Mark J. Valencia
Mark J. Valencia is Adjunct Senior Scholar at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, Haikou, China.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Politics,Hotspots
Trump And The South China Sea: Doing The Right Thing For The Wrong Reasons
It appears that Trump has paused criticism and actions against China in exchange for its assistance in dealing with North Korea’s nuclear program. This transactional approach means that his foreign policy is negotiable and not based on principles.
Politics,Hotspots
Implications of Trump’s Flip-Flop on the South China Sea
Security,Hotspots,East Asia
China’s East China Sea ADIZ is Not a “Grab for Sovereignty”
Security,Cyberspace,Hotspots
Do US Actions in the South China Sea Violate International Law?
The US flies hundreds of ISR missions every year to collect communications between the target country’s command-and-control centers and radar and weapons systems. The initial deployment of the Carl Vinson strike force was to the South China Sea. Are these probes and the deployment a violation of the UN Charter?
Security,Hotspots
Revelations of China’s Construction in the South China Sea: Hype Not Helpful
Some US and foreign media have used the information to convince the Trump administration that China presents an imminent threat to US interests in the South China Sea. But the burgeoning drumbeat for the US to confront China should be considered with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Security,East Asia
Negotiated Compromise with North Korea is Better than Status Quo
If negotiations resulted in a “freeze” in North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and a lowering of the risk of war, South Korea and Japan would probably be better off than living under constant threat. To obtain this concession from North Korea, the US would have to make genuine compromises.
Politics,Hotspots,Southeast Asia
Trump and the South China Sea: Flip-Flops and Continuity
Analysts trying to parse US policy in the Trump era regarding the South China Sea must be prepared for stark contradictions and intellectual whiplash. It is too early to draw conclusions regarding US-China relations in the South China Sea or in general.
Politics,Hotspots,China
As Trump Takes Office, China Bashers Are Having a Field Day
In the run-up to Donald Trump’s inauguration as President of the United States, advocates of a more aggressive US foreign policy towards China unleashed a barrage of hawkish commentaries and proposals. Most comments focused on China’s behavior in the South China Sea.
Politics,Hotspots,China
Tillerson Goes Off Half-Cocked on China
On January 11, 2017, US President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made several intemperate remarks. Most provocatively he said that China’s access to the features it has built up in the South China Sea is not going to be “allowed.”
Security,Hotspots,China
The US-China Underwater Drone Incident: Parsing the Legal Aspects
US underwater drones can be categorized as Force Net, Sea Shield, Sea Strike and Sea Base. Force Net includes the missions of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and oceanography. Some may even be weaponized. Thus, it is easy to be uncertain regarding the mission of particular UUVs.
