East Sea News from 01/10 to 31/10/2012

-(Hindu 31/10)India-U.S.-Japan meet rankles China: Chinese state media outlets and strategic analysts have expressed wariness at the India, Japan and the U.S. trilateral meet held in New Delhi on Monday describing it as aimed at exerting pressure on China over its regional ambitions.

-(Channel news asia 31/10)Australia wants to avoid choosing between US and China: Australia's ambassador to China says Canberra wants to avoid a situation when it has to choose sides between Washington and Beijing

-(The china times 31/10)Taiwan seeks talks on South China Sea with ASEAN: Taiwan is seeking to hold discussions with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on a code of conduct in relation to territorial disputes in the South China Sea

-(Brunei times 31/10)'Sense of urgency' in S China Sea rift: DISPUTES over sovereignty in the South China Sea could become violent but China and Southeast Asia are showing a sense of urgency in trying to ease tensions

-(Straits times 31/10)Asean 'must stay neutral on South China Sea': Asean has to take a "forward-looking neutral view" of the dispute in the South China Sea, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

-(SCMP 30/10)Philippines to get five French patrol boats: Rear Admiral Luis Tuason, the chief of the poorly-equipped coastguard, said one 82-metre ship and four 24-metre patrol craft would be delivered by 2014.

-(Radio australia 30/10)China blocking negotiations for South China Sea code: Southeast Asian nations have accused China of blocking attempts to negotiate a code of conduct on territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

-(Nation multimedia 30/10) Talks on South China Sea tension, Asean meetings: Senior officials from Asean and China met in Pattaya yesterday to prepare for the 15th Asean-China Summit, the Asean Plus Three Commemorative Summit, and the 7th East Asia Summit to be held in Phnom Penh next month.

-(Bangkok post 30/10)Asean members vow talks over South China Sea spats: Asean member nations and China will continue efforts to settle territorial conflicts in the South China Sea through peaceful dialogue.

-(Bangkok post 29/10) Sihasak plays down islands row at talks: Asean and China should not allow the South China Sea territorial dispute to dictate relations, Thailand will tell a meeting of senior officials today.

-(The australian 29/10)US alliance paramount but China needs its space too: Competition between the US and an increasingly powerful China as they pursue their interests in the region heightens the danger of conflict because of "miscalculation and accident".

-(Eurasia review 28/10)The Philippines-China Disputes In The South China Sea: The US Factor: The Philippines’ decision to engage the US in an attempt to balance against China’s growing military power, especially in the disputed South China Sea, is anchored on a bitter episode in the past – China’s occupation of Philippine-claimed Mischief Reef in 1994

-(Gov.au 28/10)Australia In The Asian Century White Paper: Australia's Roadmap For Navigating The Asian Century: Prime Minister Julia Gillard today released the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper, a roadmap showing how Australia can be a winner in the Asian century.

-(Atimes 26/10)Construction tensions in the South China Sea: In a move that promises to raise regional tensions, China recently stepped up construction work in contested territories in the South China Sea.

-(Nytimes 25/10)New Leaders of Military in China Announced: China announced the promotions of five generals this week, shaping the top leadership of the rapidly modernizing military as it becomes a more dominant player in Asia

-(Huffington post 25/10)USS George Washington Warship In Philippines Amid Territorial Disputes In South China Sea:  U.S. Navy aircraft carrier strike force's visit to Manila is the latest show of American military might partly aimed at countering China's grip in Asia. 

-(Inquirer 25/10) Australia backs code of conduct in disputed sea: The Australian government headed by Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Wednesday joined the Philippines and New Zealand in seeking the adoption of a joint code of conduct for the South China Sea

-(Channel news asia 24/10)S'pore says Indonesian proposal to settle South China Sea dispute good start: The "Zero Draft" Code of Conduct as it's called, provides a possible framework for the resolution process.

-(Interaksyon 24/10)Thomas: Polls won't alter US policy on South China Sea; Fil-Ams' influence rising: “The important thing is continuity. The US support to Asia will continue regardless of who gets elected,” US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas  said at the Kapihan sa Embahada.

-(Antara news 24/10) Indonesia asked to stabilize conflict in South China Sea: Indonesia has been asked to serve as a mediator and to take actions to stabilize the conflict in the South China Sea

-(Global research 24/10)Confrontation between China and Japan. Naval Deployments in East China Sea: In a show of force, China staged a naval exercise in the East China Sea last Friday involving 11 vessels from its naval fleet and civilian maritime agencies. 

-(National interest 24/10)Asia's New Age of Instability: Asia is home to the United States’ most serious strategic competitor: China.

