The News
Chinese and Philippine vessels collided near a disputed reef in the South China Sea, undermining what had been a brief and fragile truce.
The two countries have for months sparred over territory within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, which Beijing claims as its own.
SIGNALS
China upping its military presence in region
The Chinese coast guard is increasing the number of ships patrolling the South China Sea, which it claims almost in its entirety. Beijing is currently developing a new vessel modeled on an advanced destroyer ship: The Type 052D destroyer will have naval air search radar and be equipped with surveillance equipment. Its deployment comes as Beijing looks to bolster its military presence in the disputed waters with vessels large enough to match US-flagged ships in the region, one expert told the South China Morning Post.
Disputed areas lie in Philippine economic zone
Tensions are flaring over two regions in the South China Sea: the Scarborough Shoal, a largely underwater atoll that is a prime fishing location, and the Second Thomas Shoal. Both are located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, and a 2016 Hague ruling said China had no reasonable claim to the areas, a decision Beijing has never accepted. Washington has deployed military vessels in the region as part of a defense pact with Manila — but experts believe the tensions will not devolve into a broader conflict. “The U.S. is overextended, and it does not want to go to war with China,” the director of the Southeast Asia program at the Lowy Institute told NBC News.
US-China tensions could have knock-on effect for region
Worsening relations between Washington and Beijing may mean a fallout for other nations in the region, Singapore’s prime minister warned. “The mutual suspicion and distrust will continue,” Lawrence Wong told the Financial Times, saying that the “intensifying rivalry” between the two was his city-state’s biggest concern. “As a small country, totally reliant on trade and a stable global environment, we are bound to be impacted.” Singapore depends on the US for its military capability and China is its largest trading partner. Wong said that maintaining a stable relationship with both nations was a challenge.