-(The Financial Times 29/3) Indonesia objected to Chinese passport move: Indonesia has for the first time revealed that it protested to China about the publication in its passports of its controversial “nine-dash line” claim to almost the entire South China Sea. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s New Weave On India

-(The Jamestown Foundation 28/3) South Sea Fleet Exercises Shine Spotlight on Tensions: The atmospherics surrounding these exercises, however, suggest Beijing is using routine activities to frame the status quo in the South China Sea in its favor. Taming the Five Dragons? China Consolidates its Maritime Law Enforcement Agencies

-(The People’s Daily 28/3) Russian ships conduct firing practice in South China Sea: A group of six Russian navy warships conducted firing exercises in the South China Sea, the country's Pacific Fleet said Thursday. The Long Littoral Project: South China Sea

 -(Scmp 27/3) China to buy Lada-class subs, Su-35 fighters from Russia: Deal for four Lada-class boats and 24 Su-35 planes is China’s largest buy from Moscow in a decade, and seen as a sign of growing strategic ties. The Chinese Navy Has a Problem

-(The Washington Post 27/3) Chinese military denies damaging Vietnamese fishing boat in South China Sea clash: After a week of acrimonious accusations between China and Vietnam, the Chinese military has admitted that one of its ships fired at a Vietnamese fishing boat, although it insisted that only flares were shot and that Vietnam’s claims of fire damage to the fishing boat were a “sheer fabrication.” Chinese navy makes waves in South China Sea

-(Fox News 27/3) China's navy holds landing exercises near disputed islands: China's increasingly powerful navy paid a symbolic visit to the country's southernmost territorial claim deep in the South China Sea this week as part of military drills in the disputed Spratly Islands involving amphibious landings and aircraft.

-(BBC 27/3) China 'fired flares' at Vietnam boat in South China Sea: China says it fired flares, not weapons, at a Vietnamese fishing boat in the South China Sea last week.

-(The Japan Times 27/3) India and America, batting together in Asia: As the U.S. ‘rebalances’ toward Asia and New Delhi ‘looks East,’ it’s time for Washington to help India enter APEC and integrate closely with Asian institutions. Testing times for U.S., China

-(PhilStar 26/3) Polish judge picked for Philippines-China arbitration: The president of the United Nations-backed International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) appointed last week the second member of the arbitration panel that will hear the Philippines’ case challenging the validity of China’s nine-dash line claim to almost the entire South China Sea. China 'takes over' island in South China Sea exercise

-(Gov.vn 25/3) VN condemns China’s shooting at fishing vessel: The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday announced its official statement to strongly condemn China for shooting on Viet Nam’s fishing vessel coded QNg 96382 TS.

-(PhilStar 25/3) US missile frigate visits Philippines: The USS Reuben James (FFG 57), an Oliver Hazzard Perry-class guided missile frigate of the United States Navy, arrived at the Philippines on March 25th for a routine port call. Manila’s South China Sea Gambit

-(BBC 25/3) China 'buys fighter jets and submarines from Russia': China has agreed to buy 24 fighter jets and four submarines from Russia, Chinese state media report. Taiwan, Germany to study gas hydrates in South China Sea

-(Nation multimedia 25/3) Beijing's difficult balancing act for energy security: In line with its growing economic might, China's dependence on imported oil has been rising rapidly - increasing from 33 per cent in 2009 to 55 per cent in 2012; China signals its pivot on Asean

-(Japan today 25/3) Japan seeks summit with Chinese leaders: Japan will seek a bilateral summit between its prime minister and China’s new leaders as early as May as part of efforts to defuse an ongoing diplomatic row, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Sunday; (Mb 25/3) Aquino Sees ‘Largely Positive’ Ties With China Under Xi

-(Xinhua 24/3) Chinese marine surveillance ship patrols around Diaoyu islands: Chinese marine surveillance ship continued regular patrols in the territorial waters surrounding the Diaoyu Islands on Saturday; (Project-syndicate 24/3) India’s Five Thoughts on China