| Regional Affairs
Miltary transparency and Asian security CNBC 23rd Jun 2014
We have all heard the saying, "Sunshine is the best disinfectant." That is particularly true where Asian security is concerned. Indeed, I believe that a framework under which Asian governments publicly disclose their military budgets needs to be established if we are to build trust and avoid a regional arms race. More broadly, keeping military expansion in check, enlarging the number of countries that conclude the Arms Trade Treaty, and improving mutual understanding among national defense authorities are now the paramount issues facing Asia. They should be the focus of the East Asia Summit, which in turn should become the premier forum for taking up regional security issues and ensuring that stability is maintained.
Shock After The Lull: Southeast Asian Terrorists (ISIS) In The Middle East The Establishment Post 27 Jun 2014
Ahmad Tarmini Maliki, a 26-year-old Malaysian factory worker from Selangor, allegedly blew up 25 elite Iraqi soldiers at Iraq’s SWAT headquarters in al-Anbard on 26 May. He is believed to be Malaysia’s first suicide bomber and is linked to militants of the group called the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS). While a suicide bombing by a Malaysian may be unprecedented, this is not the first time Southeast Asians have engaged in terrorist activities related to Middle East conflicts. Malaysia, for example, has recently been cracking down on militant activities. Last year, the police set up the Special Task Force (Operations and Counter Terrorism), recognising the growing threat from home-grown extremists. In April, Malaysian police arrested 11 people who planned to send fighters to Syria; earlier this month, they arrested another three men, including a Navy officer, who also planned to launch attacks in Syria and Iraq. One international security expert has said that said more than 100 Southeast Asians, mostly from Indonesia and Malaysia, have travelled to fight in Syria and Iraq. The rest are from southern Thailand, the Philippines, with a few from Singapore. The rising involvement of Southeast Asians in Middle Eastern terrorist groups, ISIS in particular, could be extrapolated into a worrying trend. ISIS has capitalised on the political turmoil of the Syrian and Iraqi civil wars to strengthen its existence.
Japan a ‘clear winner’ at the Shangri-La Dialogue EAF 17th Jun 2014
China ran rings around everyone at last year’s Shangri-La Dialogue. Their delegation was a model of coordination, right down to the Q&A sessions where questions from Chinese delegates were evidently scripted. Many commentators expected a repeat performance in 2014, particularly given the involvement of the smooth talking and highly impressive Madam Fu Ying as a member of the Chinese delegation. Japan a ‘clear winner’ at the Shangri-La Dialogue 17 June 2014 Author: Brendan Taylor, ANU China ran rings around everyone at last year’s Shangri-La Dialogue. Their delegation was a model of coordination, right down to the Q&A sessions where questions from Chinese delegates were evidently scripted. Many commentators expected a repeat performance in 2014, particularly given the involvement of the smooth talking and highly impressive Madam Fu Ying as a member of the Chinese delegation. Instead, Tokyo took a leaf out of Beijing’s book and emerged as the clear ‘winner’ from the 2014 gathering. Three Japanese speakers were on the agenda and they each remained on message. Right from Prime Minster Shinzo Abe’s opening address, the need to respect international law was a consistent theme coming from Tokyo. So too was a strong Southeast Asian focus, with support expressed for Vietnam and the Philippines in their respective South China Sea struggles with Beijing. While Japanese speakers were at pains not to criticise China by name, it was clear to all concerned who they were pointing at. There was not only coordination within the Japanese delegation but also between Tokyo, Washington and Canberra. For any doubters, PLA General Wang Guanzhong singled out US–Japanese coordination for criticism during ‘unscripted’ remarks in his address. Australia remained largely unscathed here, although Defence Minister David Johnston’s remarks — that ‘Australia welcomes Japan’s efforts to re-examine its security and defence policies so that it can make a greater contribution to regional peace and to regional security’ — did little to assuage Chinese concerns that Australia is well and truly coordinating with Tokyo.
China Rejects Philippines' Call for Construction Freeze WSJ 16th Jun 2014
China rejected the Philippines' call for a halt to construction projects in disputed areas of the South China Sea, saying it has the right to build on what it regards as Chinese territory. China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, on Monday accused Manila of hypocrisy in its criticism of Beijing's activities, saying that the Philippines has itself engaged in construction work in the disputed Spratly Islands. "On the one hand, the Philippines side is busy putting up installations on China's Nansha [Spratly] islands that they have illegally occupied," said Ms. Hua, referring to the Philippine-controlled island of Pag-asa, which Beijing says belongs to China. "On the other hand, they make irresponsible remarks about China's legitimate construction work." The Philippine government did not respond to requests for further comment. The Chinese spokeswoman's remarks followed a proposal by Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario earlier Monday that China and the disputed areas' Southeast Asian claimants—Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam—agree to "a moratorium in terms of activities that escalate tension."
China sails into a sea of controversy PPP 14th Jun 2014
When it comes to sabre-rattling, China’s neighbours are starting to feel rattled. During the past two years, the second biggest economy in the world has crossed swords with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam over disputed specs of land in the South and East China Seas. The latest flashpoint came less than four weeks ago, when Vietnam accused China of sinking a fishing boat near an oil rig in hotly-contested waters. Last month, the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation started drilling for oil in part of the South China Sea claimed by Vietnam and China. Since then, relations between the two communist countries have deteriorated. Clashes at sea have escalated, a media war has broken out and anti-Chinese protesters in Vietnam have set fire to Taiwanese-owned factories. Chinese workers have also been attacked and hundreds have fled across the border to Cambodia. “Many Southeast Asian countries are reluctant to challenge China because it has become their largest trading partner and it is the largest aid donor to nations like Cambodia and Laos,” wrote Murray Hiebert, a senior fellow and deputy director of the Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
China Reveals Possible New Variant of Qing-class (Type 032) Submarine Defense Studies 12th Jun 2014
A model said to be of the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN's) new Qing (Type 032)-class diesel-electric test submarine was displayed at a shipping expedition held in the southern China province of Guangdong from 6-8 June. Reports carried by Chinese state media described the submarine as a 3,797 tonne vessel that can carry a crew of 200 sailors and researchers. It is said to be 92.6 m long with a height of 17.2 m.
Japan summons China envoy over 'dangerous' flights in East China Sea Straits Times 12th Jun 2014
Japan on Thursday summoned the Chinese ambassador to complain about fighter jets flying "dangerously" close to two of its military planes over the East China Sea, officials said. In the latest up-close confrontation between the two sides, Tokyo said two Chinese SU-27 jets flew just 30 metres away from its aircraft in a spot where the two countries' air defence zones overlap. "It was an action that was extremely regrettable, and which cannot be tolerated," said top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga of the Wednesday incident. It was the second time in less than three weeks that Tokyo has accused Beijing of playing chicken in the skies near the hotly-contested Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls the Diaoyus.
China and the U.S. Alliance System The Diplomat 11th Jun 2014
While the back and forth between the Chinese and U.S. and Japanese speakers at the Shangri-La Dialogue has gained considerable attention, less scrutiny has been paid to the comments by General Wang Guanzhong advocating a “new Asian security concept.” Wang was echoing Chinese President Xi Jinping, who similarly outlined a vision of an Asian security order managed by Asian countries at the fourth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures (CICA) summit, on May 20-21 in Shanghai, China (Xinhua, May 21, 2014). In many ways, advocacy of a revised security order to better accord with Chinese preferences is not new. PRC officials first introduced the principles of the new security concept in 1997. Around 2005, Chinese leaders unveiled a series of major concepts, including the Harmonious World, and its derivative, the Harmonious Asia, to provide a clearer vision of how China hoped to shape the global and regional order to accommodate the country’s rise. The new Asian security concept raised by Xi at the CICA summit, like the ideas promoted by preceding leaders, proposes the development of political and security relationships, institutions, and structures to complement the region’s deep integration with China’s economy. Details remain vague, however. While the tenets of the Asian security order preferred by China are not new, PRC leaders have stepped up criticism of the U.S.-led security architecture in Asia as an obstacle to this vision. To be clear, Chinese leaders have not designated the United States an enemy. On the contrary, the urgency behind China’s advocacy of the “new type great power relationship,” a policy ideal of close cooperation between relative peer powers to co-manage contentious issues, belies the extent to which China, as a rising power, has hoped to avoid the onset of a classic security dilemma with United States, the status quo power. China, after all, continues to require regional stability to maintain its focus on national development. However, it is increasingly finding its security and developmental needs at odds with the current security order.
Abe Looks for Speedy Clearance of Japan Defense Change WSJ 11th Jun 2014
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday made a forceful pitch for lifting restrictions on Japan's military soon, brushing aside criticism that he was ramming through the change without thorough debate. Ruling-coalition officials said Mr. Abe wanted his cabinet to change the interpretation of the nation's pacifist constitution by next week, an ambitious timetable that is causing frictions with the coalition's junior partner. The change would permit Japan to exercise the right of "collective self-defense," meaning its military, or Self-Defense Forces, could come to the defense of allies like the U.S. even if Japan itself wasn't attacked. Speaking during parliament's question time on Wednesday, the prime minister reiterated his aim of playing a leading regional role in countering China. Citing Beijing's territorial ambitions in the South China Sea and North Korea's nuclear threat, he said Japan's military had to enhance deterrence in the face of an "increasingly severe security situation in the Asia-Pacific." Ruling-party lawmakers crowded into the parliament committee room and cheered Mr. Abe as he raised his voice to hail the patriotism of the nation's soldiers. "Even at this very moment, there are SDF troops in the southwestern seas and airspace who risk their own safety to protect Japanese lives," he said. His emotional appeal, however, was met with sarcastic chiding from Banri Kaieda, leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, who said the prime minister was "getting drunk on his own speech."
U.S. Official Urges Nations to Cool Tensions in South China Sea WSJ 10th Jun 2014
A senior U.S. official, citing news reports suggesting China is reclaiming land and building military facilities in contentious areas of the South China Sea, called on nations in dispute to stay away from currently unoccupied land to cool tensions as they work toward establishing a long-term code of conduct. Daniel Russel, assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific, urged China and Vietnam to withdraw all their ships from the area of confrontation and called on Beijing to remove the oil rig that triggered the current crisis, which has involved violent clashes between ships from the two nations in recent weeks.Mr. Russel, Washington's top diplomat for Asia, also said the contestants should try to resolve their case at an international tribunal. He spoke to reporters on the phone from Yangon, Myanmar, where he had attended a series of meetings with officials from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this week. "I stressed in the meetings…our view that both sides, both Vietnam and China, need to de-escalate tensions. Both need to exercise restraints and ensure the safe behavior and activities of their vessels," he said.
China's Budding Ocean Empire TNI 5th Jun 2014
Beijing's might is growing from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean. Is a new age of great-power rivalry inevitable? Robert D. Kaplan June 5, 2014 inShare5 I am flattered by Nilanthi Samaranayake’s lengthy and respectful treatment of my March 2009 Foreign Affairs cover story about the importance of the Indian Ocean, on the article’s fifth anniversary. It is also five years since I published “Pakistan’s Fatal Shore” in The Atlantic (May 2009), an eyewitness account of several thousand words about my visit to the port of Gwadar in Balochistan. Samaranayake writes that Gwadar has not turned out to be the commercial success that my Foreign Affairs article intimated it would be. But in that Atlantic article, I provided a deeply reported summary of Gwadar’s very problems: something for which there was simply no space in my wide-ranging Foreign Affairs article, whose job it was to articulate a general theory of a vast region of the globe. In fact, in subsequent works, Monsoon (2010), The Revenge of Geography (2012), and Asia’s Cauldron, published this year, I have had the space for a full-bodied treatment of power rivalries in the Indo-Pacific. It is these works taken together that represent my thinking on the Greater Indian Ocean, which includes the South China Sea as an antechamber. So let me summarize some principal themes of these works, to go along with Samaranayake’s many good points:
Snubs, harsh words at Asia security meet as U.S. and Japan rile China Reuters 2nd Jun 2014
When Japan's defence minister greeted the deputy chief of staff of China's army at a regional security forum this weekend, he was undiplomatically snubbed. Lieutenant General Wang Guanzhong said he was incensed by comments from Japananese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe implicitly holding China responsible for territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas and later by U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's accusations that Beijing was destabilising the region. "When Mr Abe spoke just now, there was veiled criticism targeted at China," Wang told Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera, according to the semi-official China News Service. "These accusations are wrong and go against the standards of international relations." The exchange between the world's three biggest economies at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, a security forum for government officials, military officers and defence experts, were among the most caustic in years at diplomatic gatherings, and could be a setback to efforts to bring ties back on track. It was the first such major conference since tensions have surged in the South China Sea, one of Asia's most intractable disputes and a possible flashpoint for conflict.
