;s dictatorial government </a>fiercely denied Japan&#39;s charges that a tanker registered in the Maldives was one of the four ships that have defied international sanctions and transferred illegal goods to North Korean vessels, WION found the vessel in question on several websites that track mercantile shipping around the earth.&nbsp;

The Xin <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/maldives-former-president-nasheed-alleges-president-yameen-of-violating-un-sanctions-on-north-korea-34340">Huan 18 is listed as a tanker, it is</a> very much registered in the Maldives, it flies the Maldivian flag and - was last spotted via satellite in the China seas.&nbsp;

Maps on the websites show the exact location of the tanker, whose name XIN HUAN also reveals just how tight a stranglehold President Yameen&#39;s close ally, China, has on the Indian Ocean island-state.

Japan&#39;s government had earlier released photographs of the Xin Huan 18 anchored alongside a North Korean tanker last weekend.&nbsp;

According to the Nikkei Asian Review, the vehicle was flying the flag of the Maldives and may have been transferring fuel.&nbsp;

The photograph was taken from an aircraft belonging Japan&#39;s maritime Self-Defence Force and Coast Guard just days ago. The illegal at-sea transfer is the fourth instance of foreign vessels transferring goods to North Korean ships.

President Yameen lost no time in issuing a press release in the name of the &quot;Government of the Republic of Maldives&quot;:

&ldquo;The government of the Maldives in no uncertain terms, refutes the assumption that a vessel named Xin Yuan 18 is of Maldivian origin &ndash; no such vehicle is registered in the country. Further, we condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the use of our national flag in a manner so as to tarnish the good standing and reputation of our nation and that of our people.&rdquo;

But WION found the vessel on several shipping websites which use satellites to track mercantile shipping. &nbsp;

Xin Yuan 18&rsquo;s dimensions are 77 M x 23 M, its status is &ldquo;active&rdquo; and as on February 8, 2018 on one website, its last registered position at 11.06 UTC (coordinated universal time) was in the South China Sea.&nbsp;

The Xin Yuan 18 was clipping along at a speed of 9.8 knots and was at 280 degrees.

So far, Japan has been the only country to patrol the waters of the Yellow Sea between China and the Korean peninsula and the neighbouring East China Sea. &nbsp;

Tokyo is now seeking help from other nations to keep North Korea&#39;s maritime smuggling in check. There are global sanctions against North Korea which prohibit the transfer of goods to Pyongyang. So far, the illegal transfers have been of crude oil or refined petroleum products.

The Maldives is currently in the iron-fisted stranglehold of dictatorial President Abdulla Yameen. He has sacked and arrested the judiciary and opposition and consolidated all powers within his own office. President Yameen is also accused of selling entire atolls of his island-nation to both Saudi Arabia and China.

Under his rule, the Maldives has become a quasi-protectorate of China, of whose Belt-and-Road-Initiative, the Maldives is a part.

Meanwhile, exiled former president Mohammed Nasheed disclosed via Twitter that international smuggling operations to regimes under sanction are nothing new under Mr Yameen.

&ldquo;It&#39;s concerning but unsurprising to learn (sic) Prez Yameen is again breaking UN sanctions,&rdquo; read the tweet. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s getting Maldives flagged ships to transfer cargo to North Korean ships on the high seas. In the 1990s, President Yameen did the same with the Burmese junta.&rdquo;

Mr Nasheed, who was democratically elected but ousted by Mr Yameen, is referring to allegations of corruption faced by Mr Yameen back in the early 2000s. &nbsp;

Mr Yameen was then reportedly with a state-owned company which sold nearly $300 million worth of oil to Myanmar&#39;s military dictatorship which was then also under international sanctions. Mr Nasheed later alleged that nearly half the money from that sale had disappeared without a trace.

The Xin Huan 18 is listed as a tanker, it is very much registered in the Maldives, it flies the Maldivian flag

Minutes after President Abdalla Yameen’s dictatorial government fiercely denied Japan's charges that a tanker registered in the Maldives was one of the four ships that have defied international sanctions and transferred illegal goods to North Korean vessels, WION found the vessel in question on several websites that track mercantile shipping around the earth. The Xin Huan 18 is listed as a tanker, it is very much registered in the Maldives, it flies the Maldivian flag and - was last spotted via satellite in the China seas. Maps on the websites show the exact location of the tanker, whose name XIN HUAN also reveals just how tight a stranglehold President Yameen's close ally, China, has on the Indian Ocean island-state. Japan's government had earlier released photographs of the Xin Huan 18 anchored alongside a North Korean tanker last weekend. According to the Nikkei Asian Review, the vehicle was flying the flag of the Maldives and may have been transferring fuel. The photograph was taken from an aircraft belonging Japan's maritime Self-Defence Force and Coast Guard just days ago. The illegal at-sea transfer is the fourth instance of foreign vessels transferring goods to North Korean ships. President Yameen lost no time in issuing a press release in the name of the "Government of the Republic of Maldives": “The government of the Maldives in no uncertain terms, refutes the assumption that a vessel named Xin Yuan 18 is of Maldivian origin – no such vehicle is registered in the country. Further, we condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the use of our national flag in a manner so as to tarnish the good standing and reputation of our nation and that of our people.” But WION found the vessel on several shipping websites which use satellites to track mercantile shipping. Xin Yuan 18’s dimensions are 77 M x 23 M, its status is “active” and as on February 8, 2018 on one website, its last registered position at 11.06 UTC (coordinated universal time) was in the South China Sea. The Xin Yuan 18 was clipping along at a speed of 9.8 knots and was at 280 degrees. So far, Japan has been the only country to patrol the waters of the Yellow Sea between China and the Korean peninsula and the neighbouring East China Sea. Tokyo is now seeking help from other nations to keep North Korea's maritime smuggling in check. There are global sanctions against North Korea which prohibit the transfer of goods to Pyongyang. So far, the illegal transfers have been of crude oil or refined petroleum products. The Maldives is currently in the iron-fisted stranglehold of dictatorial President Abdulla Yameen. He has sacked and arrested the judiciary and opposition and consolidated all powers within his own office. President Yameen is also accused of selling entire atolls of his island-nation to both Saudi Arabia and China. Under his rule, the Maldives has become a quasi-protectorate of China, of whose Belt-and-Road-Initiative, the Maldives is a part. Meanwhile, exiled former president Mohammed Nasheed disclosed via Twitter that international smuggling operations to regimes under sanction are nothing new under Mr Yameen. “It's concerning but unsurprising to learn (sic) Prez Yameen is again breaking UN sanctions,” read the tweet. “He’s getting Maldives flagged ships to transfer cargo to North Korean ships on the high seas. In the 1990s, President Yameen did the same with the Burmese junta.” Mr Nasheed, who was democratically elected but ousted by Mr Yameen, is referring to allegations of corruption faced by Mr Yameen back in the early 2000s. Mr Yameen was then reportedly with a state-owned company which sold nearly $300 million worth of oil to Myanmar's military dictatorship which was then also under international sanctions. Mr Nasheed later alleged that nearly half the money from that sale had disappeared without a trace.

North Korea tanker row: Vessel with Maldives flag spotted in satellite

Ton Sinh Thanh, Vietnam&#39;s ambassador to India, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-china-sea-row-will-take-necessary-measures-to-safeguard-sovereignty-says-china-30488">said today President Tran Dai Quang</a> who will be visiting India next week will be discussing the South China issue with PM Modi.

&quot;Vietnam is one of the few countries in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-china-sea-china-accuses-us-warship-of-violating-its-sovereignty-30143">South-East Asia that is raising its voice</a> against China flexing its muscles in the South China Sea. China claims a number of territories and islands as its own over the South China Sea,&quot; Ton Sinh Thanh said.

Vietnam along with several other countries including Brunei, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines have questioned China&#39;s sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea.

In fact, the US administration has deployed several ships including nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in a bid to thwart China&#39;s attempt to dominate the area along the South China Sea.

The international tribunal at The Hague had earlier ruled that China has no historic claim over the waters, despite this reports say the Communist country continues to build large-scale military infrastructure along the disputed islands to the dismay of its neighbour.

The area is also huge trading point as an estimated $5 trillion worth of global trade passes through the disputed territories in the South China Sea.

Vietnam along with several other countries have questioned China's sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea.

Ton Sinh Thanh, Vietnam's ambassador to India, said today President Tran Dai Quang who will be visiting India next week will be discussing the South China issue with PM Modi. "Vietnam is one of the few countries in South-East Asia that is raising its voice against China flexing its muscles in the South China Sea. China claims a number of territories and islands as its own over the South China Sea," Ton Sinh Thanh said. Vietnam along with several other countries including Brunei, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines have questioned China's sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea. In fact, the US administration has deployed several ships including nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in a bid to thwart China's attempt to dominate the area along the South China Sea. The international tribunal at The Hague had earlier ruled that China has no historic claim over the waters, despite this reports say the Communist country continues to build large-scale military infrastructure along the disputed islands to the dismay of its neighbour. The area is also huge trading point as an estimated $5 trillion worth of global trade passes through the disputed territories in the South China Sea.

'South China Sea will be discussed during President's visit to India,' says Vietnam ambassador to India

US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today reiterated their commitment to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific and affirmed the importance of expanding quadrilateral co-operation with India and Japan.

Following their meeting, the White House said Trump and Turnbull &quot;discussed ways to deepen trilateral cooperation with Japan and affirmed the importance of expanding cooperation between Australia, the US, Japan, and India.&quot;

Expressing serious concerns about the situation in the South China Sea, they called upon parties to exercise restraint and resolve disputes peacefully based on international law.

Trump thanked Turnbull for his continued support for the US&#39; program of Freedom of Navigation Operations.

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Australia to advance United States-Australia support for high-quality infrastructure investment in the Indo-Pacific region and encourage reforms to improve regulations, transparency, and local capital markets.

This is probably aimed at the One Belt One Road initiative of China, which has created a sense of anxiety among various countries in the region.

The joint statement, however did not mention the Chinese initiative in this regard, which the US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, has called as predatory economics.

According to the joint statement, the two countries intend to launch the United States-Australia Strategic Partnership on Energy in the Indo-Pacific region to promote energy infrastructure, low emissions technologies, and global gas markets.

Affirming their support for global health security to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks, the two countries also agreed to intensify cooperation to support the growth of digital trade between them, ensure an open, free and secure Internet, and advocate the liberalisation and facilitation of global digital trade.

Sharing concerns about terrorists&#39; use of cyberspace and the evolving threat of terrorism to both nations and the global community, Trump and Turnbull discussed about Afghanistan and on-going efforts to assist its people in their quest for peace and security and to deny terrorists access to safe havens there.

Trump, according to the White House, thanked Turnbull for Australia&#39;s leadership on counterterrorism issues in Southeast Asia and its substantial contributions to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.

They further discussed cooperation as terrorist fighters depart Iraq and Syria and return to their home countries.

Earlier at a joint White House news conference, Trump thanked the prime minister for serving as a strong voice for peace and stability across the entire Indo-Pacific region.

&quot;Australia is one of our closest partners in our campaign of maximum pressure to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula. Today, we put the strongest sanctions on Korea that we have ever put on a country.

We must continue to stand together to prevent the brutal dictatorship from threatening the world with nuclear devastation,&quot; he said.

&quot;Our nations, likewise, share a commitment to keeping our people safe from terrorism. Australian troops are currently serving alongside Americans and our partners in Afghanistan and the coalition to defeat ISIS. Together, we&#39;re denying terrorists safe haven, cutting off their funding and discrediting their wicked ideology,&quot; Trump said.

The strong partnership can also be seen in the flourishing economic relationship, he added.

Turnbull said that the meeting was a great opportunity to strengthen and deepen their engagement with the US and to lay the groundwork for a new phase of intensified cooperation, the next 100 years of mateship.

&quot;We recognise that the prosperity of our region, and indeed the world, has been underpinned and in fact built on a foundation of a rules-based order which has been secured by the leadership of the United States ever since the Second World War. That leadership has been critical,&quot; Turnbull said.

The relationship between the two countries is based not only on history, but also the same values they share and a deep well of trust and spirit based on those enduring values of freedom, democracy, the rule of law, enterprise, ingenuity, the spirit of having a go, he said.

&quot;And, if it doesn&#39;t work out, dust yourself off and have another go. That is a core American and Australian value. That spirit of enterprise is what leads us on. Of course, our relationship is underpinned by millions of people-to-people and family links and, of course, the extensive economic cooperation we&#39;ve spoken about,&quot; he added.

