Journal of International Studies

On September 3, Philippine Secretary of Defense Voltaire Gazmin presented aerial photographs taken of Scarborough Shoal to a congressional hearing. These photographs were taken by the Philippines Air Force a few days earlier and showed what appeared to be thirty concrete blocks, two vertical posts and a white bouy in the lagoon. Secretary Gazmin speculated that the concrete blocks “could be a prelude to construction” and were a violation of the 2002 Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. A day later, the Department of National Defense reported that new photographs had identified a total of 75 concrete blocks at Scarborough Shoal. Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto del Rosario announced that the Philippines intended to file a diplomatic protest with China. An official Chinese spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to a question about the concrete blocks by stating, “what the Philippine side said is not true.” China released its own pho...

Southeast Asia’s annual summit season has just ended. Indonesia hosted the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, while Brunei, as current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), hosted the ASEAN Summit, East Asia Summit and other related ASEAN meetings. Media coverage contrasted President Barack Obama’s “no show” with President Xi Jinping’s successful debut in the region. Xi became the first person to address a joint sitting of Indonesia’s parliament, and also paid a state visit to Malaysia. Much of the media coverage and commentary by analysts rightly stressed Xi’s major economic initiatives, including the  establishment  of an Asian infrastructure development bank and a new 100 billion yuan ($US16.3 billion)  currency swap agreement  between the Chinese and Indonesian central banks. Little notice was given to Beijing's defense and security agenda, however. For example, in Xi’s address to the Indonesian parliament on October ...