PLA to Up Number of Type 041 Submarines to at Least 60 in 10 Years Defense Studies 2nd Jun 2014
Experts have predicted that China is likely to increase the number of its type 041 conventional submarines to 60 or 70 over the next decade. The Japanese navy also plans to increase the number of its Soryu-class diesel-electric powered submarines from 16 to 22 in response to a perceived threat from China, reports our Chinese-language sister newspaper Want Daily. Soryu-class diesel-electric powered submarines are the latest model of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. The vessel has a displacement of 2,000 tonnes and is equipped with an air-independent propulsion system. Japan will purchase another five of the submarine and will get delivery of one per year, increasing the total number of its Soryu-class submarines to ten. China is preparing to test its latest type-041 diesel-electric submarine in the water recently. The vessel is similar to Germany's new submarine and equipped with an extra sonar system. Its displacement is likely to reach 3,500 tonnes. US Pacific Command commander Samuel Locklear also said in March that China plans to increase the number of its type 041 conventional submarines to 60 or 70. The country has been building a nuclear-powered submarine that can carry JL-2 ballistic missiles. So far, the main carrier of the missiles has been the type-094 nuclear submarine, which China has four of.
China accuses US and Japan of ‘provocative actions’ FT 1st Jun 2014
A top Chinese general on Sunday accused the US and Japan of teaming up to stage “provocative actions” against China, as escalating maritime tensions spilled into an Asian regional defence forum. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Wang Guanzhong, deputy chief of the Chinese general staff, lambasted Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and Chuck Hagel, US defence secretary, for telling the forum of Asian defence ministers that China was using intimidation to assert its territorial claims.
What Keeps Asia up at Night: China's Regional Objectives TNI 30th May 2014
The Asian security architecture has long been defined by two sets of arrangements: a US-centered set of alliance arrangements, and an ASEAN-centered set of institutions. The conundrum of the modern Asian security environment is that both sets of arrangements—devised during an era of relatively weak Asian powers—are struggling for leverage in an era of stronger Asian powers. China’s rise lies at the heart of the problem. While scholars debate the extent to which Beijing even has a deliberate grand strategy, I think China currently pursues two distinct objectives. It seeks a culture of deference towards China’s interests among its neighbors, and a Great Wall at Sea to hold US naval power away from the Asian mainland. Those objectives are of course related: it’s easier for China to create a deferential regional hierarchy if a maritime buffer zone makes a US naval presence in the western Pacific less assured. The Great Wall at Sea pursues that goal of a weakened US presence in the maritime domain, and President Xi Jinping’s advocacy last week of a region free from US alliances is intended to pursue it on the land.
Abe looks through legal loophole for collective self-defence EAF 30th May 2014
In his quest to make constitutional reform a reality, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is now looking to invoke a controversial court ruling from 1959 as a pretext for reinterpreting the country’s constitution and authorising the exercise of collective self-defence. The Supreme Court’s verdict in the ‘Sunagawa case’, as it has come to be known, states that the Japanese constitution does not prevent Japan from taking ‘defensive measures that are necessary in order to maintain the peace and security of Japan’. According to Abe’s advisory board this ruling can be interpreted as allowing collective self-defence. The move has been heavily criticised by Japanese legal scholars and ordinary citizens who are feeling increasingly uncomfortable with Abe’s unabashed desperation for changing and reinterpreting the constitution. The Sunagawa case came about after, in July 1957, seven Japanese demonstrators were arrested for illegally entering the premises of a US air base in the city of Sunagawa (now, Tachikawa), in protest against the base’s expansion. The judgment delivered by the Tokyo District Court in 1959 found the presence of the US army in Japan to be unconstitutional. Judge Akio Date ruled that the US army’s presence constituted ‘war potential’, violating the second paragraph of Article 9, which states that ‘war potential … will never be maintained’. The seven defendants were subsequently set free. The ‘Date verdict’ sent shockwaves through Japan and the United States. Had this ruling been allowed to stand the US-Japan Security Treaty would have been thrown into jeopardy.
Hagel to raise China disputes in meeting AP 29th May 2014
Days after the U.S. and China traded new accusations of cyberspying, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Thursday he will press the same issues in a face-to-face meeting with a top military officer from Beijing this weekend. Hagel said he also plans to raise many of the territorial disputes that have raised tempers in the Asia Pacific region and talk about "where we think China is overplaying its hand and presenting new challenges and new tensions to this area." His meeting with Lt. Gen. Wang Guanzhong, deputy chief of the General Staff, is slated for Saturday. It comes during a national security conference in Singapore, where other Asian nations are also likely to air complaints about the escalating clashes in the region over disputed islands, colliding ships and China's placement of an oil rig in waters claimed by Vietnam.
Japan's military is back — and open for business The Week 29th May 2014
Every two years in Paris, the Eurosatory Defense Trade Show boasts the most advanced weapons systems on the market. Defense contractors from dozens of countries hawk the latest military equipment to delegations from around the world, hoping to seal orders and bring home business. This year, names such as Mitsubishi, Toshiba, and Kawasaki will make an appearance, marking the first time ever that Japanese defense contractors will appear at an international arms show. It's yet another example of Japan's swiftly changing attitudes towards issues of war and peace. For more than half a century, Japan's defense establishment, focused on home defense and prohibited from selling arms abroad, has been nearly invisible. Now, driven by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's reform agenda and concerns about a rising China, Japan is on the road to a more flexible military, a more robust global presence, and stronger alliances. And it is eager to seize a share of the worldwide arms market. In the wake of the Second World War, Japan adopted a pacifist constitution that renounced war as an instrument of national policy and relinquished the right to keep and maintain armed forces. Subsequent interpretations of the constitution have allowed for so-called "self defense forces" — ground, air, and maritime forces stripped of offensive weapons and designed to operate defensively.
Abe To Put Forward Japan as Counterweight to China Defense News 29th May 2014
Japan’s prime minister will lay out a vision of Tokyo as a counterweight to the growing might of China this weekend, at a major security forum set to be dominated by escalating regional disputes. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will tell the so-called Shangri-La Dialogue that Japan and its partner the United States stand ready to jointly bolster security cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Sankei Shimbun newspaper reported. He will stop short of singling out China, the paper added, but there will be little doubt about where he thinks the blame lies for the various rows in the South China Sea, and in Japan’s own battle with Beijing over East China Sea islands. Abe will likely “announce his aim to play more active roles in Asia by using the Japan-US alliance as the foundation,” said Koichi Nakano, political science professor at Tokyo’s Sophia University. The nationalist premier has set about reshaping the rules of engagement for Japan’s powerful, though little-used, military as he pushes a doctrine he has dubbed “proactive pacifism.”
New threats will not distract U.S. from Asia, Hagel says Reuters 29th May 2014
The United States will not be deterred from plans to strengthen its military position in Asia by emerging threats elsewhere, the U.S. defense secretary said on Thursday as he prepared to meet allies in the region worried by an increasingly assertive China. President Barack Obama, in a keynote foreign policy speech on Wednesday, surprised and disappointed some in Asia when he made no specific reference to what has been a signature policy theme of his administration, the rebalancing of U.S. military, political and economic focus toward Asia. He talked at length instead about emerging threats, including by militants operating from the North African region. U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters en route for Singapore, where he will speak at a regional security forum before heading on to Afghanistan and Europe, that the U.S. commitment to Asia was as strong as ever.
China, Vietnam, and the South China Sea The Diplomat 26th May 2014
(See link for video) In the wake of China’s decision to place an oil rig near the Paracel Islands, tensions between China and Vietnam are at their highest point in decades. The Diplomat speaks with Dr. Patrick Cronin, Senior Director of the Asia-Pacific Security program at the Center for a New American Security, about the current tensions and the repercussions for China, Vietnam, and ASEAN.
Why China Is Intentionally Provoking the U.S., Asian Neighbors The Wall Street Journal 5th Jun 2014
Beijing’s latest aggressive moves in the South China Sea that have so alarmed the U.S. and China’s neighbors appear to be intentional, writes Andrew Browne in this week’s China’s World column: The latest Chinese moves that have so alarmed the U.S. and China’s neighbors—including, dramatically, the decision to drag an oil drilling platform into waters disputed with Vietnam—appear to be the result not of policy confusion but deliberate planning, say Chinese and foreign security analysts. They are most likely centrally coordinated at the highest level. Ultimately, they seem to bear the stamp of the country’s president, Xi Jinping. If that’s the case, it suggests that China’s unyielding approach to territorial disputes is now firmly entrenched. And it’s much harder to see hope of compromise that’s urgently needed to avoid an outbreak of more serious conflict in the region, whether by accident or design.
New ASEAN Anti-Cyber Skills Aimed at China The Diplomat 9th Jun 2014
On Saturday, Japanese government sources announced that the U.S. and Japan would work to help the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) boost its technical abilities to investigate cybercrimes, according to Kyodo News. The two countries will contribute $400,000 to send anti-cybercrime experts by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime to ASEAN members. This news comes just weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it had charged five officers in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army with cybercrimes. According to the DOJ press release, the five are accused of “computer hacking, economic espionage, and other offences directed at six American victims in the U.S. nuclear power, metals and solar products industries.” As my colleague Shannon noted, the Chinese media responded to the charges with two assertions. The first was that the charges were patently false, and that the Chinese government had no part in state-sponsored cybercrimes. The second was that the U.S. charges were hypocritical, with the Chinese press calling the U.S. the biggest cyber bully, and pointing out that it spent $447 million on the U.S. Cyber Command this year. The Chinese media also noted the extensive evidence of worldwide U.S. cyber espionage produced by former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden.
Brunei
Singapore and Brunei Navies Conclude Bilateral Exercise Defense Studies 12th Jun 2014
The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) conducted their bilateral flagship naval exercise, codenamed Exercise Pelican, from 4 to 10 June 2014. The RSN deployed a Formidable-class stealth frigate (RSS Intrepid) with an embarked naval helicopter for the exercise, while the RBN participated with two Darussalam-class patrol vessels (KDB Darussalam and KDB Darulaman). Commencing off the waters of Brunei, the two navies conducted various naval warfare serials such as manoeuvring exercises, gunnery firings and helicopter operations. During the closing ceremony, Commanding Officer of RSS Intrepid, Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Beng said that Exercise Pelican had strengthened the overall defence relationship between the RSN and RBN. "The complexity of Exercise Pelican has grown over the years. This has continued in this year's exercise as our navies work towards deepening interoperability with each other." he said.
Boomeranger Boats Brunei Deal Defense Studies 4th Jun 2014
Finland’s Boomeranger Boats has received a significant order from the Royal Brunei Technical Services consisting of a comprehensive package of special operations boats and equipment with a contract value over €2m (USD2.73 million). The boats delivered to the Royal Brunei Technical Service’s customer are the Boomeranger’s latest C-950 Special Operation model – a market leader in the 9 to 10m RIB sector. Deliveries will commence later in 2014. Ilkka Pentikainen, Boomeranger Boats, told Maritime Journal: "In the construction of the boat we have used similar methods as previously used in our C-1200 Special Operation Boat, which we dare to say is the most advanced Special Operation Boat in the world." He added: "The reason why the C-950 is the game changer is the superiority of the hull design which makes the boat extremely reliable and sea worthy in all conditions and the advanced solutions in the construction of the boat. All this gives you the features of a large Special Operation Boat in a compact package." The C-950 Special Operation boat measures 9.5m in length, 3.0m beam and with tubes deflated 2.3m. Draft of the hull is 0.7m.
Cambodia
Myanmar to send army chief for talks, golf PPP 10th Jun 2014
Myanmar's top army chief will pay a four-day official visit to Cambodia to boost ties between the countries’ militaries – and to play a round of golf – according to a draft agenda from the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF). The agenda says that Senior General Min Aung Hlaing will arrive on Wednesday and stay until Saturday. During his trip, Hlaing is scheduled to meet with Minister of Defence General Tea Banh and pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Hun Sen. He is also scheduled to visit the National Defense University, play a “friendly” round of golf at the Garden City Golf Club in Phnom Penh and visit Angkor Wat. The next leg of his trip is the Philippines.
Cambodia unveils U.S.-aided defense strategic plan The Cambodia Herald 5th Jun 2014
The Cambodian Ministry of Defense on Tuesday launched a U.S.-aided strategic planning manual with an aim to assist Cambodian strategists to design standardized and effective defense strategic plans. Major Gen. Phat Vibolsopheak, chief of international relations department at the Defense Ministry, said the 17-page instruction manual had been taken 22 months to compile by a group of Cambodian defense experts with the aid of American specialists from the Defense Institution Reform Initiative. "The book is essential for commanders and senior officers of the Infantry, the Navy and the Air Force to use in designing standardized defense strategic plans effectively," he told a seminar to launch the manual.