The White House said Trump and Turnbull 'discussed ways to deepen trilateral cooperation with Japan and affirmed the importance of expanding cooperation between Australia, the US, Japan, and India'

US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today reiterated their commitment to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific and affirmed the importance of expanding quadrilateral co-operation with India and Japan. Following their meeting, the White House said Trump and Turnbull "discussed ways to deepen trilateral cooperation with Japan and affirmed the importance of expanding cooperation between Australia, the US, Japan, and India." Expressing serious concerns about the situation in the South China Sea, they called upon parties to exercise restraint and resolve disputes peacefully based on international law. Trump thanked Turnbull for his continued support for the US' program of Freedom of Navigation Operations. The Overseas Private Investment Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Australia to advance United States-Australia support for high-quality infrastructure investment in the Indo-Pacific region and encourage reforms to improve regulations, transparency, and local capital markets. This is probably aimed at the One Belt One Road initiative of China, which has created a sense of anxiety among various countries in the region. The joint statement, however did not mention the Chinese initiative in this regard, which the US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, has called as predatory economics. According to the joint statement, the two countries intend to launch the United States-Australia Strategic Partnership on Energy in the Indo-Pacific region to promote energy infrastructure, low emissions technologies, and global gas markets. Affirming their support for global health security to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks, the two countries also agreed to intensify cooperation to support the growth of digital trade between them, ensure an open, free and secure Internet, and advocate the liberalisation and facilitation of global digital trade. Sharing concerns about terrorists' use of cyberspace and the evolving threat of terrorism to both nations and the global community, Trump and Turnbull discussed about Afghanistan and on-going efforts to assist its people in their quest for peace and security and to deny terrorists access to safe havens there. Trump, according to the White House, thanked Turnbull for Australia's leadership on counterterrorism issues in Southeast Asia and its substantial contributions to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. They further discussed cooperation as terrorist fighters depart Iraq and Syria and return to their home countries. Earlier at a joint White House news conference, Trump thanked the prime minister for serving as a strong voice for peace and stability across the entire Indo-Pacific region. "Australia is one of our closest partners in our campaign of maximum pressure to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula. Today, we put the strongest sanctions on Korea that we have ever put on a country. We must continue to stand together to prevent the brutal dictatorship from threatening the world with nuclear devastation," he said. "Our nations, likewise, share a commitment to keeping our people safe from terrorism. Australian troops are currently serving alongside Americans and our partners in Afghanistan and the coalition to defeat ISIS. Together, we're denying terrorists safe haven, cutting off their funding and discrediting their wicked ideology," Trump said. The strong partnership can also be seen in the flourishing economic relationship, he added. Turnbull said that the meeting was a great opportunity to strengthen and deepen their engagement with the US and to lay the groundwork for a new phase of intensified cooperation, the next 100 years of mateship. "We recognise that the prosperity of our region, and indeed the world, has been underpinned and in fact built on a foundation of a rules-based order which has been secured by the leadership of the United States ever since the Second World War. That leadership has been critical," Turnbull said. The relationship between the two countries is based not only on history, but also the same values they share and a deep well of trust and spirit based on those enduring values of freedom, democracy, the rule of law, enterprise, ingenuity, the spirit of having a go, he said. "And, if it doesn't work out, dust yourself off and have another go. That is a core American and Australian value. That spirit of enterprise is what leads us on. Of course, our relationship is underpinned by millions of people-to-people and family links and, of course, the extensive economic cooperation we've spoken about," he added.

Trump, Turnbull discuss ways to expand ties with India, Japan

The probable way out for China from the policy impasse it has imposed upon itself is to break the glass ceiling first; they have to patch up with their perceived regional rivals before embarking on global outreach. In that, China needs to move away from their strategy of manipulating their unsubstantiated history and territorial claims without corroborative evidence. In order to rebuild their image, China needs to reach out to both global as well as regional bigwigs by showing genuine cooperative approach, shedding their confrontationist attitude.

&nbsp;

In the South China Sea, the international court had found no proper evidence of historical sovereignty of China over disputed island territories as claimed by them. Hence, China should gracefully accept the verdict in order to reduce the existing political friction with the US and her neighbours in Indo-Pacific. China would be the biggest beneficiary as it would facilitate the transit of their energy supplies and trade without any military threats, reducing their insecurity syndrome which happens to be the main factor of their political irrationalities.

&nbsp;

China should also not forget that success of their economic model is contingent on continued patronage of western countries who use China as their manufacturing hub and operate as markets for Chinese finished goods. In the recently held world economic forum at Davos, the president of US has already conveyed their plans of a protectionist regime. If the US decides to manufacture their own goods, it will have a tremendous effect on China. The Chinese &lsquo;position of strength&rsquo; lies in the continuation of her robust economy, and it is certainly not a good idea to undo their hard-earned achievements by indulging in futile self-defeating aggressive politics. China has to be a part of the team first, so as to be a team leader at an appropriate time.

&nbsp;

Closer home India, with her politico-economic buoyancy and strategic strength, is not a pushover anymore as China perceives. The Doklam episode has not only clearly exposed the Chinese bluff, it has thrown light on India&#39;s political will and military capabilities to neutralise such coercive attempts.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

China cannot ignore India. Their economic agenda would be severely impacted as India dominates Chinese logistics network both on western as well as southern flanks. Therefore, unless India is on board, Chinese outreach to rest of the world would always suffer from insecurity syndrome.

&nbsp;

Moreover, commissioning of Chabahar port as an alternate safer and economical route for Eurasian countries and CARs has potential to make a dent in the viability of CPEC scheme. Therefore, it would be most sensible for China to come around the Indian point of view if they want to ensure the success of CPEC, their biggest political investment in recent times. Hence, there is a need to revisit the strategic priorities based on professional logic and rationale instead of typical Chinese egoist emotional hype in their political forays.

&nbsp;

A pragmatic solution lies in the recognition of the legitimacy of J&amp;K as an integral part of India, as agreed by the Maharaja. It would be in Chinese interests to persuade Pakistan to accept the correct legal position of J&amp;K.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A reconciliation between China and India will reduce Chinese security concerns over land as well as in the Indian Ocean, a big strategic take away which China desperately needs. It would resolve most of the contentious political issues, restricting peace and prosperity in the region.

&nbsp;

Such a statesmanship on part of China would catapult her on a high moral pedestal and set precedence for others to follow.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

A reconciliation between China and India will reduce Chinese security concerns over land as well as in the Indian Ocean, a big strategic take away which China desperately needs.

The probable way out for China from the policy impasse it has imposed upon itself is to break the glass ceiling first; they have to patch up with their perceived regional rivals before embarking on global outreach. In that, China needs to move away from their strategy of manipulating their unsubstantiated history and territorial claims without corroborative evidence. In order to rebuild their image, China needs to reach out to both global as well as regional bigwigs by showing genuine cooperative approach, shedding their confrontationist attitude. In the South China Sea, the international court had found no proper evidence of historical sovereignty of China over disputed island territories as claimed by them. Hence, China should gracefully accept the verdict in order to reduce the existing political friction with the US and her neighbours in Indo-Pacific. China would be the biggest beneficiary as it would facilitate the transit of their energy supplies and trade without any military threats, reducing their insecurity syndrome which happens to be the main factor of their political irrationalities. China should also not forget that success of their economic model is contingent on continued patronage of western countries who use China as their manufacturing hub and operate as markets for Chinese finished goods. In the recently held world economic forum at Davos, the president of US has already conveyed their plans of a protectionist regime. If the US decides to manufacture their own goods, it will have a tremendous effect on China. The Chinese ‘position of strength’ lies in the continuation of her robust economy, and it is certainly not a good idea to undo their hard-earned achievements by indulging in futile self-defeating aggressive politics. China has to be a part of the team first, so as to be a team leader at an appropriate time. Closer home India, with her politico-economic buoyancy and strategic strength, is not a pushover anymore as China perceives. The Doklam episode has not only clearly exposed the Chinese bluff, it has thrown light on India's political will and military capabilities to neutralise such coercive attempts. China cannot ignore India. Their economic agenda would be severely impacted as India dominates Chinese logistics network both on western as well as southern flanks. Therefore, unless India is on board, Chinese outreach to rest of the world would always suffer from insecurity syndrome. Moreover, commissioning of Chabahar port as an alternate safer and economical route for Eurasian countries and CARs has potential to make a dent in the viability of CPEC scheme. Therefore, it would be most sensible for China to come around the Indian point of view if they want to ensure the success of CPEC, their biggest political investment in recent times. Hence, there is a need to revisit the strategic priorities based on professional logic and rationale instead of typical Chinese egoist emotional hype in their political forays. A pragmatic solution lies in the recognition of the legitimacy of J&K as an integral part of India, as agreed by the Maharaja. It would be in Chinese interests to persuade Pakistan to accept the correct legal position of J&K. A reconciliation between China and India will reduce Chinese security concerns over land as well as in the Indian Ocean, a big strategic take away which China desperately needs. It would resolve most of the contentious political issues, restricting peace and prosperity in the region. Such a statesmanship on part of China would catapult her on a high moral pedestal and set precedence for others to follow. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: China needs to reconcile with India to be a superpower

The story of China starts with economies of scale offered by the country to the western industrial world so that they could outsource their manufacturing to China. With consequent exponential economic rise, came the conceit and hubris, particularly, in absence of political opposition, prompting the Chinese polity to nurture ambitions of acquiring a status of a world power.&nbsp;

While the Chinese are known for visualisation of their plans looking beyond hundreds of years, they apparently have set their eyes on world leadership role in the seemingly impractical short time span. The current Chinese leadership is obviously in hurry, prompting them to use the military to push their politico-economic agenda. As a result, they have disturbed the global geopolitical canvas, spreading negative political synergies all around.

A country like China, which is thriving on industrial production has a compulsion to seek and nurture the markets for her goods and services. In that, Chinese vulnerabilities lie in her geographical location on a distant flank with a limited communication network, energy inadequacy, and external political linkages to their manufacturing sector. Therefore, it essentially requires a secure and viable communication network for ease of logistics, cooperative approach to market competition, and mutual respect and accommodation to interests of other stakeholders. However, there is an apparent conceptual deficit as regards to all these parameters, when it comes to China.

China happens to be literally a landlocked entity with exception of the eastern flank, which opens to the high seas. Then there are a number of contentious political issues with her neighbours, primarily due to Chinese political manipulations and cultural hubris. As a result, China has to transit through circuitous and not so friendly Indo-Pacific region. Hence, they nurture deep-seated insecurities and apprehensions which have shaped Chinese political conduct. In that, they seem to have chosen to use selective coercive diplomacy and confrontationist attitude instead of cooperative accommodation to achieve their national objectives.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Such a political brinkmanship, however, have no place in current globalised corporate culture. Somewhere in their political psyche China continues to nurture a medieval mindset, which may turn out to be a probable cause of nemesis for their ambitions.

China has embarked upon BRI scheme to take care of their economic insecurities and increase their political influence world over. Chinese military overtures in the South China Sea and &ldquo;Strings of Pearls&rdquo; in the&nbsp;Indian Ocean are operative part of their expansionist strategy.&nbsp; China, in pursuit of their economic colonisation, intends investing in the improvement of logistics infrastructure as well as establish industrial and power corridors in impoverished countries of Chinese interests.&nbsp;

On the Western flank, the CPEC scheme seems to be running into rough weather due to Chinese insensitivity in trespassing Indian sovereignty and security situation in Af-Pak region which happens to be the most disturbed areas as on date. Geopolitical interests coupled with the physical presence of extra-regional powers in Afghanistan have further complicated the political situation which is unlikely to be resolved in near future. Within Pakistan also, there is a political dissent in face of Chinese hegemonic tendencies. Rebellious Baluchistan and Northern Areas add to the friction areas for smooth operation of the scheme.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On the Eastern flank, China has chosen to use military overtures in staking their claims over the South China Sea(SNS) based on unsubstantiated historical linkages. They have also refused to obey directives of international court on the law of seas at Hague. It has led to militarisation of the South China Sea with an occasional show of force and coercive military diplomacy. It surely has increased political opposition amongst the larger part of international community impinging on Chinese credibility as a responsible emerging power.&nbsp;

There have been scathing diplomatic statements targeting China from various world forums in favour of a free flow of trade in international waters. Naval exercises the Malabar and Quad consisting of US, India, Australia and Japan are part of military diplomacy to convey coercive political signals to China.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Southern flank, though much away from their mainland, Chinese expansionist pattern is reflective in the desire to come up with a &ldquo;Strings of Pearls&rdquo; in the Indian Ocean region, the latest one being reported to be on&nbsp; Pakistani coastline. In that, China has been exploiting small countries with a lure of economic goodies in return for permitting the establishment of Chinese military bases to safeguard their maritime interests. It has increased the military ante in the IOR as the region happens to be the link between two most frequented oceans for international trade and commerce.&nbsp;&nbsp;

India, with her domination of the IOR, is a matter of concern for China. They see India as an impediment to their hegemonic intent of pushing their economic agenda.&nbsp; Hence, a deep set of insecurities have shaped Sino-Indian relations wherein China sees India as a rival who needs to be given a punch and not a handshake.

