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South China Sea
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South China Sea

South China Sea
South China Sea
The latest news on South China Sea territorial disputes. The contrasting claims have been an ongoing point of contention among several countries including China, Brunei, Vietnam and the Philippines.
LATEST China Science NEWS

New Taipei-Hong Kong subsea route opened to cut risk and meet AI demand

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The company says the new route aims to address recurring subsea disruptions and support growing demand for data-intensive workloads. Photo: Shutterstock

Russia lifts plague lab-related quarantine measures. Should China be relieved?

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Russia’s consumer and health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor in Moscow has downplayed reports that a laboratory technician may have died of pneumonic plague. Photo: AFP

China breakthrough unlocks low-cost, high-margin sustainable aviation fuel

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Sustainable aviation fuel could reduce life-cycle carbon emissions by about 80 per cent compared with standard jet fuel, and the International Civil Aviation Organization has a goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Photo: Xinhua

Pentagon unveils US$350 million quantum computing push as China rivalry grows

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Microsoft’s Majorana 2 quantum computing chip. The company is among those selected for the latest stage of a Pentagon programme to test advanced quantum computing technologies. Photo: Reuters

China team says all-in-one mini artificial pancreas is next-gen diabetes care

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According to the International Diabetes Federation, about 589 million adults worldwide are living with diabetes. Photo: Shutterstock
MORE China Science NEWS
Philippine Navy personnel transfer a colleague to a Philippine Coast Guard rigid boat while Chinese Coast Guard personnel aboard their rigid boat watch on, during a medical evacuation near Second Thomas Shoal. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard/AFP
China-Philippines relations

Beijing and Manila trade blame over South China Sea medical mission

The Philippines also reports seeing 101 Chinese vessels near contested features in September, nearly double August’s total.

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US-China relations

US’ transactional Taiwan policy puts Indo-Pacific at risk, ex-officials warn

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Mainland China

Did a US warship lose power chasing a PLA destroyer in the South China Sea?

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The Philippines

Marcos says Philippines ‘resigned’ to managing South China Sea dispute

Speaking in Singapore, the Philippine leader warned a simple misstep at sea could trigger an out-of-control clash.

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A reporter takes a video over Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea in February 2024. Photo: AFP
Artificial intelligence

Opinion | Can US-China AI talks keep autonomous weapons within bounds?

Rapid military AI development makes agreed limits on mission scopes, operational areas and target parameters an urgent priority.

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The Philippines

How will new longer-range aircraft boost Manila’s South China Sea surveillance?

The more ‘other countries aid the Philippines, the more likely that they will take an interest’ in the waters, analyst says.

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Singapore

Why Singapore must be able to say ‘no’ to US, China to preserve trust

Vivian Balakrishnan says Singapore must maintain trust with Washington and Beijing without becoming a proxy for either.

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The city skyline of Singapore in February. Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has said the city state is at a "sensitive existential" point amid US-China competition, reiterating that Singapore will take no sides. Photo: Xinhua
China-Latin America relations

Bogota mayor urges Chinese metro builders to speed up work

Colombia’s comptroller found road works 52 per cent behind on the US$5.75 billion line, due for trial runs in September 2027.

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2026 Xi-Trump summits

Open Questions | Zheng Yongnian on battling for the upper hand ahead of the next China-US summit

Political scientist evaluates China-US relations, AI dialogue, and why head-of-state diplomacy remains vital for global stability.

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Taiwan

Taiwan coastguard uses water cannons to warn off mainland Chinese fishing vessel

Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration reveals incident occurred 27 nautical miles east of Dongsha Island in the South China Sea on Friday.

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A Taiwan coastguard vessel used water cannons on a mainland Chinese fishing boat near Dongsha Island in the South China Sea on Friday. Photo: cga.gov.tw
US-Asean relations

Exclusive | Donald Trump is planning trip to the Philippines for Asean summit

Trump may also be accompanied by his wife, Melania, who has not travelled to Asia with her husband since 2020, sources say.

