Geo Politics

China has a lot of legal weapons to challenge Manila’s claims in the South China Sea, according to an international law expert who spoke at a webinar hosted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong on Tuesday.  The expert, Professor Bing Ling, said that China could use various legal arguments and strategies to counter the 2016 arbitration ruling that invalidated …

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has proposed a new code of conduct (COC) for the South China Sea, which he claims would be more effective and acceptable than the long-delayed COC being negotiated by ASEAN and China.  However, his proposal has been met with skepticism and criticism by other claimants and stakeholders, who see it as a unilateral and …

China’s military accused the United States of undermining regional stability and provoking confrontation, just days after the top generals of the two countries held their first talks in more than a year. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said on Monday that it had conducted air and naval drills near Taiwan and the South China Sea, in response to what it …

Japan has decided to revise its self-defense policy and allow its military to strike enemy bases in the event of an imminent attack, as it faces growing threats from China’s military expansion and aggression. The decision, announced on December 15, 2023, marks a significant shift from Japan’s pacifist constitution, which renounces war and limits the use of force to self-defense. …

In between Ups and Downs:Sino-US Relations 2023 marks a crucial juncture for the world, signaling a gradual return to normalcy after the tumultuous years of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this intricate global landscape, Sino-U.S. relations emerge as a pivotal factor, carrying significant implications for global development in between ups and downs. Navigating Economic Shifts The economic shifts of both nations …

Japan’s decision to send Patriot missiles to the US, which may indirectly aid Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, is a bold move that reflects its changing security posture and its willingness to support its allies.  Japan has long been constrained by its pacifist constitution and its self-imposed ban on arms exports, but it has recently amended its laws to …

Chinese President Xi Jinping has praised the strong and stable relationship between China and Russia, calling it a “strategic choice” and a “model of international cooperation” in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. The two leaders exchanged greetings and congratulations on the upcoming 2024 New Year and the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness …

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida replaced four of his cabinet ministers on Thursday, in a bid to contain the fallout from a kickbacks scandal that has rocked his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The scandal involves dozens of LDP lawmakers, mostly from the faction of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who allegedly received unreported funds from party fundraising events. The …

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived in Japan on Saturday, December 18, 2023, for his second visit to the country this year, to join the Commemorative Summit on the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation. The summit, which will be held in Tokyo on Sunday, December 19, will celebrate the five decades of partnership between the Association of Southeast Asian …

China’s ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang, has described the recent virtual meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden as a “milestone” for bilateral relations, and stressed the need to revive the spirit of “ping-pong diplomacy” that helped break the ice between the two countries 50 years ago. Speaking at a webinar hosted by the …