Consequently, China has been indulging in military overtures against their regional rivals so to make them submit to their political dictates. The Doklam standoff followed by an increase in military incursions along the Sino-Indian LAC is part of their high handedness and coercive diplomacy. They keep issuing similar coercive warnings to countries in regions of the South China Sea and South East Asia.&nbsp; China, obviously, wants to keep the water warm but not boiling through such a politico-military psychological warfare.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Overall the strategic audit is indicative of Chinese failure in &ldquo;team building&rdquo; due to their self-centered exclusivity, insensitive conduct and absence of political social grace expected of a responsible leader in making. Therefore, the&nbsp; Chinese vision does not seem to be in sync with appropriate strategic outlook. The rhythm of their ongoing political tango is not conducive towards achieving their aspirations. Hence, China needs an urgent mid-course correction.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

China seems to have chosen to use coercive diplomacy and confrontationist attitude instead of cooperative accommodation to achieve their national objectives.

The story of China starts with economies of scale offered by the country to the western industrial world so that they could outsource their manufacturing to China. With consequent exponential economic rise, came the conceit and hubris, particularly, in absence of political opposition, prompting the Chinese polity to nurture ambitions of acquiring a status of a world power. While the Chinese are known for visualisation of their plans looking beyond hundreds of years, they apparently have set their eyes on world leadership role in the seemingly impractical short time span. The current Chinese leadership is obviously in hurry, prompting them to use the military to push their politico-economic agenda. As a result, they have disturbed the global geopolitical canvas, spreading negative political synergies all around. A country like China, which is thriving on industrial production has a compulsion to seek and nurture the markets for her goods and services. In that, Chinese vulnerabilities lie in her geographical location on a distant flank with a limited communication network, energy inadequacy, and external political linkages to their manufacturing sector. Therefore, it essentially requires a secure and viable communication network for ease of logistics, cooperative approach to market competition, and mutual respect and accommodation to interests of other stakeholders. However, there is an apparent conceptual deficit as regards to all these parameters, when it comes to China. China happens to be literally a landlocked entity with exception of the eastern flank, which opens to the high seas. Then there are a number of contentious political issues with her neighbours, primarily due to Chinese political manipulations and cultural hubris. As a result, China has to transit through circuitous and not so friendly Indo-Pacific region. Hence, they nurture deep-seated insecurities and apprehensions which have shaped Chinese political conduct. In that, they seem to have chosen to use selective coercive diplomacy and confrontationist attitude instead of cooperative accommodation to achieve their national objectives. Such a political brinkmanship, however, have no place in current globalised corporate culture. Somewhere in their political psyche China continues to nurture a medieval mindset, which may turn out to be a probable cause of nemesis for their ambitions. China has embarked upon BRI scheme to take care of their economic insecurities and increase their political influence world over. Chinese military overtures in the South China Sea and “Strings of Pearls” in the Indian Ocean are operative part of their expansionist strategy. China, in pursuit of their economic colonisation, intends investing in the improvement of logistics infrastructure as well as establish industrial and power corridors in impoverished countries of Chinese interests. On the Western flank, the CPEC scheme seems to be running into rough weather due to Chinese insensitivity in trespassing Indian sovereignty and security situation in Af-Pak region which happens to be the most disturbed areas as on date. Geopolitical interests coupled with the physical presence of extra-regional powers in Afghanistan have further complicated the political situation which is unlikely to be resolved in near future. Within Pakistan also, there is a political dissent in face of Chinese hegemonic tendencies. Rebellious Baluchistan and Northern Areas add to the friction areas for smooth operation of the scheme. On the Eastern flank, China has chosen to use military overtures in staking their claims over the South China Sea(SNS) based on unsubstantiated historical linkages. They have also refused to obey directives of international court on the law of seas at Hague. It has led to militarisation of the South China Sea with an occasional show of force and coercive military diplomacy. It surely has increased political opposition amongst the larger part of international community impinging on Chinese credibility as a responsible emerging power. There have been scathing diplomatic statements targeting China from various world forums in favour of a free flow of trade in international waters. Naval exercises the Malabar and Quad consisting of US, India, Australia and Japan are part of military diplomacy to convey coercive political signals to China. On Southern flank, though much away from their mainland, Chinese expansionist pattern is reflective in the desire to come up with a “Strings of Pearls” in the Indian Ocean region, the latest one being reported to be on Pakistani coastline. In that, China has been exploiting small countries with a lure of economic goodies in return for permitting the establishment of Chinese military bases to safeguard their maritime interests. It has increased the military ante in the IOR as the region happens to be the link between two most frequented oceans for international trade and commerce. India, with her domination of the IOR, is a matter of concern for China. They see India as an impediment to their hegemonic intent of pushing their economic agenda. Hence, a deep set of insecurities have shaped Sino-Indian relations wherein China sees India as a rival who needs to be given a punch and not a handshake. Consequently, China has been indulging in military overtures against their regional rivals so to make them submit to their political dictates. The Doklam standoff followed by an increase in military incursions along the Sino-Indian LAC is part of their high handedness and coercive diplomacy. They keep issuing similar coercive warnings to countries in regions of the South China Sea and South East Asia. China, obviously, wants to keep the water warm but not boiling through such a politico-military psychological warfare. Overall the strategic audit is indicative of Chinese failure in “team building” due to their self-centered exclusivity, insensitive conduct and absence of political social grace expected of a responsible leader in making. Therefore, the Chinese vision does not seem to be in sync with appropriate strategic outlook. The rhythm of their ongoing political tango is not conducive towards achieving their aspirations. Hence, China needs an urgent mid-course correction. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: China's military adventures are not in sync with its political ambition

China&rsquo;s foreign ministry has accused a US warship of entering its territorial waters without permission and said it would take &ldquo;necessary measures&rdquo; to ensure its sovereignty is protected.

On the evening of January 17, the missile destroyer USS Hopper came within 12 nautical miles of Huangyan Island in the South China Sea, the ministry said on its website on Saturday.

Huangyan Island is also known as the Scarborough Shoal, a disputed territory in the South China Sea claimed by the Philippines as well as China.

China&rsquo;s navy ordered the vessel to withdraw after determining its identity, Lu Kang, China&rsquo;s foreign ministry spokesman, was quoted as saying.

Lu said the ship violated China&rsquo;s sovereignty and security interests and threatened the safety of China&rsquo;s vessels and personnel in the vicinity.

The United States has criticized China for constructing islands and military installations in the region, saying they could be used to restrict free nautical movement. US vessels have conducted a series of &ldquo;freedom of navigation&rdquo; patrols in the region.

China &ldquo;firmly opposes&rdquo; efforts to use freedom of navigation as an excuse to hurt its sovereignty and urges the United States to &ldquo;correct its mistakes&rdquo;, Lu said.

In a separate statement on Saturday, China&rsquo;s defence ministry said the repeated dispatch of US warships to the region was &ldquo;undermining regional peace and stability&rdquo; and hurting bilateral relations.

The missile destroyer USS Hopper came within 12 nautical miles of Huangyan Island in the South China Sea

China’s foreign ministry has accused a US warship of entering its territorial waters without permission and said it would take “necessary measures” to ensure its sovereignty is protected. On the evening of January 17, the missile destroyer USS Hopper came within 12 nautical miles of Huangyan Island in the South China Sea, the ministry said on its website on Saturday. Huangyan Island is also known as the Scarborough Shoal, a disputed territory in the South China Sea claimed by the Philippines as well as China. China’s navy ordered the vessel to withdraw after determining its identity, Lu Kang, China’s foreign ministry spokesman, was quoted as saying. Lu said the ship violated China’s sovereignty and security interests and threatened the safety of China’s vessels and personnel in the vicinity. The United States has criticized China for constructing islands and military installations in the region, saying they could be used to restrict free nautical movement. US vessels have conducted a series of “freedom of navigation” patrols in the region. China “firmly opposes” efforts to use freedom of navigation as an excuse to hurt its sovereignty and urges the United States to “correct its mistakes”, Lu said. In a separate statement on Saturday, China’s defence ministry said the repeated dispatch of US warships to the region was “undermining regional peace and stability” and hurting bilateral relations.

China vows 'necessary measures' after US warship enters South China Sea

While the Pentagon plays down patrols close to Chinese-controlled reefs and islands in the South China Sea, Beijing is sounding the alarm about them, seeking to justify what experts say will be an even greater presence in the disputed region.

Chinese officials publicized the latest US&nbsp;&quot;freedom of navigation patrol&quot;, protesting the deployment last week of the destroyer USS Hopper to within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal, an atoll west of the Philippines which Beijing disputes with Manila.

It was the second time in recent months that confirmation of a patrol came from Beijing, not Washington, which had previously announced or leaked details.

Bonnie Glaser, a security expert at Washington&#39;s Center for Strategic and International Studies, said while the administration of US&nbsp;President Donald Trump had a policy of keeping the patrols regular but low key, China was willing to publicly exploit them to further their military ends.

&quot;It is difficult to conclude otherwise,&quot; she said.

&quot;Even as it pushes ahead with these (patrols), I don&#39;t think the Trump administration has really come to terms with what it will tolerate from China in the South China Sea, and what it simply won&#39;t accept, and Beijing seems to grasp this.&quot;

In official statements, Chinese foreign ministry official Lu Kang said China would take &quot;necessary measures to firmly safeguard its sovereignty&quot; in the resource-rich sea.

Some regional diplomats and security analysts believe that will involve increased Chinese deployments and the quicker militarization of China&#39;s expanded facilities across the Spratlys archipelago.

While US&nbsp;officials did not target China in their comments, couching freedom-of-navigation patrols as a &quot;routine&quot; assertions of international law, Beijing was quick to cast Washington as the provocateur.

The Communist Party&#39;s official People&#39;s Daily newspaper on Monday accused the US&nbsp;of upsetting recent peace and co-operation and &quot;wantonly provoking trouble&quot;, saying China had must now strengthen its presence in the strategic waterway.

In recent years, China has built up several reefs and islets into large-scale airstrips and bases as it seeks to assert and enforce its claims to much of the sea, through which some $3 trillion in trade passes annually. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan, hold rival claims.

Chinese coastguard and People&#39;s Liberation Army navy ships patrol vast swathes of the South China Sea, routinely shadowing US&nbsp;and other international naval deployments, regional naval officers say.

Zhang Baohui, a mainland security analyst at Hong Kong&#39;s Lingnan University, told Reuters he believed Beijing was rattled by Trump&#39;s sharpening Asia strategy and they might be tempted to react in the South China Sea, even after months of relative calm.

&quot;We can perhaps expect the Chinese to push ahead with militarisation as retaliation,&quot; he said.

A new U.S. national defence strategy unveiled last week stressed the need to counter the rising authoritarian powers of China and Russia, outlining a need to better support allies and newer partners against coercion.

While most analysts and regional envoys believe China remains keen to avoid an actual conflict with the significantly more powerful US&nbsp;navy in the South China Sea, it is working to close the gap.

China has added bunkers, hangars and advanced radars on its new runways in the Spratlys, although it has not fully equipped them with the advanced surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles they use to protect the Paracels grouping further north.

Similarly, Beijing has yet to land jet fighters in the Spratlys - test flights some experts are expecting this year.

The latest patrol was at least the fifth such patrol under the Trump administration and the first to Scarborough - one of the more contentious features in the region.

Scarborough, once a US&nbsp;bombing range, was blockaded by the Chinese in 2012, prompting the Philippines to launch its successful legal case in the Hague against China&#39;s excessive territorial claims.

China allowed Filipino fishermen back to Scarborough&#39;s rich waters last year, but it remains a potential flashpoint as both sides claim sovereignty and China maintains a steady presence of ships nearby.

