ipdefenseforum

FORUM Staff The August arrest of two former Chinese military personnel on espionage charges in South Korea underscores the urgency for Allies and Partners to counter the spike in nefarious activities orchestrated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), in particular. Republic of Korea (ROK) authorities arrested the two reportedly People’s Liberation Army (PLA) veterans accused …

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS United States Special Operations Forces (SOF) are ready to step up warfighting-readiness exercises with counterparts in the Philippines and other countries in the Indo-Pacific to further strengthen a security alliance and help deter a major conflict. “The best way to deter conflict is by being able to demonstrate convincingly to any adversary …

Reuters New Zealand’s security agency said it disrupted an attempt by a Chinese Communist Party-linked observatory to install satellite-tracking infrastructure in the country, highlighting the case in its annual assessment of an increasingly dangerous espionage environment. The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) said Purple Mountain Observatory, a China-based orga...

Maria T. Reyes The Philippines’ evolving network of defense partnerships is entering a new phase, as Manila seeks to strengthen its deterrence posture amid China’s continued maritime coercion in the South China Sea. Following status of visiting forces agreements and reciprocal military access with Canada, France, Japan and New Zealand, the Philippines has expanded the number of ...

This map provides a month‑by‑month view of maritime activity around Scarborough Reef, beginning with January 2026. Each red point represents a China Coast Guard vessel, while each blue point shows a Philippine Coast Guard or BFAR vessel operating in the same area. The side panel displays the comparative vessel counts and force composition for the …