News Story: Vietnam, Australia hold foreign affairs, defence strategic dialogue

Sydney (VNA) – The fifth foreign affairs and defence strategic dialogue at the deputy ministerial level between Vietnam and Australia was organised in Canberra on September 27.

The event was chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Dang Dinh Quy and Australia’s Deputy Secretary Defence People Rebecca Skinner and Deputy Secretary in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Gary Quinlan.

During the dialogue, the two sides agreed to continue boosting the Vietnam-Australia relations in the fields of politics, economics, trade, defence, security, agriculture, education and training, tourism and people-to-people diplomacy.

They exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, while pledging to maintain close coordination at multilateral forums, including the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and forums led by ASEAN such as the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum, in order to promote dialogue and cooperation, and maintain peace, stability and order in the region.

Read the full story at VietnamPlus

News Story: Chinese ships sail near disputed islands with Japan

Chinese coast guard vessels sailed near disputed islands claimed by Japan and China in the East China Sea on Monday, marking the second such incident in less than a week.

The four ships entered the waters surrounding the island chain, controlled by Japan and known as Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in China, at around 10:00 am (0100 GMT) and were moving in a southwest direction, according to the Japanese coast guard.

An online statement from China's State Oceanic Administration only said the four Chinese coast guard vessels were "patrolling in Chinese waters off the Diaoyu Islands."

Japan's coast guard said it was the second time since Thursday that four Chinese ships had entered its waters.

Read the full story at SpaceDaily

News Story: Australia, Japan and India Look to South China Sea

HMAS Adelaide and her escorts leave Sydney for Exercises

By Noel Tarrazona

Three major countries in the Asia Pacific region are expected to continue to make their naval presence felt in the South China Sea amid the Philippine’s softening sovereignty stance in the disputed waters. 

Australia, Japan and India are all making moves in the region at a time when the Philippines is softening its stance, collaborating with China in oil and gas exploration and accepting the increasing presence of Chinese vessels within its exclusive economic zone.

Tokyo has just announced that  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held an exclusive security meeting with India’s leader Narendra Modi to finalize a maritime security cooperation deal in response to the growing naval presence of China in the South China Sea.

With this development, the Indian external affairs ministry along with Japan’s counterpart  met with  U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in New York to discuss how to assert the freedom of navigation and respect for international law in the global maritime.

Earliser this year, Japan has sent a helicopter-carrying warship into the South China Sea after making a port call in Vietnam, and the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore has noted that Japan plans to continue to deploy  low-key patrols in Southeast Asia waters. Institute analyst Le Hong Hiep says that India is also looking at Vietnam as its entry point for establishing presence in the South China Sea. 

Read the full story at MarEx

News Story: China jabs back at Trump's barb over South China Sea

Beijing hit back Wednesday at US President Donald Trump's veiled criticism of its territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea, countering that the United States was a greater threat to sovereignty.

In his speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump decried "threats to sovereignty" in Ukraine and the resource-rich South China Sea, without explicitly mentioning Russia or China.

"We must uphold respect for law, respect for borders, and respect for culture, and the peaceful engagement these allow," Trump said.

China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters in the face of rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours, and has rapidly turned reefs into artificial islands capable of hosting military planes.

The United States has conducted three "freedom of navigation" operations near islands held by China to challenge Beijing's maritime claims since Trump took office in January.

Read the full story at SpaceDaily

News Report: India, Japan Expected to Increase Maritime Activity Aimed at China

Ralph Jennings

TAIPEI, TAIWAN — India and Japan, anxious to keep Asia’s dominant power Beijing in check, may send patrols into the contested South China Sea or sell arms to rival states following a pair of high-level meetings this month, experts say.

Both Asian countries could sell or donate more weapons to China’s rival maritime claimants, such as Vietnam, so they can build a defense against Beijing. Japan may also use coast guard or naval ships to patrol the sea to show it’s open despite China’s claim to some 90 percent of it.

India will probably continue joint exploration with Vietnam for oil and gas under the 3.5 million-square-kilometer sea, analysts say.

“Delhi and Tokyo have both been stepping up their capacity-building efforts in the region, with Japan focused mainly on providing patrol vessels and training for Southeast Asian states and India selling arms to and training the Vietnamese navy,” said Gregory Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative of the American think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.

News Report: India to Investigate Pakistan’s Alleged Role in DPRK Nuclear Program

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has announced that they will be conducting an investigation into potential links between India’s rival Pakistan and the North Korean nuclear programs, promising to “hold accountable” those who have assisted North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj "deplored North Korea's recent actions and stated that its proliferation linkages must be explored and those involved must be held accountable," according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar on Monday.