While experts and regional envoys expect China to ramp up operations from the Spratlys, none expect it to build on Scarborough - something widely believed to be a red line that would provoke the United States, given its long-standing security treaty with the Philippines.

Shi Yinhong, who heads the Center for American Studies at Beijing&#39;s Renmin University, said China had &quot;lived with&quot; US&nbsp;patrols for several years but the key facts on the ground remained in China&#39;s favour and broader tensions had &quot;improved remarkably&quot;.

&quot;These islands, especially those with reclaimed land and military capability already deployed, they&#39;re still in Chinese hands,&quot; Shi, who has advised the Chinese government on diplomacy, told Reuters.

&quot;I don&#39;t think Trump has the stomach and the guts to change this fundamental status quo.&quot;

It was the second time in recent months that confirmation of a patrol came from Beijing, not Washington, which had previously announced or leaked details.

While the Pentagon plays down patrols close to Chinese-controlled reefs and islands in the South China Sea, Beijing is sounding the alarm about them, seeking to justify what experts say will be an even greater presence in the disputed region. Chinese officials publicized the latest US "freedom of navigation patrol", protesting the deployment last week of the destroyer USS Hopper to within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal, an atoll west of the Philippines which Beijing disputes with Manila. It was the second time in recent months that confirmation of a patrol came from Beijing, not Washington, which had previously announced or leaked details. Bonnie Glaser, a security expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies, said while the administration of US President Donald Trump had a policy of keeping the patrols regular but low key, China was willing to publicly exploit them to further their military ends. "It is difficult to conclude otherwise," she said. "Even as it pushes ahead with these (patrols), I don't think the Trump administration has really come to terms with what it will tolerate from China in the South China Sea, and what it simply won't accept, and Beijing seems to grasp this." In official statements, Chinese foreign ministry official Lu Kang said China would take "necessary measures to firmly safeguard its sovereignty" in the resource-rich sea. Some regional diplomats and security analysts believe that will involve increased Chinese deployments and the quicker militarization of China's expanded facilities across the Spratlys archipelago. While US officials did not target China in their comments, couching freedom-of-navigation patrols as a "routine" assertions of international law, Beijing was quick to cast Washington as the provocateur. The Communist Party's official People's Daily newspaper on Monday accused the US of upsetting recent peace and co-operation and "wantonly provoking trouble", saying China had must now strengthen its presence in the strategic waterway. In recent years, China has built up several reefs and islets into large-scale airstrips and bases as it seeks to assert and enforce its claims to much of the sea, through which some $3 trillion in trade passes annually. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan, hold rival claims. Chinese coastguard and People's Liberation Army navy ships patrol vast swathes of the South China Sea, routinely shadowing US and other international naval deployments, regional naval officers say. Zhang Baohui, a mainland security analyst at Hong Kong's Lingnan University, told Reuters he believed Beijing was rattled by Trump's sharpening Asia strategy and they might be tempted to react in the South China Sea, even after months of relative calm. "We can perhaps expect the Chinese to push ahead with militarisation as retaliation," he said. A new U.S. national defence strategy unveiled last week stressed the need to counter the rising authoritarian powers of China and Russia, outlining a need to better support allies and newer partners against coercion. While most analysts and regional envoys believe China remains keen to avoid an actual conflict with the significantly more powerful US navy in the South China Sea, it is working to close the gap. China has added bunkers, hangars and advanced radars on its new runways in the Spratlys, although it has not fully equipped them with the advanced surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles they use to protect the Paracels grouping further north. Similarly, Beijing has yet to land jet fighters in the Spratlys - test flights some experts are expecting this year. The latest patrol was at least the fifth such patrol under the Trump administration and the first to Scarborough - one of the more contentious features in the region. Scarborough, once a US bombing range, was blockaded by the Chinese in 2012, prompting the Philippines to launch its successful legal case in the Hague against China's excessive territorial claims. China allowed Filipino fishermen back to Scarborough's rich waters last year, but it remains a potential flashpoint as both sides claim sovereignty and China maintains a steady presence of ships nearby. While experts and regional envoys expect China to ramp up operations from the Spratlys, none expect it to build on Scarborough - something widely believed to be a red line that would provoke the United States, given its long-standing security treaty with the Philippines. Shi Yinhong, who heads the Center for American Studies at Beijing's Renmin University, said China had "lived with" US patrols for several years but the key facts on the ground remained in China's favour and broader tensions had "improved remarkably". "These islands, especially those with reclaimed land and military capability already deployed, they're still in Chinese hands," Shi, who has advised the Chinese government on diplomacy, told Reuters. "I don't think Trump has the stomach and the guts to change this fundamental status quo."

South China Sea row: Will take necessary measures to safeguard sovereignty, says China

China on Thursday objected to Vietnam&#39;s invitation to India to invest in oil and natural gas sector in the disputed South China Sea + (SCS), saying it is firmly opposed to infringement of its rights using development of bilateral ties as an &quot;excuse&quot;.

Vietnam&#39;s Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh on Tuesday had told an Indian news channel that his country would welcome Indian investments in the South China Sea.

Responding to remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: &quot;China does not object to the development of normal bilateral relations of relevant countries in our neighbourhood&quot;.

&quot;But China firmly opposes relevant party to use it as an excuse to infringe upon China&#39;s legitimate rights and interests in the SCS and impair regional peace and stability,&quot; Lu said.

Ton had also said defence cooperation is one of the important and effective areas of cooperation between India and Vietnam and India can be helpful in expanding Vietnam&#39;s defence capabilities.

China has been opposing India&#39;s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) exploring oil+ in wells claimed by Vietnam in the SCS for years. India has been asserting that the ONGC&#39;s exploration is a commercial operation and not connected with the dispute.

China claims almost all of the SCS while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims.

Oil exploration in the SCS is a sensitive issue in the Vietnam-China relations. There were anti-China riots in Vietnam when China tried to deploy oil rigs in an area claimed by Vietnam a few years ago.

India, which is ramping up ties with Vietnam, calls for freedom of navigation in the SCS through which trillions of dollars of trade happens every year.

Vietnam's Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh had said that his country would welcome Indian investments in SCS

China on Thursday objected to Vietnam's invitation to India to invest in oil and natural gas sector in the disputed South China Sea + (SCS), saying it is firmly opposed to infringement of its rights using development of bilateral ties as an "excuse". Vietnam's Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh on Tuesday had told an Indian news channel that his country would welcome Indian investments in the South China Sea. Responding to remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: "China does not object to the development of normal bilateral relations of relevant countries in our neighbourhood". "But China firmly opposes relevant party to use it as an excuse to infringe upon China's legitimate rights and interests in the SCS and impair regional peace and stability," Lu said. Ton had also said defence cooperation is one of the important and effective areas of cooperation between India and Vietnam and India can be helpful in expanding Vietnam's defence capabilities. China has been opposing India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) exploring oil+ in wells claimed by Vietnam in the SCS for years. India has been asserting that the ONGC's exploration is a commercial operation and not connected with the dispute. China claims almost all of the SCS while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims. Oil exploration in the SCS is a sensitive issue in the Vietnam-China relations. There were anti-China riots in Vietnam when China tried to deploy oil rigs in an area claimed by Vietnam a few years ago. India, which is ramping up ties with Vietnam, calls for freedom of navigation in the SCS through which trillions of dollars of trade happens every year.

China objects to Vietnam's call for Indian investment in South China Sea

President Donald J. Trump is wrapping up a whirlwind tour of Asia, visiting five countries in 12 days. The trip revealed much about Trump&rsquo;s style of diplomacy &ndash; one that focuses more on his personal relationships with world leaders than diplomatic relations between countries.

Both democratic and authoritarian leaders have been wooed by Trump&rsquo;s charm offensive. He has highlighted his warm feelings toward China&rsquo;s President Xi Jinping and tweeted that he tries &ldquo;so hard to be [North Korean leader Kim Jong Un&rsquo;s] friend.&rdquo;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me &quot;old,&quot; when I would NEVER call him &quot;short and fat?&quot; Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/929511061954297857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Trump&rsquo;s relationship with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, one of the first leaders welcomed to Trump Tower after the election, is &ldquo;extraordinary,&rdquo; according to the president.

This style of diplomacy certainly has its limitations, but could it actually improve the United States&rsquo; relationship with the Philippines &ndash; a key Southeast Asian ally?

Why we need our allies in Asia

On the campaign trail and in office, Trump has often criticised many of America&rsquo;s allies for taking advantage of Washington&rsquo;s generosity and not contributing more to their own national security. However, my research with Queen&rsquo;s University political scientist Stefanie von Hlatky demonstrates that even when allies fail to share as much of the military burden as the United States would hope, they still make meaningful contributions to our military efforts overseas.

Our alliance relationships in Asia are based on a series of mutual defense treaties negotiated in the aftermath of World War II. The U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense treaty signed in 1951 focuses on the countries&rsquo; shared history of resistance against Japan&rsquo;s &ldquo;imperialist aggression&rdquo; in the Pacific. It commits the two nations to mutual aid in defending against an external armed attack as part of a comprehensive system of regional security. Given the possibility of a future confrontation with China over the South China Sea, alliances with countries like the Philippines matter. After all, the Philippines provides access to regional bases and other logistical support.

New leaders, unexpected directions

Since the election of the populist Duterte in May 2016, the U.S.- Philippines alliance has been on rocky ground.

The Obama-Duterte relationship was full of tension stemming from the Obama administration&rsquo;s criticism of Duterte&rsquo;s violent war on drugs, which some claim has now led to approximately 13,000 deaths. Duterte showed no hesitation in calling out the United States for treating the Philippines like a colony, insulting Obama and musing that he might shift his foreign policy toward China and Russia and &ldquo;break up with America.&rdquo;

Trump&rsquo;s election and his overtures to Duterte have helped get the strained relationship back on the right track. The two men bonded over their countries&rsquo; mutual struggle with drugs. They claimed a shared understanding of the importance of protecting one&rsquo;s country. In fact, the administration signaled that Trump&rsquo;s heavily criticised invitation to Duterte to visit the White House was a sign of the &ldquo;very positive direction&rdquo; of the U.S.-Philippines relationship under his leadership.

It is, therefore, no surprise that the two leaders met privately during Trump&rsquo;s Asia visit. Topics on the table included terrorism &ndash; especially the Philippine military&rsquo;s recent success against militants linked to Islamic State in the southern region of Mindanao &ndash; trade and their respective anti-drug campaigns.

Can Trump revive the relationship?

The extent to which the topic of human rights came up in their conversation is unclear. Trump has already been criticised for failing to press harder on this issue. However, it is possible that Trump rightly understands that pushing Duterte on human rights would continue to move Duterte away from the West and toward China.

Trump&rsquo;s comments in China mingled criticism of China&rsquo;s trade practices with praise of President Xi. However, in the Philippines, Trump chose to forgo this more nuanced approach, leaving diplomatic opportunities on the table. In praising Duterte&rsquo;s handling of an Islamist insurgency, Trump could have pushed for an end to martial law in Mindanao. In highlighting how the United States helped in the battle against Islamist militants, Trump could have laid out how much more we can do to improve security and help to rebuild the city of Marawi, which was devastated by the Philippines&rsquo; bombing campaign.

Trump&rsquo;s style of diplomacy and his foreign policy agenda are a radical departure from his predecessor&rsquo;s. In the Philippines, this shift is largely welcome. Sixty-nine percent of Filipinos surveyed by Pew Research Center in late September of this year had confidence that Trump would do the right thing in world affairs.

