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Activities of the Claimants

China

China refutes Philippines' accusations of militarizing South China Sea

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on July 1st refuted the Philippines' accusations that China's military build-up threatens peace and security in the South China Sea. Hua made the remarks when asked to comment on the remarks Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario made during the foreign ministers' meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on June 30th. Hua reaffirmed that China's position on safeguarding the peace and stability of the South China Sea is steadfast. The recent tensions in the South China Sea were not caused by China, said Hua, citing facts of harassment of Chinese fishermen by the Philippine military vessels last year as well as the Philippines' illegal occupation of the Co May Shoal.

Submersible taps vast mineral deposits in South China Sea

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Jiaolong, the Chinese manned deep-sea submersible, discovers a treasure of iron-manganese deposits that were first discovered in the South China Sea on July 3rd. Tang Jialing, an oceanaut on the submersible, told that although the exact area of the deposits was still unknown, he was sure that it was large. Tongji University Professor Zhou Huaiyang, who was on board Jiaolong's support ship Xiangyanghong 09 on July 3rd, said scientists will conduct experiments to determine the age of the deposits.

PetroBroad Copower, CNOOC Sign PSC Deal for South China Sea Block

China’s CNOOC Limited announced on July 5th that its parent company, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has signed production sharing contract (PSC) with PetroBroad Copower Limited (PetroBroad Copower) for Block 28/03 in Pearl River Mouth Basin. Block 28/03 is located in Pearl River Mouth Basin in the east part of the South China Sea. It covers a total area of 68 square kilometers with water depths of 95 meters. According to the terms of the contract, PetroBroad Copower will conduct 3D seismic data surveys and drill exploration wells in the block during the exploration period, in which all expenditures incurred will be borne by PetroBroad Copower. CNOOC has the right to participate in up to 51% working interest in any commercial discoveries in the blocks.

Vietnam

Vietnamese Foreign Minister hails outcomes of AMM-46

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On the sidelines of AMM-46 and others related meetings, Vietnamese FM Pham Binh Minh said the East Sea issue involved many concerned parties. They all attached importance to peace, security, safety and free navigation in the East Sea. Seeing many complicated developments in the East Sea, almost all participants suggested relevant parties refrain from using or threatening to use force, settle disputes by peaceful means and implement reached commitments in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC). Regional countries and partners emphasised the need to build a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), hailing a Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) COC exchange agreed upon by ASEAN and China, towards a COC reached by the two sides.

The Philippines

Aquino vows a robust Air Force before 2016

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on July 1st vowed to acquire modern aircraft and other air defense equipment before his term ends in 2016 in the face of a territorial dispute with China. In his speech during the 66th anniversary rites of the Philippine Air Force at Clark Air Base, Pampanga, Aquino enumerated some aircraft types that would replace the country’s aging air force fleet. “Before I step down, brand-new aircraft – such as lead-in fighters, long-range patrol aircraft, close air support aircraft, light-lift fixed-wing aircraft, medium-lift aircraft, attack helicopters, combat utility helicopters, air defense radars, and flight simulators – will be flying and safeguarding our airspace,” Aquino said.

Philippines calls for an expanded ASEAN-US cooperation on maritime security

Addressing the ASEAN-U.S. Post Ministerial Conference in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario said that in the meantime that a regional Code of Conduct is yet to be negotiated and concluded, the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) in its entirety is imperative to prevent disputes from escalating into conflict. “Fortunately, we have an appropriate mechanism for dialogue and interaction on these matter, the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF), which was inaugurated in Manila in October 2012,” Secretary del Rosario said.

Philippines presses China, neighbors to draft code of conduct in South China Sea

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In the Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Del Rosario urged the body to craft a binding South China Sea Code of Conduct (COC) "as soon as possible." "From the Philippine perspective, a rules-based approach in the management and resolution of disputes in the South China Sea has two complementary elements: first, the early conclusion of a legally-binding and substantive COC, envisaged in the ASEAN-China DOC; and second, third party arbitration of maritime disputes under UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea)," Del Rosario said at the 20th Asean Regional Forum in Bendar Seri Begawan. He added that the COC must be loyal to the the existing Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC), a non-binding political statement signed in 2002 seeking cooperation between signatories, the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and China.

Aquino defends use of bases by US, Japan

Philippine President Aquino said for the first time on July 2nd that the United States and Japan would have access to the former US bases in the Philippines to be able to forge a “credible alliance”. In an ambush interview in Camp Crame, Aquino stressed that giving the two countries access to the installations was “not permanent.” So it is but the natural circumstance of—if you want a credible alliance—then you will have to have mutual training and that will normally occur within our territory or the allies’ territory,” Aquino stressed.

Del Rosario invites Chinese foreign minister to Manila

Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario has invited Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit Manila for “consultations” as the Philippines wished to defuse tensions over the South China Sea. In a brief interview on July 4th, Del Rosario told reporters that Wang said “he will consider” the invitation. “What might be of interest is I invited the (Chinese) foreign minister to come and visit Manila so that we can have a full and constructive discussion on all issues,” Del Rosario said. “I indicated to him that perhaps it’s time for him to do this because I have been to Beijing three times since I became foreign minister and all throughout that time, we have had no visits from the Chinese foreign minister,” he added.

