Weekly News 28 February - 7 March

28/02/2011

- (Sun Star 6/3) Philippines, China reminded of agreed conduct over Spratlys after Chinese patrol boats allegedly harassed a Philippine oil exploration ship near the disputed Spratly islands. - (Asahia Shimbun 6/3) ANALYSIS: China's hike in defense spending aimed at bolstering its naval might - Will the increase in China's defense spending apply pressure to its neighbors?;(BBC 4/3) China's military build-up causes 'concern' in Asia - (Wall Street Journal 3/3) South China Sea Tensions Rise - (The National Interest 3/3) China’s Increasing Assertiveness and Its Implications - A number of Beijing’s actions over the past year suggest that China will not be content to be a purely commercial power, as so many American policymakers and pundits have hoped. - (American Enterprise Institute 2/3) Asian Tide - The oceangoing phase of long-range Chinese strategy - This picture of Chinese strategy is so shockingly at variance with contemporary thinking about maritime strategy that the temptation to dismiss it will be strong. - (Wall Street Journal 2/3) Russia Fears China, Not Japan - For that reason, Tokyo and Moscow need to guard against a new crisis in their relations and should instead consider jointly how to deal with the Chinese security challenge they both face. - (AP 2/3) Clinton says US in direct competition with China - (Wall Street Journal 2/3) The Decline of U.S. Naval Power - Sixty ships were commonly underway in America's seaward approaches in 1998, but today there are only 20. We are abdicating our role on the oceans.