South China Sea – Geopolitical Monitor

China’s Irregular Maritime Forces: Vanguard of the South China Sea

Antonio Graceffo — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 13:32:51 +0000

China’s irregular maritime forces were essential in redrawing the map of the South China Sea over the past two decades, and they remain a fixture in any new ground-level clash with rival claimants.

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China-Philippines Tensions Flare in South China Sea

Zachary Fillingham — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 13:00:16 +0000

Spiking tensions at the Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal are increasing the likelihood of a US-Philippine joint naval patrol regime in the South China Sea.

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Backgrounder: The People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM)

Zachary Fillingham — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 14:00:04 +0000

Exploring the history, composition, and tactics of the ‘little blue men’ of China’s littoral waters – the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia.

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Reciprocal Access Agreement: A New Chapter in the South China Sea Dispute?

Zubair Ali Soomro — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 14:54:01 +0000

Japan and the Philippines, once bitter enemies, are moving toward ever greater military cooperation in an attempt to push back against China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.

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The West Is Misreading China in the South China Sea

F. Andrew Wolf, Jr. — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:14:12 +0000

If Washington truly wants a solution on the South China Sea, it needs to get out of the way of the regional claimants.

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Second Thomas Shoal Clash Falls Short of Invoking MDT

Mark Soo — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 12:07:28 +0000

A recent boarding by Chinese coast guard vessels around the Second Thomas Shoal was surely escalatory, but its non-lethal nature falls short of invoking the US-Philippines mutual defense treaty.

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Japan’s Diplomatic Bluebook Paints China as Central Villain

Mark S. Cogan — Thu, 02 May 2024 12:29:37 +0000

Japan’s latest Diplomatic Bluebook has identified China as a threat to the established regional order, continuing a deterioration of security perceptions years that began years ago.

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South China Sea Dispute: China’s Gray Zone Tactics Backfiring

Zachary Fillingham — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 16:55:08 +0000

Major advances in US-Philippines cooperation, backed by growing involvement from Japan and Australia, are neutralizing the gray zone tactics that have helped China alter the map of the South China Sea.

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Maritime Cooperative Activity Redrawing South China Sea Battle Lines

Mark Soo — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 17:34:35 +0000

Maritime Cooperative Activity naval exercises are rapidly evolving into a platform for regional powers to mutually support each other and bolster international maritime law.

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US-Japan-Philippines Naval Triad Wades into the South China Sea

Arman Sidhu — Sun, 07 Apr 2024 12:29:01 +0000

Will recently announced joint naval patrols between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines blunt Beijing’s gray zone tactics in the South China Sea?

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