Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry called for a police investigation after a diplomatic note from China regarding the South China Sea dispute was leaked. The note, published by a Filipino media outlet, accused Malaysia of encroaching on areas claimed by China’s controversial 10-dash line and demanded a halt to oil exploration near Sarawak. Malaysia expressed concern over…

The United States and the Philippines reached an agreement that will allow Afghan nationals who assisted the United States military in war to stay in the Philippines while they wait for visa processing and resettlement in the U.S. The U.S. government will cover the refugees’ food, housing, security, medical and transportation costs. The Afghan refugees are…

Tensions escalated in the South China Sea on Monday, Aug. 19, when Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships collided near Sabina Shoal, a disputed area in the Spratly Islands. Both sides blamed each other for the incident, which resulted in damage to at least two Philippine vessels. The Philippines accused China of engaging in “aggressive…

Things are heating up in one of the coldest places on the planet. For the better part of July and into early August, some of the most elite special operations forces in the U.S. military participated in Operation Polar Dagger.  The exercises test the most highly trained U.S. personnel in one of the planet’s most…

The Philippine Navy condemned recent actions by Chinese fighter jets over the disputed Scarborough Shoal as “coercive, aggressive and deceptive.” During an incident on Aug. 8, Chinese aircraft reportedly dropped flares dangerously close to a Philippine Air Force patrol plane, escalating tensions over the strategic South China Sea territory, which both nations claim. Philippine Rear…

National Security Adviser John Kirby announced that the U.S. is bracing for potential “significant” attacks by Iran or its proxies in the Middle East, possibly occurring as early as this week. In response, the U.S. has bolstered its military presence in the region, a move Kirby described as aimed at deterring Iranian aggression and de-escalating…

The United States, Australia, Canada, and the Philippines began a two-day joint air and naval exercise Wednesday, Aug. 7, in the South China Sea to reinforce international law amid China’s territorial expansions. The exercises, which are occurring within Manila’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, aim to ensure free navigation and enhance coordination among the allied…

For the first time, a pair of H-6 bombers from China were observed flying near Alaska, in a part of the skies known as the Air Defense Identification Zone, or ADIZ. An ADIZ is not sovereign airspace, but all craft are required to identify themselves in the interest of international security. The Chinese H-6s flew…

This year’s Rim of the Pacific exercises — more commonly known as RIMPAC — saw several notable accomplishments. RIMPAC is the world’s largest maritime warfare exercise, designed to prepare the U.S. and its allies for war in one of the most massive places on the planet: the Pacific Ocean. RIMPAC 2024 saw 25,000 warfighters from…

The United States Navy needs help repairing and maintaining its fleet of ships. Fortunately, help is on the way in the form of two companies from South Korea, Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. The new partnership should bring a significant boost to the United States’ sea lift capacity. Currently, the Navy faces a…