Army did not move to stop CNRP: Tea Banh PPP 10th Jun 2014
The opposition yesterday accused a senior army general of having ordered plainclothes soldiers to block the party from entering the former Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng on Sunday, where they were set to hold a public forum. But Defence Minister Tea Banh strongly rejected the accusations. Hong Sok Hour, an opposition senator from the northwest, said Anlong Veng residents had informed the opposition that General Kun Kim, a deputy commander-in-chief of RCAF and a chief adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen, had ordered his soldiers to block the Cambodia National Rescue Party. “The witnesses confirmed that this group was made up of soldiers, because in Anlong Veng, people know each other. Civilians know civilians, the commune chief knows the commune chief, the deputy commune chief knows the deputy commune chief and the soldiers know the soldiers,” Sok Hour said at a news conference in Phnom Penh. “So Anlong Veng people said the group were made up of soldiers, and Mr Nhem En, the former deputy district governor of Anlong Veng [who defected to the CNRP in May], knows this group of soldiers are under the control of his excellency General Kun Kim.” CNRP leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha yesterday blamed the events on the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, which they said was trying to intimidate the opposition to join the National Assembly after months of boycotting.
Indonesia
Southeast Asia fears militant fallout as Mideast conflict widens Reuters 25th Jun 2014
Four gun-wielding rebel fighters sit relaxing on a wall, their faces concealed by scarves and ski masks. All are Indonesians who came to Syria to join the Islamist insurgency, the cameraman says, speaking Indonesian peppered with Arabic phrases. He pans around and introduces them as a former soldier, a businessman, and a college student, before settling on a boy in his early teens leaning on his AK-47 assault rifle.
TNI to Get First Delivery of Leopard Tanks Jakarta Globe 23rd Jun 2014
Indonesia is preparing to receive the first batch of armored vehicles it procured from Germany — from an order of 164 units — as the archipelagic nation strives to meet its minimum essential force requirement amid rising tensions in the region. A total of 52 combat vehicles, consisting of 26 Leopard main battle tanks and 26 medium-sized Marder infantry fighting vehicles, will be shipped from the city of Unterluss following a brief ceremony early this week, which will be attended by Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Indonesia’s deputy defense minister, and Gen. Pramono Edhie Wibowo, retired Army chief of staff. Pramono said he initiated the deal to purchase the 164 German combat vehicles — inked last year — before retiring. “We will be in Unterluss to oversee the final preparations — including technical inspections and testing — involved in shipping the Leopard tanks to Indonesia,” Pramono said in a statement on Sunday before departing for Germany. The former general declined to give the exact expected delivery date for the first batch of combat vehicles, but mentioned they would be arrive in time to be displayed in Jakarta for the Indonesian Military’s (TNI) anniversary on Oct. 5. The purchase is part of the government’s larger plan to modernize Indonesia’s aging military equipment and weaponry — an overhaul that was last carried out over 30 years ago. “Indonesia has fallen behind in terms of armory, even compared to several of our Asean neighbors,” Pramono said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Indonesia is a leading member. “We have been relying on light tanks, such as Scorpions and AMX-13, which are getting on in years.”
Singapore, Indonesian navies help Malaysia foil pirate attack Today Online 16th Jun 2014
The Malaysian navy on Saturday foiled a pirate attack with the aid of navies from Singapore and Indonesia after the pirates confronted a Singapore-managed tanker off Malaysia’s east coast in the South China Sea, reports yesterday said. The Star reported yesterday that the International Maritime Bureau said the pirates fled after the navy patrol boats from Indonesia and Singapore arrived, abandoning their attempt to loot the vessel. In a Facebook post yesterday, the Republic of Singapore Navy said its Information Fusion Centre — a network of military navies and civilian shipping companies worldwide — received an alert about the attempted attack at about 8.40pm on Saturday and coordinated an operational response with Malaysia and Indonesia. Its patrol vessel, the RSS Gallant, was also deployed and was the first naval vessel to arrive near the scene of the attack at 12.45am yesterday morning. The vessel also provided position updates and shadowed the tanker.
TNI-AU to deploy fighter aircraft near disputed waters with Malaysia IHS 11th Jun 2014
The Indonesian Air Force (Tentera Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Udara: TNI-AU) will upgrade a runway near the disputed maritime region of Tanjung Datu to accommodate fighter aircraft, the TNI-AU's assistant chief of staff, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Sudipo Handoyo, said on 9 June. "The instructions given directly by Indonesian Armed Forces commander General Moeldoko are to upgrade the runway at Paloh and establish a permanent TNI-AU presence in the area," he said. According to AVM Handoyo, the existing runway at Paloh has a length of 750 m was built by the Netherlands in 1978 to support its economic interests in West Kaliman. This runway will be hardened and lengthened to 2,500 m. One hundred hectares of land surrounding the runway will also be cleared to build logistics and accommodation facilities for soldiers. "We will also station about 500 troops from the army and navy in the area. This reinforcement is being done in anticipation of further provocations from Malaysia," said AVM Handoyo. "We will continue to monitor the situation and decide if we will need to deploy more troops into the area". AVM Handoyo, however, gave no details on the number or types of aircraft that will deployed at the new airbase. The proposed runway upgrades follows a statement by General Moeldoko on 26 May confirming that the Indonesian Navy (Tentera Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut: TNI-AL) is establishing a new naval base at Tanjung Datu.
Indonesia Plans to Open Maintenance Centre for Russia-Made Helicopters Defense Studies 30th May 2014
Indonesia, a country in Southeast Asia, plans to open a maintenance centre to service Russia-made helicopters. Four civil helicopters Mil Mi-171 were delivered to Indonesia in early May, the Russian embassy in that country told ITAR-TASS on Wednesday. Helicopters will be used by several Indonesian agencies and companies, including the National Agency of Emergency Situations. “Creation of a maintenance centre to service this type of Russian aircrafts is on agenda. Its delivery is planned to enlarge to Indonesia,” the Russian diplomatic mission noted. Meanwhile, supplies of one more type of Russian machinery began to Indonesia in early May. Four trucks KAMAZ were delivered to the country on the order from Indonesian company Tehnika Ina to pass certification. Certification of Russian vehicles is expected to be finalized in September.
7th Fleet, Indonesian Navy Leaders Share Knowledge Navy.mil 29th May 2014
Senior leaders from the U.S. 7th Fleet and Indonesian Navies met for a professional exchange of ideas in a variety of technical and tactical topics on board the 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) March 26. The meetings, or "staff talks," included professional dialogue between the leadership of the two staffs and are designed to share knowledge and develop methodologies for joint responses to any contingency within Indo-Asia-Pacific. The exchange included discussion of maritime patrol and reconnaissance, maritime domain awareness, mine warfare, navigation, engineering and medical training. In addition to knowledge sharing, the Indonesia navy, known as the TNI-AL, and U.S. 7th Fleet participate in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training and other multilateral military exercises such as Komodo. Both exercises serve as models of how Indonesia and U.S. navies can cooperate and work together to address shared security concerns. Examples include humanitarian assistance and disaster relief events, maritime security and improving communication procedures. "It is an honor for USS Blue Ridge to visit Indonesia," said Cmdr. Dwiyana, an Indonesian officer. "This staff talk will further the understanding and partnership between Indonesia and the 7th fleet."
Purnomo Shares Vision for Indonesia’s Defense Industry Jakarta Globe 18th Jun 2014
Purnomo Yusgiantoro is the kind of man one would expect to handle strategic issues. He was the minister of energy and mineral resources from 2000 to 2009, before being appointed defense minister. A seasoned technocrat and a Western-educated economist, he could not choose a better time to test his knowledge and to implement his vision. It has been two years since lawmakers passed the Defense Industry Law. Seven years in the making, the law is hailed as a game-changer in the future of the defense industry. The premise behind the law is simple: as Indonesia is on course to achieve economic greatness, bolstering military prowess will become a necessity, and for that reason, the country will stand to gain much more by having an efficient and modern defense industry.
Beyond defense modernization Jakarta Post 11th Jun 2014
As the presidential race heats up, contenders are putting forth their visions, including their defense policy agendas. In the absence of a specific and solid vision from former general Prabowo Subianto, the propositions of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo are the best we have — and worth examining further. According to his 41-page action plan, he has four main defense priorities. First, continue supporting the professionalism of the Indonesian Military (TNI) by improving soldiers’ welfare and its main weapons systems by increasing the defense budget to 1.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) within five years. Second, seek defense independence by reducing foreign technological imports, strengthening the domestic defense industry and diversifying Indonesia’s defense partnerships. Third, complete the military’s Minimum Essential Force (MEF) blueprint and build it so that it eventually becomes a respectable maritime force in East Asia. Finally, place defense policy as an integral part of a comprehensive and resilient national security system that reorders various defense, internal security, public safety and human security functions managed by the National Security Council (DKN).
The military’s show of force: What does it tell us? Jakarta Post 10th Jun 2014
On Sunday, June 1, 2014, the General Elections Commission (KPU) formally announced two legitimate pairs running for the presidency and vice presidency of Indonesia. The public, both foreign and domestic, seems very excited to follow the country’s political dynamics in the lead-up to the presidential election. Amid the widespread fever of the start of the presidential race, another significant event took place in the country. From June 1 to 5, the Indonesian Military (TNI) held a major exercise involving nearly 14,000 troops, hundreds of armored vehicles and artillery pieces and dozens of warships and combat aircraft.
PM offers Indonesia security deal as an olive branch Sydney Morning Herald 5th Jun 2014
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has held out the prospect of Australia and Indonesia signing a security and intelligence agreement as he steps up efforts to repair diplomatic relations between the two nations. Before a meeting on Tuesday night with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Mr Abbott said Australia and Indonesia shared many common interests, including tackling people smuggling and combating the growing risk of jihadists returning to the region from Syria. ''I think it is important that we have an intelligence-sharing memorandum of understanding between Australia and Indonesia because we have a lot of shared intelligence and security interests,'' he said.
China’s Advance Spurs Indonesian Military Shift: Southeast Asia Bloomberg 29th May 2014
China’s intensifying move to assert claims over the South China Sea has given fresh impetus to a military buildup in Indonesia that will see its forces deployed with greater focus on external risks. After years of concentrating on separatist threats across an archipelago long enough to stretch from New York to Alaska, Indonesia plans to deploy attack helicopters to its islands at the southern end of the South China Sea and expand its naval power. The front-runner for July’s presidential election, Joko Widodo, aims to boost defense spending to 1.5 percent as a share of the economy, which is Southeast Asia’s largest.
Malaysia
F-22s land in Malaysia for first Southeast Asian exercise IHS 4th Jun 2014
Six US Air Force (USAF) F-22 Raptor air-superiority fighters arrived in Malaysia at RMAF Butterworth airbase on 6 June to take part in the bilateral Exercise 'Cope Taufan 2014'. The participation of the F-22 in its first exercise in a Southeast Asian country follows discussions in 2013. The United States is keen to engage with Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Sukhoi Su-30MKMs, which in the past carried out air combat exercises with US Navy carrier-based fighters whenever a carrier transited through Malaysian waters. The six F-22s are a composite detachment from the 19th and 199th fighter squadrons, both from the 154th Fighter Wing based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and arrived from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. They will be joined by Boeing F-15Cs of the 131st Fighter Squadron, 104th Fighter Wing, Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts.
Malaysia Seeks Code of Conduct for South China Sea The Wall Street Journal 2nd Jun 2014
Malaysia urged a rapid conclusion to creating a long-stalled code of conduct in the South China Sea, as tensions grow over conflicting territorial ambitions in Asian waters between Beijing and neighboring countries. The call Monday by Prime Minister Najib Razak follows a tense weekend at a regional security summit in Singapore, where officials from smaller Asian nations and the U.S. traded barbs with China, with one Chinese general saying that the U.S. risked turning Beijing into an enemy. U.S. Pacific Commander Adm. Samuel Locklear said that China had an important decision to make about its place in the security landscape of Asia. Malaysia opened its own three-day security conference Monday with a keynote speech from Mr. Najib, read to the delegates by Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, in which the Malaysian leader stressed that continuing talks and action that could lead to a code of conduct for rival nations in the disputed waters were "steps in the right direction."
China Offers LY-80 Missile System to Malaysia with ToT Defense Studies 2nd Jun 2014
The Malaysian government's investment arm Khazanah Nasional Bhd has signed a cooperation agreement with Beijing Enterprises Group Co Ltd to pursue strategic co-operation and explore investment opportunities in green and clean energy industries in Malaysia. The agreement was among 11 signed at the China-Malaysia Business Summit, witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Vice Premier of China's State Council Wang Yang here today. Under the agreement, Khazanah via its investee company CIMB Group would be involved in assisting Beijing Enterprises Group Ltd, a subsidiary of Beijing Enterprise Group Co, to issue ringgit denominated Islamic bonds to fulfil the financing needs of a water supply enhancement construction project in Terengganu. Prior to the agreement, Khazanah had invested US$152 million in Beijing Enterprises Group, representing a 4.62 per cent stake. Khazanah has also sold three of its wholly-owned waste incineration power generation projects in China to Beijing Enterprise Group Co for a total consideration of 650 million Renminbi.
