Territory & Conflict

Southeast Asia is increasingly discussing a Taiwan contingency with more confidence than its strategic position justifies. The assumption that US military power would automatically stabilize the region is no longer reliable. Yet many governments still treat the main challenge of a Taiwan crisis as a civilian evacuation problem. In reality, evacuation would only be the beginning. The more difficult phase would come afterward, when external powers ...

The Philippines drove away a Chinese coast guard ship near Zambales, highlighting rising pressure and persistent tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

On April 21, 2026, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi approved the export of advanced military equipment to 17 partner nations. This decision marks a major change in Japan’s long-held pacifist stance since World War II. The shift comes at a time of rising Chinese military activity, especially in the South China Sea. The result is a fast-changing security environment that could affect the balance of power across the region.   Japa...

A Philippine lawmaker has turned a tiny West Philippine Sea (WPS) sandbar into a direct challenge to Beijing. Representative Dadah Kiram Ismula reached Sandy Cay before dawn on May 3 and planted the Philippine flag, pushing back against China in one of Asia’s most intense maritime flashpoints.   The mission, organized with the civilian-led Atin Ito Coalition, was symbolic, risky, and openly defiant. The group said Ismula and voluntee...

Dozens of Filipino survivors of Typhoon Odette are bringing a climate-related compensation claim in the United Kingdom, a move that is stirring difficult questions about justice, accountability, and the role of foreign courts in regional affairs.   67 claimants from small island communities in southern Philippines say they suffered catastrophic losses during the storm and are seeking damages from energy giant Shell. The case was filed in D...