-(Channel NewsAsia 20/3) Malaysia mulls naval upgrades amid IS threat, South China Sea standoff: Malaysia's navy aims to replace all 50 vessels in its aging fleet as the country cut its total defence budget by 12.7 percent to 15.1 billion (US$3.41 billion) this year.

-(VOA News 20/3) Japan is becoming in South China Sea sovereignty dispute, to curb Chinese expansion and garner support for its broader military as well as economic interests.

-(Reuters 19/3) Tillerson ends China trip with warm words from President Xi, reaching an agreement to work together with China on North Korea and putting aside trickier issues. –(The Washington Post 19/3) In China debut, Tillerson appears to hand Beijing a diplomatic victory