-(Manila standard today 24/10) Beijing website raps Washington over sea dispute: A state-owned China news website accused the United Sates of adding more fuel to the fire in the territorial dispute in the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea by siding with Vietnam, the Philippines and Japan.

-(Phnompenh post 23/10)South China Sea talks ‘on track’ : Foreign Minister Hor Namhong met with his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa yesterday to discuss a much-anticipated Code of Conduct governing dispute resolution in the South China Sea.

-(Idsa 22/10)The Commissioning of Liaoning: An Example of China’s Declaratory Strategy?: The commissioning of the Liaoning can be seen as one such declaratory move aimed at signalling commitment to defend Chinese interests in the South China and East China Seas. 

-(Bangkokpost 22/10)US military carrier enters South China Sea: The attention-getting appearance of the US navy's carrier group signals a new regional development.

-(Channel new sasia 21/10) PM Lee hopeful for discussions on South China Sea code at ASEAN Summit: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the region needs to work towards a code of conduct for the South China Sea

-(Japan times 22/10) Troubling times with China: As a territorial dispute between Japan and China drags on, it is now becoming increasingly clear that Japan has no choice but to rely on Washington more than ever.

-(Radio australia 17/10) Philippines to stand ground in South China Sea: The Philippines is in the midst of an increasingly heated row with China over long-disputed territory in the South China Sea

-(East asia forum 17/10) The defence of narrow seas in Southeast Asia: Southeast Asian states are trying to build up toward an unprecedented level of naval modernisation as tensions in the South China Sea test their abilities to find diplomatic solutions to their territorial disputes.

-(The Hindu 17/10)Antony calls for restraint in resolving South China Sea dispute: Defence Minister A K Antony on Tuesday called for exercising restraint to resolve the issue while pressing for freedom of navigation and access to resources.

-(Inquirer 17/10) Aquino sees improving ties with China: President Benigno Aquino III said Wednesday he hopes the new leaders who take over China next month can improve bilateral ties that were strained following a standoff early this year; Top Chinese diplomat to arrive in Manila Friday

-(Philstar 17/10)Philippines, China to discuss relations amid territorial row: In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the 18th Foreign Ministry Consultations (FMC) between the Philippines and China would be held in Manila on October 19

-(Financial times 16/10) US admiral plays down China-Japan tension: Admiral Samuel Locklear, chief of the US Pacific Command, emphasised the importance of building a “longer term” security relationship with China; China grapples with great power status

-(National interest 16/10)China Stops Putting Economics First: Tensions with Japan led China’s leaders to stay away from a meeting of global finance chiefs held in Tokyo last week.

-(Abcnews 16/10)US Pacific Commander Adheres to Neutrality in Asia: The head of U.S. Asia-Pacific military operations says Washington is re-engaging with the region but will not intervene in any of its conflicts.

-(Bangkok post 16/10)US pledges South China Sea neutrality: The United States will remain impartial in South China Sea conflicts and wants territorial disputes to be solved peacefully, Samuel J Locklear III, commander of the US Pacific Command; Chinese warships spotted off Japanese island: Tokyo

-(The diplomat 16/10)Back to the Future: The U.S. Navy Returns to The Philippines: A return to a familiar port of call serves as another reminder of the United States continued "rebalance" towards Asia.

-(Channel news asia 16/10)Chinese warships spotted off Japanese island: A Japanese aircraft spotted seven Chinese naval ships in waters 49 kilometres (30 miles) south-southeast of Yonaguni island at 7:00 am (2200 GMT)," a ministry official said; China leads rise in Asia military spending: study

-(Huffington post 15/10) Liaoning, China's First Aircraft Carrier, Begins Flight Training with photographs posted on websites Monday showing navy pilots practicing touch-and-go landing exercises.

-(Scmp 15/10) Yoshihiko Noda says Japan's security environment is 'tougher than ever': On the anniversary of Japan's peacetime defence force, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda warns of 'tough' security environment

-(Eurasia review 15/10) Economic Implications Will Force Better Relations Between Big Powers In Asia Pacific: Maritime security has assumed great importance in recent years in view of mankind’s increasing dependence on the seas.

-(Scmp 14/10)Japanese, US mull military drill to take island: The exercise, part of broader joint manoeuvres to start in early November,  would use an uninhabited island in Okinawa, southernmost Japan.

-(Guardian 14/10) China would be wise to accept Japan's olive branch over the Senkaku Islands: For too long, the Chinese state has treated rage against Japan as a poorly sutured wound to be torn open when expedient

-(Huffingtonpost 14/10)Japan navy showcases warships amid spat with China: Japan's navy marked its 60th anniversary with a major exercise intended to show off its maritime strength.