RMAF To Upgrade Radar Technology Defense Studies 27th May 2014
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has to expedite upgrading the national defence radar system as some of the radars are more than 15 years old. RMAF chief General Tan Sri Rodzali Daud said the matter had been discussed with the government. "If everything goes well, RMAF will enhance the existing radar system and hope the matter can be considered. "RMAF is also studying the need to upgrade the airspace detecting system, which is also a priority, apart from the national defence radar system," he said at a media conference in conjunction with the Defence Ministry and RMAF Media Day at the Kuantan Airbase today. Rodzali said the country's defence, as well as its military capability, depended on its strength to defend its air space, apart from launching attacks within a short period. Earlier, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the country's radar system and national defence should be re-evaluated being that the government had exposed its military capability and assets during the search and rescue mission for MH370
‘Gov’t on shopping spree over MH370′ FMT News 18th Jun 2014
No clear investigation outcome or report has been presented in the case of the missing MH370 and yet the government’s first reaction is to rush out to ‘shop’ said Setampin MP Julian Tan. “Defence Minister Hishamuddin Hussein’s excuse of the need to strengthen military assets, including radar systems, following MH370′s disappearance is a pathetic one.” “There is no post-mortem report and no parliamentary select committee to investigate the crisis and assess the issue internally. “Yet the government’s first response is that purchasing expensive new military equipment is the solution to the problem. According to Lam Choong Wah, Senior Fellow of Research for Social Advancement Relevant Facts, Sparkling Analysis (REFSA), the defence budget has been on the rise every year from RM13.82 billion in 2011 to RM16.1 billion in 2014. “There is a need to establish an Independent Review Panel (IRP) to assess not only the MH370 crisis but also military demands.
Financial Times links Malaysia to sanctions-breaking sale of Iran oil Malay Mail 6th Jun 2014
Malaysia is among countries used to resell Iranian oil in the Middle Eastern nation’s scheme to circumvent trade sanctions starving it of basic goods, the Financial Times (FT) reported, The secret scheme is part of the massive corruption that allegedly took place under former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in which the government gave oil allocations to accomplices at large discounts, according to the FT. These accomplices enjoyed generous commissions as long as they were able to bring back basic commodities or cash into the Middle Eastern country. As the recruits were unknown politicians or businessmen, they could get information from back channels to sell crude oil to previous importers of Iran’s oil, or new customers, by using new transport routes. According to the FT, the crude could be sent to Asian countries like Malaysia first, where it would either be put in storage or reloaded onto other tankers before the sale, where it would be labelled as another country’s oil. The paper reported that the buyers, which could have included Asian navies or armies that did not have to account for their purchases to their governments, paid in cash. FT also reported that mysterious businessman Babak Zanjani has become a symbol of Iran’s corruption under Ahmadinejad’s administration that lasted from 2005 to 2013. The paper said some of Zanjani’s wealth was held in the First Investment Islamic Bank in Malaysia, which he reportedly said he had set up some three years back to help evade sanctions. This is not the first time Malaysia’s name has surfaced in investigations into international transhipments of a questionable nature and which involve Iran. In 2004, Malaysia was identified as the hub of Pakistani Abdul Qadeer Khan’s nuclear network.
Myanmar
Aung Min Apologizes to Military for ‘Aggravating’ Remarks Irrawaddy 23rd Jun 2014
The government’s chief peace negotiator has apologized to Burma’s powerful military for comments he reportedly made last week that appeared to diminish the stature of soldiers fighting on the front lines of Burma’s long-running civil war. Before his formal apology was issued on Saturday, President’s Office Minister Aung Min had received criticism from pro-military voices over his remarks, in which he reportedly said government soldiers fighting ethnic rebel groups in Burma “do not need to be conferred with honorable titles,” according to local media. “I sincerely apologize for my words at the UMFCCI ceremony, which aggravated current Tatmadaw soldiers, ex-military commanders and their families,” Aung Min wrote in a letter titled “My apology” and posted online byHla Maung Shwe, an adviser to the government-affiliated Myanmar Peace Center. Tatmadaw is the Burmese word for Burma’s combined armed forces.
Peace principles of ethnic parties 75 per cent completed Eleven News 23rd Jun 2014
The draft of peace principles, proposed by 20 ethnic parties and designed for political dialogue, has advanced 75 per cent before completion, a source said. “The principles are being written by member ethnic parties of Nationalities Brotherhood Federation since 2013. In drafting, the ethnic parties met and discussed with peace organisations, international political scientists as well as referring to the principles of establishing the Union,” said Sai Saw Myint Than, NBF spokesperson. The NBF would not release the partial draft of the principles, he said, noting that future steps for peace and the attitude of ethnic people are key factors in framing the political dialogue which would be organise after the nationwide ceasefire deal. He said the NBF-drafted principles would be combined with those done by ethnic armed groups. The NBF has factored in proposals advanced by the government and the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team, he said. The drafted peace principles would include suggestion for the establishment of Myanmar as federal union, he added.
Armed groups and political legitimacy Myanmar Times 23rd Jun 2014
The peace process in Myanmar remains the best opportunity in many decades to address the political, social and economic issues that have long driven armed conflict. Although negotiations between the government and ethnic armed groups have struggled to reach agreement on a number of key issues, there is still the prospect of negotiating a nationwide ceasefire accord in the next few months.
Nationwide Ceasefire May Delist Ethnic Armed Groups as ‘Unlawful’ Irrawaddy 19th Jun 2014
Government peace negotiators have told Shan leaders that once-outlawed ethnic armed groups would be removed from its list of “unlawful associations” after signing a nationwide ceasefire agreement. President’s Office Minister Aung Min dangled that carrot in front of Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) leaders at a meeting on Thursday in Thailand, according to Col. Sai La, the RCSS spokesman. “We discussed the signing of the nationwide ceasefire agreement quickly and collaborating for the initiation of political dialogue before the 2015 general election,” he added. “They [government representatives] said they would attempt to remove us from the list of outlawed associations after we sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement in August,” Sai La told The Irrawaddy. The Unlawful Association Act was used by the former military regime to punish any group or individual involved with insurgents. It outlaws any connection with, support for or participation with associations listed by the government as illegal.
Trust Shaken as Burma Army Allegedly Attacks Karen Soldiers Irrawaddy 17th Jun 2014
Burmese troops have attacked a group of ethnic Karen soldiers in the country’s southeast, leaving one man dead and raising concerns about the government’s commitment to a nationwide ceasefire, Karen sources say. The alleged attack on the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) at an outpost in Tenasserim Division comes as the government army continues a much more publicized offensive in the country’s far north against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). About 80 soldiers from the Burma Army attacked more than 10 soldiers from KNLA Brigade 4 on Saturday at a frontline outpost in Dawei Township, Tenasserim Division, according to Saw Tamular, an official with the KNLA’s political wing, the Karen National Union (KNU). Citing information from KNLA Brigade 4, he said government troops seized two guns from the Karen soldiers, who belonged to Battalion 11.
Electoral proposal incompatible with ceasefire deal Eleven News 16th Jun 2014
The legislative push to introduce the proportional representation might adversely impacted on the agreement on nationwide ceasefire, said Sai Saw Than Myint, spokesperson for the Nationalities Brotherhood Federation. “We have no need to introduce the proportional representation into the electoral system as the country is already under the federation system. All ethnicity-based parties, the NBF and the armed national races groups strive to uphold the federation. Introducing the new electoral system may not yield any benefit to us. If deemed necessary, the proportional representation should confine to seven developed regions which were in existence before the emergence of the federation,” said Sai Saw ThanMyint. He warned that ethnic parties might reject the 2015 elections due to attempts to force the proportional representation upon them. This may lead to the collapse of peace deal, he said.
Spy expert Des Ball warns of continuing attacks on Myanmar's minority ethnic groups ABC News 11th Jun 2014
A prominent Australian security academic who has advised one of Myanmar's largest armed rebel groups says the military continues to inflict grave human rights violations on ethnic groups in the country. Professor Des Ball, who was recognised in this year's Queen's Birthday honours for services to international relations, has made a special plea for an end to violence against minority groups in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Scandalised by the brutal treatment of the Karen people by pro-government forces, he began to advise the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) on military tactics a decade ago. "A couple of particular guys were involved in taking large numbers of young girls, raping them, mutilating them and when they had finished with them, putting them in the bark and thatched huts and then burning the girls alive or just machine-gunning them," Professor Ball said.
Myanmar denies military links with N. Korea Korea Times 10th Jun 2014
Myanmar denied allegation again that there is defense cooperation between his country and North Korea, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thursday. During talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se in Naypyidaw, his counterpart Wunna Maung Lwin was quoted as saying that Myanmar has supported the United Nations Security Council's sanctions against the North Korean nuclear weapons program. Yun encouraged Myanmar to send a consistent message to North Korea regarding proliferation, stressing that the international community is watching closely how Myanmar, which is the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, responds to Pyongyang. In response, Myanmar's foreign minister made it clear that his country's position on anti-nuclear proliferation was clear and it also supports a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.
KNU to lobby ethnic armed groups for ceasefire Eleven News 10th Jun 2014
The Karen National Union will try to convince ethnic armed groups, comprising members and non-members of the National Ceasefire Coordination Team, to accede to nationwide ceasefire. On Wednesday, the KNU delegation, led by chairperson Saw Mutu Sae Poe, met with President Thein Sein and Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Nay Pyi Taw. The two sides discussed the necessity for the immediate implementation of ceasefire agreement, according to Pado Mann Nyein Maung, KNU’s central executive member. The KNU also met with Lower House Speaker Thura Shwe Mann. "An immediate realisation of ceasefire is needed in this country. The country's leaders have talked earnestly about the country's needs, which are to sign the ceasefire agreement and to carry out peace-building. We share the same views as them," said Pado Mann Nyein Maung.
Myanmar military 'tortures civilians': human rights group Yahoo 9th Jun 2014
Myanmar security forces "systematically" torture civilians in conflict-racked Kachin state, a rights group said on Monday, the third anniversary of renewed fighting between government forces ethnic minority insurgents in the northern state. The Bangkok-based Fortify Rights group said it interviewed 78 survivors and witnesses of torture perpetrated by Myanmar's army, police and military intelligence agency. Victims reported abuses that included stabbings, beatings and having wire tied around their necks. "The torture and the abuses taking place right now in Kachin state constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity and very little is being done to stop it," Matthew Smith, the group's executive director, said in an interview.
Burma Army Deploys Troops Closer To Wa Shan Herald 6th Jun 2014
The Burma Army has deployed more troops to areas of northern Shan State close to the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) and the United Wa State Army (UWSA). At the end of May, the Burma Army deployed about 20 truckloads of soldiers, together with about 15 armored vehicles, from the Shan State capital Taunggyi to Mongsu township, and from the eastern Shan State capital Kengtung to Mongjarng township.
New roles and relations for Myanmar's military Asia Times 6th Jun 2014
There remains widespread skepticism that reforms underway in Myanmar, despite their expediency and comprehensiveness, are simply cosmetic, civilian window dressing masking the institutionalization of military rule in its latest incarnation. Given the longevity and durability of the generals' hold on power in various regime types, this is not an unjustified perspective.
Myanmar Military Wants All Ethnic Rebels Groups in Cease-Fire Agreement RFA 5th Jun 2014
Myanmar’s military chief wants all armed ethnic groups to strive hard to join a proposed nationwide cease-fire agreement, saying unity was critical for development and democracy, according to the leader of a Karen political organization. During a meeting Wednesday with leaders of the Karen National Union (KNU), the armed forces commander in chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said that “he doesn’t want any group missing from signing the nationwide cease-fire agreement,” KNU leader Mahn Nyein Maung told RFA’s Myanmar Service. The KNU and its armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), also met Myanmar President Thein Sein, who Mahn Nyein Maung said told the groups that he “wants to implement the cease-fire agreement as soon as possible.” The military is willing to collaborate with all ethnic rebel armies to achieve the “unity, stability and development that are so important to creating a democratic country,” Mahn Nyein Maung quoted the military chief as saying. Seventeen ethnic armed groups are currently involved in peace talks with the government which have dragged on for months following various demands pushed by some of the groups, including their role in a federal army.
Bangladesh, Myanmar at odds over border clash Arab News 3rd Jun 2014
Bangladesh has lodged a protest with Myanmar over what it called an unprovoked attack against its border guards by Myanmar security forces on May 30, following an earlier exchange of fire in which one Bangladeshi guard was killed. Myanmar has given a different version of events and has warned Bangladesh it will not tolerate any violation of its sovereignty or territory. Maj. Gen. Aziz Ahmed, head of Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), told reporters on Saturday that a body handed over by the Myanmar side was that of guard Mizanur Rahman, 43, who had gone missing on May 28. In a statement on Saturday, the Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry said it had called in Myanmar’s ambassador to protest at an “unprovoked eruption of gunfire from the Myanmar border force” on May 30.
