Scuffle in the South China Sea #51

What does the rise of China mean for South East Asia?

China is meeting with South East Asian nations over security concerns.
Will China reduce the tensions in the South China Sea?

China is planning a deep sea lab in the South China Sea 10k ft below the ocean surface.

The Chinese prevented Philippines nationalists from raising flags on the disputed shoals.

The Chinese are adding more ships to their South China Sea fleet.

Malaysia, Philippines & Thailand are all interested in the Russo-Indian BRAHMOS hypersonic antiship missile.

Japan is readying the first MMV patrol vessel for the Philippines.

Scuffle in the South China Sea #48

China wants to repair its relations with the Philippines.

China is warning the US not to let its allies set US policy for the South China Sea.

China welcomes Philippines' offer to negotiate over the South China Sea.

Malaysia is considering getting more aggressive, or at least assertive, in its claims to the South China Sea due to China's own actions.

Vietnam is considering buying the Russo-Indian BRAHMOS hypersonic antiship missile.

An oops on an online map caused Indonesia and Singapore to dispatch troops.

SecDef Carter will be visiting a defense summit in Singapore.  That summit will be dominated by the South China Sea confrontation.

The status of the militaries of South Asia are profiled.

A US Navy EA-18G Growler suffered a mishap in the South China Sea.

Scuffle in the South China Sea #47

The Chinese intercept of the EP-3 violated the agreement about conduct between the nations for aircraft.

The Chinese UAV reported earlier has been confirmed with pictures.

After the spats with Indonesia over the South China Sea, China is pledging closer ties.

China is considering turning some of the disputed islands into resorts.

China states the Vietnam-American ties better not be aimed at them.

SecState Kerry has stated the ties are not.

Here's more on the closer ties between the US and Vietnam.

Vietnam is possibly going to ask for P-3 sub hunting planes and F-16s.

McCain is pushing for closer ties between the Vietnamese Navy & the US Navy.

The closer ties between Vietnam & the US will give China headaches.

The US Navy feels the US Army's rockets & artillery will have the squids' back in the South China Sea.

Are the Chinese are being increasingly constrained by the growing US-Indian relationship?

The US SecDef expresses his worries about the South China Sea.

Philippines has stated some of its fishermen were detained by the Malaysian Navy.

Malaysia Interested in Sino-Pakistani JF-17 Fighter. Or not.

Malaysia is considering as one of the option to purchase JF-17 Thunder fighter jets from Pakistan and a deal will be finalised between the two countries after completing required formalities.

Malaysian High Commissioner to Pakistan Dr Hasrul Sani said his country wanted to purchase JF-17 Thunder from Pakistan. “Pakistan and Malaysia are enjoying excellent relations in defence as a result of a joint committee which played role as an active forum,” he said.

He said that this jet fighter was considered an excellent production of Pakistan in the defence sector and a decision about numbers would be taken very soon by the Malaysian government. He expressed his satisfaction over Pakistan-Malaysia bilateral relations and said that both the countries were enjoying cordial and fraternal bilateral relations especially in trade, economy and defence.

link.

Malaysia just contradicted the above (its in Malay though).  Go figure.

Saudi Arabia Forms 34 Nation Coalition to Fight Terrorism.

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday announced the formation of a 34-state Islamic military coalition to combat terrorism, according to a joint statement published on state news agency SPA.

"The countries here mentioned have decided on the formation of a military alliance led by Saudi Arabia to fight terrorism, with a joint operations center based in Riyadh to coordinate and support military operations," the statement said.

A long list of Arab countries such as Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, together with Islamic countries Turkey, Malaysia, Pakistan and Gulf Arab and African states were mentioned.

The announcement cited "a duty to protect the Islamic nation from the evils of all terrorist groups and organizations whatever their sect and name which wreak death and corruption on earth and aim to terrorize the innocent."

link.

Could this become a military alliance?

India Formally Cancels MMRCA Procurement, Rafale Looks Good in Malayasia, UAE

As per the India-France Joint Statement issued by the two countries during the Prime Minister's visit to France, Government of India conveyed to the Government of France that in view of the critical operational necessity for Multirole Combat Aircraft for Indian Air Force (IAF), Government of India would like to acquire (36) Rafale jets in fly-away condition as quickly as possible. The two leaders agreed to conclude an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for supply of the aircraft on terms that would be better than conveyed by Dassault Aviation as part of a separate process underway, the delivery would be in time-frame that would be compatible with the operational requirement of IAF; and that the aircraft and associated systems and weapons would be delivered on the same configuration as had been tested and approved by IAF, and with a longer maintenance responsibility by France.

A Negotiating Team has been constituted to negotiate the terms and conditions of the procurement of 36 Rafale jets and recommend a draft agreement. The meetings of the Indian Negotiating team with the French side have commenced.

The RFP issued earlier for procurement of 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) has been withdrawn. In this multi-vendor procurement case, the Rafale aircraft met all the performance characteristics stipulated in the Request for Proposal (RFP) during the evaluation conducted by Indian Air Force.

link.

However, it looks good for the Malayasians and for the United Arab Emirates. 

China Tells America to Butt Out of South China Sea Disputes

China told the United States on Tuesday to stay out of disputes over the South China Sea and leave countries in the region to resolve problems themselves, after Washington said it wanted a freeze on stoking tension.

Michael Fuchs, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for Strategy and Multilateral Affairs, said no country was solely responsible for escalating tension in the region. But he reiterated the U.S. view that "provocative and unilateral" behaviour by China had raised questions about its willingness to abide by international law.

China claims 90 percent of the South China Sea, which is believed to contain oil and gas deposits and has rich fishery resources. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan also lay claim to parts of the sea, where about $5 trillion of ship-borne trade passes every year.

China's Foreign Ministry repeated that it had irrefutable sovereignty over the Spratly Islands, where most of the competing claims overlap, and that China continued to demand the immediate withdrawal of personnel and equipment of countries which were "illegally occupying" China's islands.

"What is regretful is that certain countries have in recent years have strengthened their illegal presence through construction and increased arms build up," the ministry said in a statement.

China would resolutely protect its sovereignty and maritime rights and had always upheld resolving the issue based on direct talks with the countries involved "on the basis of respecting historical facts and international law", it added.

China "hopes that countries outside the region strictly maintain their neutrality, clearly distinguish right from wrong and earnestly respect the joint efforts of countries in the region to maintain regional peace and stability", it added, in reference to the United States.

link.

Sukhoi Seeking to Sell Su-35, T-50/PAK-FA to South East Asia

Sukhoi is targeting its most advanced combat aircraft at existing customers in Southeast Asia, Mikhail Tyukhanov, Sukhoi marketing director, said on 11 February.

Sukhoi has three prime customers in the region - Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia - and Tyukhanov said that they are all potential purchasers of two of the company's most modern fighter platforms: the Su-35 'Super Flanker' and the T-50 PAK-FA.

"Southeast Asia is an important combat aircraft market for us because we have sold many aircraft already to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia," said Tyukhanov. "But it is also true that [these countries] are now becoming an important market for other fighter aircraft manufacturers in the world so we have to be competitive."

link.

Congratz SpaceX