South China Sea

‘Strategic Stability’ requires Chinese accountability

Excerpt President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping left their Beijing summit speaking the same language. The official White House readout issued Sunday mirrored Xi’s...

U.S. and Filipino Forces Launch Expanded Military Drills

To counter Chinese aggression, the Philippines isn’t just hoping to stand shoulder to shoulder with its allies. It’s looking for a crowd. On April 20, Filipino and U.S. forces began an expanded...

China Restricts Access and Expands Reach in the South China Sea

Amid tensions in the Middle East, China is tightening its control over the South China Sea. Satellite imagery shows Chinese vessels have erected a floating barrier at the entrance to Scarborough Shoal,...

Iran and its proxies threaten retaliation against US and Israel amid US military buildup

Tehran and its regional proxies are escalating threats against the United States and Israel as Washington moves additional naval forces into the Middle East. The US military buildup follows US President...

Kataib Hezbollah threatens US bases in the Middle East if US strikes Iran

On January 16, against the backdrop of a possible American military operation against Iran, Kataib Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades) threatened that the group was ready to strike US bases in Iraq...

China and Japan Clash Over Taiwan

China is increasingly isolating Taiwan to force the island’s capitulation. On November 13, the Chinese Foreign Ministry strongly condemned remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Japan’s...

Maritime Protection of Taiwan’s Energy Vulnerability

Hegseth Visits Vietnam Looking To Pull Hanoi Away From Russia and North Korea

Fifty years after the end of America’s war in Vietnam, Washington has returned with a long wish list for Hanoi. On November 3, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth concluded his two-day visit to Vietnam,...

‘Valuable Model’: Taiwan’s President Lauds Israel’s Air Defenses After Announcing Iron Dome Style System

Taiwanese President Says Country Can Learn From Israel: Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te praised Israel’s military defenses as a model for his country while speaking to an American...

Death of Daniel Suidani shows how China gets the better of Quad

Daniel Suidani scared the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) more than Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, freedom of navigation patrols through the South China Sea, and a newly commissioned nuclear...

China Creates ‘Nature Reserve’ To Boost Its Sovereignty Claims in the South China Sea

Not content with building artificial islands and bullying its neighbors, China is increasingly using its domestic environmental laws to cement its illegal territorial grabs in the South China Sea. On September...

China Ramps Up Pressure on the Philippines — and Strikes a Blow Against Itself

China’s efforts to harass the Philippines have suffered a significant setback. On August 11, a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel collided with a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ship while attempting...

China Releases Footage of Major Missile Test To Threaten U.S.

China’s military celebrated its birthday by subtly threatening the United States. On July 31, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force, the military service responsible for China’s conventional...

U.S. Military Surges Combat Power to the Middle East

The Pentagon is surging additional combat power to the Middle East and Europe as the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict shows no signs of cooling down. The USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is reportedly...

Israel widens air campaign, hits Iran’s critical infrastructure, propaganda hubs (June 15–16 updates)

Israel has expanded its precision strikes across Iran. As Iran’s missile stockpile dwindles and top regime officials are either dead or in hiding, the Israeli military has now begun targeting critical...

Assessing the Challenges Facing NATO

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Chinese Coast Guard Forces Land on Sandy Cay, Escalating Tensions With the Philippines

China is stepping up its campaign to dominate key territory in the South China Sea. On April 24, the Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party-owned media outlet, reported that the China Coast Guard (CCG)...

Bolstering Defense Ties, Vietnam Reportedly Agrees to Purchase American F-16s

Almost exactly 50 years after the evacuation of Saigon, American air power has returned to Vietnam. On April 22, 19FortyFive, a defense news outlet, reported that Vietnam had reached an agreement with...

Missed Milestones

Evaluating The Last Four Years in the EAP Region and Unseized Opportunities Under President Trump

Defeating the Houthis

Biden didn’t try; Trump can and should