While Kumar did not directly name Pakistan in his comment, he did say that he was "giving you enough material to try to figure out what we are talking about."

Pakistan, a nuclear power, has been accused on many occasions of assisting North Korea in its nuclear ambitions. In 2004, Abdul Qadeer Khan, the founder and chief scientist of Pakistan's nuclear program, claimed that he had sold nuclear secrets to North Korea, Libya, and Iran. 

USA: USS Rushmore visits Vanuatu during OMSI mission

By MC3 Kryzentia Weiermann, USS Rushmore Public Affairs

USS Rushmore (LSD 47) file photo. (U.S. Navy/MC2 Amanda R. Gray) >>

VANUATU - Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47), with embarked U.S. Coast Guard maritime law enforcement personnel, anchored off the coast of Vanuatu for a scheduled port visit, Sept. 15.

During the visit, the crew provided tours of the ship, allowing visitors the opportunity to see and experience life aboard a U.S. Navy warship.

"We value our partnership with the countries in the South Pacific and are committed to assisting them in enhancing maritime security and keeping the sea lanes open for the benefit of all,” said Rushmore’s commanding officer, Cmdr. John Ryan. “This event is a unique opportunity for the crew to demonstrate the pride and professionalism of the Navy and reciprocate the hospitality we receive when we make foreign port calls.”

USA: Rushmore visits American Samoa during OMSI mission

By MC3 Kryzentia Weiermann, USS Rushmore Public Affairs

USS Rushmore (LSD 47) file photo. (U.S. Navy/MC2 Amanda R. Gray) >>

PACIFIC OCEAN - Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47), with embarked U.S. Coast Guard maritime law enforcement personnel, departed American Samoa after a scheduled two-day port visit, Sept. 5.

Under the operational control of U.S. 3rd Fleet, Rushmore and embarked U.S. Coast Guard District 14 maritime law enforcement personnel departed San Diego Aug. 14 for a deployment supporting the Oceania Maritime Support Initiative (OMSI).

OMSI is a Secretary of Defense program aimed to diminish transnational illegal activity on the high seas in the Pacific Island Nations of Oceania’s exclusive economic zones (EEZ) and enhance regional security and inoperability with partner nations.

"The Rushmore crew is excited and proud to be here," Cmdr. Rob Tryon, Rushmore's executive officer said during the visit. "We look forward to continuing to build our relationships with our partners in the South Pacific and assist them in enhancing maritime security throughout the area."

News Story: US planning more regular South China Sea patrols - report

The Pentagon is planning to conduct more regular patrols in the South China Sea -- as many as two to three a month -- to assert freedom of navigation in disputed waters claimed by China, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The newspaper said the aim is to create a more consistent posture to counter China's maritime claims, rather than a more ad hoc approach favored during Barack Obama's administration.

US officials declined to say where or when the new patrols would be made, but said the plan developed by the US Pacific Command calls for two or three so-called "freedom of navigation" operations a month over the next few months.

Future patrols also could include US military aircraft as well as US Navy warships, the Journal said.

There have been three "freedom of navigation" operations since President Donald Trump took office in January -- the last one by the USS John S. McCain, a destroyer that collided with a cargo ship days later off Singapore, killing 10 sailors.

Read the full story at VietnamPlus

News Report: Has India Secretly Supplied Vietnam with 6,000-pound Supersonic Missiles?

Vietnamese state media claim Hanoi and New Delhi not only agreed on a deal to send BrahMos supersonic projectiles to Hanoi, but also say the weapons have been delivered. India’s Ministry of External Relations, though, denies such a deal exists.

When asked specifically about the acquisition of the BrahMos, Vietnamese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Thi Thu Hang said on August 18 “the procurement of defense equipment by Vietnam is consistent with the policy of peace and self-defense and is the normal practice in self-defense.”

India’s External Relations Ministry said reports of BrahMos cruise missiles reaching Hanoi were “incorrect” August 22. 

Whether the deal has been completed could have major strategic implications. First, the short-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile has a 600-kilometer range that puts some Chinese-owned features in the South China Sea in range. The level of tension between Hanoi and Beijing peaked recently when the People’s Liberation Army threatened to attack Vietnamese posts in the South China Sea if a joint venture between Hanoi and Madrid to explore oil fields there wasn’t called off.

News Story: US Navy collisions a propaganda windfall for China

By Laurent THOMET

A spate of deadly collisions involving US Navy warships in Asian waters has provided a propaganda windfall to rivals like China and given already rattled regional allies further reason to fret, analysts say.

