"The time for donations, the time for just gifts, is over. We have to be very innovative, we have to be very collaborative in our approach."

ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan

Change the name

"South China Sea" to "Southeast Asia Sea"

54,500

supporters from 130 countries have signed the petition

SIGN NOW!

"Hopefully, we won't have to call it the South China Sea

because it is not just their sea.''

President Aquino III - The Philippines

Regarding the Paracel Islands and other reefs and islands in the Spratly Islands, which the People's Republic of China invaded and occupied in 1956, 1974, 1988, and 1992, the Vietnamese people will never accept any compromise on the fact that they are the integral parts of Vietnam; and that the Chinese government must be held accountable for all inhumane damages caused to Vietnamese fishermen and their relatives. Any compromise made by parties, including the goverment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, either explicitly or implicitly to give up part or all of this territory will be considered to violate the sovereingty of the country and the people of Vietnam and such compromise is totally illegitimate. NTHF, June 26, 2011

"SUNDAY NO CHINA" Campaign

PETITON

10.4.2011

Ask Google to remove label "China" at Paracel and Spratly Islands and "Nine-Dotted Line" on maps of Southeast Asia Sea

SIGN NOW!

Demonstrators in Manila protest China's stance over disputed lagoon

By the CNN Wire Staff | May 11, 2012

Gathered in front of the Chinese Embassy in Manila, the demonstrators waved Philippine flags and held up banners displaying slogans like "Stop China's aggression now."

Chinese travel agencies have suspended tours to the Philippines, according to state media, and China's Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying said earlier this week that she was not optimistic about the situation in the South China Sea after meeting Philippine officials.

Raul Hernandez, a spokesman for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, said that officials "are endeavoring to undertake a new diplomatic initiative, which we hope will help defuse the situation."

The standoff over the lagoon, some 130 miles (200 kilometers) from the Philippine island of Luzon, began last month when Manila sent its largest naval vessel to the area to investigate Chinese fishing boats it says were illegally fishing there.

Myanmar, N.Korea in focus as ASEAN summit starts

By Martin Abbugao | AFP, 2.4.2012

There are also differences over the "internationalisation" of the rival claims, with Cambodia insisting they are matters for quiet diplomacy between ASEAN and China but the Philippines asserting the primacy of international law.

China has competing territorial claims in the sea with ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The United States says it has a "national interest" in keeping the vital trade route open to shipping.
The sea is a conduit for more than one-third of the world's maritime trade and half its traffic in oil and gas, and major petroleum deposits are believed to lie below the seabed.
US ally the Philippines has been leading a push for ASEAN to form a united front and present China with a binding "code of conduct" in the sea, but other members argue that Beijing should be involved from the start.

Jamphel Yeshi: “We are fighting for freedom. The world should know this.”

Jamphel Yesh, a Tibetan man screams as he runs engulfed in flames after self-immolating at a protest in New Delhi, India, ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to the country Monday, March 26, 2012. - huffingtonpost.co.uk

"He will live on to inspire and encourage the future generations of Tibetans." - huffingtonpost.co.uk

Tibetan Protester Jamphel Yeshi Dies After Setting Himself On Fire In India

Message to the World

Vietnamese polices fenced off exit door of Tran Thi Nga's house in an attempt to terrorize and murder her and her child. Tran Thi Nga, a patriot who took the streets to defend her country' territorial sovereignty by participating in a series of demonstrations against China's expansionism in Hanoi in the summer of 2011. Please help forwarding this message to as many as possible.

Urgent news: Police fenced off exit door of patriot's house

xuandienhannom

Tiếng kêu cứu giữa đêm của phụ nữ, trẻ em và cướp giật khủng bố giữa ban ngày

JB Nguyễn Hữu Vinh

China's Benign Foreign Policy Image at Odds with South China Sea Stance

By John Daly, Oil Price | February 19, 2012

Now, Chinese “imperial” overreach may bring U.S. naval forces once again into the western Pacific, as Beijing’s southeast Asian neighbors feel increasingly threatened by China’s overarching territorial claims in the South China Sea.

So, potential “bottom line” for undisputed Chinese sovereignty over the South China Sea?

Economically, an expensive development program that may produce far less than the Chinese government hopes.

But the possible diplomatic fallout is worse - bad relations with fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.

And last but not least, aggrieved Southeast Asian nations are as a result of Chinese pressure avidly welcoming the return of U.S. military forces.