Dhaka rules out anti-Myanmar activities from Bangladesh soil Global Post 3rd Jun 2014
Dhaka has denied the allegation that anti-Myanmar groups operating from its soil but expressed keenness to look into the matter if Myanmar provides an evidence or specific information, officials said Sunday. They said Dhaka is still keen to push forward the "growing relations" and work closely with the next-door neighbor despite a soldier was killed in a firing on Bangladeshi paramilitary personnel Wednesday. "There is no evidence of any anti-Myanmar group operating activities from Bangladesh," the country's Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque told journalists Sunday. He said, "If they have evidence or specific information they can share with us and we'll surely look into the matter.
FSB Buys Aircraft An-148 built for Myanmar Defense Studies 2nd Jun 2014
Voronezh Aircraft unification finally managed to find a buyer for the company hung two An-148 aircraft, originally built for the Air Force of Myanmar. The contract for delivery of two aircraft was signed in 2009, the first plane was flight tested back in 2010 (temporary registration 61707, serial number 41-01), second (61708, 41-02) crashed on March 5, 2011 during a test flight. Agreement was terminated only six months later - in November 2011. In this regard, the VACO replace the lost side was completed machine 61712, c / n 41-09. Since cars are built with an English-speaking cab to find a buyer among domestic airlines for a long time was not possible. Only 19 of May this year, according to materials disclosure deal was struck between the KLA and VASO the delivery of three An-148-100s, including two built for Myanmar and one aircraft of new construction - the machine's serial number 43-06 . The cost of the agreement amounts to 4,315 billion rubles. Delivery of the first An-148 is defined December this year, the second - to the end of the 1st quarter of the future, the final will be delivered before the end of 2015. Final recipient aviation aircraft will be the Federal Security Bureau, the contract for three aircraft was concluded with a jab at the end of April (previously about it in LJ). In the course of the tender documentation were made changes and additions , confirming the conversion of aircraft s / n 41-01 and 41-09 for the FSC. It was also removed the requirement that the supply of new, unexposed repair and recovery of aircraft.
‘Conflict Negotiators’ Meet in Myitkyina Irrawaddy 29th May 2014
The first meeting of a new commission to negotiate during armed conflicts in northern Burma met in the Kachin State capital of Myitkyina on Wednesday. Five representatives from the Burmese government and five from the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) are part of the Conflict Negotiation Commission, which formed during bilateral peace talks between both sides earlier this month. Members of the commission are tasked with working together to reduce fighting between the KIO’s armed group and the Burmese army, as the government continues to push for a nationwide ceasefire accord with all armed groups.
Visit a tentative step in Japan-Myanmar military relations Myanmar Times 28th May 2014
The Japanese military's top officer held meetings with his Myanmar counterpart on May 27, officials said, the first visit of Japan's highest-ranking army officer to the country since World War II. General Shigeru Iwasaki, chief of staff of the Japanese Self Defense Forces Joint Staff, met Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing in the capital Naypyidaw as part of a four day trip to the former junta-run nation, according to an information ministry official. He will on Wednesday meet President Thein Sein, who has been credited for a wealth of political and economic reforms that have seen the former junta-run country shed its pariah image.
Myanmar’s military: from menace to mediator EAF 27th May 2014
Reforms currently underway in Myanmar are often viewed as a thinly veiled attempt at disguising the military rule in its latest incarnation. While the military has moved away from tightly controlling the country’s day-to-day administration, it has ensured that its core interests remain preserved in the Constitution. Specifically, the military has kept its position as an autonomous entity beyond civilian oversight and maintained an exclusive authority over security matters. The military — or Tatmadaw — remains the most powerful actor in the current system but their role has changed significantly since the 2010 parliamentary elections. Significant changes in the military’s engagement with civilians, ethnic groups and foreign actors, however, are transforming these previously demonised and persecuted groups into future partners. While reservations and distrust still linger on both sides, the future trajectory of these relations will be crucial in the way Myanmar’s political transition evolves. The military’s initial intrusion into politics was in response to the perceived incompetence and corruption of civilian leaders following independence — a mindset that has remained in the decades since. But since the transfer of power in 2011, interactions with the opposition — specifically the National League for Democracy led by Aung San Suu Kyi — have improved. The opposition and military members now regularly engage in discussions in parliament. Suu Kyi, while adamant of the military’s eventual removal from politics, realises their importance in the democratic project and regularly engages with the senior leadership and attends military events. But whether the Tatmadaw are willing to accept civilians (as opposed to their retired brethren currently in government) as potential leaders instead of just partners remains to be seen.
Second draft of ceasefire deal complete Eleven News 27th May 2014
The nationwide peace negotiations saw the completion of the second ceasefire draft, expecting to finalise the peace deal at the next round of talks in June. The government’s Union of Peacemaking Working Committee (UPWC) and the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) met for the second round of talks on May 21-to-23. In their joint statement, both sides pledged to conclude the negotiations in order to reach the ceasefire agreement as soon as possible. Commenting on the talks, Aung Min, vice chairperson of the UPWC, said the delegates had thoroughly reviewed every proposal advanced by ethnic leaders, the government, the parliament and the military. “We did not limit the debate on any proposals submitted by ethnic leaders, the government, the parliament and the defence services. We will present the results to the president, the Union Parliament speaker, the the military commander-in-chief, asking for their comments,” said Aung Min.
Attack on border fuels growing concern Myanmar Times 27th May 2014
A state media report that armed gunmen attacked a police camp along the Bangladesh border last week killing four officers has highlighted the growing violence in the already restive region. Few details of the May 18 incident, which occurred near Maungdaw, are available due to severely restricted access to the region. Those that have surfaced have come from the government. “We can’t confirm [many details] … We can only say it was an armed group,” said U Win Myaing, a spokesman for the Rakhine State government in Sittwe. He added that a variety of smugglers and other armed groups are active in the area.
Myanmar Looks to Purchase the FC-1 Xiaolong from China Defense Studies 17th Jun 2014
Through introducing technology from China and Pakistan, Myanmar plans to produce FC-1/JF-17 Xiaolong/Thunder multirole fighters domestically for its air force, reports the Yangon-based Myanmar Times. The Myanmar Air Force has 23,000 pilots and ground personnel. With 10 major air force bases, it currently operates 32 Russian-built MiG-29B and MiG-29SE fighters, 25 Chinese-built J-7M fighters, 21 Chinese built Q-5 attackers and 16 trainers. In addition, it also has nine Mi-35 attack helicopters and more than 90 other types of helicopters. Chinese military aircraft have become very popular among the military of Myanmar in recent years, according to the report. The air force has been looking to purchase a license from China or Pakistan to produce its own Xiaolong fighters, according to the report. Designed jointly by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, the FC-1/JF-17 fighter is capable of carrying air-to-air missiles including the PL-5EII, PL-9C and PL-12. The C-802A anti-ship missile can also be equipped when the Myanmar Air Force needs to provide air support to the nation's naval forces in combat.
Philippines
The armed forces’ shift to external defense Business World 25th Jun 2014
THE division of jurisdiction in external and internal security and its impact on the professionalization of the armed forces continues to shape the security sector reform conversations in many countries. In the Philippines and Indonesia, for example, security sector reform focuses on how the armed forces’ shift to external defense roles will reconfigure the role of the police as guardians of internal security and their relationship with the military. It also previews the states’ construction of the external/internal environments and of the military’s role as manager of coercive violence. Today, the reforms in the Philippine armed forces (AFP) and the Indonesian armed forces (TNI), which share a common history of politicization, are being oriented toward external defense -- via arms modernization, arms procurement and enhanced military budget spending. In the Philippines, domestic security drivers include the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which officially puts an end to the conflict with the Muslim separatists. In addition, the declining communist threat (with a current nationwide strength of 4,000) has also contributed to the shift in the AFP’s strategic directions as articulated in the 2011 Internal Peace and Security Plan. The plan provides for a three-phase gradual transition from internal security to external defense and disaster management initiated this year until the end of President Benigno Aquino III’s term in 2016.
Coast Guard Beefing Itself Up Within Next 3 Years Defense Studies 25th Jun 2014
The Philippine Coast Guard is to hire an additional 1,000 uniformed personnel this year and 2,000 more in the next two years to meet its goal of having a “10,000-strong command” by the end of President Benigno Aquino III’s term in 2016. The PCG, an agency attached to the Department of Transportation and Communication, has only 606 officers and 6,143 enlisted personnel tasked to guard the country’s more than 36,000 kilometers of coastline and thousands of coastal communities depending on the nation’s marine resources. “This year, recruiting at least 1,000 uniformed personnel is our target,” Cmdr. Armand Balilo, the PCG spokesperson, told the INQUIRER in a telephone interview Wednesday. “But our bigger goal is to have 10,000 uniformed personnel within the next three years. Ideally, we should have that number of personnel.” An undisclosed number of new recruits will be assigned to the PCG’s new search-and-rescue base in Roxas City in Capiz, Balilo said. He said that “with the ongoing personnel recruitment program, the command has also started preparing for the manning of the 10 brand-new patrol boats that we’re getting from Japan in the next two years.”
Philippine military cuts 'life-threatening' run tests Rappler 25th Jun 2014
Most armies pride themselves on pushing soldiers to their physical limits in preparation for combat. But in the Philippines, senior officers have decided a two-mile run could be "life-threatening" to troops, and have shortened a fitness test to compensate. The timed run forms a key part of the twice-yearly fitness examination for all soldiers, but from next month the apparently deadly distance will be reduced to a safer two kilometers, military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Ramon Zagala said. The change was instituted as three officers have collapsed and died doing the fitness tests since 2010, according to a military commissioned health study that recommended the shorter runs, according to Zagala. "The technical working group found out that after two kilometers they [soldiers] can fall victim to heart attack or stroke," he said.
Philippines, Vietnam to Deepen Military Cooperation Wall Street Journal 25th Jun 2014
Vietnam and the Philippines have agreed to deepen military cooperation at a time when both Southeast Asian countries find themselves embroiled in disputes with China in the South China Sea. The two countries will increase the number of visits by each other's military and boost cooperation in their defense industries, military training and handling of maritime violations, the Vietnamese Defense Ministry said in a statement late Tuesday. The statement followed a meeting earlier in the day in Hanoi between the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, and the chief of staff of the Vietnam People's Army, Lieutenant Gen. Do Ba Ty. Mr. Ty said in the statement that Mr. Bautista's four-day visit, which began Monday, will consolidate friendship, cooperation, understanding and trust between the two countries.
Philippines and US to conduct CARAT 2014 near South China Sea Naval Technology 24th Jun 2014
The US and Philippines are set to conduct cooperation afloat readiness and training (CARAT) 2014 exercises from 26 June to 1 July, near Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. The week-long exercises will be held about 80nm away from two or three Chinese coast guard vessels stationed on patrol off the disputed Scarborough Shoal, in the South China Sea. Around 1,000 troops will conduct live-fire drills on the western shores of the Philippine island of Luzon, according to Reuters. The US forces participating in the exercise include a guided-missile destroyer, Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk helicopters, two landing craft air cushions, underwater demolition teams, Seabees, an explosive ordnance division unit, and company-sized amphibious assault vehicles.
Aquino backs Japan’s larger military role Inquirer 24th Jun 2014
President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday expressed support for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s push to expand Japan’s military role amid China’s more aggressive posture in Asia’s disputed waters. Aquino said in Tokyo that the Philippines believes it would be beneficial if Japan were able to come to the assistance of allies under attack. “We believe that nations of goodwill can only benefit if the Japanese government is empowered to assist others and is allowed wherewithal to come to the aid of those in need especially in the area of collective self defense,” Aquino said in a brief statement following his summit meeting with Abe. “We therefore do not view with alarm any proposal to revisit the Japanese Constitution if the Japanese people so desire, especially if this enhances Japan’s ability to address the international obligations and brings us closer to the attainment of our shared goals of peace, stability, and mutual prosperity,” Aquino said. Abe’s ruling party is in the midst of tough negotiations with its coalition partner over Abe’s proposal to reinterpret the Japanese constitution to allow what is known as collective self-defense. The Japanese military can currently only use force to defend Japan.
Philippine President Backs Abe's Military Push Wall Street Journal 24th Jun 2014
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday offered his endorsement of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's move to lift restrictions on the nation's military as both countries grapple with what they view as China's increasing territorial assertiveness in the East and South China Seas.
