First review – “A splendid book”

First review – “A splendid book”

Posted by on Sep 15, 2014 in South China Sea | No Comments

A really excellent review of the book by The Economist, “Bill Hayton’s splendid book lucidly covers these disputes in all their complexity from virtually every angle—historical, legal, political, economic and strategic. A journalist with the BBC and author of a previous book on Vietnam, he tells a good yarn, even when the topic is as […]

China’s construction boom in the Spratlys

China’s construction boom in the Spratlys

Posted by on Sep 9, 2014 in South China Sea | No Comments

What’s changed as a result of China’s massive construction projects in the Spratly islands? Legally – nothing – but strategically – we wait and see. All the features that the PRC occupies in the Spratlys would be naturally underwater at high tide, so building on them, doesn’t mean they will count as ‘territory’ under international […]

China’s false memory syndrome

China’s false memory syndrome

Posted by on Jul 10, 2014 in South China Sea | No Comments

    The nationalist academics and government committees of the first half of the 20th century have bequeathed the Communist Party an “official history” that is demonstrably false. It is this, and not the threat of nationalist mobs on the streets that makes the South China Sea disputes so intractable and dangerous. But to concede […]

Clashes and artificial islands, BBC interview

Clashes and artificial islands, BBC interview

Posted by on Jun 6, 2014 in South China Sea | No Comments

  An interview for BBC World News about developments in the South China Sea – particularly the release by the Vietnamese government of video showing a Chinese ship chasing and sinking a Vietnamese fishing vessel and allegations from the Philippines government that China is constructing new artificial islands in the Spratlys. The interviewer is Kasia […]

China incompetent? The tale of the oil rig

China incompetent? The tale of the oil rig

Posted by on May 19, 2014 in South China Sea, Vietnam | No Comments

            What has China achieved by sending its oil rig to drill off the Paracel Islands? It has managed to rupture relations with its brother communists in Vietnam, incensed Vietnamese popular opinion, generated gigabytes of critical international media coverage, revived the “China Threat” discourse in Southeast Asia and unified ASEAN […]

China-Vietnam clash – interview for BBC World

China-Vietnam clash – interview for BBC World

Posted by on May 7, 2014 in South China Sea | No Comments

          Why has China sent an oil rig, guarded by a flotilla of ships, into disputed waters near the Paracel Islands and sparked a confrontation with Vietnam just days before a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)? An interview explaining the background for BBC World’s Newsday programme. Link […]