All considered, not much of a bargain. For a nation lauded for its economic acumen, at present China is curiously tone-deaf to the concerns of its South China Seas neighbors. If the politicians in Beijing can overcome their nationalist xenophobia and negotiate creatively with their ASEAN partners for joint sovereignty and production-sharing agreements, then they might yet forestall one of their unsettling visions – a return of the Stars and Stripes to the waters of the southwestern Pacific, this time by request.

China, Vietnam drift in South China Sea
By David Brown, Asia Times

If China is seriously interested in cutting a bilateral deal, it might also concede to Vietnam's control of reefs and islets at the western end of the Paracel archipelago, the section to the west of the midline.

According to international law, Vietnam's historic claim is stronger inasmuch as imperial Vietnam, then France (which colonized Vietnam in the 1800's), and then the Republic of Vietnam ("South Vietnam") exercised sovereignty without a break from the 16th century until 1974, when a South Vietnamese garrison was overrun by Chinese forces.

Taiwan to build flight system on disputed islands

AFP | Feb 6, 2012

Ten most educated countries in the world

By Charles B. Stockdale and Michael B. Sauter | 24/7 Wall St

The countries with the most highly educated citizens are also some of the wealthiest in the world. The United States, Japan and Canada are on our list and also have among the largest GDPs. Norway and Australia, also featured, have the second and sixth-highest GDPs per capita, respectively. All these countries aggressively invest in education.

Korea is another standout country for its recent increase in the percentage of its population that has a tertiary education. Graduates increased 5.3% between 1999 and 2009, the fifth-highest among OECD countries. Like the UK, this rate is greater than the country’s recent population growth. Korea is also one of only two countries — the other being Finland — in which the most popular fields of study are not social sciences, business and law. In Korea, new students choose to study education, humanities and arts at the greatest rates. Only 59.6% of expenditures on educational institutions come from public funds — the second-lowest rate.

US, China role play for ASEAN
By Donald K Emmerson - Asia Times | Nov 19, 2011

America is not and does not wish to be seen as a half-super power in Asia, consigned only to a security role. It is not in the interest of the United States for Southeast Asians to go to the Americans for ships, but to the Chinese for sales.

Whether China seeks hegemony over the region is a matter on which many disagree. But ASEAN will not willingly invite China to replace the American security role in Southeast Asia, not if Beijing continues to assert forcefully its control over nearly the entire South China Sea - or, as some Vietnamese and Philippine activists would like it to be called, the Southeast Asia Sea. (See here.)

As for valuing America more for its might than its market, Southeast Asians want to trade more with America, attract more of its investment, and benefit more from its technology. But they fear that America's domestic woes and partisan politics may turn its priorities inward, away from Asia. What they want from the United States is protection from harm not harmful protectionism.

Donald K Emmerson (http://seaf.stanford.edu/people/donaldkemmerson/) heads the Southeast Asia Forum at Stanford University. His writings include Asian Regionalism and US Policy: The Case for Creative Adaptation (2010).

China softens tone on South China Sea row

The Economic Times, Nov 21, 2011

Vietnamese Public Security Forces Raided Home, Terrorized Writer Huỳnh Ngọc Tuấn and His Daughter Huỳnh Thục Vy

Translated by Viet Thuc Staff - November 9, 2011

Members of the local Public Security Forces (PSF) swarmed the home of writer Huỳnh Ngọc Tuấn around 8AM local time today, November 8, 2011. They served him with a search warrant and confiscated co mputer equipment and accessories, and assorted household goods.

Image: Writer Huỳnh Ngọc Tuấn and his daughter, blogger Huỳnh Ngọc Vy at the house search conducted by Public Security Forces (Photo: Facebook Trầm Tử)

Writer Huỳnh Ngọc Tuấn and his two children – daughter Huỳnh Thục Vy and son Huỳnh Trọng Hiếu – currently reside in Tam Kỳ, Quảng Nam. All three members of the Huỳnh family are well known for articles in which they vigorously criticize the dictatorial regime in Vietnam.

In 1992 writer Huỳnh Ngọc Tuấn was sentenced to 10 years in jail for writings that called for freedom and democracy in Vietnam. Released in 2002, he continued to write and publish articles on human rights violations in Vietnam. His two children, Huỳnh Thục Vy and Huỳnh Trọng Hiếu, are young writers/bloggers who are also known for their straight and uncompromising analyses of the current situation in Vietnam.