US hasn't picked Philippine bases, envoy says Rappler 17th Jun 2014
The US ambassador on Tuesday, June 17, denied reports that his country has picked Philippine bases it wants to use under a new military deal between the Philippines and the US. “We haven't agreed to anything,” US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg said in an interview with Rappler's Maria Ressa. Goldberg responded to a question from social media on whether the US “has identified Philippine bases it wants to use” under the controversial Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Earlier, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff General Emmanuel Bautista listed 3 military bases that will be offered to US troops: A naval detachment in Palawan's Oyster Bay, which faces the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea); The Naval Education and Training Command in San Antonio, Zambales, which also faces the West Philippine Sea; and Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija
China fears spur PH naval upgrade Inquirer 16th Jun 2014
As fears grow that China is on an aggressive South China Sea territorial grab, a sleepy Philippine village is being transformed into a major naval base that may host US warships. Ulugan Bay, a small, picturesque cove encircled by thick mangroves, has suddenly become a vital part of the Philippine military’s efforts to shore up its defense of contested South China Sea islands and waters. “This is the frontline of our territorial defense operations in the Kalayaan island group,” President Benigno Aquino declared last month as he inspected the progress of a recently announced upgrade of a tiny naval station on the bay. Ulugan is on the west coast of the large western Philippine island of Palawan, only 160 kilometres (100 miles) from a small group of islands and islets within the Spratly archipelago known locally as the Kalayaan group. The Spratlys are among the most prized assets in the decades-long but increasingly hostile struggle for control of parts of the South China Sea.
Philippines Extends Deadline for ASW Helicopter Bidding Defense Studies 11th Jun 2014
First stage bidding for the Philippine Department of National Defense's (DND's) PHP5.4 billion (USD123 million) acquisition of two anti-submarine warfare helicopters has been reset to 24 June, DND undersecretary Natalio Ecarma has said. Bid documents for the project initially indicated a submission deadline of 3 June but the date has been extended because some bidders have given the feedback that they were unable to register for the tender via PhilGEPS, the Philippine government's online procurement system. According to the DND's Bids and Awards Committee, so far two firms have indicated interest by purchasing bid documents
Navy's Armed AW-109Es to be Delivered Before Year-End Defense Studies 6th Jun 2014
The Philippine Navy (PN) on Wednesday announced that the two armed versions of its AgustaWestland AW-109Es are scheduled to be delivered before the end of 2014. This was confirmed by Navy public affairs office chief Cmdr. Gregory Fabic in an interview with the PNA. "They will be delivered before the end of the year," he stressed. These versions will be armed with machine guns and air-to-ground rockets. Three of the PN's AW-109Es, the unarmed version, was formally activated and tasked to join the fleet last May 21. These aircraft were formally commissioned into service last Dec. 22. The AW-109 "Power" helicopter is a three-ton class eight seat helicopter powered by two Pratt and Whitney PW206C engines. The spacious cabin is designed to be fitted with a number of modular equipment packages for quick and easy conversion between roles.
Philippine Navy to Get Ship, Boats from South Korea Defense Studies 4th Jun 2014
South Korea is giving the Philippine Navy a transport ship, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Monday. Seoul will also send 16 rubber boats and computers. Gazmin went to Seoul Thursday to meet with his South Korean counterpart, Kim Kwan-jin. "They gave an LCU (Landing Craft Utility), rubber boats, and computers," said Gazmin, who returned to Manila last Saturday. He did not immediately say when the equipment will arrive in the Philippines. Gazmin also discussed humanitarian assistance and disaster response with Kim. He also expressed his gratitude for the role of South Korean troops in the ongoing rehabilitation of typhoon-hit Eastern Visayas. At least 500 South Korean troops arrived in Leyte last December to help in the construction of structures, including school buildings. They are due to return to South Korea by December this year.
US Eyes Use of Navy Base in Cagayan Defense Studies 2nd Jun 2014
The United States may station troops at the Philippine Navy base here under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Local officials disclosed that a team of US servicemen, accompanied by US embassy staff, inspected the Camilo Osias Naval Base facility in Barangay San Vicente here recently. Located on the northern tip of Cagayan, Camilo Osias base has maritime and territorial jurisdiction over the country’s northern frontier – a portion of the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. A local official who saw the five US visitors said they were “introducing themselves as tourists... and proceeded to inspect the naval base.” The local official asked not to be named, saying he is not authorized to speak on issues of national concern. The base has a port and an airfield that can accommodate C-130 cargo planes, one of the requirements being considered by the US military leadership on the planned increased deployment of forces in the country.
Four foreign Firms Eye P5.9-Billion DND Patrol Aircraft Project Defense Studies 1st Jun 2014
At least four firms have expressed interest in joining the auction for the Department of National Defense’s (DND) P5.9-billion acquisition of two long-range patrol aircraft. DND Public Affairs Service Chief Arsenio R. Andolong told BusinessWorld via telephone that, as of Friday -- the day of the project’s pre-bid conference -- four foreign companies have already bought bid documents, signifying their interest. These included Canadian firm Field Aviation Ltd. and Israeli defense contractors Elbit Systems Ltd. and Elta Systems Ltd. European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company -- Construcciones Aeronautics SA (EADS-CASA) Airbus, which earlier expressed interest in bidding for the DND’s P4.9-billion close air support aircraft acquisition project, also bought bid documents for the patrol aircraft project. The project also entails supplying aircraft sensors and their integration with the DND’s systems.
Magnetic Rocks, Part II: Assessing the Philippines' Legal Strategy in the South China Sea TNI 28th May 2014
The Philippines must often feel as if it is engaged on the wrong side of a David-and-Goliath dispute in the South China Sea. In almost every respect, Manila finds itself at a disadvantage: it lacks the capability to protect its claims against sustained intrusions; its claims rest on shaky legal grounds; its friends and allies are unwilling to go to war to defend those claims; and its opponents are committed, cunning, and powerful. Yet despite the odds, Manila has fared remarkably well, in large part because it has been able to capitalize on its strengths and conceal its weaknesses. After realizing that a dispute on China’s terms was no dispute at all, the Philippines turned the tables on Beijing with a pro-active strategy designed to exact concessions from its larger neighbor by forcing China to choose between specific maritime claims and its long-term interest in regional stability. This strategy has evolved over time as China has responded in kind. At first, Manila relied heavily on efforts to change the situation on the ground and to internationalize the conflict. However, China was able to counteract the Philippines at each step with its greater maritime presence and international political capital. As a result, the Philippines has recently turned to a third element of its pro-active strategy: international law. Despite the weakness of its own claims, the Philippines has been able to mastermind a comprehensive campaign against Beijing grounded in international law. This assault has centered around an arbitration case filed against China in January 2013, which has successfully—at least so far—backed the larger nation into a corner. But while this arbitration will be a critical waypoint for Manila along the road to consolidating control over its claims, it also raises unsettling questions about the unstable dynamic that has gripped the region.
US military pact is legal, insists Philippines The Hindu 27th May 2014
The Philippine government insisted on Tuesday that its new accord letting the U.S. expand its military presence in the country is legal and is confident the agreement will withstand constitutional challenges.
P-Noy wants greater defense role for Japan Philippine Star 24th Jun 2014
President Aquino yesterday urged Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to make Japan more assertive in helping other nations in the region stand up to an aggressive neighbor. Aquino endorsed the Japanese prime minister’s ongoing push to reinterpret Japan’s pacifist constitution to allow its military to defend not only Japan but also allies that come under attack. Aquino’s support comes as Japan and the Philippines deepen security ties in the face of China’s military expansion and territorial disputes they and other Asian nations have with China in the South and East China seas.
US: Sea row threatens regional commerce Philippine Star 4th Jun 2014
MANILA, Philippines - Uncertainties spawned by hostile incidents in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea are affecting the business climate in the region, visiting US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker said in a roundtable briefing with reporters yesterday. Pritzker cited China’s move last month to deploy armed naval vessels near the Paracels to guard an oil rig that it had parked in the vicinity. One of the vessels rammed and sank a Vietnamese ship, which ventured into the area that Vietnam considers part of its territory. She said China’s action was “provocative” and that it had further raised tensions in the region. “We’re very concerned about that. Its (China’s) dangerous conduct and intimidation by vessels operating in this area is not good,” Pritzker said. She reiterated the US position on the need for a peaceful and legal approach to end the territorial disputes in the region.
U.S. Phasing Out Its Counterterrorism Unit in Philippines NYT 26 Jun 2014
An elite American military counterterrorism unit that has been operating in the southern Philippines for more than a decade is being phased out, the Pentagon’s Pacific Command said Thursday. The Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines — which was formed after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks — was established to help train and advise the Philippines in its fight against rebel groups linked to Al Qaeda. The unit was one of dozens worldwide that tried to fight potential terrorist groups, before they could strike the United States. American Special Forces will continue to help Philippine security forces counter a smaller, lingering Islamist threat, but the size of the mission will drop in the coming months to a dozen or so advisers from its current 320 service members, based in Mindanao in the south, American officials said. “Our partnership with the Philippine security forces has been successful in drastically reducing the capabilities of domestic and transnational terrorist groups in the Philippines — to the point where they have largely devolved into disorganized groups resorting to criminal undertakings to sustain their activities,” said Capt. Masato Itoh of the Marine Corps, a spokesman for the Pacific Command in Hawaii.
Singapore
Singapore Charges Company Over North Korea Weapons Shipment WSJ 10th Jun 2014
Singapore filed criminal charges on Tuesday against a shipping company implicated in a shipment of weapons to North Korea that was seized by Panamanian authorities last year. Locally registered Chinpo Shipping Company Ltd. was charged with transferring $72,000 to a Panama shipping agent knowing that the funds could be used to contribute to the "nuclear-related, ballistic missile-related, or other weapons of mass destruction-related programs or activities" of North Korea. A Chinpo executive, 50-year-old Singapore citizen Tan Hui Tin, who is the daughter of Chinpo's chairman, was charged for withholding potential electronic evidence. The charges follow Panama's seizure in June of a North Korean ship headed from Cuba to North Korea. Panamanian authorities suspected it was transporting drugs but found two Cuban fighter jets, missiles and live munitions beneath the Chong Chon Gang's cargo of sugar. Panama says the weapons violated United Nations sanctions that restrict arms trading with North Korea because of its nuclear weapons program. In March, the United Nations Security Council's sanctions committee named Chinpo as one of two companies involved in trying to ship arms to North Korea. The other was Ocean Maritime Management, a Pyongyang-based company. Singapore's Foreign Ministry said authorities received information about Chinpo in January this year. A panel of experts advising the Security Council said in its annual report on North Korea that the country's embassies, including in Singapore and Cuba, were suspected of helping to organize arms shipments to Pyongyang via complex financial methods that were "pioneered by drug-trafficking organizations."
National Service recommendations accepted Straits Times 10th Jun 2014
A high-level committee's recommendations to improve National Service have been formally accepted by the Government. Some key recommendations by the Committee to Strengthen National Service (CSNS) include establishing a volunteer corps in the Singapore Armed Forces, increasing benefits and incentives for servicemen and cutting down on waiting time for pre-enlistees. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that the Government would accept the recommendations. "These proposals will strengthen NS for future generations and ensure the defence, safety and security of Singapore," he wrote, in a letter to the committee. The 30 changes proposed by the Committee are expected to cost the Defence Ministry some $4.5 billion over the next decade. About half of the amount will fund benefits and schemes aimed to support servicemen, while the rest will be used to improve the SAF's training system, the committee said. Set up more than a year ago, the committee has consulted over 40,000 people from all walks of life through focus group discussions, town hall meetings and web chats.
Singapore and US reaffirm bilateral defence ties CNA 30th May 2014
Singapore’s Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen and United States Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel have reaffirmed the two countries' long-standing and excellent defence ties. During their meeting on the sidelines of the 13th Shangri-La Dialogue on Friday (May 30), they noted the successful inaugural deployment of the US’ first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), USSFreedom, to Singapore in 2013, and looked forward to the arrival of the USS Fort Worth later this year. In addition, they exchanged views on a wide range of regional and security issues, welcoming multilateral forums such as the Shangri-La Dialogue and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus. Secretary Hagel also called on Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana on Friday. Separately, the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey was conferred Singapore’s highest military award by President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the Istana. This is in recognition of his contributions towards enhancing ties between the United States Armed Forces and the Singapore Armed Forces.
Singapore PM: Might not right in territorial disputes Associated Press 25th Jun 2014
Singapore’s prime minister said Tuesday international law should determine how territorial disputes in the South China Sea are resolved, rather than the notion that “might is right.” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was responding to a question about China’s expansive territorial claims in resource-rich oceans that have spooked some of its Southeast Asian neighbors. Singapore is not a claimant state in the South China Sea, but is supportive of efforts by Southeast Asia’s regional bloc to negotiate with China a code of conduct to manage and resolve the territorial disputes, that have increased regional tension. The city state also balances its strong ties with Washington with cordial relations with Beijing.
