China's Latest Weapon Against Taiwan: The Sand Dredger
Taiwanese coast guard commander Lin Chie-ming is on the frontline of a new type of warfare that China is waging against Taiwan. China’s weapon? Sand.On a chilly morning in late January, Lin, clad in an orange uniform, stood on the rolling deck of his boat as it patrolled in choppy waters off the Taiwan-run Matsu Islands. A few kilometers away, the Chinese coast was faintly visible from Lin’s boat. He was on the lookout for Chinese sand-dredging ships encroaching on waters controlled by Taiwan.The Chinese goal…
US Rearms to Nullify China's Missile Supremacy
As Washington and Beijing trade barbs over the coronavirus pandemic, a longer-term struggle between the two Pacific powers is at a turning point, as the United States rolls out new weapons and strategy in a bid to close a wide missile gap with China.The United States has largely stood by in recent decades as China dramatically expanded its military firepower. Now, having shed the constraints of a Cold War-era arms control treaty, the Trump administration is planning to deploy long-range…
Barge Removed from Reef
The barge that ran aground in Hagåtña Bay was removed and steps are now being taken to repair damage. The Coast Guard said the barge was removed at 6:15 p.m. yesterday, safely and with minimal damage to the reef. According to Department of Agriculture fisheries biologist Brent Tibbatts, both the reef and the barge will be assessed and then repairs will be looked at. Two tugboats were used to pull the barge from the reef during the high tide yesterday evening.The barge was then assessed by the U.S. Coast Guard for seaworthiness and moved into Apra Harbor, where Tibbatts said it will most likely undergo repairs.The cause of the grounding is still being investigated by the Coast Guard…
Coast Guard Hopes to Move Barge
The extent of the damage, if any, to the coral reef in Hagatna Bay by a barge that ran aground was not known. The barge, the Tamara 5, associated with the U.S.-flagged tug boat June T was working on sewage system repair at the Hagatna Wastewater Treatment Plant when it ran aground. According to U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Marcus Hirschberg, the primary concern of all the agencies involved is the safety of salvage personnel and minimizing the impact on the environment. There were no injuries among those on board the vessel; however, four individuals went into the water around the barge. Those individuals safely made it back to the grounded vessel. The owner of the vessel is working closely with agencies including the U.S.
