Today’s Tidbit 19.11.2015

Large protests are taking place in Manila were regional leaders are attending the Apec (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) regional trade summit. Hundreds of people clashed with police who employed the use of a water cannon. The summit has ben overshadowed by territorial disputes over China’s activities in the South China Sea. Leaders have also called for greater global anti-terror cooperation following the Paris attacks.

Demonstrators carried anti-Apec and anti-American placards chanting slogans such as “Down with Apec, Down with America.” Hundreds of police stood between the protesters and the meeting venue.

Read more by clicking the link below:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34864978

Today’s Tidbit 04.11.15

The ASEAN summit this year has ended without a statement. The South East Asian defense ministers meeting in Malaysia have failed to agree on a closing statement for their summit, amid a row over Chinese activity in the South China Sea. China has been aggressively staking its claims in the recent years in the resource-rich South China Sea, angering neighbors with overlapping claims. Other countries, including the US, have accused China of militarization regarding their methods in staking claim, but China has denied all accusation. According to sources, China has lobbied hard to not have this issue mentioned in the summit, which has resulted in a disagreement over the content of the summit’s closing statement. This dispute has been building up in the recent years and the tension between China and Southeast Asian countries is as high as ever.

Read more about this issue by clicking on the link below:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34718196

Today’s Tidbit 22.04.2015

China’s actions have caused unease among its Southeast Asian neighbors such as Vietnam and the Philippines, which also claim some of this area. Disputes have raised concerns among countries that use the sea lanes for trade and commerce, as well as tensions related to the possibility of military action.

According to Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Luis Cruz, President of the Philippines Ninoy Aquino will bring up China’s reclamation work at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia next week.

Read more by clicking the link below:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-20/chinese-reclamation-creating-military-tensions-philippines-says

Today’s Tidbit 3.12.2014

To protect its interests in landfilling in the South China Sea, China issued an official warning to the U.S. to “stay out” of this region, according to the People’s Daily Paper. The landfill, which has been described by defense media as the construction of an islet 3,000 yards long and 200 yards across, solidifies Beijing’s claim to the ocean and serves as a reminder of China’s ineluctable expansion.

The expansion of China into various economies has elicited multiple reactions, including the Philippines’ modernization of its armed forces. The Philippines in particular has a history of entanglement with China; in 2012, a standoff at sea and this year with the arrest of 11 Chinese fishermen. According to , “more aggressive” Southeast Asian countries with interests in the South China ocean are “bracing for a fight”.

Read the whole article by clicking on the link below:

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/03-Dec-2014/the-changing-global-power-balance

Today’s Tidbit 2.12.2014

Beijing’s recent landfilling activities in the tense South China Sea has raised new and more urgent concerns to those countries with claims to territory and security issues in the region, namely Vietnam and the Philippines. There has been much discussion of Southeast Asian nations potentially increasing their military capabilities to counter China’s activities. Already, the United States has pledged $40 million in military aid to the Philippines and $18 million to Vietnam, suggesting that the United States is willing to assist its key allies in countering perceived Chinese aggression. Political scientist Scott Harold believes Malaysia and Brunei should also consider boosting their military capabilities, pointing to contractors in Europe, India, and South Korea as potentially willing to sell arms.

Read the whole article by clicking on the link below:

http://www.thestreet.com/story/12970880/1/southeast-asia-to-arm-itself-as-china-backfills-a-disputed-sea.html

Today’s Tidbit 13.11.2014

Southeast Asian leaders met this week, in Myanmar, for the ASEAN Summit to discuss reducing regional trade barriers and easing labor movement.

Leaders of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also discussed regional security, the threat of ISIS, and the ongoing dispute with China over the South China Sea. Although, much of the focus was on the integration of their economies, which is reported to reach more than $2 trillion by 2016. In his first meeting at an ASEAN summit, newly elected Indonesian President Joko Widodo expressed his support for regional integration. Other leaders joined in support, but acknowledged the challenges in forming the economic bloc. The Summit was also attended by leaders from China, Russia, India, and U.S. President Barack Obama.

Read the whole article by clicking on the link below:

http://online.wsj.com/articles/southeast-asian-leaders-weigh-terrorism-other-challenges-at-summit-1415810280