South China Sea arbitration: Beijing puts forward her own views Part Two

By Alex Calvo This is the second installment in a four-part series devoted to China’s 7 December 2014 document, putting forward her views on the Philippines’ international arbitration case on the South China Sea. Although Beijing is refusing to take part in the proceedings, as confirmed following the Court’s 29 October 2015 ruling on jurisdiction, … Continue reading South China Sea arbitration: Beijing puts forward her own views Part Two

South China Sea arbitration: Beijing puts forward her own views Part One

By Alex Calvo Introduction: restatement or small Filipino victory? Manila’s international arbitration bid has been repeatedly rejected by Beijing, which argues that it does not fall under the compulsory arbitration provisions of UNCLOS. Even after the Court ruled on jurisdiction, on 29 October 2015, China stuck to this position, as clear from an official statement … Continue reading South China Sea arbitration: Beijing puts forward her own views Part One

South China Sea: FONOPS Not Enough, Time for Boots on the Ground, Active Neutrality

By Alex Calvo After a long wait, the US Navy resumed FON (Freedom of Navigation) operations in the South China Sea (last carried out in 2012) on 27 October, with USS Lassen sailing within 12 nautical miles of Subi and Mischief Reefs, and conducting actions incompatible with innocent passage, in order to make it clear … Continue reading South China Sea: FONOPS Not Enough, Time for Boots on the Ground, Active Neutrality

The Development of Russian Naval Capabilities after the Cold War

Russia Resurgent Topic Week By Patrick Truffer The end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union led to a weakening of the former Soviet Armed Forces. It was not until after the turn of the millennium that Russia directed its efforts towards qualitative rearmament and simultaneously shifted its focus to strategic … Continue reading The Development of Russian Naval Capabilities after the Cold War