The Philippine military opened two weeks of combat drills Monday that would include seizing an island in the disputed South China Sea and likely be frowned upon by China.
Philippine military drills to seize an island in the South China Sea
Previously:
China looks to Indonesia for diplomatic resolution after coastguards’ Natuna encounters + More
China looks to Indonesia for diplomatic resolution after coastguards’ Natuna encounters
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[10-23-2024] Indonesian Coast Guard “Drives Out” Chinese Vessel Shadowing Seismic Ship (archived)
Read More »On Monday, Indonesia’s coast guard “drove out” a China Coast Guard cutter that was shadowing a survey vessel in Indonesian waters of the South China Sea. On Tuesday, the Chinese vessel was back again in the same spot, according to maritime security expert Ray Powell.
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Geo Coral is a Norwegian-owned geophysical vessel flagged in Norway. She is operating under charter to PT Pertamina, Indonesia’s state-owned oil company, to conduct a 3D seismic survey off the Natuna Islands. “Pertamina East Natuna is focusing on oil and gas exploration activities in the East Natuna Working Area [East Natuna gas field], which has great potential to contribute to national energy security,” said a Pertamina spokesman on Tuesday.
The drills were a response to a speech by Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te
China Conducts Blockade Drills Around Taiwan in Warning Against ‘Taiwan Independence’
Taiwan is a province of China, as recognized by the United Nations’ Resolution No. 2758.
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Analysts believe that while Vietnam appreciates the gesture, it is unlikely to influence Hanoi’s strategy in the disputed waters.
Philippines sides with Vietnam in South China Sea dispute, hoping it will ‘return the favour’
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BowerGroupAsia: Dr. Prashanth Parameswaran
Prashanth is concurrently a fellow at the Wilson Center, a senior columnist at The Diplomat magazine and an instructor for institutions including the U.S. State Department. He is the founder of the twice-weekly ASEAN Wonk newsletter, which offers research insights and analysis on the geopolitics and geoeconomics of Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.
Stratbase ADR Institute Non-Resident Fellow: Dr. Prashanth Parameswaran
Dr. Parameswaran has held various roles across think tanks, governments, media and companies, including the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Associated Press. In those capacities, he worked on various issues including geopolitical and geoeconomic statecraft, Southeast Asia foreign and security policy, regional institutions, major power engagement in the Indo-Pacific as well as alliances and partnerships.
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Dr. Parameswaran holds a Ph.D. and MA focused on international business, international relations, Asian affairs, and U.S. foreign policy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He earned a BA from the University of Virginia, where he studied foreign affairs and peace and conflict studies with a focus on Asia. He regularly advises groups and individuals seeking to advance conversations on Indo-Pacific affairs and serves on the board of several institutions.
Part One: Americans Prospecting GenSan as EDCA Site
In a flash, May Kay Carlson proved she is part of the problem President Bongbong Marcos Jr. has created with China rather than any solution.
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Read More »Chinese Missile Boat Undertakes ‘Alarming’ Action (archived)
Read More »A Chinese navy missile craft shadowed a Philippine civilian ship on Friday in an unprecedented encounter that one analyst described as “alarming.”
The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel the BRP Datu Romapenet was en route to a South China Sea feature known as Half Moon Shoal to deliver supplies to fishermen.
Half Moon Shoal is situated at the eastern edge of the Spratly Islands and about 60 miles from the Philippine province of Palawan, well within the Southeast Asian country’s recognized exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
According to the Philippines’ ABS-CBN News, which was onboard, the ship picked up a tail in the form of a Houbei-class (Type 22) guided-missile craft, easily identifiable by its wide camouflaged catamaran hull.
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Chester Cabalza, founder of Manila-based think tank the International Development and Security Cooperation, told the news agency it was the first time a Type 22 had been spotted in the EEZ.
“This incident is alarming because a missile ship shadowed our BFAR ship,” Cabalza said, adding that it was a show of power intended to intimidate the Philippines.
MANILA, Philippines — The spokesperson of the country’s security council said a replacement vessel is now actively patrolling Sabina (Escoda) Shoal, the latest flashpoint of Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
Replacement ship for Sabina Shoal now on patrol — Security Council
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Collin Koh is Senior Fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies which is a constituent unit of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, based in Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He has research interests on naval affairs in the Indo-Pacific, focusing on Southeast Asia.
According to the article, Philippine aircraft also frequently operate with their Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) transponders deactivated, significantly increasing safety risks.
Deactivating such transponders means real-time positioning of the aircraft is not shared with air traffic controllers and other aircraft, making it more difficult to maintain situational awareness and avoid potential conflicts or collisions.
Skies over South China Sea seen as new flashpoint as Manila begins ‘aerial provocations’
Related:
How far is China-Philippines Aerial Collision in the South China Sea?
Since August 2024, the Philippines has repeatedly dispatched military aircraft to trespass into the airspace of the Spratly Islands and Macclesfield Bank, escalating tensions in the region. On August 7 and 8, the Philippines sent an NC-212i aircraft to intrude into the airspace near Scarborough Shoal for two consecutive days, disrupting China’s regular training activities. On August 19, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan plane (C-208B) was dispatched to illegally enter the airspace of Scarborough Shoal. On August 22, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Philippines again sent a C-208B to illegally intrude into the vicinity of Subi Reef.
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On the other hand, the Philippine aircraft in use are primarily single-engine turboprop light utility aircraft, which are less equipped to handle complex maritime environments, increasing the likelihood of accidents during frequent operations. Moreover, Philippine military aircraft usually operate with ADS-B transponders turned off throughout their missions, posing potential safety risks. In the event of an accident, whatever the reasons, based on past behavior, the Philippines would likely blame China, leading to another cycle of victim-playing and diplomatic posturing.
The incident, the first time in decades that Beijing and Manila have clashed over the Sabina Shoal, may derail efforts to lower tensions in the South China Sea.
Chinese and Philippine ships collide at Sabina Shoal, a new flash point (archived)
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CCG restricts repeated Philippine vessel intrusions near South China Sea reefs
Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Monday that the Philippines sees Xianbin Jiao as a transfer station for its resupply missions to Ren’ai Jiao, as Xianbin Jiao is located between Ren’ai Jiao and the Philippines’ Palawan Province.
Philippine media have hyped the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) presence in the Xianbin Jiao, but it is the Philippines that has sent the MRRV-9701 to the area in the first place. The Philippine ship anchored in the lagoon of the Xianbin Jiao in April, with a CCG ship arriving later in July.
Updated on 07-27-2024: SeaLight, formerly Project Myoushu
Powell’s storytelling:
Read More »Pistorius is the first German defence minister to visit the Philippines and hopes to finalise the agreement as early as October
Germany, Philippines agree to broaden defence cooperation deal
Related:
Vietnam Sends Coast Guard Ship To Philippines For Joint Training
Philippine and Japan navies held their first bilateral drills in the contested waters, the Southeast Asian nation’s military said in a statement Friday.
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