Showing posts with label #SecondThomasShoal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #SecondThomasShoal. Show all posts

Shining a Light on China's Gray Zone

Earlier in August, we reported on China's Maritime Aggression against the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea and also on how China's aggression was uniting nations in the region. In the intervening months, this aggression has increased in frequency and severity and expanded further afield to include Vietnam and Japan.

In late October, I had the pleasure of meeting Ray Powell (@GordianKnotRay) who is the Director of SeaLight, a project of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University in California. We spoke about the background to the current tensions in the Indo Pacific, the origins and validity of China's so-called 'Nine Dash Line', the role of China's maritime militia and deep sea research ships, why what happens in the region matters to the rest of the world and much more.

Date of Recording: October 23rd, 2024.



Since our interview in late October, Philippine President, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law two new acts on November 8th which outline the waters and territories that fall within Manila's jurisdiction. These acts are entitled the Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act and according to President Marcos, they emphasize the importance of the Philippines maritime and archipelagic identity and align Philippines domestic law with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to uphold the rules based international order.

On November 10th, just two days after the Philippines announcement, Beijing released a new map establishing what it calls its territorial sea baselines adjacent to Huangyan Dao - China's name for Scarborough Shoal - outlining its control over this area which lies within Manila's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). According to Chinese state media outlet, The Global Times, China has also ramped up the presence of its large coastguard vessels in the region which it says are capable of longer patrols and stricter Chinese law enforcement.

China's actions in the South China Sea in the past as well as these recent announcements further demonstrate that the Chinese Communist Party does not adhere to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea or recognize the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration which denied Beijing's claims to this area.


Picture of a region in the West Philippine Sea where a single Philippine Coast Guard Vessel is surrounded by several Chinese ships. An insert map shows the extent of China's massive claim in this region.
[Main] Multiple Chinese Coast Guard and Militia ships surround a Philippines Coast Guard vessel in the West Philippine Sea (pic courtesy PCG). [Insert] Map shows the extent of China claim in this region (Facebook Online Maps Blog).



DIVE DEEPER:

Additional information on the topics covered in this episode:

  • China releases baselines of territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao, 'countermeasure to Philippines' introduction of two laws infringing on China's territorial integrity': analyst - Zhang Han, Global Times (Nov 10th, 2024)


Photo Credit: Courtesy of Philippines Coast Guard (PCG) - link

Image Credit: Facebook Online Maps Blog - link


#Taiwan, #Philippines, #SouthChinaSea, #SecondThomasShoal, #China, #CCP, #ChinaCoastGuard, #SierraMadre, #SCS, #Ninedashline, #BRPSierraMadre, #UNCLOS, #CabbageTactics, #LittleBlueMen, #SouthChinaSeaDispute, #SouthChinaSeaConflict, #Russianspyship, #IrishSea, #scarboroughshoal

China's Aggression Uniting Nations

 In our previous episode - China's Maritime Aggression - we reviewed China's relations with its neighbors and in particular with the Philippines, including the recent clashes between China's coast guard and Philippine vessels at Ayungin Shoal (aka Second Thomas Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea. I'd highly recommend that you take a moment to listen to that episode first before diving in here if you haven't already done so.

Beijing and Manila have been locked in a tense standoff in recent months as China continues to press claims to almost the entire South China Sea, despite a 2016 International Tribunal ruling that its claims have no legal basis.

It was hoped that an agreement reached in late July on resupply missions to the Second Thomas Shoal would help to smooth relations between China and the Philippines, however as many analysts had warned,  this turned out not to be the case. 

In this episode, we review some of the key events since late July that appear to be contributing to increased tensions. These include China's ongoing military exercises in the South China Sea as well as joint patrols carried out between the Philippines, its allies and its neighbors. Tensions reached a dangerous peak during an encounter between China's PLAAF fighter jets and a  Philippines Air Force patrol plane on August 8th in the skies over Bajo De Masinloc (aka Scarborough Shoal) during which the PLAAF dropped flares in the path of the Philippines' plane. The event was caught on video and can be seen on social media by @FMangosingINQ here. 

In this podcast we share the official response from the Philippines to this encounter, as well as a statement from China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Mao Ning. We also discuss how China's increasingly aggressive behavior is driving its neighbors to form stronger alliances as well as views from analysts on what might lay behind China's increased aggression.

Date of Recording: August 15th, 2024.




The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), in collaboration with the armed forces of Australia, Canada, and United States of America conducted a Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) in the Western Command (WESCOM) within Philippine exclusive economic zone in early August. Picture shows a Filipino marine observing a helicopter flying past a navy vessel..
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), in collaboration with the armed forces of Australia, Canada, and United States of America conducted a Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) in the Western Command (WESCOM) within Philippine exclusive economic zone in early August 2024.



DIVE DEEPER:

Additional information on the topics covered in this episode:


  • @BRPSierraMadre explains China's use of "Cabbage Tactics" to assert dominance and expand its control in the South China Sea

  • Facts First Podcast - Christian Esguerra talks with David Nye about his experience working for the Global Times and his thoughts on China's aggression against the Philippines and in the South China Sea.



Photo Credits:    Armed Forces of the Philippines - link
                        Frances Mangosing - link 

#Philippines, #SouthChinaSea, #SecondThomasShoal, #China, #CCP, #ChinaCoastGuard, #BRPSierraMadre, #UNCLOS, #SCS, #Ninedashline, #CabbageTactics, #LittleBlueMen, #SouthChinaSeaDispute, #SouthChinaSeaConflict

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)