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South China Sea
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South China Sea

South China Sea
South China Sea
The latest news on South China Sea territorial disputes. The contrasting claims have been an ongoing point of contention among several countries including China, Brunei, Vietnam and the Philippines.
LATEST China Science NEWS

Chinese team sets world record with swarm of 116 underwater drones

A Chinese team has set a Guinness World Record for the “most autonomous underwater vehicles operating simultaneously”. Photo: Northwestern Polytechnical University

US police report raises questions over Chinese researcher Wang Danhao’s death

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Wang Danhao, a semiconductor researcher from China at the University of Michigan, died in March. Photo: Linda Wan

China targets AI and frontier tech in newly unveiled innovation blueprint

A worker operates equipment at a semiconductor firm in China's Jiangsu province on September 16. Semiconductors have become a field of intense competition between Washington and Beijing. Photo: VCG via Getty Images

Chinese commercial reactor achieves nuclear fusion with clean hydrogen-boron fuel

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ENN Group in China’s northern Hebei province announced on Monday that its EXL-50U spherical device had successfully achieved hydrogen-boron fusion reactions. Photo: Handout

China lights up ‘super microscope’ hopes with world-leading electron gun beam

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The Hefei Advanced Light Facility is designed to use extremely bright X-rays to observe the structure of matter at the atomic scale. Photo: Xinhua
MORE China Science NEWS
The dilapidated but still active Philippine Navy ship BRP Sierra Madre has emerged as a persistent flashpoint between Beijing and Manila in the disputed South China Sea. Photo: AP
China-Philippines relations

Second Thomas Shoal stand-off sparks sharp exchange between US, China embassies

Beijing and Washington’s diplomatic representatives in Manila trade strongly worded accusations in public statements.

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2026 Xi-Trump summits

Why Southeast Asia feels relief and caution after the Xi-Trump summit

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China-Latin America relations

Paraguay’s president urges UN to let Taiwan in, calls island’s exclusion ‘a stain’

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The Philippines

Why younger Filipinos are warming to China despite maritime tensions

A Pew survey shows 47 per cent of Filipinos aged 18 to 34 view China favourably, with some respondents also expressing confidence in its leadership.

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People walk at Binondo, the world’s oldest Chinatown, in Manila, the Philippines, in August. Photo: Reuters
The Philippines

Why Brunei prefers ‘quiet diplomacy’ over confrontation in South China Sea

As a nation with a small military, Brunei would rather work with Beijing in safe zones such as peacekeeping than butt heads, analysts say.

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US-China relations

Opinion | Xi and Trump face their greatest challenge yet: building US-China trust

AI is the test case. A foundational agreement will prove trust is possible – otherwise, mistrust will harden and the detente will dissolve.

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US-China relations

Opinion | Success of Xi-Trump summit lies in what happens afterwards

The real value of the Washington meeting between the presidents of the US and China is whether its understandings survive the next bilateral dispute.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Pacific nations

Why China is weighing into the debate on how to respond to shrinking coastlines

Rising sea levels are not an existential threat to China, but their impact on international law could have a knock-on effect in other areas.

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Science

China tests first practical submarine solar farm at 10-metre depth in open sea

Scientists successfully charge batteries and power a LED using lead halide perovskite solar cells in world-first test.

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China-Philippines relations

Collision near Sabina Shoal sparks fresh escalation between China, Philippines

Two sides blame each other for deliberate ramming near the contested atoll in the South China Sea, fuelling tensions over strategic waterway.

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Friday’s encounter marks one of the most serious escalations between the rival claimants in recent months. Photo: Weibo
Indonesia

Pride or practicality? Indonesia welcomes first aircraft carrier

Jakarta has approved US$450 million for the aircraft carrier programme but some lawmakers warn the final bill could be higher.

Former Italian Navy aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi docks at Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta on Friday. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Filipino fishers count the cost of South China Sea dispute

Blocked from accessing Scarborough Shoal and hit by local dredging, Zambales fishermen say their weekly incomes have collapsed.

