South China Sea disputes

The proposed acquisition of F-16 fighters would bolster Manila's ability to defend its own assets in disputed parts of the South China Sea.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pledged to bolster Manila's capacity to push back against Beijing's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.

From undersea cables to grey zone coercion, the region's states face challenges in managing intensifying strategic competition while addressing comprehensive maritime security issues.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative estimates that Hanoi has created 641 new acres of land in the disputed Spratly Islands since June.

The informal grouping, established last May, is intended to counter China's assertive behavior in the South China Sea.

The involvement of an extra-regional great power in a small power’s territorial disputes with China may prove counterproductive.

Tensions over Scarborough Shoal have increased markedly since the middle of last year, when Beijing and Manila reached an "understanding" over another disputed shoal.

Manila has allocated nearly $2 billion for the acquisition of a submarine fleet to help defend its dispersed island geography.

Major developments in the South China Sea in 2024 do not augur well for 2025. 

Speaking in Manila, Iwaya Takeshi said that his country's partnership with Southeast Asia was "vital for regional peace and stability,”

2025 is shaping up as another year of friction and contention in disputed parts of the South China Sea.

China has condemned Manila's planned acquisition, which it says poses a "substantial threat to regional peace and security."

If China lowers the threshold of what Vietnamese activities it deems acceptable, Vietnam will find it more difficult to maintain the balance between deferring and defying China.

On December 4, Chinese ships, including a navy vessel, confronted Philippine vessels close to a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

The confrontations at Scarborough and Sabina shoals indicate that Beijing has no intention of easing off on its pressure campaign in disputed waters.

Sugiono has played down the significance of a joint statement that appeared to recognize China's expansive claims in the South China Sea.

Malaysia has become the ninth nation, and the first in ASEAN, to establish a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Vietnam.

The pact could allow the Philippines to access more sophisticated weapons systems from its long-standing security ally.

Kuala Lumpur believes that the recently enacted legislation encroaches on a long-standing dispute over the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah.

Over the weekend, the two nations signed a joint development agreement that refers to "overlapping claims" in the disputed waterway.

The move was a direct response to the Philippines' enactment of two new laws aimed at strengthening the country's own maritime claims.

The deals included a controversial agreement on economic activities in areas around the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea.

The enactment of the new legislation prompted the Chinese government to lodge a “stern protest” with Manila.

China has protested the state energy firm Petronas' exploration activities in the South China Sea.