Amelie McGowan

TOKYO — On July 12, 2026, a coalition of 14 nations, including the United States, Japan, and the Philippines, issued a joint statement declaring that China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea have no basis under international law. The declaration was released to mark the 10th anniversary of a landmark international tribunal ruling that overwhelmingly favored Manila over Beijing.

According to a recent report by Reuters, China’s military has executed a missile test-fire from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific Ocean, drawing swift criticism and concern from regional powers, including the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan. The report states that a People’s Liberation Army Navy submarine launched the missile, which carried a dummy warhead toward international waters at 12:01 p.m. local time on Monday, July 6th.

CANBERRA — Australia and Vanuatu have finalized a comprehensive economic and security agreement designed to prevent the establishment of foreign military bases on the Pacific island nation, directly addressing rising geopolitical competition in the region.