South China Sea

Cargo ship explosion and fire injures 3: crew abandons ship in south Taiwan waters

cargo ship on fire after explosion
Marine and Fisheries 
Phillip Charlier 1 Comment , , , ,

Three injured crew members were airlifted from a burning cargo ship after an explosion, and the rest of the crew abandoned ship in waters south of Taiwan earlier today, June 12. According to reports, an explosion occurred on the Taiwanese-flagged general cargo ship HUI FENG around 17 nautical miles offshore of the south embankment of the Port of Kaohsiung at around 8:00 am. Among the crew of 12, three people were injured, two seriously. The two seriously injured crew members

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US, Canadian warships exercise in the South China Sea following Taiwan Strait transit

small boat operations in the South China Sea
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Ships from the US and Canadian navies are currently conducting joint exercises in the South China Sea after passing through the Taiwan Strait four days ago, according to a press release by the US Navy. The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG114) is operating alongside the Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Ottawa (FFH 341) as part of an exercise dubbed “Noble Wolverine.” The exercise is described as a wide-ranging exercise involving sustained Surface Action Group operations intended to

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Regional defense news: US sub re-homed to West Pacific, missile launch site development near Taiwan

composite image of naval and defense activity in northwest Pacific and South China Sea
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , , ,

In moves resembling a game of geostrategic chess, the US has forward-deployed a nuclear submarine to “the tip of the spear” in Guam, Japan’s development of a missile launch site on Ishigaki Island, near Taiwan, is advancing, China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier has sailed through the Miyaki Strait into the West Pacific, and a German naval vessel is in the South China Sea for the first time in 20 years. USS Jefferson City forward-deployed to new home base Guam The Los

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China tests “underwater helicopter” prototype autonomous submersible vehicle in South China Sea

underwater helicopter raised onto deck during sea trials
Regional 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Chinese researchers have successfully tested a new type of autonomous unmanned submersible vehicle they have dubbed an “underwater helicopter” according to Chinese media outlets today, September 6. Reports say that tests carried out in the South China Sea successfully trialed take offs, landings, docking on a submarine apron, 360-degree steering, fixed-point hovering, wireless charging, acoustic navigation and tracking, and other functions of the vehicle. The project partners include Zhejiang University, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy

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Two US Aircraft Carrier Strike groups operating in the South China Sea

Aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 fly over the Theodore Roosevelt and Nimitz Carrier Strike Groups in the South China Sea, Feb. 9. (U.S. Navy/MCSN Deirdre Marsac)
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Two US carrier strike groups are conducting joint operations in the South China Sea today, Tuesday, February 9, the US Navy announced. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group are conducting “coordinated operations in a highly trafficked area to demonstrate the U.S. Navy’s ability to operate in challenging environments,”  USS Theodore Roosevelt Public Affairs reported. “Training with Carrier Strike Group 11 in the South China Sea is a tremendously valuable opportunity,” said Rear Adm. Doug

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US Aircraft Carrier group entered the South China Sea same day as Chinese military sent 13 aircraft into Taiwan ADIZ

USS Theodore Roosevelt Pacific Ocean
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

The US Navy announced today that the USS Theodore Roosevelt entered the South China Sea yesterday, the same day that Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) said that jets had been scrambled in response to incursions into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) by 13 Chinese military planes. US Indo-Pacific Command said today, Sunday, January 24, that the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) entered the South China Sea, January 23, to conduct “routine operations.” “The TRCSG is on a

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PLA Navy, Air Force “expels trespassing” US Navy ship in the South China Sea

USS John S. McCain
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) announced that it had deployed naval and air forces to expel an American guided-missile destroyer that had “trespassed” into Chinese territory near the Spratly Islands today, December 22. PLA Air Force Colonel Tian Kai-jun, spokesperson for the Southern Theater of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army made the announcement on Chinese social media site WeChat this afternoon. Tian wrote that the USS John S. McCain had trespassed into waters adjacent to China’s Nansha Islands and

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Beijing accuses US Air Force of disguising spy plane missions as Malaysian civilian airliners over South China Sea

flight path of military reconnaissance aircraft allegedly disguised a civil airliner
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that the US Air Force has been flying missions over the South China Sea disguised with Malaysian civil aircraft codes, and that the action is provocative and dangerous. According to Chinese media reports, a United States Air Force RC-135W electronic reconnaissance aircraft took off from an airbase on Okinawa at 8:00 am this morning. Shortly after taking off, the identification signal disappeared, then an aircraft identified as a Malaysian passenger plane appeared on

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US Navy destroyer sails through the Taiwan Strait

USS Mustin DDG-89
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , ,

The Burke-class Aegis missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG-89) sailed through the Taiwan Strait today, August 18, after completing exercises in the East China Sea, according to reports by Taiwan media outlets. Both Taiwan and China dispatched ships to monitor the passage, according to United Daily News. The People’s Republic of China sent a type 052D guided missile destroyer, while Taiwan assigned a Cheng Kung class guided-missile frigate, according to the report. The Ministry of Defense did not confirm the information,

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US military aircraft operating south of Taiwan point to possible submarine activity

map of aircraft movements in Bashi Channel and South China Sea
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

A total of 5 US military aircraft were operating over the Bashi Channel, and South China Sea yesterday, June 24, and it is suspected the aircraft were tracking submarine movements, according to reports in Taiwan media, including Liberty Times. The primary source for the media reports is the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI), operating out of Peking University’s Institute of Oceanology. SCSPI tweeted details of the aircraft movements late yesterday evening, showing that two P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance

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Taiwan sends marines to reinforce islands ahead of Chinese invasion drills in the South China Sea

map showing Dongsha (Pratas) Islands in the South China Sea
Military Affairs 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) confirmed Monday that marines will be deployed to the Dongsha (Pratas) Islands on a “training mission.” The move comes ahead of Chinese military drills designed to simulate a takeover of the Taiwan-controlled islands, which sit in the South China Sea, around 400 kilometers away from Taiwan’s southernmost point, Cape Eluanbi. Japan’s Kyodo News reported May 12 that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was planning the drills in the South China Sea on an “unprecedented

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