"Vietnam's sovereignty over Hoàng Sa (Paracel Islands) is indisputable. China must return all territories it seized from Vietnam and there is nothing to compromise."

NTHF, July 30, 2011

DEMONSTRATION CALENDAR & PICTURES

Image (TTX vanganh): Nguyễn Lân Thắng, a patriot who wants to defend his country' territorial sovereignty by participating in a series of demonstrations against China's expansionism in Hanoi, has been in a coma since being hit in the head and face by Vietnamese security forces on Nov 11, 2011 in Hanoi.

Image (Bùi Hằng): Hà Nội, 10/2/2011

Image: Stuttgart, Germany, 10/15/2011.

Reports: Images

Image (Internet): Demonstration against China's terrorist attacks and expansionism - Munich, Germany, 9/17/2011

Image (vietvungvinh): Demonstration against China's terrorist attacks and expansionism - San Francisco, California, USA, 9/14/2011. Reported by: nguoivietonline

Image (nguyenlanthang): Protesting against China's terrorist attacks and expansionism in the Southeast Asia Sea - Hanoi, Aug 14, 2011. Reports: basam , nguyenxuandien , danlambao , VIDEO , nguyễn lân thắng , nguyễn huệ chi

Image (nguyenlanthang): Protesting against China's terrorist attacks and expansionism in the Southeast Asia Sea - Hanoi, Aug 14, 2011.

Chinese Communist People's Liberation Army Navy

has attacked, robbed and murdered Vietnamese fishermen

"There is absolutely no excuse for such inhumanity."

Picture: A fisherman was robbed and murdered by Chinese Communist naval forces in the Gulf of Tonkin. His body was stuffed in a fishing basket of ice and brought back to his family home. MORE

SOUTHEAST ASIA SEA

Abusing History?

Frank Ching, Diplomat - Oct 16, 2011

China’s mix of historical and legal claims in the South China Sea are inconsistent, says Frank Ching. Beijing can’t have its cake and eat it.

The claims made by Southeast Asian countries rest primarily on the provisions of the Law of the Sea. China, however, is taking the position that its sovereignty over the territories concerned precedes the enactment of the Law of the Sea, and so the law doesn’t apply. History trumps law.

Vietnam, in pressing its case, has cited maps and geography attesting to its ‘historical sovereignty’ over the Paracel and Spratly islands going back to the 17th century. This doesn’t match the antiquity of China’s claims, but, at the very least, it shows that Chinese claims have been contested for centuries, and that China didn’t enjoy exclusive and continuous jurisdiction over these islands.

And, if history is to be the criterion, which period of history should be decisive? After all, if the Qin or Han dynasty is to be taken as the benchmark, then China’s territory today would be much smaller, since at the time it had not yet acquired Tibet, Xinjiang or Manchuria, now known as the northeast.

Name Change Could Foster Talks

by Joshua Lipes - RFA, June 21, 2011

Critics say South China Sea implies Chinese ownership of the disputed waters.

“Maybe what we should do for a start is to change the name. Call it the Friendship Sea or Sea of Peace. I think then we can start negotiating,” said Termsak Chalermpalanupap, Director of ASEAN’s Political and Security Directorate.

An official from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has suggested that changing the name of the South China Sea may help kick-start negotiations to resolve a longstanding maritime territorial dispute among China and five other Asian states.

Philippines renames South China Sea as West Philippine Sea

By Barbara Mae Dacanay, June 12, 2011

Manila: President Benigno Aquino has called on Filipinos to rename South China Sea as West Philippine Sea, and Reed Bank as Recto Bank, where China's ship had harassed a Philippine oil exploration vessel, to strengthen the country's claim on the contested areas, a senior official said.

Proclamation by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Vietnam against PRC's provocative actions

Today, Chinese Communist invasion of the territory of the Republic of Vietnam is not only threatening the sovereignty and security of the Republic of Vietnam, but also a threat to peace and security of Southeast Asia and the world.

Proclamation by the Government of the Republic of Vietnam

The noblest and most imperative task of a Government is to defend the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Nation. The Government of the Republic of Vietnam is determined to carry out this task, regardless of difficulties it may encounter and regardless of unfounded objections wherever they may come from.

