China and the Philippines are engaged in a diplomatic feud after hundreds of Chinese fishing vessels, which the Philippines called an unofficial “maritime militia,” anchored around a disputed reef.
Beijing unexpectedly announced last week that it had found “pests” in Taiwanese pineapples, and banned their import. Taiwan called it an “ambush,” and drew a parallel to China’s targeting of Australian wine.
China is not eager to appear friendly with the U.S., despite the change of leadership in Washington.
During the first weekend of the Biden administration, China sent dozens of warplanes into the Taiwan Strait, prompting the U.S. State Department to issue a statement blaming Beijing for tensions and reaffirming American commitments to Taiwan.
The Chinese embassy in Australia shared a detailed list of 14 grievances that Beijing has against the country, extending far beyond China’s core interests and directly criticizing internal Australian affairs.
Washington has long disapproved of many of China’s maritime claims, but today, the State Department formalized its position on multiple disputes. The U.S. now effectively supports claims to reefs, shoals, waters, and other maritime features by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia over China.
Washington, D.C., is signaling its commitment to the Western Pacific — a favored umbrella term for any part of the Pacific Ocean that China claims...
“China hopes to complete talks on South China Sea code of conduct in 3 years,” says Xinhua News Agency. China security scholar M. Taylor Fravel...
Three small stories from around the world illustrate the discomfort — to China and everyone else on the planet — that is accompanying China’s global...