Philippines: 'We refuse to dignify' Chinese general's comment

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Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Raul Hernandez said in a press conference that he consulted Del Rosario about a remark by People's Liberation Army Major General Luo Yuan who said the Philippines is a "trouble maker" in the South China Sea dispute. "I just talked to the secretary about this and he said, 'This is my response: We refuse to dignify the statement made by the Chinese general'," Hernandez said.

Chinese ships have left Scarborough Shoal

Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin confirmed on July 5th that Chinese surveillance vessels left Panatag Shoal late last month due to bad weather in that part of the South China Sea. “As far as the last air patrol we conducted, they (Chinese ships) were no longer in Panatag Shoal. There was inclement weather there,” Gazmin told reporters. Gazmin said the last air patrol was carried out on June 27th.

The U.S.

US urges progress on South China Sea tensions

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US Secretary of State John Kerry on July 1st urged progress on a code of conduct to govern the hotly disputed South China Sea, after ally the Philippines warned of a Chinese military build-up in the strategically vital waters. "We very much hope to see progress on a substantive code of conduct to help ensure stability in this vital region," Kerry told foreign ministers of Southeast Asian nations at a meeting in Brunei. "We have a strong interest in the manner in which the disputes of the South China Sea are addressed and in the conduct of the parties. As a Pacific nation and a resident power, the United States has a national interest in the maintenance of peace and stability, respect for international law, unimpeded lawful commerce and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea," Kerry said.

India

Any use of force in South China Sea not acceptable to India

On the eve of India-ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference, foreign minister Salman Khurshid on July 1st said India will reject any use of force in the South China Sea where several Asean countries are locked in a territorial dispute with China. Khurshid was replying to a query here about India's position about the call for a freedom of navigation by some Asean nations for a code of conduct in South China Sea. "The Code of conduct is a work in progress but at part of the broad principles, we support freedom of navigation in South China Sea; the use of force is something which India rejects,'' said Khurshid.

Regional Snapshots

ARF-20, EAS-3 stressed on ensuring maritime security

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On July 2nd, the 20th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF–20) and the third East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (EAS–3) took place at Brunei. The meetings stressed the importance of ensuring peace, stability and maritime security in the region, especially in the East Sea , as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes and strict compliance with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS. The foreign ministers hailed regional efforts to promote maritime cooperation in preventing piracy, search and rescue at sea, maritime security and environmental protection, as well as connectivity at sea.

China, Russia hold joint naval drills

China and Russia on July 5th started joint naval drills off the coast of Russia's Far East. Seven vessels from China's North Sea Fleet and South Sea Fleet and 12 vessels from Russia's Pacific Fleet are taking part in the weeklong exercises. Participating forces also include fixed-wing aircraft, carrier-based helicopters and special operations detachments. The maneuvers will focus on anti-submarine and anti-ship operations, maritime air defense, joint escorts as well as marine search and rescue operations.

Indian defence minister to visit China

Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony leaves New Delhi on July 5th on a four-day official visit to China, his first as India’s Defence Minister. Mr. Antony will have formal delegation-level talks with his counterpart, Minister of National Defence and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Chang Wanquan. Indian Defence Ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said in New Delhi the two ministers are expected to discuss a number of issues, including those related to maintenance of peace and tranquillity on the border; exchanges and interactions between the armed forces of both sides and matters relating to regional and global security.

Commentaries & Analyses

The South China Sea Outlook for 2013–2014

By Ian Storey

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The outlook for the remainder of the year and into 2014 is status quo. There almost certainly will not be a “breakthrough” that leads to a resolution of the dispute, because the political will to pursue a legal or negotiated settlement is currently absent. The focus will remain on “conflict management,” primarily through the DoC/CoC process. While it is encouraging that China and ASEAN have begun tentative talks on the CoC, it is unrealistic to expect that an agreement will be ready to sign at the ASEAN-China Summit in October. ASEAN and China must negotiate and reach consensus on a complex and contentious set of issues, a process that is likely to take several years. China’s manifest lack of enthusiasm for any kind of code, let alone a robust and effective one of the kind America and Japan want to see, suggests Beijing will be content to draw out the discussions for as long as possible and work to ensure that the final product lacks teeth. In all probability the CoC is unlikely to significantly affect the central drivers of the dispute, mitigate tensions or prevent the occurrence of incidents at sea. As talks on the CoC proceed, the claimants will continue to uphold their claims rhetorically and through acts of administration, robustly asserting their perceived maritime rights and vigorously opposing the sovereignty-building activities of their rivals. A major conflict in the Spratlys is unlikely, but tense stand-offs at sea over energy and fishery resources could spark minor skirmishes. At its summit in April, ASEAN maintained a veneer of unity on the South China Sea thanks to the adept diplomatic skills of Brunei. ASEAN solidarity, however, could be tested again at subsequent forums, including the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and ASEAN Regional Forum in late June/early July as well as the East Asia Summit in October. How the next ASEAN chair, Burma, tackles the dispute in 2014 will be something to watch, because currently Burma is rebalancing its foreign relations in an attempt to reduce dependence on China and improve relations with America, Japan, India, and Europe. Naypyidaw will try to replicate Brunei’s strategy of maintaining consensus within ASEAN over the South China Sea without antagonizing China. Unlike Brunei, however, Beijing has greater economic and hence political leverage over Burma. So long as the dispute remains unresolved, ASEAN unity will continue to be put under strain and this in turn poses a challenge to the organization’s aspirations to maintain “centrality” in the regional security architecture building process. Its leaders will have to grapple with the growing number of thorny problems created by as the ASEAN chair recently put it, “an increasingly complex geopolitical environment”—a polite way of describing the seemingly intractable dispute in the South China Sea and the competition between Washington and Beijing for influence in Southeast Asia.