 
-(Eurasia review 9/10)South China Sea Disputes: Can Satellite Imagery Help? Satellite imagery of geographical features in the sea offers a greater degree of visual clarity of what an island or rock may look like and of their location relative to each other.

-(Inquirer 8/10) Philippine sees naval port as vital to US: The Philippines said Monday a former US naval base facing the South China Sea could play a key role as a hub for American ships as Washington moves to boost its presence in the Asia Pacific.

-(Inquirer 8/10)Asean, others see Unclos’ relevance: The 1st Expanded Asean Maritime Forum ended on Friday in Manila with delegates recognizing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and two regional treaties as the “rules-based” framework for resolving conflicting claims in the South China Sea; PH, US Marines begin annual joint exercises

-(Gmanetwork 8/10) China has de facto control over Panatag Shoal, says former DFA senior official: “Remember, China roped off the area and no fishermen and no vessels from the Philippines can go in,” said former foreign affairs undersecretary Lauro Baja Jr. He spoke Friday

-(Reuters 7/10)Southeast Asia splashes out on defense, mostly maritime: Wary of China and flush with economic success, Southeast Asia is ramping up spending on military hardware to protect the shipping lanes, ports and maritime boundaries

-(Scmp 4/10)Manila pushes Asean maritime information-sharing: The Philippines has proposed an information-sharing system for Southeast Asia to help protect its waters from security challenges such as piracy, illegal fishing and drug trafficking.

-(The Jakarta post 4/10 ) Managing tsunamis and conflicts in the South China Sea: From another point of view, the territories are also sources of seaborne disasters, such as tsunamis; Southeast Asian Watch of Troubled Waters Urged

-(Inquirer 4/10) Philippines won’t back down in disputed sea—Del Rosario: At a high-level gathering of United States and Philippine officials in Washington D.C. recently, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the West Philippine Sea is “a core national interest of the Philippines

-(Philstar 4/10) 'No economic coercion in sea row': US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. reiterated yesterday that Washington would like to see the resolution of the territorial disputes in the South China Sea through negotiations and without economic coercion.

-(The jakarta globe 4/10)Southeast Asian Watch of Troubled Waters Urged:The Philippines is proposing that Southeast Asian countries create a regional information-sharing system to better watch waters troubled by territorial disputes

-(Bangkok post 3/10) Southeast Asian nations tackle maritime security issues: Senior Southeast Asian foreign ministry officials met in the Philippines on Wednesday to try to improve maritime cooperation amid sea disputes that threaten regional stability.

-(Japan times 3/10)World waits for China to settle down: As China transitions, the rest of the world hopes equilibrium will emerge sooner rather than later.

-(Nation multimedia 3/10) Thailand should help settle regional sea disputes: Thailand, as a country, does indeed have a chance to play a significant role in conflict resolution.

-(The diplomat 2/10)Top 5 Reasons Not to Ballyhoo China’s Carrier: The PLA Navy has a long way to go before it operates carrier task forces proficiently

-(Csmonitor 2/10)China and Japan face off: Tiny islands, big dispute: The China and Japan face off over five islands has sunk relations to a 40-year low - the worst since diplomatic relations began. But the sabre rattling is just for show, say analysts.

-(Phistar 2/10)Only 80 Marines deployed to isles': The government denied yesterday newspaper reports that 800 Marines were deployed in Palawan to defend disputed territories in the SCS

-(Japan daily press 2/10) Japan and Taiwan to resume fishery talks: Despite the ongoing territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyutai Islands), Taiwan is willing to re-open the bilateral fishery talks.

-(Xinhua 2/10)Chinese surveillance ships patrol Diaoyu Islands waters: Four Chinese marine surveillance ships patrolled in the waters off the Diaoyu Islands on Tuesday after the Japanese right-winger's intrusion, the Foreign Ministry confirmed.

-(NHK 2/10)Gemba protests China boat entry into Japan waters: He said the 2 countries must hold dialogue in a quiet environment and that he wants to urge self-restraint by China.

-(Philstar 2/10)Phl seeks UN members' help in row settlement: Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario called on all member States to “without exception, respect the international legal framework to utilize institutions and adhere to commitments in treaties and conventions.”

-(Channel news asia 1/10)South China dispute: Will the 10-nation regional bloc known as ASEAN, ever be able to speak in one voice on the South China Sea issue?

-(Nation multimedia 1/10)Amid disputes, Is China an emerging trade bully? No rare earths for Japan, bananas blocked from the Philippines and the famous salmon of Norway left to rot.

-(Philstar 1/10) US looking forward to Phl hosting of Asean maritime forum: The forum will bring together the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Asia Summit states, including China and Japan, to discuss regional maritime issues.