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The White House is discussing plans for Donald Trump to go to Manila for the Asean summit, a trip on which he could be accompanied by his wife, Melania. Photo: Reuters
China-Asean relations

Chinese language teachers leave the Philippines over safety fears

Educational exchanges are in the firing line as tensions between the two countries spill over into the classroom.

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Malaysia

Why Sabah has Malaysia watching South China Sea tensions more closely

The proximity of US-backed Philippine bases on Balabac Island has raised concerns in Malaysia of a possible spillover in a regional conflict.

2026 Xi-Trump summits

Open Questions | Zheng Yongnian on what to expect from future Xi-Trump meetings

After so-called G2, Chinese and US presidents have more to accomplish on trade and mutual security when they meet at G20 and Apec summits, political scientist says.

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Illustration: Brian Wang
The Philippines

What does Philippines seek with new Thitu map in South China Sea?

By publishing coordinates, charts and the legitimate basis of its position, the Philippines is aiming to reduce legal ambiguity, experts say.

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Thitu residents fish off the island. Photo: Jeoffrey Maitem
US military

Why US missile shortfalls raise stakes for a potential Taiwan Strait conflict

Ammunition could prove to be the defining issue as mainland China’s defence industry appears to be operating at an elevated tempo.

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2026 Xi-Trump summits

Did Beijing and Washington agree on a crisis prevention deal, or not?

While the Chinese side says the nations agreed to conclude a deal, a US official reportedly denies the discussion took place.

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The Philippines

Philippine coastguard warns ‘we will run out of ships’ as budget cuts bite

Ronnie Gil Gavan says his agency is functioning at almost ‘90 per cent operational tempo’, leaving a very short time between overhauls.

A Philippine Coast Guard ship arrives at a port in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, in September 2024. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard/AFP
Science

Chinese deep-ocean drilling ship brings home ‘precious’ South China Sea samples

Maiden expedition reaches 5,000 metres below the ocean’s surface and more than 850 metres below the sea floor.

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China-Philippines relations

Second Thomas Shoal stand-off sparks sharp exchange between US, China embassies

Beijing and Washington’s diplomatic representatives in Manila trade strongly worded accusations in public statements.

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2026 Xi-Trump summits

Why Southeast Asia feels relief and caution after the Xi-Trump summit

Countries in the region could feel less pressure as the thaw in US-China ties continues but deeper disputes remain unresolved, analysts say.

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China Coast Guard personnel watch a Philippine ship near Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. Beijing and Manila have competing maritime claims over the atoll and surrounding waters. Photo: Handout via Xinhua
China-Latin America relations

Paraguay’s president urges UN to let Taiwan in, calls island’s exclusion ‘a stain’

South American leader backs Taiwan’s UN participation and warns of global fallout from a strait conflict.

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Paraguayan President Santiago Pena addresses the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.
The Philippines

Why younger Filipinos are warming to China despite maritime tensions

A Pew survey shows 47 per cent of Filipinos aged 18 to 34 view China favourably, with some respondents also expressing confidence in its leadership.

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The Philippines

Why Brunei prefers ‘quiet diplomacy’ over confrontation in South China Sea

As a nation with a small military, Brunei would rather work with Beijing in safe zones such as peacekeeping than butt heads, analysts say.

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US-China relations

Opinion | Xi and Trump face their greatest challenge yet: building US-China trust

AI is the test case. A foundational agreement will prove trust is possible – otherwise, mistrust will harden and the detente will dissolve.

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Illustration: Rocio Marquez
US-China relations

Opinion | Success of Xi-Trump summit lies in what happens afterwards

The real value of the Washington meeting between the presidents of the US and China is whether its understandings survive the next bilateral dispute.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Pacific nations

Why China is weighing into the debate on how to respond to shrinking coastlines

Rising sea levels are not an existential threat to China, but their impact on international law could have a knock-on effect in other areas.

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Science

China tests first practical submarine solar farm at 10-metre depth in open sea

Scientists successfully charge batteries and power a LED using lead halide perovskite solar cells in world-first test.

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