Tensions Bubble to the Surface in China-Vietnam Spat
Simmering tensions between Beijing and Hanoi erupted recently due to disagreements over oil and gas exploration.
Author: Murray Hiebert
Murray Hiebert serves as senior fellow and deputy director of the Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies at CSIS in Washington, DC. He earlier worked as a journalist in Asia for the Wall Street Journal and the Far Eastern Economic Review.
Involving Philippine Military in Duterte Drug War Could Force Cuts in U.S. Aid
If the Philippine military is conscripted into Rodrigo Duterte's drug war and participates in extra-judicial killings, congressional regulations could force the United States to suspend military aid and training to the units involved, a potentially devastating impact on the bilateral military relationship.
Judgment Day: The South China Sea Tribunal Issues Its Ruling
The Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of the Philippines, citing multiple Chinese violations of international law.
An Interview with Bito-onon: Mayor of Thitu Island
Eugenio Bito-onon, mayor of Thitu Island (Pag-asa in Filipino), recently sat down with CSIS Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies senior fellow and deputy director Murray Hiebert to discuss China’s island reclamation efforts in the South China Sea, his encounters with Chinese Coast Guard vessels in disputed waters, and the mayor’s proposal to develop an […]
Vietnam Ramps Up Defense Spending, but Its Challenges Remain
Vietnam boosted its military spending by 113 percent between 2004 and 2013, the largest increase among Southeast Asian countries. Defense spending has accounted for around 2 percent of the country’s gross domestic product since 2004. Total spending was $3.3 billion in 2012 and $3.4 billion in 2013 (the latest year for which figures are available), […]
Advancing the Rebalance in Southeast Asia
The year 2015 provides the Obama administration with new opportunities in Southeast Asia to reinforce and bolster the rebalance to Asia. Myanmar In Myanmar, the United States should expand its support and training efforts to build political parties, strengthen the parliament, and prepare for monitoring activities ahead of the country’s 2015 elections to ensure they […]
The Defense Authorization Act and China’s Maritime Moves
In a sign of growing congressional concern about China’s increased assertiveness in the South and East China seas, Congress has included a provision in the draft fiscal year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act requiring the Department of Defense to report to key congressional committees an assessment of China’s moves to affect the current state of […]