On his first official visit to the country, Trump praised his treatment in the Philippines as &ldquo;red carpet like nobody, I think, has probably ever received.&rdquo; In turn, he was officially declared &ldquo;a friend of the Duterte administration.&rdquo;

Ultimately, a positive change in the direction of U.S.- Philippines relations may come down to whether Trump and Duterte&rsquo;s mutual admiration is enough to shift the Philippines&rsquo; foreign policy back toward the United States. Doing so will likely require avoiding discussion of human rights, leaving Filipinos to bear the costs.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/did-trumps-charm-offensive-work-in-the-philippines-87235" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

The Obama-Duterte relationship was full of tension but Trump?s election and his overtures to Duterte have helped to get the strained relationship back on the right track

President Donald J. Trump is wrapping up a whirlwind tour of Asia, visiting five countries in 12 days. The trip revealed much about Trump’s style of diplomacy – one that focuses more on his personal relationships with world leaders than diplomatic relations between countries. Both democratic and authoritarian leaders have been wooed by Trump’s charm offensive. He has highlighted his warm feelings toward China’s President Xi Jinping and tweeted that he tries “so hard to be [North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s] friend.” Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me "old," when I would NEVER call him "short and fat?" Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 12, 2017 × Trump’s relationship with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, one of the first leaders welcomed to Trump Tower after the election, is “extraordinary,” according to the president. This style of diplomacy certainly has its limitations, but could it actually improve the United States’ relationship with the Philippines – a key Southeast Asian ally? Why we need our allies in Asia On the campaign trail and in office, Trump has often criticised many of America’s allies for taking advantage of Washington’s generosity and not contributing more to their own national security. However, my research with Queen’s University political scientist Stefanie von Hlatky demonstrates that even when allies fail to share as much of the military burden as the United States would hope, they still make meaningful contributions to our military efforts overseas. Our alliance relationships in Asia are based on a series of mutual defense treaties negotiated in the aftermath of World War II. The U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense treaty signed in 1951 focuses on the countries’ shared history of resistance against Japan’s “imperialist aggression” in the Pacific. It commits the two nations to mutual aid in defending against an external armed attack as part of a comprehensive system of regional security. Given the possibility of a future confrontation with China over the South China Sea, alliances with countries like the Philippines matter. After all, the Philippines provides access to regional bases and other logistical support. New leaders, unexpected directions Since the election of the populist Duterte in May 2016, the U.S.- Philippines alliance has been on rocky ground. The Obama-Duterte relationship was full of tension stemming from the Obama administration’s criticism of Duterte’s violent war on drugs, which some claim has now led to approximately 13,000 deaths. Duterte showed no hesitation in calling out the United States for treating the Philippines like a colony, insulting Obama and musing that he might shift his foreign policy toward China and Russia and “break up with America.” Trump’s election and his overtures to Duterte have helped get the strained relationship back on the right track. The two men bonded over their countries’ mutual struggle with drugs. They claimed a shared understanding of the importance of protecting one’s country. In fact, the administration signaled that Trump’s heavily criticised invitation to Duterte to visit the White House was a sign of the “very positive direction” of the U.S.-Philippines relationship under his leadership. It is, therefore, no surprise that the two leaders met privately during Trump’s Asia visit. Topics on the table included terrorism – especially the Philippine military’s recent success against militants linked to Islamic State in the southern region of Mindanao – trade and their respective anti-drug campaigns. Can Trump revive the relationship? The extent to which the topic of human rights came up in their conversation is unclear. Trump has already been criticised for failing to press harder on this issue. However, it is possible that Trump rightly understands that pushing Duterte on human rights would continue to move Duterte away from the West and toward China. Trump’s comments in China mingled criticism of China’s trade practices with praise of President Xi. However, in the Philippines, Trump chose to forgo this more nuanced approach, leaving diplomatic opportunities on the table. In praising Duterte’s handling of an Islamist insurgency, Trump could have pushed for an end to martial law in Mindanao. In highlighting how the United States helped in the battle against Islamist militants, Trump could have laid out how much more we can do to improve security and help to rebuild the city of Marawi, which was devastated by the Philippines’ bombing campaign. Trump’s style of diplomacy and his foreign policy agenda are a radical departure from his predecessor’s. In the Philippines, this shift is largely welcome. Sixty-nine percent of Filipinos surveyed by Pew Research Center in late September of this year had confidence that Trump would do the right thing in world affairs. On his first official visit to the country, Trump praised his treatment in the Philippines as “red carpet like nobody, I think, has probably ever received.” In turn, he was officially declared “a friend of the Duterte administration.” Ultimately, a positive change in the direction of U.S.- Philippines relations may come down to whether Trump and Duterte’s mutual admiration is enough to shift the Philippines’ foreign policy back toward the United States. Doing so will likely require avoiding discussion of human rights, leaving Filipinos to bear the costs. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Did Trump's charm work in Duterte's Philippines?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called for intensifying regional cooperation to effectively deal with terrorism and pitched for a rules-based security architecture for the resource-rich region, seen as a veiled reference to China&#39;s expansionist posturing in the Indo- Pacific.

In an address at the ASEAN-India summit here, Modi identified terrorism and extremism as the major challenges facing the region and said the time has come for the countries of the region to join hands to collectively deal with it.

&quot;We have individually strived very hard to fight terrorism and violent extremism. It is time that we jointly address this challenge by intensifying cooperation in this crucial area,&quot; he said.

The 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region and India and several other countries including the US, China, Japan and Australia are its dialogue partners.

In a clear reference to the South China Sea (SCS) dispute which has cast a shadow over the summit talks, Modi said India will continue its support to the ASEAN for establishing a rules-based security architecture in the region.

&quot;India assures the ASEAN of its steady support towards achieving a rules-based regional security architecture that best attests to the region&#39;s interests and its peaceful development,&quot; he said.

China&#39;s aggressive military build up in the SCS was one of the focus areas of the deliberations at the ASEAN summit. China claims sovereignty over all of the SCS, a huge source of hydrocarbons.

However, several ASEAN member countries including Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei have counter claims.

India has been supporting freedom of navigation and access to resources in the SCS in accordance with principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The ASEAN has been pushing for a legally binding code of conduct for all stakeholders in the SCS but Beijing has been opposing such a framework asserting that it will resolve the dispute with respective countries under the bilateral mechanism.

Prime Minister Modi also talked about shared values and common destiny between India and ASEAN, adding 1.25 billion people in India were eagerly waiting to receive leaders of the ASEAN at the Republic Day celebrations in January next year.

He said India is also holding a commemorative summit with ASEAN on January 25 next year. The ties between India and ASEAN have been on an upswing.

The ASEAN region along with India together comprises a combined population of 1.85 billion people, which is one-fourth of the global population and their combined GDP has been estimated at over USD 3.8 trillion.

Investment from ASEAN to India has been over USD 70 billion in the last 17 years accounting for more than 17 percent of India&#39;s total FDI. India&#39;s investment in ASEAN during the same period has been more than USD 40 billion.

Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei are the members of the ASEAN.

Prime Minister Modi also participated at a meeting of leaders of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The RCEP, comprising 10-member ASEAN bloc and six other countries -- India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, is engaged in negotiations for a free trade pact.

'India assures the ASEAN of its steady support towards achieving a rules-based regional security architecture that best attests to the region's interests and its peaceful development,' Modi said

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called for intensifying regional cooperation to effectively deal with terrorism and pitched for a rules-based security architecture for the resource-rich region, seen as a veiled reference to China's expansionist posturing in the Indo- Pacific. In an address at the ASEAN-India summit here, Modi identified terrorism and extremism as the major challenges facing the region and said the time has come for the countries of the region to join hands to collectively deal with it. "We have individually strived very hard to fight terrorism and violent extremism. It is time that we jointly address this challenge by intensifying cooperation in this crucial area," he said. The 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region and India and several other countries including the US, China, Japan and Australia are its dialogue partners. In a clear reference to the South China Sea (SCS) dispute which has cast a shadow over the summit talks, Modi said India will continue its support to the ASEAN for establishing a rules-based security architecture in the region. "India assures the ASEAN of its steady support towards achieving a rules-based regional security architecture that best attests to the region's interests and its peaceful development," he said. China's aggressive military build up in the SCS was one of the focus areas of the deliberations at the ASEAN summit. China claims sovereignty over all of the SCS, a huge source of hydrocarbons. However, several ASEAN member countries including Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brunei have counter claims. India has been supporting freedom of navigation and access to resources in the SCS in accordance with principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The ASEAN has been pushing for a legally binding code of conduct for all stakeholders in the SCS but Beijing has been opposing such a framework asserting that it will resolve the dispute with respective countries under the bilateral mechanism. Prime Minister Modi also talked about shared values and common destiny between India and ASEAN, adding 1.25 billion people in India were eagerly waiting to receive leaders of the ASEAN at the Republic Day celebrations in January next year. He said India is also holding a commemorative summit with ASEAN on January 25 next year. The ties between India and ASEAN have been on an upswing. The ASEAN region along with India together comprises a combined population of 1.85 billion people, which is one-fourth of the global population and their combined GDP has been estimated at over USD 3.8 trillion. Investment from ASEAN to India has been over USD 70 billion in the last 17 years accounting for more than 17 percent of India's total FDI. India's investment in ASEAN during the same period has been more than USD 40 billion. Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei are the members of the ASEAN. Prime Minister Modi also participated at a meeting of leaders of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The RCEP, comprising 10-member ASEAN bloc and six other countries -- India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, is engaged in negotiations for a free trade pact.

India supports rules-based security architecture: Modi at ASEAN

Vietnam and China agreed on Monday to avoid conflicts in the hotly contested South China Sea, as a new pathway to dialogue on easing tensions was opened with other Southeast Asian nations.

The communist neighbours have long sparred over the sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually and which is believed to sit atop vast gas reserves.

Hanoi and Beijing agreed Monday to keep the peace in the sea, the countries said in a joint statement during a state visit to Hanoi by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

They agreed to &quot;well manage disputes at sea, make no moves that may complicate or expand disputes, (and) maintain peace and stability on the East Sea,&quot; the Vietnamese version of the statement said, using Hanoi&#39;s term for the waters.&nbsp;

China claims nearly all of the sea, even approaching the coasts of its neighbours. It is also partly claimed by the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan in addition to Vietnam.

China has in recent years built artificial islands and airstrips capable of hosting military installations in contested areas to cement its claims, inflaming tensions with its neighbours.

Relations between China and Vietnam hit a low in 2014 when Beijing moved an oil rig into waters claimed by Vietnam, sparking weeks of protests.&nbsp;

There have been two armed conflicts between China and Vietnam in the sea -- brief clashes in 1974 and 1988 that claimed the lives of dozens of Vietnamese troops.&nbsp;

On Sunday US President Donald Trump offered to help Vietnam resolve the long-simmering tensions.&nbsp;

&quot;If I can help mediate or arbitrate, please let me know... I am a very good mediator,&quot; Trump said on his own state visit to Hanoi at the tail end of his marathon tour of Asia.&nbsp;

Vietnam offered no response.

And China, which has long insisted the United States has no role to play in the dispute, spoke out against what it deemed foreign interference.

&quot;We hope non-regional countries can respect the regional countries&#39; efforts in maintaining the regional stability of the South China Sea and play a constructive role in this aspect,&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing in Beijing.

More talks agreed&nbsp;

Trump was in Manila on Monday for meetings with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and several other countries.

At that meeting, China and ASEAN, which includes Vietnam, announced on Monday night they had agreed to begin talks on a much-delayed code of conduct for the sea.&nbsp;

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sealed the accord with the ASEAN leaders in Manila, according to China&#39;s state-run Xinhua news agency.

However, no timeframe was announced for an actual code.

China initially agreed in 2002 to begin talks on a code but delayed doing so while carrying out its expansionist strategy. And at China&#39;s insistence, ASEAN also agreed in August that any future code would not be legally binding, despite a strong push from Vietnam.

After the Philippines backed China&#39;s position, ASEAN agreed it would not have legal force.

The Philippines had for many years stood alongside Vietnam as one of the region&#39;s strongest opponents to Chinese expansionism.

Following Manila&#39;s complaint to a United Nations-backed tribunal, the panel ruled last year that China&#39;s territorial claims in the sea were without legal basis.

But the Philippines, after President Rodrigo Duterte took office last year, decided not to use the ruling to pressure China.

He instead chose to build closer ties in return for billions of dollars in investments and aid.

Critics accused Duterte of giving in to Beijing. But he said his tactics had eased tensions and opened the door to dialogue.