White Paper on the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and

Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands
Republic of Vietnam - Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Saigon, 1975

ASIA

Our Hearts and Prayers go out to the people of Japan

Amid disaster, Japan's societal mores remain strong
By Kyung Lah, CNN - March 17, 2011

The Japanese from a young age are socialized to put group interest ahead of individual interest.

You don't want to stick out, either as a failure or as a huge success, or display your emotions in an undignified manner. You simply want to be like everyone else.

Sometimes, to foreigners, Japan's societal rules seems orderly and conformist to a fault. But no one can argue that in this disaster it is a tremendous benefit. I only need to think about my own home country dealing with triple disasters in the space of a few days to understand how Japan's society has characteristics that simply don't exist in any other large country.

Massive quake, tsunami ravage Japan

By MALCOLM FOSTER, Associated Press - Mar 11, 2011

TOKYO – A ferocious tsunami spawned by one of the largest earthquakes on record slammed Japan's eastern coast Friday, killing hundreds of people as it swept away ships, cars and homes while widespread fires burned out of control.

Hours later, the tsunami hit Hawaii but did not cause major damage. Warnings blanketed the Pacific, putting areas on alert as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire U.S. West coast. In northeastern Japan, the area around a nuclear power plant was evacuated after the reactor's cooling system failed.

Video: Senkaku incident on Sep 7, 2010 - Chinese fishing boat attacked Japan Coast Guard around Senkaku Islands

After 35 Years, Unlikely Navy Caregivers Receive Recognition

Joseph Shapiro, September 1st, 2010

"The USS Kirk carried out one of the most significant humanitarian missions in U.S. military history. Yet the story went untold for 35 years."

The men of the USS Kirk were trained as warriors, not as caregivers. So they didn't think of what they did more than three decades ago as significant. But their rescue of 20,000 to 30,000 Vietnamese refugees, in the last days of the Vietnam War, is now being recognized as one of the most important humanitarian missions in the history of the U.S. Navy.

Image (courtesy of Hugh Doyle): On April 29, 1975, as Saigon was falling to Communist North Vietnamese forces, a small U.S. Navy destroyer escort ship, the USS Kirk, played a dramatic but almost forgotten role in rescuing up to 30,000 South Vietnamese. Here, a member of the USS Kirk's crew tends to a Vietnamese baby.

Related articles

35 Years On, Vietnam Heroes Reunited, Decorated

Joseph Shapiro and Sandra Bartlett, September 1st, 2010

At War's End, U.S. Ship Rescued South Vietnam's Navy

Joseph Shapiro and Sandra Bartlett, September 1st, 2010

SPEAK FOR MEKONG!

Chinese Armed Patrols on the Mekong

by Khanh Vu Duc, Asia Sentinel | Nov 15, 2011

Sending armed escorts won’t assuage fears of Chinese assertiveness or expansionism.

If China is serious in protecting its vessels against threats, it cannot ignore the greater malaise that is lawlessness. Moreover, it should not act alone when the matter at hand is a regional affair. If China is serious in preventing the death of more sailors, it must do so under the framework of joint-responsibility. Until the law is brought to bear over the Golden Triangle, it does not matter how many armed patrols China or its neighbors send to travel up and down the Mekong River.

Sign petition to demand cancellation of the Xayaburi Dam

International Rivers

Your letter will be emailed to the Mekong River Commission's Council, comprised of Ministers from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, and hard copies of all the signatures will be presented to each of the governments on Monday, April 18.

Next Tuesday, a crucial decision will be made over the fate of the Mekong River in Southeast Asia. On April 19th, the governments of Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam will decide whether to build the first dam on the lower Mekong mainstream, the Xayaburi Dam. Located in northern Laos, this dam is the first of 11 large hydropower dams that – if built – would devastate the world’s most productive freshwater fishery.

About Mekong

The Mekong River Basin is defined by the land area surrounding all the streams and rivers that flow into the Mekong River. This includes parts of China, Myanmar and Viet Nam, nearly one third of Thailand and most of Cambodia and Lao PDR. With a total land area of 795 000 square kilometres, the Mekong River Basin is nearly the size of France and Germany together. From its headwaters thousands of metres high on the Tibetan Plateau, it flows through six distinct geographical regions, each with characteristic features of elevation, topography and land cover. It would take 2 days of twenty-four hour driving at 100 km per hour to drive the same distance as the length of the Mekong River (4800 km).

More: SPEAK FOR MEKONG!