Four accidents this year alone, including two fatal ones in two months, resulted in the dismissal this week of the commander of the iconic US Seventh Fleet -- the centrepiece of the American military presence in Asia.

The timing could hardly be worse, with the Japan-based fleet at the heart of ongoing US efforts to project an image of military strength and effectiveness in the face of threats from nuclear-armed North Korea and an increasingly assertive China.

The latest incident left the guided-missile destroyer, USS John McCain limping into port in Singapore on Monday with a gaping gash in its hull following a pre-dawn collision with an oil tanker that left 10 of its crew feared dead.

Just days before, the same ship had taken part in a "freedom of navigation exercise" -- sailing close to a contested island in the South China Sea in a show of strength to challenge Beijing's territorial claims there.

The incident, and a similar collision involving another warship off Japan in June that left seven dead, has been seized on by China as an illustration of US military overreach and incompetence.

"It's a lot of good propaganda for the Chinese," James Char, a regional security specialist at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, told AFP.

It comes as "China is trying to tell the region, 'you cannot count on the US for your security needs'," he said.

Read the full story at SpaceDaily

News Report: General - Destroyer Collision ‘No Setback’ to US Presence in South China Sea

General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy
(Image: Wiki Commons)

The Monday collision of the USS John S. McCain with a Liberian oil tanker will not impact the American doctrine of “freedom of navigation” in the disputed South China Sea, according to the commander of US Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) on Friday.

General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy issued a statement during his visit to Malaysia about the collision. "There is no setback to the operations following these incidents," O'Shaughnessy said. "We stand firm that we are going to sail and fly anywhere where international rules allow."

The USS McCain has been deployed in the South China Sea since late 2016, a show of American strength in the sea that is disputed by 10 different nations — including China.

To consolidate their claims in the strategically and economically significant region, China has built numerous artificial islands in the South China Sea. Earlier in August, the McCain came within 14 miles of Mischief Reef, one such Chinese artificial island.

Later that month, in a bizarre incident that still hasn't been explained, the McCain collided with the Liberian Alnic MC off the coast of Malaysia, leading to significant damage and the deaths of two US sailors.

News Report: Chinese State Media - US Navy Becoming a ‘Dangerous Obstacle’ in South China Sea

USS John S. McCain (Image: Wiki Commons)

The US Navy may be causing more harm than good in the Indo-Asian-Pacific theater.

The US military’s maritime presence near Asian shipping routes adds risk rather than helps uphold international freedom of navigation rights, Chinese news agencies said Tuesday.

This summer has already seen two crashes involving US Navy guided-missile destroyers and merchant vessels. In June, the USS Fitzgerald collided with the ACX Crystal container ship in an incident that killed seven sleeping US sailors when the bow of the transport ship struck the ship’s starboard side. On August 21, the USS John S. McCain was damaged on its port side following contact with the Alnic MC tanker east of Singapore near the Strait of Malacca.

The Malaccan straits are the highest-trafficked trading lanes in the world and hit a new record last year with 83,740 transits occurring, according to Seatrade Maritime News.

News Story: US vows to challenge excessive sea claims

Image: Flickr User - Greg Bishop

By Pia Lee-Brago

MANILA, Philippines - Saying it is not about any particular country or about making a political statement, the United States has stressed that it will invoke freedom of navigation and challenge excessive maritime claims anywhere in the globe.

In a recent press briefing in Washington, US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said US forces operate in the Asia-Pacific region, including the South China Sea, on a daily basis under a comprehensive freedom of navigation program (FONOP).

She explained that the operations, conducted in accordance with international law, are meant to demonstrate that the US will continue to fly, sail and operate “wherever international law allows.”

“It’s true in the South China Sea; it’s true in other places around the world as well,” Nauert said.

A US Navy destroyer carried out a “freedom of navigation operation” on Thursday, coming within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island built up by China in the South China Sea.

The USS John S. McCain traveled close to Mischief or Panganiban Reef in the Spratly Islands, among a string of islets, reefs and shoals.

Slamming the FONOP, the Chinese armed forces immediately sent naval ships to identify and verify the US warship and warned it to leave.

Read the full story at PhilStar

News Report: What's Behind Upcoming US Aircraft Carrier's Visit to Vietnam?

The US and Vietnam have agreed on a visit by a US aircraft carrier to the country next year. It will be the first such visit since the Vietnam War ended in 1975. Radio Sputnik spoke with an analyst, Dr. Collin Koh Swee Lean, in an interview about this development.

During the recent meeting between Vietnamese Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich and his US counterpart James Mattis, the two defense leaders agreed to deepen mutual military cooperation.