China and ASEAN, which includes Vietnam, announced on Monday night they had agreed to begin talks on a much-delayed code of conduct for the sea

Vietnam and China agreed on Monday to avoid conflicts in the hotly contested South China Sea, as a new pathway to dialogue on easing tensions was opened with other Southeast Asian nations. The communist neighbours have long sparred over the sea, through which $5 trillion in shipping trade passes annually and which is believed to sit atop vast gas reserves. Hanoi and Beijing agreed Monday to keep the peace in the sea, the countries said in a joint statement during a state visit to Hanoi by Chinese President Xi Jinping. They agreed to "well manage disputes at sea, make no moves that may complicate or expand disputes, (and) maintain peace and stability on the East Sea," the Vietnamese version of the statement said, using Hanoi's term for the waters. China claims nearly all of the sea, even approaching the coasts of its neighbours. It is also partly claimed by the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan in addition to Vietnam. China has in recent years built artificial islands and airstrips capable of hosting military installations in contested areas to cement its claims, inflaming tensions with its neighbours. Relations between China and Vietnam hit a low in 2014 when Beijing moved an oil rig into waters claimed by Vietnam, sparking weeks of protests. There have been two armed conflicts between China and Vietnam in the sea -- brief clashes in 1974 and 1988 that claimed the lives of dozens of Vietnamese troops. On Sunday US President Donald Trump offered to help Vietnam resolve the long-simmering tensions. "If I can help mediate or arbitrate, please let me know... I am a very good mediator," Trump said on his own state visit to Hanoi at the tail end of his marathon tour of Asia. Vietnam offered no response. And China, which has long insisted the United States has no role to play in the dispute, spoke out against what it deemed foreign interference. "We hope non-regional countries can respect the regional countries' efforts in maintaining the regional stability of the South China Sea and play a constructive role in this aspect," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing in Beijing. More talks agreed Trump was in Manila on Monday for meetings with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and several other countries. At that meeting, China and ASEAN, which includes Vietnam, announced on Monday night they had agreed to begin talks on a much-delayed code of conduct for the sea. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sealed the accord with the ASEAN leaders in Manila, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency. However, no timeframe was announced for an actual code. China initially agreed in 2002 to begin talks on a code but delayed doing so while carrying out its expansionist strategy. And at China's insistence, ASEAN also agreed in August that any future code would not be legally binding, despite a strong push from Vietnam. After the Philippines backed China's position, ASEAN agreed it would not have legal force. The Philippines had for many years stood alongside Vietnam as one of the region's strongest opponents to Chinese expansionism. Following Manila's complaint to a United Nations-backed tribunal, the panel ruled last year that China's territorial claims in the sea were without legal basis. But the Philippines, after President Rodrigo Duterte took office last year, decided not to use the ruling to pressure China. He instead chose to build closer ties in return for billions of dollars in investments and aid. Critics accused Duterte of giving in to Beijing. But he said his tactics had eased tensions and opened the door to dialogue.

Vietnam, China agree to avoid conflicts in South China Sea

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said on Sunday (November 12) that the thorny issue of the South China Sea was better left untouched and that no one could afford a war over the disputed waterway, as he addressed a business conference ahead of the two-day summit of Southeast and East Asian nations in the capital Manila.

In Vietnam earlier on Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was prepared to mediate in the dispute over the South China Sea, where four Southeast Asian countries and Taiwan contest China&#39;s sweeping claims to the South China Sea.

Leaders at the Philippines summit will discuss the South China Sea, but mainly to agree on a procedural step to cool tensions.

In August, foreign ministers of Southeast Asia and China adopted a negotiating framework for a code of conduct in the resource-rich waterway, a move they hailed as progress but one seen by critics as a tactic to buy China time to consolidate its power.

Philippines Foreign Minister Peter Cayetano said on Sunday ASEAN nations were in agreement over the the framework and that the humanitarian crisis faced by the Rohingya minority in Myanmar would also be under discussion during the summit.

In Vietnam earlier on Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was prepared to mediate in the dispute over the South China Sea, where four Southeast Asian countries and Taiwan contest China's sweeping claims to the South China Sea.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said on Sunday (November 12) that the thorny issue of the South China Sea was better left untouched and that no one could afford a war over the disputed waterway, as he addressed a business conference ahead of the two-day summit of Southeast and East Asian nations in the capital Manila. In Vietnam earlier on Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was prepared to mediate in the dispute over the South China Sea, where four Southeast Asian countries and Taiwan contest China's sweeping claims to the South China Sea. Leaders at the Philippines summit will discuss the South China Sea, but mainly to agree on a procedural step to cool tensions. In August, foreign ministers of Southeast Asia and China adopted a negotiating framework for a code of conduct in the resource-rich waterway, a move they hailed as progress but one seen by critics as a tactic to buy China time to consolidate its power. Philippines Foreign Minister Peter Cayetano said on Sunday ASEAN nations were in agreement over the the framework and that the humanitarian crisis faced by the Rohingya minority in Myanmar would also be under discussion during the summit.

Durterte says nobody can afford war over South China Sea

With China&#39;s controversial military buildup likely to be a major issue at the ASEAN summit, Premier Li Keqiang today clearly reiterated Beijing&#39;s long- held position that it wants to bilaterally resolve its disputes with its neighbours over the South China Sea.

In an article published in leading newspapers here, Li admitted that the bilateral relationship between China and the Philippines had &quot;encountered a setback&quot; due to the South China Sea issue but it was back on track due to appropriate handling of the issue by the two sides.

The Chinese premier, who will be here for the ASEAN and East Asia summits, said Beijing will actively explore joint development of the South China sea to make it a &quot;sea of cooperation and friendship&quot; for the benefit of the two countries.

&quot;China will work with the Philippines to continue to properly handle the maritime issues through friendly bilateral consultation by giving full play to such mechanisms as the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea,&quot; Li wrote.

Ahead of the annual summit of the ASEAN, an influential grouping of 10 South East Asian countries, a number of diplomats said the thorny issue of China&#39;s aggressive military buildup in the South China Sea may be one of the focus areas of the deliberations on Tuesday.

China claims sovereignty over all of South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons. However, several ASEAN member countries including Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei have counter claims. 
India has been supporting freedom of navigation and access to resources in the South China Sea in accordance with principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The ASEAN has been pushing for a legally binding code of conduct for all stakeholders in the South China Sea but Beijing has opposed such a framework asserting it will resolve the dispute with respective countries under a bilateral mechanism.

&quot;The two sides returned to the track of appropriately handling the South China Sea issue through dialogue and consultation, thus removing the stumbling block that has held back our bilateral relations for several years,&quot; Li said.

The controversial issue was also understood to have figured in a meeting of officials from India, the US, Japan, and Australia under the proposed Quadrilateral coalition of the four countries.

&quot;The discussions focused on cooperation based on their converging vision and values for promotion of peace, stability and prosperity in an increasingly inter-connected region that they share with each other and with other partners,&quot; the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said.

&quot;They agreed that a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region serves the long-term interests of all countries in the region and of the world at large,&quot; it said.&nbsp;

The Chinese premier, who will be here for the ASEAN and East Asia summits, said Beijing will actively explore joint development of the South China sea to make it a "sea of cooperation and friendship" for the benefit of the two countries.

With China's controversial military buildup likely to be a major issue at the ASEAN summit, Premier Li Keqiang today clearly reiterated Beijing's long- held position that it wants to bilaterally resolve its disputes with its neighbours over the South China Sea. In an article published in leading newspapers here, Li admitted that the bilateral relationship between China and the Philippines had "encountered a setback" due to the South China Sea issue but it was back on track due to appropriate handling of the issue by the two sides. The Chinese premier, who will be here for the ASEAN and East Asia summits, said Beijing will actively explore joint development of the South China sea to make it a "sea of cooperation and friendship" for the benefit of the two countries. "China will work with the Philippines to continue to properly handle the maritime issues through friendly bilateral consultation by giving full play to such mechanisms as the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea," Li wrote. Ahead of the annual summit of the ASEAN, an influential grouping of 10 South East Asian countries, a number of diplomats said the thorny issue of China's aggressive military buildup in the South China Sea may be one of the focus areas of the deliberations on Tuesday. China claims sovereignty over all of South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons. However, several ASEAN member countries including Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei have counter claims. India has been supporting freedom of navigation and access to resources in the South China Sea in accordance with principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The ASEAN has been pushing for a legally binding code of conduct for all stakeholders in the South China Sea but Beijing has opposed such a framework asserting it will resolve the dispute with respective countries under a bilateral mechanism. "The two sides returned to the track of appropriately handling the South China Sea issue through dialogue and consultation, thus removing the stumbling block that has held back our bilateral relations for several years," Li said. The controversial issue was also understood to have figured in a meeting of officials from India, the US, Japan, and Australia under the proposed Quadrilateral coalition of the four countries. "The discussions focused on cooperation based on their converging vision and values for promotion of peace, stability and prosperity in an increasingly inter-connected region that they share with each other and with other partners," the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said. "They agreed that a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region serves the long-term interests of all countries in the region and of the world at large," it said.

Thorny South China Sea issue may dominate ASEAN summit

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered troops to scrap plans of building a fishermen&#39;s shelter on a sandbar in the disputed South China Sea after Beijing complained, his defence chief said&nbsp;Wednesday.

The military in August brought bamboo and palm roofing materials to one of three sandbars that emerged near one of their garrisons in the Spratlys archipelago in the contested sea, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said.

&quot;We tried to put some structures (on) one of the sandbars near our island and the Chinese reacted,&quot; Lorenzana told a regional security forum.

&quot;And so the president came to know about this and he said: &#39;Let&#39;s pull out&#39;.&quot;

The apparent reversal comes at a time of improving relations between China and the Philippines, which until recently had bitterly contested their overlapping claims to the sea.

Lorenzana later told reporters that Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano advised Duterte there was an agreement between the two nations not to put up structures on new South China Sea features.

&quot;We did not occupy it but some of our fishermen would like to establish a shelter there. They (China) saw it and they complained, so we had to pull out,&quot; Lorenzana said.

China claims most of the strategically vital sea, through which $5 trillion in annual shipping trade passes, and which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas deposits.

It has been turning reefs in the sea into islands, installing military aircraft and missile systems on them.

China&#39;s sweeping claims overlap with those of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan.

The Philippines had for many years been one of the region&#39;s strongest opponents to Chinese expansionism.

A United Nations-backed tribunal ruled last year that China&#39;s territorial claims in the sea were without legal basis.

But the Philippines, under Duterte, decided not to use the verdict to pressure China, instead electing to build closer ties in return for billions of dollars in investments and aid.

Lorenzana said the sandbar the military had planned to build the shelter on was a 500-square-metre (5,382-square-foot) outcrop located 4.6 kilometres (2.9 miles) from Philippine-held Thitu island.

Thitu is located about 26 kilometres (16 miles) from one of the artificial Chinese islands.

Lorenzana said the sandbars were now empty and that Manila was not worried China would occupy them in turn.

Nevertheless, he said he was concerned over the potential for future confrontation as Chinese fishing fleets escorted by maritime patrol vessels showed up in waters considered a traditional Filipino fishing ground.

&quot;We have troops there, we have ships. Their troops could confront ours. That&#39;s the kind of encounter I&#39;m talking about. Now if there&#39;s a mis-encounter, misunderstanding or miscalculation it could result into violence,&quot; Lorenzana said.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered troops to scrap plans of building a fishermen's shelter on a sandbar in the disputed South China Sea after Beijing complained.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered troops to scrap plans of building a fishermen's shelter on a sandbar in the disputed South China Sea after Beijing complained, his defence chief said Wednesday. The military in August brought bamboo and palm roofing materials to one of three sandbars that emerged near one of their garrisons in the Spratlys archipelago in the contested sea, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said. "We tried to put some structures (on) one of the sandbars near our island and the Chinese reacted," Lorenzana told a regional security forum. "And so the president came to know about this and he said: 'Let's pull out'." The apparent reversal comes at a time of improving relations between China and the Philippines, which until recently had bitterly contested their overlapping claims to the sea. Lorenzana later told reporters that Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano advised Duterte there was an agreement between the two nations not to put up structures on new South China Sea features. "We did not occupy it but some of our fishermen would like to establish a shelter there. They (China) saw it and they complained, so we had to pull out," Lorenzana said. China claims most of the strategically vital sea, through which $5 trillion in annual shipping trade passes, and which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas deposits. It has been turning reefs in the sea into islands, installing military aircraft and missile systems on them. China's sweeping claims overlap with those of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan. The Philippines had for many years been one of the region's strongest opponents to Chinese expansionism. A United Nations-backed tribunal ruled last year that China's territorial claims in the sea were without legal basis. But the Philippines, under Duterte, decided not to use the verdict to pressure China, instead electing to build closer ties in return for billions of dollars in investments and aid. Lorenzana said the sandbar the military had planned to build the shelter on was a 500-square-metre (5,382-square-foot) outcrop located 4.6 kilometres (2.9 miles) from Philippine-held Thitu island. Thitu is located about 26 kilometres (16 miles) from one of the artificial Chinese islands. Lorenzana said the sandbars were now empty and that Manila was not worried China would occupy them in turn. Nevertheless, he said he was concerned over the potential for future confrontation as Chinese fishing fleets escorted by maritime patrol vessels showed up in waters considered a traditional Filipino fishing ground. "We have troops there, we have ships. Their troops could confront ours. That's the kind of encounter I'm talking about. Now if there's a mis-encounter, misunderstanding or miscalculation it could result into violence," Lorenzana said.

