Brian Berletic, December 15, 2025
Renewed fighting along the Thai–Cambodian border in December highlights how local disputes in Southeast Asia are increasingly shaped by broader great-power strategies aimed at constraining China’s rise.
Thai-Cambodian Conflict Threatens Asian Stability by Design (archived)
Tag: People’s Liberation Army
China accuses Philippines of ‘premeditated’ provocations near Sabina Shoal + more
Beijing has accused Manila of organising a “premeditated” provocation and dangerous manoeuvres near a disputed reef in the South China Sea, and Washington of making false statements that have escalated tensions in the region.
Manila said Philippine fishing boats near Sabina Shoal had been targeted with water cannons by Chinese coastguard ships in an incident on Friday, while Beijing said Philippine personnel had threatened Chinese officers with knives.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the Philippines had assembled a large number of vessels “in an organised and premeditated manner to provoke trouble” in waters near the shoal.
[SCMP] China accuses Philippines of ‘premeditated’ provocations near Sabina Shoal (archived)
Related:
Read More »Filipino fishermen injured in China Coast Guard encounter
[Aaron-Matthew Lariosa] VIDEO: China Coast Guard Blasts Fishermen With Water Cannon Near Sabina Shoal, Philippines Dispatches Patrol Boats
Read More »Google AI Sovereign Cloud Used by NATO – Alibaba is Bad Because It’s Chinese
Alibaba Used by Chinese Military to Target USA – Yup…
The Pentagon’s IPO for War: Now With 100% More Cowbell
The Pentagon’s acquisition system is being overhauled into a “Warfighting Acquisition System,” turbocharging weapons production, slashing bureaucracy, and empowering officials to deliver arms at “wartime speed.” Portfolio Acquisition Executives now wield sweeping authority, startups are courted like prom queens, and the defense industrial base is being rebranded as Silicon Valley with missiles.
So much for the “peace president”—Trump’s arsenal of freedom looks more like an IPO for war, where venture capital meets missile launchers and bureaucrats cosplay as battlefield commanders.
Forging the Arsenal of Freedom
Related:
Hegseth restores, downgrades Pentagon’s Office of Net Assessment + Strategic Sequencing/Deprioritization
Philippine Forces Land on Contested South China Sea Feature
China seizes disputed reef in the South China Sea + More
Financial Times: China seizes disputed reef in the South China Sea (archived)
It comes as the Philippines and its ally the US are conducting Balikatan, their largest annual military exercise, which will include coastal defence and island seizure drills. They will be held from next week on the Philippine territory closest to the Spratlys.
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Philippines set to host second Typhon missile system, signalling Trump’s defence pledge + More
Philippines set to host second Typhon missile system, signalling Trump’s defence pledge
He added that the Typhon’s presence signalled renewed US commitment to the region, which would be further reinforced by separate visits to the Philippines by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth this week and Secretary of State Marco Rubio next month.
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