Singapore asks U.S. for continued pilot training UPI 13th Jun 2014
Singapore has asked the United States for a follow-on Foreign Military Sales deal for continued pilot training and equipment. The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, in its required notification to Congress of the possible sale, said the State Department had already signed off on the package that is worth $251 million. "Singapore needs this training and equipment to support its F-16 aircraft," the agency said. "The continuation of this training program will enable Singapore to develop mission-ready and experienced F-16 pilots." If approved, training of Singapore's F-16 pilots would continue for five years at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Covered under the deal would be provision of 80 CATM-9M captive air training missiles, jet fuel, containers, academic instruction, maintenance, clothing and individual equipment.
Singapore firm charged with smuggling weapons to North Korea Today 11th Jun 2014
Criminal charges were filed against a Singapore-registered shipping company yesterday for helping to smuggle missiles and fighter jets from Cuba to North Korea. A UN report also alleged that North Korea’s embassies, including in Singapore and Cuba, were used to shift arms to Pyongyang via complex financial methods that were “pioneered by drug-trafficking organizations”. “The panel has found that North Korea makes increasing use of multiple and tiered circumvention techniques,” a summary of the 127-page report said.
Thailand
The NCPO finally decides to take on the South and its insurgency problems The Nation 26th Jun 2014
A peace dialogue is to be worked out with Malaysia as a facilitator but there will be no talks about a self-administrating zone. The military's power seizure from the elected government has so far underplayed southern issues like these. Only last week did its ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) finally announce that it would focus on work related to tackling unrest in the South. By comparison, the 2006 military coup cited southern unrest as among the key reasons it had rolled out the troops. The NCPO's strategy was planned in two parts: An administration structure, and changes related to a peace dialogue with separatists.
The U.S. Is Freezing the Thai Junta Out of Military Exercises Time 26 Jun 2014
Thailand has been uninvited from the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) in Hawaii — the world’s largest international maritime-warfare exercise — this week, in response to spiraling human-rights abuses in the wake of last month’s military coup. More The Thai Junta Is Offering $15 Rewards for Photos of Anticoup ActivityA Yellow Shirt Leader Says the Thai Coup Was Planned in 2010Losing Crown Isn't Fair, Sobs 'Too Old' Miss Delaware NBC NewsWhat Happened When One Woman Had Her Picture Photoshopped In 25 Different Countries Huffington PostClass Dismissed, Forever: Towns Despair as Rural Schools Close NBC News The ban only affects the two or three Thai military observers slated to attend the exercise, nonetheless, in diplomatic terms the snub — to America’s oldest treaty partner in Asia — is a very pointed one. Popular Among Subscribers Eat Butter Fat Time Magazine Cover Ending the War on Fat Subscribe The End of Iraq How Many People Watched Orange Is the New Black? No One Knows “We take very seriously the whole human-rights aspect to this coup in Thailand,” U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney tells TIME. “One of the things our government has done is look at our military engagements.” Washington has already blocked $4.7 million in security-related aid to Thailand, accounting for roughly half its total annual assistance. But more significantly, the U.S. has made it clear that significant progress toward elections must be seen if next year’s high-profile Cobra Gold exercises are to go ahead.
US cuts more Thailand Aid Bangkok Post 25th Jun 2014
The United States said it has suspended more assistance to Thailand in response to a military coup and was considering moving a major regional exercise out of the kingdom. Washington has blocked $4.7 million in security-related aid to Thailand, which accounts for roughly half of its $10.5 million in annual assistance to the longtime ally, State Department official Scot Marciel yesterday said in testimony to Congress. The United States swiftly rebuked Thailand's military after it defied warnings not to intervene in the political chaos. The State Department announced that it had frozen $3.5 million a day after the May 22 coup.
Thailand urges U.S. to reconsider plan to relocate Cobra Gold military exercise Shanghai Daily 25th Jun 2014
Thailand called on the United States on Wednesday to reconsider moving the Cobra Gold military exercise from the military-ruled country. Col. Virachon Sukonthapatipak, spokesman of the National Council for Peace and Order, the official name of the Thai military junta which staged last month's coup to oust an elected government, told military attaches from 15 countries during a briefing at the army headquarters that the U.S. government should seriously review any plan to relocate the multinational military exercise supposedly in protest of military rule in Thailand. The Thai colonel's comments immediately followed news reports that the U.S. government was considering moving next year's Cobra Gold exercise out of Thailand following the May 22 coup which already prompted Washington to cut 4.7 million U.S. dollars in annual military aid to the Southeast Asian country.
Police-station building budget boost Bangkok Post 24th Jun 2014
The junta has approved a 25% increase of the existing budget for rebuilding 396 police stations nationwide to 8.36 billion baht as proposed by the Royal Thai Police Office. The 1.68-billion-baht hike was in line with standard increases in material prices and wages, said Winthai Suwaree, a spokesperson of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). "Of the total budget, 2.46 billion was for fiscal 2009-14, which can be used to build 181 buildings," Col Winthai said. The project, which began in 2009, was allegedly fraught with corruption. The original 12 contracts, grouped by areas to speed up construction, were later combined into one and awarded to a single contractor who failed to deliver after three extensions. The 6.67-billion-baht contract stipulated that the government pay 15% of the contract value to the contractor as advance payment.
Thai Junta Alters Security Plan to Quell Southern Insurgency Voice of America 22nd Jun 2014
Thailand's military junta is putting new security measures in place in a bid to calm the country's restive southern region, where fighting with Muslim separatists has claimed more than 5,000 lives in the past decade. The military leaders are also hoping to restart peace talks with insurgents. A new command structure for Thailand's southern border provinces will have junta leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha replace civilian authorities as the army takes a lead role in efforts to halt rising violence in the south. Civilian organizations will come under the military command.
Thai Army Delegation Visits China Amid Western Reproach of Coup Irrawaddy 12th Jun 2014
A delegation of Thai military commanders traveled to China on Wednesday for talks on regional security and joint training amid Western reproach of the army’s seizure of power in a coup last month. Gen. Surasak Kanjanarat, Thailand’s de facto defense minister, said the meeting was aimed at mapping out “future plans of action” with the Chinese army, one of its oldest regional allies. He did not elaborate on the plans. The bid by Thailand’s military rulers to strengthen ties with China comes after Western powers, including old ally the United States, criticized the May 22 coup and called for a speedy return to democracy. The junta has said it has China’s support.
Thai junta claims support from China, Vietnam Business Insider 4th Jun 2014
China and Vietnam have expressed support for Thailand's new military government, an army spokesman said on Wednesday, as pro-army groups planned to demonstrate at the Australian Embassy for downgrading relations after last month's coup. Several foreign governments have voiced disapproval of the coup, which saw General Prayuth Chan-ocha take power after months of political unrest that undermined the government of Yingluck Shinawatra. "China's and Vietnam's ambassadors to Thailand met Supreme Commander General Thanasak Patimaprakorn yesterday and assured us that they still have a good relationship with Thailand and that they hope the situation will return to normal quickly," Yongyuth Mayalarp, a spokesman for the military's National Council for Peace and Order, told reporters. The United States scrapped joint military programs with Thailand days after the May 22 coup while the European Union has urged the military to free political detainees and end censorship.
Pre-coup cases to be sped up The Nation 30th May 2014
Police, under instruction from the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), will speed up criminal cases in regard to lese majeste and attacks on protesters who rallied against the Yingluck government over the past several months, according to a senior police officer. The cases include deaths during a red-shirt gathering at Rajamangala Stadium in November, a clash in Din Daeng during an election registration in December, and a deadly attack on a group of People's Democratic Reform Committee supporters that killed two children in Trat province, deputy national police chief General Aek Angsananont said yesterday. War weapons seized recently by officials in Samut Sakhon may be linked to many of the incidents, notably the one in Trat province, Aek said.
Vietnam
Russia and Vietnam will Establish a Joint Venture for Ship Repair Defense Studies 24th Jun 2014
Russia and Vietnam are negotiating a joint venture for maintenance and repair of civil and military ships of various types, said Thursday Vietnam ambassador to Russia Pham Xuan Son. "Negotiations on the establishment of a joint venture for maintenance and repair of all ships of all countries," - he said at a press conference on the day of Vietnamese culture in Russia. Possible new enterprise ambassador mentioned while talking about the fate of the former Russian military base in Cam Ranh Bay, which is currently used exclusively by the Vietnamese side, but the Russian military ships can go in there, using a priority compared to other foreign ships. He also said that at the moment in Vietnam held the sixth round of talks between Vietnam and the countries of the Customs Union on the establishment of a free trade zone. They are expected to be completed by the end of this year, after which the agreement will be signed.
Vietnam Vows Stand Against China as Sea Collisions Continue Bloomberg 24th Jun 2014
Vietnam accused Chinese ships of ramming one of its fishing boats yesterday, saying relations between the two countries have been “deeply damaged” by the their standoff over a disputed oil rig in the South China Sea. Vietnam’s sovereignty and security as well as regional peace are “threatened” by China’s decision to place an oil rig off Vietnam’s coast on May 2, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung told legislators in Hanoi. The friction at sea, which has led to collisions, the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat on May 26 and anti-China riots in Vietnam, is hurting ties between the two communist countries, Hung said in his address. A high-level meeting between Vietnamese leaders and China’s top foreign policy official on June 18 failed to ease the daily sea skirmishes near the oil rig. The dispute is fraying ties between the communist countries and adding to regional tensions even as leaders from both sides promised to manage disagreements ‘‘using peaceful measures.’’
Chinese vessels continue to block Vietnamese ships near oil rig site Vietnam News 23rd Jun 2014
Vietnamese fisheries surveillance ships as well as fishing boats refused to be cowed by Chinese aggression in the East Sea yesterday, persisting in asking that the illegally placed oil rig be moved out of Vietnamese waters. The Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Department said that China yesterday mobilised up to 137 ships, including five military ships, to protect oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 that it illegally stationed in Vietnamese waters. At 06:40 and 08:13, Vietnam's law enforcement forces at sea also detected two Chinese reconnaissance aircraft operating at an altitude of 1,000m-2,000m in the west – southwest and the south – southwest areas, about 12-13 nautical miles from the rig's position. Chinese ships constantly followed and obstructed the law enforcement operations of Vietnamese fisheries surveillance authorities, coming as close as 30m from Vietnamese vessels.
For Vietnam and China, No Easing of Tensions New York Times 19th Jun 2014
China and Vietnam exchanged sharp views Wednesday in their dispute over a Chinese oil rig deployed in contested waters in the South China Sea near Vietnam’s coast and appear to have made little headway in cooling tensions, according to accounts by both governments summarizing a top-level meeting in Hanoi. China’s state councilor, Yang Jiechi, accused Vietnam, which has sent ships to the area, of conducting “unlawful interference” in the operations of the rig, and told Vietnam that China would “take all necessary measures to safeguard its national sovereignty,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in the statement. Vietnam’s prime minister, Nguyen Tan Dung, said that China had instead violated Vietnam’s sovereignty, and added that China had breached international and regional agreements on the South China Sea. The Chinese had also “hurt the feelings of the people of Vietnam.”
China Sends Top Diplomat to Begin Talks With Vietnam NYT 17th Jun 2014
A senior Chinese official will hold talks here on Wednesday with Vietnam about the contentious deep-sea oil rig stationed by China in disputed waters, the two countries announced Tuesday. The official, Yang Jiechi, will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh of Vietnam in the first high-level discussions between the two countries since early May, when sea vessels from the two sides rammed each other near the installation. Mr. Yang, a state councilor with a foreign policy portfolio, is known as a blunt promoter of China’s expansion in the South China Sea, and he is unlikely to offer concessions or a breakthrough in the tense situation, said diplomats here, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.
Vietnam Air Force Purchased 3 Transport Aircraft C-295 Defense Studies 12th Jun 2014
Airbus Defence and Space spokesman has confirmed that the company will be sold to Vietnam three military transport aircraft C-295. According to IHS Jane's, speaks at the company's facility in Seville (Spain) on 9/6, Sales Director of Airbus DS Military aircraft, Antonio Rodriguez Barberan he says. Apart Ecuador bought 3 units C-295 transport variant, the remaining 17 aircraft were sold to the secret customer. However, one employee in the production line of the company has revealed that Vietnam is one of such customers. Then Airbus DS spokesman confirmed to IHS Jane's, said Vietnam had actually ordered 3 transport aircraft C-295, the details are not revealed. Airbus DS official said, adding that, in 2014, Airbus DS has sold a total of 20 C-295 aircraft. Currently, only a relatively small number of countries that use the C-295 aircraft in the Middle East and North Africa, such as Algeria, Egypt, Jordan and Oman.