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Taiwan

Taipei donates coastguard vessel to Manila amid South China Sea tensions

As it faces off against Beijing in the region, Manila has been expanding its unofficial security cooperation with Taipei.

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The Philippines

Philippines’ Teodoro draws 2028 election buzz after China clash

His viral moment in Seoul has raised his profile among supporters, but analysts say weak polling and past losses remain hurdles.

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Philippine defence chief Gilberto Teodoro Jnr responds to a note during the Seoul Defence Dialogue 2026 on September 8. Photo: X/Philippine Department of National Defence
China-Asean relations

‘Wolf in sheep’s clothing’: why Japan’s Natuna port plan raises alarm in China

Tokyo offers port upgrades to boost maritime security, but analysts say Jakarta is being pragmatic, not taking sides against Beijing.

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An Indonesian coastguard ship sails next to a Vietnamese fishing vessel near Indonesia’s Natuna Islands in July 2020. Chinese, Vietnamese and Indonesian fishing boats have occasionally clashed over marine resources in the area. Photo: AFP
2026 Xi-Trump summits

Chinese defence chief skirts flashpoints at Xiangshan Forum ahead of Xi-Trump summit

Dong Jun makes rare public offer of foreign military aid at major security conference and skips mentions of Taiwan and South China Sea.

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The Philippines

Chinese research ship completes month-long mission near Scarborough Shoal

The vessel surveyed the geology and environment of a South China Sea feature claimed by Beijing and Manila.

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China-Philippines relations

Should Beijing use its maritime militia as backup force in South China Sea?

On the sidelines of the Xiangshan Forum, a leading Chinese researcher says there could be a role for the vessels at critical moments.

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A China Coast Guard ship (right) uses a water cannon on a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel near Scarborough Shoal in 2023. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard vias AFP
China’s military

Fragility and cooperation: takeaways from Dong Jun’s Xiangshan Forum speech

The Chinese defence minister officially opens the security conference with a warning about ‘zero-sum’ mindsets.

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Thailand

US throws weight behind Thai submarine cable that skips South China Sea

The 18,507km long cable connecting Thailand with America would be built to US engineering standards.

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The Philippines

Philippines holding historic election in Muslim autonomous region

Under a 2014 peace deal brokered by Malaysia, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front gave up its goal of a separate state in exchange for autonomy.

Army personnel aboard armoured vehicles patrol past the Grand Mosque in Marawi, Lanao del sur province on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. Photo: AFP
Artificial intelligence

Does Beijing need AI talent in ‘public opinion war’ over South China Sea?

Think tanks, seen as a vital soft power tool by Beijing, have been urged to recruit more tech expertise to help sway international opinion.

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Maritime power alone will not offset losing the narrative battle, forum in Shenzhen hears. Photo: Xinhua
China's military weapons

Fresh photos offer clearest view yet of China’s ‘WZ-X’ spy drone

Analysts say the stealthy aircraft appears to be designed for reconnaissance deep inside contested airspace.

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The Philippines

Why Marcos’ Brics trip is ‘low-risk’ chance for Philippines to make new friends

The president, attending in his capacity as Asean chair, should not miss the opportunity to diversify ties beyond the US, analysts say.

SCMP Highlights

Manila exposes South China Sea note; Chinese coal mine farming: 7 highlights

From Chinese leader Xi’s diplomatic visits to a female powerlifter calling out sexism, here are top stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

Photo: AFP
Mainland China

South China Sea: Manila says flares fired at aircraft near Subi, Mischief reefs

Philippine coastguard releases footage, accuses PLA of targeting the unarmed plane as it flew over Spratly Islands on Monday.

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Part of a video clip released by the Philippine Coast Guard on Thursday which it said was filmed by one of its aircraft. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard
China-Philippines relations

Video | Beijing accuses Philippine defence chief of ‘grandstanding’

Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro read out a handwritten memo reportedly from the Chinese embassy at the Seoul Defence Dialogue on Tuesday.

The Philippines

Is the Philippine military ‘massively underfunded’?

Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr has warned there could be no military recruits next year due to budget cuts.

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