South China Sea (SCS)
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Philippines, U.S. condemn China’s dangerous tactics at Second Thomas Shoal
FORUM Staff China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships and coast guard vessels blocked the Philippines from completing a routine resupply mission for troops aboard the BRP Sierra Madre in late September 2026. The Philippine Navy vessel, which is deliberately grounded, is a permanent sovereign extension of the nation at Second Thomas Shoal, also known as Ayungin Shoal, in the…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore deepen integrated defense of vital maritime choke points
Sarah Chan Southeast Asian partners are moving beyond routine maritime patrols to an integrated defense of the Malacca and Singapore straits, critical conduits for global trade. Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are expanding coast guard coordination, intelligence sharing and surveillance technology cooperation to counter piracy, illicit shipping and terrorism along the maritime choke points. At the 17th Co-operation Forum in Singapore…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
China’s Taiwan Strait traffic control scheme part of ‘salami slicing’ strategy
Lt. Col. Uilisone F. Tua/U.S. Army In early August 2026, China’s Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) announced and sought to enforce a dayslong “traffic control scheme” for northbound vessels entering the Taiwan Strait. The MSA asserted that passing vessels must “strictly comply with traffic control requirements” and “obey the instructions of on-site maritime management agencies.” The pretext was a typhoon…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Australia-Philippines-U.S. maritime cooperation boosts interoperability
Australian Defence Department/Armed Forces of the Philippines Naval and air units from Australia, the Philippines and the United States conducted a maritime cooperative activity (MCA) within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in August 2026. It was the 19th MCA in the South China Sea, referred to as the West Philippine Sea by Manila, since April 2024, according to the…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Beijing drives maritime militia aggression in South China Sea
Sarah Chan The strategic contest in the South China Sea increasingly is waged not by warships but by dual-purpose fishing trawlers. State-directed maritime militias, operating in the murky space between civilian seafaring and military operations, have become Beijing’s vessels of choice for pushing its arbitrary territorial claims. In response, Allies and Partners are adapting, blending law enforcement, diplomacy and naval…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
China set to militarize once pristine South China Sea reef
Reuters China has completed the first phase of construction on Antelope Reef in the Paracels archipelago, building an artificial island in the contested South China Sea that analysts say will form part of a sprawling military operation. Satellite images provided by United States-based Vantor Technologies show the dredged reef’s modified outline for the first time, with barges and dredgers gone…
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Partnerships
Philippines-U.S. asymmetric capabilities effort raises Manila’s maritime security with sea drones
FORUM Staff The Philippines military acquired four autonomous sea vessels from the United States in June 2026 to boost Manila’s ability to monitor its waters and detect potential maritime threats. The solar-powered Ocean Aero Triton uncrewed vessels, valued at $13 million, demonstrate the U.S. commitment to the Philippines, its treaty ally, the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines stated, and strengthen…
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Conflicts - Tensions
China’s military drills do not alter Philippines’ legal claim to Scarborough Reef
FORUM Staff China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) naval and airborne exercises around the contested Scarborough Reef do not change the Philippines’ legal claim to the South China Sea location, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said in August 2026. “Military activities or demonstrations do not alter the legal status of maritime features or the Philippines’ maritime entitlements under international…
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Conflicts - Tensions
Drone boat approaches, videos Chinese destroyer in Philippines EEZ
Reuters A small uncrewed boat sailed close enough to a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) guided-missile destroyer in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in June 2026 to capture what might be the first footage of its kind recorded by a private United States firm, the drone vessel’s manufacturer reported. The Seasats Lightfish video is striking for what it…
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Conflicts - Tensions
Japan, Philippines move to delimit maritime boundary; China responds with coercion, lawfare
Lt. Col. Uilisone F. Tua/U.S. Army Japan and the Philippines announced a joint initiative in late May 2026 to formally negotiate the maritime boundary of their overlapping exclusive economic zones (EEZ) and continental shelves. The initiative is part of a strategic effort by the countries to deepen their defense partnership and bolster regional deterrence, analysts say. By codifying their maritime…
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