China Releases Geological Exploration Achievements in South China Sea                           China released the findings of its mammoth geological exploration of the South China Sea on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in compiling a basic marine geological survey of the South China Sea and its adjacent seas.

Tit-for-tat wargames rumble and churn South China Sea                                                                In another sign that the South China Sea is at the heart of a brewing US-China new Cold War, both superpowers conducted tit-for-tat wargames in the disputed maritime area in the opening days of the new year.

Xi Jinping’s surge and purge: What it means for China and world                                                      In a notable development, nine high-ranking military officers were dismissed from China’s national legislative body last Friday, according to state media reports. This action typically signals impending disciplinary measures. Among those removed, five were from the enigmatic Rocket Force, including its former commander Li Yuchao, who had previously been linked to a corruption probe.

Chinese-developed ‘golden veil’ could make deadly missiles look like passenger plane                Military commanders could be put to the test as new gold-plated camouflage veil can make cruise missiles look like civilian planes. The new low-cost, low-weight device could ‘change the face of war’ according to the team of scientists behind the design.

China’s misunderstood South China Sea ambitions China’s actions in the South China Sea, including collisions with Filipino vessels and sonar pulses near an Australian ship, have raised concerns among the US and its allies. This assertive behavior is seen as a “revisionist” move, challenging the maritime order. Yet, according to this author, China’s policy, established by former leader Deng Xiaoping, aims to resolve disputes in the South and East China Seas by focusing on joint development.

Is Beijing warming to South China Sea code of conduct? | South China Morning Post                Tensions with the US and a stronger negotiating position after years of reclamation are likely to be driving Beijing’s renewed enthusiasm. But observers say there are also signs that the Southeast Asian bloc claimants are more interested in a meaningful result than a quicker one

The CSIS ChinaPower Podcast and the German Marshall Fund’s China Global Podcast discuss an article by Bonnie Glaser, Jessica Chen Weiss, and Thomas Christensen on Taiwan and the true sources of deterrence. They emphasize the importance of credible and conditional threats and the actions of the three actors.

The New Domestic Politics of U.S.-China Relations | Asia Society Policy Institute                  The U.S.-China relationship has come to largely define geopolitics in the 21st century, and the bilateral relationship is today often conceived primarily in terms of geopolitical tensions and great power jockeying on the global stage. However, there is more to U.S.-China strategic competition than the geopolitical level.

China’s ‘blue dragon’ strategy in the Indo-Pacific | The Strategist
China is advancing its ‘blue dragon’ strategy to compete with the US and undermine President Joe Biden’s Indo-Pacific policy. The plan targets three bodies of water in the Indo-Pacific region and major river systems in Southeast and South Asia. Despite Washington’s public denial of a containment policy against China, the US continues its global spy operations and has increased its defensive military posture in the Indo-Pacific.

Vietnam Eyes Lifting of the EU ‘Yellow Card’ | Geopolitical Monitor
There are few indicators that the South China Sea’s seafood rivalry will slow down. Fishermen and the region face a looming fishery crisis due to illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing, overfishing, marine pollution, warming seas and the securitization of fisheries. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a serious global problem that threatens ocean ecosystems and sustainable fisheries. That’s why the European Union (EU) officials continue to monitor Vietnamese fishermen after they received a “yellow card” in 2017.

This episode of Asia Unscripted from the US-Asia Institute features James Borton and Rodger Baker, the co-authors of the South China Sea Maritime Survey, a survey that aims to “underscore the urgency to examine the benefits and prospects of science-led initiatives in light of the unfolding climate and ecological changes occurring in the region.”

In this episode, Ms. Rushali Saha speaks to Mr. Lucio Blanco Pitlo about the timing and significance of ASEAN’s Maritime Outlook (AMO) Document and what it means for the region’s geopolitical landscape.

Philippine Coast Guard releases video of sea collisions

CSIS hosts Thirteenth Annual South China Sea Conference

Asian Territorial and Maritime Disputes: A Critical Introduction by Moises de Souza, Gregory Coutaz, and Dean Karalekas This volume is designed to be a practical, yet critical, introduction to the main maritime and territorial disputes in the Indo-Pacific region. With a team of contributors made up of both senior and early-career scholars, diplomats, and legal specialists, the book provides a wide range of insights that go beyond what is provided in the media.

Dispatches from the South China Sea: Navigating to Common Ground by James Borton This book’s blend of participatory research and field reportage paves the way for a transformation of policy and provides a basis for the eventual resolution of some of today’s major maritime conflicts.

On Dangerous Ground: America’s Century in the South China Sea by Gregory Poling The author’s sweeping and comprehensive understanding of America policy offers insightful understanding of all the various claimant nations issues in the contested waters since the nineteenth century.