We tried to put structures on sandbars and China reacted: Philippines Defence Secretary

China has unveiled a massive ship described as a &quot;magic island maker&quot; that is Asia&#39;s largest dredging vessel, state media reported Saturday.

The ship, capable of building artificial islands of the sort the country has constructed in the contested South China Sea, was launched Friday at a port in eastern Jiangsu province, according to the state-owned China Daily.

The boat named Tian Kun Hao is capable of digging 6,000 cubic meters an hour, the equivalent of three standard swimming pools, the newspaper said.

It is a larger version of the one China used to dredge sand, mud and coral for transforming reefs and islets in the South China Sea into artificial islands capable of hosting military installations.

When testing of the ship is completed next June, it will be the most powerful such vessel in Asia, the paper noted, nicknaming it the &quot;magic island maker&quot;.

Beijing&#39;s aggressive campaign of archipelago building in the South China Sea has been a point of contention with neighbouring countries that lay claim to parts of its waters.

China claims nearly all of the sea, through which $5 trillion in annual shipping trade passes and which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas deposits.

Its sweeping claims overlap with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan.

China has previously said that it had completed its reclamation projects in an area of the sea known as the Spratlys.

But a US think tank, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, said in August that Beijing has continued the work in a northern part of the waters around the Paracel islands.

China has unveiled a massive ship described as a 'magic island maker' that is Asia's largest dredging vessel, state media reported Saturday.

China has unveiled a massive ship described as a "magic island maker" that is Asia's largest dredging vessel, state media reported Saturday. The ship, capable of building artificial islands of the sort the country has constructed in the contested South China Sea, was launched Friday at a port in eastern Jiangsu province, according to the state-owned China Daily. The boat named Tian Kun Hao is capable of digging 6,000 cubic meters an hour, the equivalent of three standard swimming pools, the newspaper said. It is a larger version of the one China used to dredge sand, mud and coral for transforming reefs and islets in the South China Sea into artificial islands capable of hosting military installations. When testing of the ship is completed next June, it will be the most powerful such vessel in Asia, the paper noted, nicknaming it the "magic island maker". Beijing's aggressive campaign of archipelago building in the South China Sea has been a point of contention with neighbouring countries that lay claim to parts of its waters. China claims nearly all of the sea, through which $5 trillion in annual shipping trade passes and which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas deposits. Its sweeping claims overlap with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as Taiwan. China has previously said that it had completed its reclamation projects in an area of the sea known as the Spratlys. But a US think tank, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, said in August that Beijing has continued the work in a northern part of the waters around the Paracel islands.

China unveils massive island-building vessel

China said Thursday the United States should &quot;abandon its biased <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/india-must-take-leadership-role-in-regional-security-tillerson-22611">views&quot; towards the country, as it hit back at cutting remarks made</a> by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Ahead of his visit to India next week, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-xi-pledges-to-build-modern-socialist-country-ruled-by-party-but-open-to-world-22592">President Donald Trump&#39;s top diplomat stated the US preference</a> to work with New Delhi over Beijing during the next century to promote a &quot;free and open&quot; Asia-Pacific region led by prosperous democracies.

The speech was perceived as a warning to the world&#39;s second-largest economy that Washington will build regional alliances to counter Beijing&#39;s ever-growing power.

Tillerson also took the opportunity to compare China with its giant neighbour and criticised Beijing for its &quot;provocative actions&quot; in the South China Sea.

&quot;China, while rising alongside India, has done so less responsibly, at times undermining the international, rules-based order,&quot; the US diplomat said.

Beijing responded Thursday by saying that America was biased.

&quot;We hope the US side can look at China&#39;s development and role in the international community in an objective way, and abandon its biased views of China,&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said during a regular press briefing.

&quot;Based on the purposes and principles of the UN charter, we will firmly uphold multilateralism, yet we will also firmly safeguard our own rights and interests.&quot;

Tillerson&#39;s comments were seen as particularly provocative as they came the same day that China&#39;s ruling Communist Party opened its 19th National Congress -- a twice-a-decade meeting of party delegates expected to give President Xi Jinping a second five-year term and consolidate his already formidable power.

They also followed a months-long military standoff between China and India in a disputed Himalayan border area in the summer.

Tillerson did not directly address the stand-off but vowed that Washington &quot;won&#39;t shrink from China&#39;s challenges to the rules-based order, or where China subverts the sovereignty of neighbouring countries&quot;.

Trump is due to visit Beijing next month.

 
&nbsp;

Ahead of his visit to India next week, President Donald Trump's top diplomat stated the US preference to work with New Delhi over Beijing during the next century to promote a "free and open" Asia-Pacific region led by prosperous democracies.

China said Thursday the United States should "abandon its biased views" towards the country, as it hit back at cutting remarks made by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Ahead of his visit to India next week, President Donald Trump's top diplomat stated the US preference to work with New Delhi over Beijing during the next century to promote a "free and open" Asia-Pacific region led by prosperous democracies. The speech was perceived as a warning to the world's second-largest economy that Washington will build regional alliances to counter Beijing's ever-growing power. Tillerson also took the opportunity to compare China with its giant neighbour and criticised Beijing for its "provocative actions" in the South China Sea. "China, while rising alongside India, has done so less responsibly, at times undermining the international, rules-based order," the US diplomat said. Beijing responded Thursday by saying that America was biased. "We hope the US side can look at China's development and role in the international community in an objective way, and abandon its biased views of China," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said during a regular press briefing. "Based on the purposes and principles of the UN charter, we will firmly uphold multilateralism, yet we will also firmly safeguard our own rights and interests." Tillerson's comments were seen as particularly provocative as they came the same day that China's ruling Communist Party opened its 19th National Congress -- a twice-a-decade meeting of party delegates expected to give President Xi Jinping a second five-year term and consolidate his already formidable power. They also followed a months-long military standoff between China and India in a disputed Himalayan border area in the summer. Tillerson did not directly address the stand-off but vowed that Washington "won't shrink from China's challenges to the rules-based order, or where China subverts the sovereignty of neighbouring countries". Trump is due to visit Beijing next month.

China hits back at US over Rex Tillerson's remark

A US Navy destroyer came within twelve nautical miles of an artificial island built by <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-warship-sails-near-south-china-sea-reef-claimed-by-beijing-16029">China in the South China Sea, Reuters reported even as tensions between </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-warship-sails-near-south-china-sea-reef-claimed-by-beijing-16029">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-warship-sails-near-south-china-sea-reef-claimed-by-beijing-16029"> and North Korea</a> continued to grab world headlines.

This is not the first a US ship has sailed close to the disputed island in the South China Sea, last month the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-warship-sails-close-to-disputed-island-in-south-china-sea-beijing-calls-it-provocation-17532">USS Stethem sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton island </a>in the Paracel archipelago, which is claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan.

China called it a &nbsp;&quot;serious political and military provocation&quot;.

US officials told Reuters&nbsp;the&nbsp;USS John S. McCain travelled close to Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, a disputed area claimed&nbsp;by China and its neighbours&nbsp;

Thursday&#39;s operation, reported by Reuters, was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing&#39;s efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, and comes as Trump is seeking China&#39;s cooperation to rein in North Korea.

The US administration has been prodding China to work with North Korea through its diplomatic channels to tone down Kim&#39;s nuclear ambitions but Pentagon&nbsp;officials, including President Trump&nbsp;have felt increasingly frustrated&nbsp;with Chinese officials.

US national security advisor Lt Gen H R McMaster had said recently that &quot;China is not doing enough on North Korea which continues to violate international norms by conducting missile tests&quot;.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump in a tweet had lashed out against China last month over its inability to curb North Korea&#39;s nuclear ambitions, saying,&quot;I am very disappointed in China.&quot;

China&#39;s Defense Ministry said two Chinese warships &quot;jumped into action&quot; and warned the US&nbsp;ship to leave, labelling the move a &quot;provocation&quot; that seriously harms mutual trust, Reuters said.

&quot;China is resolutely opposed to this kind of show of force and pushing of regional militarization by the US&nbsp;that may easily cause an unexpected incident at sea or in the air,&quot; Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.

China&#39;s foreign ministry said the operation had &quot;violated international and Chinese law and seriously harmed Beijing&#39;s sovereignty and security&quot;.

&quot;China is very displeased with this and will bring up the issue with the US&nbsp;side,&quot; the ministry added.

 
&nbsp;

US officials said?the?USS John S. McCain travelled close to Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, a disputed area claimed?by China and its neighbours?

A US Navy destroyer came within twelve nautical miles of an artificial island built by China in the South China Sea, Reuters reported even as tensions between US and North Korea continued to grab world headlines. This is not the first a US ship has sailed close to the disputed island in the South China Sea, last month the USS Stethem sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton island in the Paracel archipelago, which is claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan. China called it a "serious political and military provocation". US officials told Reuters the USS John S. McCain travelled close to Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, a disputed area claimed by China and its neighbours Thursday's operation, reported by Reuters, was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing's efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, and comes as Trump is seeking China's cooperation to rein in North Korea. The US administration has been prodding China to work with North Korea through its diplomatic channels to tone down Kim's nuclear ambitions but Pentagon officials, including President Trump have felt increasingly frustrated with Chinese officials. US national security advisor Lt Gen H R McMaster had said recently that "China is not doing enough on North Korea which continues to violate international norms by conducting missile tests". US President Donald Trump in a tweet had lashed out against China last month over its inability to curb North Korea's nuclear ambitions, saying,"I am very disappointed in China." China's Defense Ministry said two Chinese warships "jumped into action" and warned the US ship to leave, labelling the move a "provocation" that seriously harms mutual trust, Reuters said. "China is resolutely opposed to this kind of show of force and pushing of regional militarization by the US that may easily cause an unexpected incident at sea or in the air," Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement. China's foreign ministry said the operation had "violated international and Chinese law and seriously harmed Beijing's sovereignty and security". "China is very displeased with this and will bring up the issue with the US side," the ministry added.

US warship sails close to South China Sea island, China 'displeased'

A US Navy surveillance aircraft was intercepted by two Chinese J-10 fighter jets in an &ldquo;unsafe&rdquo; manner over the East China Sea on Sunday, prompting evasive action by the former&rsquo;s pilot to avoid a collision, the Pentagon has said.

&ldquo;The US Navy aircraft EP-3 flying in international airspace on the East China Sea was intercepted by two Chinese J-10s. One of them came underneath it at a high rate of speed, then slowed and pulled up. This caused the EP-3&rsquo;s T-Cast alarm to go off essentially, and it was forced to take evasive action to prevent the possibility of collision,&rdquo; Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters yesterday.

&ldquo;Obviously it&rsquo;s something we watch very closely,&rdquo; he said.

Another Pentagon official later described the Chinese action as &ldquo;unsafe&rdquo;.

Davis said the incident took place on Sunday in the area between the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea, west of the Korean peninsula and east of Qingdao. He said the Chinese fighter jets were there for a while and &ldquo;flying wing-to-wing&rdquo; as well.

&ldquo;Again, such intercepts, when they&rsquo;re conducted safely, are not uncommon. This particular manoeuver that took place during the course of it was not safe,&rdquo; Davis said in response to a question.

According to the Pentagon spokesman, the vast majority of interactions that they have with the Chinese military are perfectly safe.

&ldquo;This was the exception, not the norm,&rdquo; he said.

One of the jets came to about 300 feet of the American aircraft, officials said

A US Navy surveillance aircraft was intercepted by two Chinese J-10 fighter jets in an “unsafe” manner over the East China Sea on Sunday, prompting evasive action by the former’s pilot to avoid a collision, the Pentagon has said. “The US Navy aircraft EP-3 flying in international airspace on the East China Sea was intercepted by two Chinese J-10s. One of them came underneath it at a high rate of speed, then slowed and pulled up. This caused the EP-3’s T-Cast alarm to go off essentially, and it was forced to take evasive action to prevent the possibility of collision,” Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis told reporters yesterday. “Obviously it’s something we watch very closely,” he said. Another Pentagon official later described the Chinese action as “unsafe”. Davis said the incident took place on Sunday in the area between the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea, west of the Korean peninsula and east of Qingdao. He said the Chinese fighter jets were there for a while and “flying wing-to-wing” as well. “Again, such intercepts, when they’re conducted safely, are not uncommon. This particular manoeuver that took place during the course of it was not safe,” Davis said in response to a question. According to the Pentagon spokesman, the vast majority of interactions that they have with the Chinese military are perfectly safe. “This was the exception, not the norm,” he said.