Following the talks held in Washington, Jim Mattis said that strong relations between the two countries were based on mutual interests, including freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

In an interview with Radio Sputnik, a research fellow at the Maritime Security Program, Dr. Collin Koh Swee Lean, said that this cooperation has been flourishing the past few years.

“First of all it is important to highlight that this recent announcement of the aircraft carrier visit was built on the earlier upswing in the political relations between the US and Vietnam even during Obama’s administration, so now Trump’s administration is building on that momentum,” Lean said.

News Report: South China Sea Tensions Escalate, Risk 'Involving More and More Countries'

China accused the United States of breaching its sovereignty and international law norms after an American warship came close to the Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea. Beijing claims the islands to be part of its territory.

"The USS John S. McCain entered the neighboring waters of relevant islands and reefs of China's Nansha Qundao without the permission of the Chinese government. … The relevant acts of the US warship violated Chinese laws and international law, severely undermined China's sovereignty and security," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said in a statement.

On August 10, a US guided missile destroyer, the USS John S. McCain, sailed within 6 miles of the man-made Mischief Reef in the Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea, during a "freedom of navigation exercise" in the disputed region.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, such actions do not contribute to sustaining stability in the region, being the "biggest factor in the 'militarization' of the South China Sea."

News Report: What Makes Vietnam an 'Ideal Client' For the United States?

While diplomatic battles were raging in Manila over the final statements of the foreign ministers in light of the ASEAN meetings, Vietnamese Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lịch was meeting with his US counterpart, James Mattis, in Washington. Sputnik China spoke to an expert from the Center for Strategic Research, Anton Tsvetov, in an interview.

“The desperate struggle of Vietnamese diplomats in the corridors of the ASEAN ministerial meeting on the wording of the resolution concerning the South China Sea caused a flurry of criticism in the Chinese media,” Tsvetov said.

He further said, “This loneliness of Vietnam in its struggle further pushes it towards the United States. Although Vietnam refuses to behave like the Philippines under Duterte, it will also not behave like the Philippines under Aquino.”

According to the expert, perhaps the loudest news of the visit of the Vietnamese defense minister is the alleged promise by Mattis to bring a US aircraft carrier to a Vietnamese port during 2018; the last time it happened was in 1975, and back then the US ship had completely different purposes. 

News Report: Philippines Not Concerned by US Operation Near Spratly Islands - Spokesman

Manila does not object to the presence of the USS John S. McCain guided missile destroyer near the disputed Spratly Islands as the US operation was conducted in accordance with "freedom of navigation," presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Thursday, the USS John S. McCain sailed within 12 nautical miles of the man-made Mischief Reef in the Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea, during a "freedom of navigation exercise" in the disputed region. The Chinese Defense Ministry in response urged the United States to immediately cease all provocative activities in the South China Sea, as they impede bilateral relations and mutual trust between the armed forces of the two countries.

News Story: China resolutely opposes U.S. provocation in South China Sea: spokesperson

USS John S. McCain conducted a freedom of navigation operation
around China's Artificial Island built on Mischief Reef

BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Defense Ministry strongly objects to the illegal entry of a U.S. warship into China's waters off the Nansha Islands, said a ministry spokesperson Friday.

Wu Qian said in a statement that missile frigates Huaibei and Fushun of the Chinese Navy were immediately sent to identify the U.S. warship, warn and expel it.

The USS John S. McCain illegally entered the waters near the reef in South China Sea earlier on Thursday. China has sovereignty of the Nansha Islands and its adjacent waters.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: ‘ASEAN under pressure on Souht China Sea issue’

By Pia Lee-Brago

MANILA, Philippines - The United States yesterday acknowledged that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was under “tremendous” pressure on the South China Sea issue.

Heather Nauert, spokesperson for the US Department of State, said ASEAN still “held on to its principles” by defeating attempts to drop “militarization,” self-restraint” and “land reclamation” from the joint communiqué at the end of the meeting in Manila.

“So the ASEAN foreign ministers’ joint communiqué, which came out at the end of the forum, contains language on the South China Sea, and that reflects ASEAN’s important role in strengthening the rules-based order that benefits all nations, both large and small,” Nauert said in a press briefing in Washington.


The US welcomed the ASEAN foreign ministers’ reaffirmation of the importance of freedom of navigation, noting that the US shared their concerns over developments that Washington considered to be “unconducive” to regional stability, such as land reclamation.


“ASEAN was under tremendous pressure, but still held on to its principles,” she stressed.


Nauert added ASEAN also stressed the importance of exercising self-restraint, including refraining from militarization of features in the South China Sea. 


The US reiterated that the July 16 arbitral ruling is binding on China and the Philippines.

Read the full story at PhilStar