China Looks to U.N. in Vietnam Spat Over Oil Rig WSJ 11th Jun 2014
China told the United Nations that Vietnam is the aggressor in the countries' monthlong standoff over a Chinese oil rig in disputed waters, defending Beijing's conduct and postitioning itself as the victim in the conflict. Despite Beijing's shunning of international forums when it comes to dispute resolution, Chinese officials on Monday sent U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon what it called a position paper detailing Vietnam's "illegal disruption" of the "routine" activities of an offshore drilling platform that China deployed near the Paracel Islands in May. China maintained its resistance to seeking a multilateral resolution in the dispute, but the approach suggested that Beijing is growing uneasy about the damage its reputation has suffered from the spat with Vietnam and from a similar dispute with the Philippines, both of which have characterized China as a bully pushing around its smaller neighbors. China's bid to spread its message via the U.N. came after Beijing's rejection of a legal case the Philippines has brought against to an international tribunal in The Hague under the terms of the U.N. Convention of the Law of the Sea.
Vietnam Says China Sent Six Warships to Rig in Disputed Seas Bloomberg 11th Jun 2014
Vietnam said China again shifted an oil rig it has placed in disputed waters, with six warships guarding the structure as the two communist countries continue their South China Sea stand-off. The rig was moved for a third time and remains off Vietnam’s coast in an area claimed by both countries, the official Vietnam News reported, citing information from the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Department. There are now six Chinese warships, 38 coast guard vessels, 13 cargo ships and 19 tugboats protecting it, the paper said. China called the claim “extremely wrong” and said it hasn’t sent military ships to the area. Government ships were dispatched to safeguard security in the face of disruption to its drilling work by armed Vietnamese vessels, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a briefing in Beijing.
Vietnam’s deft diplomatic footwork on the South China Sea EAF 7th Jun 2014
In early May 2014, China deployed the drilling platform Hai Yang Shi You 981 (HYSY 981) in disputed waters in the South China Sea, causing a wave of protest in Vietnam and criticism from regional countries. In response to China’s behaviour in the South China Sea, Hanoi has been adopting a two-pronged policy of ‘hedging’: that is, pursuing engagement along with indirect balancing and trying to maintain balanced relations between powers without firmly plumping for either. Compared with other countries in the region, Vietnam has been a relative late adopter of this strategy. Its main approach to dealing with China had been engagement. But China’s more hardline approach might push Vietnam toward a more active hedging strategy, and Vietnam’s diplomatic dynamism following the HYSY 981 incident seems to confirm this. In addition to soliciting support from ASEAN, Vietnam has been trying to enhance ties with important partners such as the US, the Philippines and Japan. After the oil rig deployment incident, Vietnam’s foreign minister called his US counterpart to discuss the issue. Vietnam also announced its decision to participate in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) after more than ten years of consideration since the initiative was launched in 2003. Vietnam had been reluctant to support the initiative, which it sees as outside the United Nations’ framework. Moreover, as Vietnam has always been sensitive to sovereignty issues, legal loopholes within the PSI raised concerns that the US and major parties would take advantage of and manipulate the PSI for their own purposes.
Vietnam Seeks Closer Defence Ties With Canada Bernama 6th Jun 2014
Vietnam's Defence Ministry is seeking to work more closely with Canada in the defence sector, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported. Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh voiced this desire during a reception for a delegation from the Canadian Defence Ministry's Department for International Security Policy led by Rear Admiral Gilles Couturier on Thursday. Vinh said he hoped to have stronger cooperation with Canada in search and rescue experiences, flight safety courses and English language training among other things. Vinh believes wide-ranging ties especially defence between the two countries will be further strengthened following the delegation's working visit.
Vietnam develops increasingly dangerous strategy to counter China Breitbart 5th Jun 2014
China's belligerent military actions in the South China Sea, annexing regions that have historically belonged to Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, have drawn worldwide criticism, and caused Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines to form a military alliance to oppose China. The criticism is so sharp that a number of analysts have openly questioned why the Chinese would act so belligerently, if doing so incurred such criticism. These questions are extremely naive, but here are the answers from the point of view of Generational Dynamics:
Vietnam’s Role in Japan’s Southeast Asia Strategy The Diplomat 4th Jun 2014
As The Diplomat has noted extensively since last week, the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore last weekend saw Japan and the U.S. square off against China in asserting their interpretations of recent events in the South China Sea and East China Sea. China’s recent territorial conflicts with Vietnam and the Philippines, and the Japanese government’s attempt to normalize its security role in the region, were the main examples used by the opposing sides to showcase the threat to security posed by their opponent. As the dust begins to settle from the atmospherics over the weekend, Vietnam appears to be the country most interested in aligning with Japan, and willing to increase the scope of their security partnership. Japan is showing itself to be a willing partner, albeit with some important caveats.
Vietnam expects Japan coastguard ships next year: vice defense minister Reuters 3rd Jun 2014
Vietnam expects to take delivery of coastguard ships from Japan early next year, the country's vice defense minister said on Sunday, as Hanoi looks to boost its defenses amid a territorial row with China in the South China Sea. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday that Tokyo would provide Southeast Asian nations its "utmost support" in their territorial disputes over the South China Sea, in a speech that received a hostile response from China. In the South China Sea, scores of Vietnamese and Chinese ships, including coastguard vessels, have continued to square off around a Chinese oil rig in contested waters. Tensions heightened last week when Hanoi said a Chinese boat rammed and sank a Vietnamese fishing vessel not far from the oil rig. China's official Xinhua news agency reported the vessel capsized after "harassing and colliding with" a Chinese fishing boat.
Nations wish to foster ties with Vietnamese Defence Ministry Vietnam News 2nd Jun 2014
Vietnamese Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh held separate bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the US, UK and France on the sidelines of the 13th Shangri-La Dialogue. At the meeting with US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel, the two countries agreed to enhance co-operation in searching for US servicemen missing in action (MIA) during the war, clearing post-war mines and unexploded ordnance and dealing with the consequences of Agent Orange/dioxin in Viet Nam. Regarding the current East Sea situation, both Thanh and Hagel stressed the need to respect international law and the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and maritime and air security, along with freedom in the East Sea. On the basis of mutual understanding and in a constructive spirit, they also exchanged views on protecting peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
Vietnam Says China Attacked 4 Ships in Disputed Waters VOA 30th May 2014
Vietnam says China has attacked four of its ships near a controversial oil rig in the South China Sea, injuring three law enforcement officers. The head of Vietnam's Fisheries Surveillance Department, Nguyen Ngoc Oai, told VOA's Vietnamese service that one of his surveillance vessels and three Vietnamese fishing boats were surrounded Wednesday by eight to 10 Chinese ships before being rammed and hit by water cannon fire. "Those Chinese “fishing boats” are not fishing boats," he said. "They are designed for other purposes. "Those boats now are the main tool that the Chinese are using in their attempts to attack and to harass Vietnamese boats."
Sobering Thoughts: Remembering the Last South China Sea Struggle National Interest 30th May 2014
As tensions mounted in the South China Sea, a U.S. State Department telegram urged the government of Vietnam to avoid any deeper conflict with China over the Paracel Islands. There had already been casualties as a result of the dispute over which country had rightful control of the islands, and the Vietnamese government sought U.S. assistance. State Department officials contacted the U.S. ambassador to Vietnam and emphasized their interest in “cooling the situation.” They insisted that any statements to the media stress that the U.S. government took no position on the issue but held firmly to its belief that a confrontation with China over the islands was in no one’s best interests. The telegram is dated January 19, 1974.
Russia Lays Down 6th Kilo-Class Sub for Vietnam Defense Studies 30th May 2014
The final Kilo-class Project 636 diesel-electric submarine for the Vietnamese navy under a 2009 contract was laid down Wednesday in St. Petersburg, a defense industry source told RIA Novosti. "Today, we had the ceremony of laying down the sixth submarine for Vietnam. This is the latest submarine in this series," the source said. Under the $2 billion contract, two submarines have already been delivered to Vietnam, the third is undergoing sea trials, a fourth was floated out in late March, and the fifth and sixth are now under construction. "Two submarines have already been transferred to the Vietnamese Navy, the third is to be transferred this year and the remaining three in 2015-2016," according to the source. The vessels are built at the Admiralty Shipyards, a leading enterprise of the Russian shipbuilding industry and part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation. Its military products include warships, especially nuclear and diesel-powered submarines, and large auxiliary vessels.
Vietnam Navy Received Third FAC-Gun TT400TP Defense Studies 29th May 2014
On the morning of 28/5, Hong Ha Shipbuilding Company held a gun ship handover TT400TP HQ274 number (the number 3) for Vietnam Navy. HQ-274 gun ship was the number 3 Hong Ha Shipbuilding Company completed, handed over to the Navy after 2 handed gun ship HQ-272 and HQ-273 before the Navy to ensure quality, schedule, consistent with the requirements set forth. Before organizing the ceremony, HQ-274 gun ship has undergone these tests as: Acceptance of Phase 1, the long road test, test coaching crew finished the 2 train ... period, and council level assessment test is required to achieve the design, quality, aesthetic as well as putting into operation and use. TT400TP class ship cannon produced by Vietnam based on the preliminary design from foreign buyers. TT is an abbreviation of the word "patrol", also from TP stands for "gun boat".
US think tank calls for naval observers in East Sea Thanh Nien News 28th May 2014
The Boston Global Forum, a non-profit forum for international scholars, has urged the United States and the European Union to deploy naval ships to observe China's activities in Vietnamese waters. On May 27, the non-profit think tank announced a new initiative to take swift action to ensure peace in the East Sea, internationally known as South China Sea. The Initiative’s mission is to alleviate the threat of war in the region by facilitating open dialogue amongst involved nations, the BGF said in a release. Under the Initiative, the fund will hold an international conference with leaders from the United States, Asia, and the United Nations. Distinguished Professors, Michael Dukakis and Joseph Nye, will moderate the discussion.
China Moves Second Rig Toward Vietnamese Coast Wall Street Journal 19th Jun 2014
China says it is moving a second oil rig closer to the Vietnamese coast. The move comes amid continuing tensions and confrontations between ships from the countries. The Maritime Safety Administration said in a notice viewed Thursday on its website that it was towing the Nan Hai Jiu Hao drilling platform to the southeast. It said the 600-meter (1,970-foot) rig would be in place on Friday and asked vessels in the area to give it a wide berth. The shifting of the rig comes as officials from Vietnam and China said they had made no progress in talks about the deployment of another Chinese rig. China has blamed Vietnam for interfering with the first rig's operations and causing friction in their relations.
Haiyang 981: from water cannons to court? EAF 27th May 2014
A dangerous clash has flared up between Vietnam and China over the latter’s deployment of an oil rig near the disputed Paracel Islands. One option for Vietnam is to submit the dispute to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea’s (UNCLOS) compulsory dispute settlement procedure. The salient geographical details are that the rig, Haiyang 981, is deployed about 130 nautical miles from Vietnam’s undisputed continental coast, 119 nautical miles from the Vietnamese Ly Son Island, and 180 nautical miles from China’s undisputed Hainan Island. It is 17 nautical miles from the disputed Triton Island, a rock that does not qualify for an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or any entitlement beyond 12 nautical miles; and 103 nautical miles from the- disputed Woody Island, which might be entitled to an EEZ of up to 200 nautical miles. Since China has made a declaration under Article 298 of UNCLOS to be exempted from the convention’s compulsory dispute settlement procedure for several categories of disputes, including those relating to maritime delimitation, this procedure cannot be applied to determine whether Haiyang 981 has been deployed within the EEZ generated by Vietnam’s undisputed continental coast (which would mean the location of deployment belongs to Vietnam outright); that of China’s Hainan Island (which would mean the location belongs to China outright); or that of the disputed Paracels such as Woody Island (which would mean the location is contested). While UNCLOS arbitrators would not have jurisdiction to choose among these three possibilities, they would likely recognise that a legal dispute exists. The presence of nearby coasts and the long-standing conflicting claims over both the Paracels and the EEZ in this area are sufficient to constitute a legal dispute: the oil rig is located in an area of overlapping, potentially valid EEZ claims. This is true regardless of questions of sovereignty, allocation, or EEZ entitlements regarding the Paracels.
US Should Help Vietnam Counter China’s Coercion The East-West Center 26 Jun 2014
Last October, during a visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung promised to buttress “political trust” between the two South China Sea (SCS) claimants. Last week, while I was speaking at a conference in Da Nang, Vietnam where the Chinese were visibly absent, verbal accusations were flying both on land and in the media. The proximate cause of tensions is the placement of Haiyang Shiyou 981 (HS - 981) deep - sea drilling platform inside Vietnam’s 200 - nautical - mile exclusive economic zone. Since that unilateral maneuver in early May, China has created a cordon sanitaire around the rig by deploying military, coast guard, and fishing vessels in three concentric patrol circles. To date, a Vietnamese fishing vessel has been sunk and China has made unsubstantiated claims that Vietnamese boats have hit Chinese vessels on more than 1,400 occasions. Dueling videos are currently on the internet.
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