ASEAN Theatre

By C. Raja Mohan

In 2012, for the first time in its history, the ASEAN ended without an agreed statement, revealing the deepening differences within the forum on how to deal with China's rising power and assertiveness in the South China Sea. This year, though, the ASEAN is determined to put across a show of unity in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. Kerry's Pivot. In his address to the ASEAN this week, Kerry said much the same things as Clinton did three years ago on the South China Sea and reaffirmed the American role in the region. But not all in the ASEAN are reassured about the depth of American security commitment to the region. For, Kerry seems focused on the Middle East, and the recent US defence budget cuts have raised questions about the sustainability of the pivot to Asia. The region is also wary of Kerry's efforts to cultivate a special relationship with China. Like Kerry, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made his debut at the ASEAN this week. Wang, however, had an easier task than Kerry. Representing the new political leadership in Beijing, Wang removed some of the rough edges that had crept up into China's diplomacy towards the ASEAN in the last three years. Wang called for a formal dialogue with the ASEAN states on drafting a code of conduct for the South China Sea. He also proposed stronger trade ties between China and the ASEAN. Wang's softer tone made it more difficult for the ASEAN to quibble with China. However, the Philippines, which is locked in an escalating maritime territorial dispute with China, was not impressed. At Brunei, it accused Beijing of militarising the South China Sea and violating the earlier agreements between China and the ASEAN. "The overwhelming presence of Chinese ships, including military and paramilitary ships, and the issuance of threats, pose serious challenges for the region as a whole", the Philippines declared.

Can India Military become a player in Asia

By Vipin Narang

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In May, India's Navy made goodwill visits to Vietnam and Malaysia; a mid-June trip to the Philippines included "courtesy calls, receptions" and shipboard tours, according to the Inquirer, a Filipino newspaper. In May, for the first time ever, an acting Indian defense minister made an official visit to Australia; the two sides agreed to start annual naval exercises. After a late-May visit to Thailand and Japan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that he is "hopeful" of the Look East Policy's future success. The rest of the region, however, should not share Singh's optimism: India's ability to become a major Asian power is constrained by conventional and insurgent threats, resource and organizational limitations, and a chaotic domestic political scene. First, India is modernizing its armed forces, however, India's military remains distracted by counterinsurgency operations in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir and in the country's restive northeast, as well as by a fractious relationship with Pakistan. Second, some Indian strategists and political elites worry about excessively close cooperation with the United States. India's Look East Policy has already created friction with a China worried about being contained. New Delhi is wary of further provoking its neighbor to the north, one of Asia's dominant military powers and one of India's largest trading partners.  Third, Indian domestic politics present another hurdle. India's defense bureaucracy is slow and inefficient. In addition, India's most influential elected officials seem focused on the instability of the ruling government and, above all, the 2014 general elections. There is no incentive for Indian politicians to focus on defense policy or alliance strategy. Until India gets its own house in order, Singh's hope that his country's diplomacy "will contribute to peace, prosperity and stability" in the region will continue to ring hollow.

Asean-China: new Code-of-conduct tug-of-war

By Kavi Chongkittavorn

China's new Foreign Minister Wang Yi made a successful maiden visit to Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei in early May. During the visits, he managed to calm ASEAN colleagues by demonstrating China's willingness to engage ASEAN on the CoC negotiations. This will be done through the Asean-China Working Grouping on Declaration Of Conduct of Parties on South China Sea (DoC), which was set up a decade ago, and followed by the establishment of an Eminent Persons Group. Wang Yi's trip left a strong impression that Beijing appeared more flexible than his predecessor, Yang Jiechi, who is now serving as a state councillor responsible for foreign affairs. As a whole, ASEAN is willing to give China the benefit of the doubt at this juncture. However, one ASEAN country strongly believes that China has only changed its form not substance. But Wang Yi's charm offensive was good enough to generate a conducive atmosphere for Brunei, Indonesia and Thailand to convince their ASEAN colleagues that further exchanges with China will bring tangible results. After all, on the South China Sea disputes, China is standing alone. Both Russia and North Korea, the two traditional allies, have been mute. There is no reason for Beijing toquarrel with ASEAN perpetually on this issue. To move on, China has reiterated that there must be meaningful implementation of the DoC first.