Chinese jets intercept US Navy plane over East China Sea

Russia and China joined diplomatic forces on Tuesday and called on North Korea, South Korea and the United States to sign up to a Chinese de-escalation plan designed to defuse tensions around Pyongyang&#39;s missile programme.

The plan would see North Korea suspend its ballistic missile programme and the United States and South Korea simultaneously call a moratorium on large-scale missile exercises, both moves aimed at paving the way for multilateral talks.

The initiative was set out in a joint statement from the Russian and Chinese foreign ministries issued shortly after President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held wide-ranging talks in the Kremlin.

&quot;The situation in the region affects the national interests of both countries,&quot; the joint statement said. &quot;Russia and China will work in close coordination to advance a solution to the complex problem of the Korean Peninsula in every possible way.&quot;

North Korea said on Tuesday it had successfully test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time, which flew a trajectory that experts said could allow a weapon to hit the US&nbsp;state of Alaska.

Russia and China both share a land border with North Korea and have been involved in past efforts to try to calm tensions between Pyongyang and the West.

Moscow and Beijing used the same joint declaration to call on Washington to immediately halt deployment of its THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea, a move Washington says is necessitated by the North Korean missile threat.

The statement said Washington was using North Korea as a pretext to expand its military infrastructure in Asia and risked upsetting the strategic balance of power in the area.

&quot;The deployment ... of THAAD will cause serious harm to the strategic security interests of regional states, including Russia and China,&quot; the statement said.

&quot;Russia and China oppose the deployment of such systems and call on the relevant countries to immediately halt and cancel the process of deployment.&quot;

The plan would see North Korea suspend its ballistic missile programme and the US & South Korea simultaneously stop large-scale missile exercises

Russia and China joined diplomatic forces on Tuesday and called on North Korea, South Korea and the United States to sign up to a Chinese de-escalation plan designed to defuse tensions around Pyongyang's missile programme. The plan would see North Korea suspend its ballistic missile programme and the United States and South Korea simultaneously call a moratorium on large-scale missile exercises, both moves aimed at paving the way for multilateral talks. The initiative was set out in a joint statement from the Russian and Chinese foreign ministries issued shortly after President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held wide-ranging talks in the Kremlin. "The situation in the region affects the national interests of both countries," the joint statement said. "Russia and China will work in close coordination to advance a solution to the complex problem of the Korean Peninsula in every possible way." North Korea said on Tuesday it had successfully test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time, which flew a trajectory that experts said could allow a weapon to hit the US state of Alaska. Russia and China both share a land border with North Korea and have been involved in past efforts to try to calm tensions between Pyongyang and the West. Moscow and Beijing used the same joint declaration to call on Washington to immediately halt deployment of its THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea, a move Washington says is necessitated by the North Korean missile threat. The statement said Washington was using North Korea as a pretext to expand its military infrastructure in Asia and risked upsetting the strategic balance of power in the area. "The deployment ... of THAAD will cause serious harm to the strategic security interests of regional states, including Russia and China," the statement said. "Russia and China oppose the deployment of such systems and call on the relevant countries to immediately halt and cancel the process of deployment."

Russia and China tell N Korea, US and S Korea to embrace de-escalation plan

The volatile politics of the South China Sea continue to make waves.

China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan have been fighting over this azure stretch of the Pacific for more than a century, but tensions have increased markedly in recent years as China, claiming the South China Sea as its own, has built on some 250 islands there.

Now the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), a US think tank, has warned that China was building new military facilities on the disputed Spratly archipelago, off the coast of Phillipines, Malaysia and Vietnam.

On June 29 the organisation reported on its website that new satellite images show that missile shelters, communications facilities and other infrastructure are &ldquo;near completion&rdquo;, including those on Mischief Reef, which has been a symbol of China&rsquo;s assertiveness in the South China Sea since the country occupied it in 1995.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, along with an arbitration tribunal, were already challenging China&rsquo;s presence in the South China Sea.

The AMTI report could increase tensions with the United States, which insists that this trade route remain under international control.

Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping were supposed to discuss the situation during their first meeting at Mar-a-Lago on April 5 2017. But the launch of 59 Tomahawks in Syria and growing tensions on the Korean peninsula completely overshadowed the maritime issue.

Freedom of navigation

On May 24, the US triggered a confrontation cycle in the South China Sea by sending the guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey to pass through the contested waters, sailing close to Mischief Reef.

It was the first military maritime exercise in eight months and the first of Trump&rsquo;s presidency.

American patrols in the South China Sea had been a regular practice under the Obama administration since 2015.

The South China Sea Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS) is a US military program, open to regional allies (including Australia, Japan and the Philippines), in which the US leads maritime exercises in the area.

FONOPS is aimed at reiterating the inalienable principle of freedom of navigation in international waters laid out in the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

China disputes this application of the UN declaration and perceives FONOPS as essentially a unilateral American endeavour. The State Department asserts that the US can and will exercise its freedom of navigation on worldwide, without interference by any other country.

Warships, it has affirmed, should enjoy the same freedom as any other vessel, meaning free access to both exclusive economic zones (EEZ) and territorial seas without permission from the relevant coastal state.

China, which has also been in bilateral talks on the South China Sea with the Phillipines since early this year, has a different interpretation. For Beijing, military vessels cannot enter a coastal state&rsquo;s territorial seas without official permission.

It also claims that military ships in EEZ territorial waters are unlawful and suspicious, and only non-military vessels enjoy the right to passage.

The clash of unilaterality is clear here. For the US, ensuring the freedom of navigation throughout Asia-Pacific region is a national prerogative and a matter of vital importance.

As such, China &ndash; specifically, its military activities on some of the disputed South China Sea islands &ndash; is clearly its main obstacle. A confrontation appears unavoidable, but thus far interactions have cleverly been kept on a safe track because no US allies in Asia have joined the FONOPS exercises.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative&rsquo;s assertion that &ldquo;Beijing can now deploy military assets, including combat aircraft and mobile missile launchers, to the Spratly Islands at any time&rdquo; may unsettle that balance.

Trump&rsquo;s interest in the South China Sea

FONOPS, too, is often seen as a challenge to China&rsquo;s claims in the South China Sea.

In fact, the freedom of navigation-focused operations are not explicitly aimed at questioning Chinese sovereignty in the South China Sea. But the US has a clear interest in preserving its role as a regional hegemon, and FONOPS could be seen as a provocation of Beijing and its divergent maritime stance.

During his first months in office, President Trump was accused of neglecting the South China Sea dispute and undervaluing the maritime routes encompassed in the Chinese Nine-Dash line. As the New York Times has reported, the Pentagon has on two occasions turned down requests by the US Pacific Command to conduct operations in the disputed waters, in February and April.

This has worried some US allies in the region, and may have encouraged others to start developing a more independent foreign policy.

Trump&rsquo;s cabinet has given every sign that it will continue the South China Sea policy developed under the Obama administration. On February 4 2017, Secretary of State James Mattis reiterated the importance of the South China Sea on the American agenda. Several months later, Admiral Harry Harris assured that the FONOPS in the South China Sea were planned as usual.

Timing has thus far been key in the waltz between Washington and Beijing. The US needs China&rsquo;s support in facing a growing number of global challenges, from terrorism to North Korea.

And with Trump already pushing China on trade, evidently his weapon of choice for addressing the nations&rsquo; multifaceted bilateral relationship, the administration may have thought it strategic to avoiding outright pressure on Beijing regarding the South China Sea.

FONOPS is part of this geopolitical balancing act. Relaunching operations in the region in May allowed the US to reassure Asian allies about its continued presence and gave China the chance to criticise the US for jeopardising regional peace, thus bringing that FONOPS cycle to a close.

Now, with the new US-reported satellite images of Chinese military development released, the ball is again in Washington&rsquo;s court.

The volatile politics of the South China Sea continue to make waves.

The volatile politics of the South China Sea continue to make waves. China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan have been fighting over this azure stretch of the Pacific for more than a century, but tensions have increased markedly in recent years as China, claiming the South China Sea as its own, has built on some 250 islands there. Now the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), a US think tank, has warned that China was building new military facilities on the disputed Spratly archipelago, off the coast of Phillipines, Malaysia and Vietnam. On June 29 the organisation reported on its website that new satellite images show that missile shelters, communications facilities and other infrastructure are “near completion”, including those on Mischief Reef, which has been a symbol of China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea since the country occupied it in 1995. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, along with an arbitration tribunal, were already challenging China’s presence in the South China Sea. The AMTI report could increase tensions with the United States, which insists that this trade route remain under international control. Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping were supposed to discuss the situation during their first meeting at Mar-a-Lago on April 5 2017. But the launch of 59 Tomahawks in Syria and growing tensions on the Korean peninsula completely overshadowed the maritime issue. Freedom of navigation On May 24, the US triggered a confrontation cycle in the South China Sea by sending the guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey to pass through the contested waters, sailing close to Mischief Reef. It was the first military maritime exercise in eight months and the first of Trump’s presidency. American patrols in the South China Sea had been a regular practice under the Obama administration since 2015. The South China Sea Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS) is a US military program, open to regional allies (including Australia, Japan and the Philippines), in which the US leads maritime exercises in the area. FONOPS is aimed at reiterating the inalienable principle of freedom of navigation in international waters laid out in the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). China disputes this application of the UN declaration and perceives FONOPS as essentially a unilateral American endeavour. The State Department asserts that the US can and will exercise its freedom of navigation on worldwide, without interference by any other country. Warships, it has affirmed, should enjoy the same freedom as any other vessel, meaning free access to both exclusive economic zones (EEZ) and territorial seas without permission from the relevant coastal state. China, which has also been in bilateral talks on the South China Sea with the Phillipines since early this year, has a different interpretation. For Beijing, military vessels cannot enter a coastal state’s territorial seas without official permission. It also claims that military ships in EEZ territorial waters are unlawful and suspicious, and only non-military vessels enjoy the right to passage. The clash of unilaterality is clear here. For the US, ensuring the freedom of navigation throughout Asia-Pacific region is a national prerogative and a matter of vital importance. As such, China – specifically, its military activities on some of the disputed South China Sea islands – is clearly its main obstacle. A confrontation appears unavoidable, but thus far interactions have cleverly been kept on a safe track because no US allies in Asia have joined the FONOPS exercises. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative’s assertion that “Beijing can now deploy military assets, including combat aircraft and mobile missile launchers, to the Spratly Islands at any time” may unsettle that balance. Trump’s interest in the South China Sea FONOPS, too, is often seen as a challenge to China’s claims in the South China Sea. In fact, the freedom of navigation-focused operations are not explicitly aimed at questioning Chinese sovereignty in the South China Sea. But the US has a clear interest in preserving its role as a regional hegemon, and FONOPS could be seen as a provocation of Beijing and its divergent maritime stance. During his first months in office, President Trump was accused of neglecting the South China Sea dispute and undervaluing the maritime routes encompassed in the Chinese Nine-Dash line. As the New York Times has reported, the Pentagon has on two occasions turned down requests by the US Pacific Command to conduct operations in the disputed waters, in February and April. This has worried some US allies in the region, and may have encouraged others to start developing a more independent foreign policy. Trump’s cabinet has given every sign that it will continue the South China Sea policy developed under the Obama administration. On February 4 2017, Secretary of State James Mattis reiterated the importance of the South China Sea on the American agenda. Several months later, Admiral Harry Harris assured that the FONOPS in the South China Sea were planned as usual. Timing has thus far been key in the waltz between Washington and Beijing. The US needs China’s support in facing a growing number of global challenges, from terrorism to North Korea. And with Trump already pushing China on trade, evidently his weapon of choice for addressing the nations’ multifaceted bilateral relationship, the administration may have thought it strategic to avoiding outright pressure on Beijing regarding the South China Sea. FONOPS is part of this geopolitical balancing act. Relaunching operations in the region in May allowed the US to reassure Asian allies about its continued presence and gave China the chance to criticise the US for jeopardising regional peace, thus bringing that FONOPS cycle to a close. Now, with the new US-reported satellite images of Chinese military development released, the ball is again in Washington’s court.

From Chinese missile shelters to US warships, the South China Sea conflict is heating up

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