ACTIVITIES OF RELATED PARTIES

China

China preps Spratlys for military aircraft

According to statelite images, Subi, Mischief and Fiery Cross Reefreef will soon have hangar space for 24 fighter-jets plus 3-4 larger planes. The smallest and most numerous hangars are being built with four to six hangars per building. They can easily accommodate any fighter-jet in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force or Naval Aviation, including the J-11 and Su-30. The second type of hangar is large enough for the H-6 bomber and H-6U refueling tanker, Y-8 transport aircraft, and KJ200 Airborne Warning and Control System plane. The largest of the hangars can accommodate the largest planes in the Chinese fleet — the Y-20 and Il-76 transport planes, Il-78 refueling tanker, and KJ-2000 surveillance aircraft.

China launches new satellite to keep eye on sea interests

China is putting its nearby waters under more effective surveillance with its newly operational high-tech satellite. Launched on August 10 morning, the Gaofen 3 high-resolution Earth observation satellite will help the nation beef up its capabilities to safeguard its maritime interests and to help forecast and warn of natural disasters, space program officials said.

China is open to dialogue with the Philippines

Speaking on that former Philippine President Fidel Ramos will make contact with the Chinese side in Hong Kong as the special envoy of the incumbent Philippine president, China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying on August 10 said: "As neighbors of traditional friendship, China and the Philippines should make joint efforts to improve bilateral relations, restore dialogue and cooperation and push for the sound and steady growth of bilateral relations. The Chinese side is open to all forms of contact between the two sides and welcomes a visit to China by Mr. Ramos as a special envoy at an early date."

China steps up naval presence near key disputed island

According to Pentagon officials, the number of Chinese maritime security vessels near Scarborough Shoal, in the Spratly Islands, has risen sharply over the past several weeks. For the past several years, China has limited the deployment of naval vessels at Scarborough Shoal to two or three maritime security ships that are similar to coast guard ships. Over the past several weeks, however, the number of Chinese warships there has increased to more than a dozen, said officials familiar with intelligence reports. Furthermore, China appears to be sending a large flotilla of hundreds of fishing vessels to Scarborough Shoal in an action similar to what is currently taking place in the East China Sea.

The Philippines 

China may be sued for destroying marine life

The Philippines can file a new case against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration for damages in destroying the marine environment in the South China Sea, Philippine Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said August 11. Carpio pointed out the July 12 decision by the United Nations tribunal does not include granting of monetary award to the Philippines by China for destroying its marine environment. “We did not pray for monetary award and none was granted, but we can file because we said China severely damaged the marine environment and the tribunal agreed and even expanded on that. We can file a new case,” Carpio said at a symposium at De La Salle University in Manila. He also cited the Nicaragua vs United States in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Philippines seeks formal talks with China amid South China Sea tension

The Philippines wants formal negotiations with China to explore pathways to peace and cooperation, the Southeast Asian nation's special envoy, Fidel Ramos, said on August 12, after a meeting with former Chinese deputy foreign minister Fu Ying. Ramos was speaking near the end of a trip to Hong Kong undertaken in a bid to rekindle ties with China, which have been soured by a maritime dispute in the South China Sea. "Informal discussions focused on the need to engage in further talks to build trust and confidence to reduce tensions to pave the way for overall cooperation," Ramos and Fu said in a joint statement.

The U.S.

US opposes China's reinforced structures in Spratlys

Regarding China's hangars contruction on Spratlys, Elizabeth Trudeau, US Director, Press Office stressed: "this type of potentially dual-use construction activity has raised tensions in the region. It also calls into question China’s willingness to abide by President Xi’s statement last September that China does not intend to militarize its outposts in the Spratly. Such actions undermine regional confidence that China’s willing to resolve contested matters in a non-coercive manner. We reiterate, as we have in the past, our call for all claimants to halt land reclamation in disputed areas in further development of new facilities and new militarization of their outposts, and instead to utilize the opportunity presented by the July 12th arbitral tribunal’s decision to reach an understanding on appropriate behavior and activities in disputed areas."

US Says More Military Transparency Needed in South China Sea

The response from Beijing and others to an arbitration panel's ruling invalidating China's vast South China Sea maritime claims has brought no surprises, but much more military transparency is needed to reduce tensions in the region, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet said August 9. Adm. Scott Swift also criticized China-Russia joint naval exercises planned next month in the South China Sea, saying the choice of location was not conducive to "increasing the stability within the region." He also said any decision by China to declare an air defense identification zone over the strategic water body would be "very destabilizing from a military perspective."

REGIONAL SNAPSHOTS

USS Benfold arrives in Qingdao, China

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65) arrived in Qingdao, China, August 8, for a scheduled port visit. Benfold's visit advances maritime cooperation and encourages a positive naval relationship with the People's Liberation Army (Navy) (PLAN) North Sea Fleet. As part of the visit to Qingdao, Benfold will host a reception and ship visits, as well as attend those hosted by the PLA(N). The scheduled events, including a sports day and community relations event featuring the U.S. 7th Fleet Band, will allow sailors from both nations to interact and build relationships through their shared maritime interests.

Indonesian defense chief visits Vietnam

Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu is set to meet with several high-ranking Vietnamese officials to discuss the two nations’ relationship during his visit to the country from August 7 to 9. The two officials discussed several regional and global issues, saying that there had been positive achievements in the two nations’ collaboration in national defense, especially in the fields of delegation exchanges, naval cooperation, and military training among others. They reached consensus on the effective realization of the memorandum of understanding on cooperation between defense officials, signed in October 2010, with a focus on establishing a mechanism for dialogue, sharing experience in humanitarian aid, search and rescue, and boosting ties in military industry.

Indonesia, Cambodia discuss defence cooperation

Indonesia is willing to offer Cambodia’s navy ships at a discount and would like the Kingdom to be involved in joint patrols in the region, Indonesia’s Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu August 10 told the Post, amid his meetings with Cambodia's government leaders. According to Banh, who spoke to reporters following their hour-long meeting, the two discussed a new defence cooperation agreement between the countries, which will include increased military training and potential weapons and uniform sales. “[We] will move to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between Cambodia and Indonesia’s defence ministries in all sectors of defence,” Banh said. According to Indonesia’s Defence Attache office, the MoU would allow Indonesia to train soldiers from all Royal Cambodian Armed Forces branches.

Philippines, Japan to China: Respect the law

The Philippines and Japan joined forces on August 11, to call on China to observe the rule of law in resolving maritime disputes after an international tribunal rejected Beijing's claims to most of the South China Sea. Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr met with his Japanese counterpart, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, in the southern Philippine city of Davao where both pledged to work closely to boost maritime security while facing separate sea disputes with China. "We have agreed that in the pursuit of the solution to the conflict in the maritime area, it is important to base ourselves on the rule of law and resort to peaceful means and not the use of force or coercion," Kishida said, referring to the UN-backed tribunal's finding published in July. "We invoke and urge China to make sure that maritime security and the rule of law must completely and uncompromisingly be respected," Yasay said in his statement.

Japan in talks to deliver two coast guard ships to Philippines

Japan and the Philippines have begun talks for the transfer of two large coast guard ships to Manila, to help patrol the disputed South China Sea, a Japanese foreign ministry official said on August 12, as part of a deal on defense equipment. The two brand-new 90-metre (295-ft) multi-role response vessels will be in addition to ten 44-metre (144-ft) mid-sized coast guard ships, worth 8.8 billion pesos ($188.52 million), that Japan is set to start delivering next week. "Both governments are looking into the possibility of getting two more vessels, this time the bigger ones," Masato Ohtaka, deputy spokesman of Japan's foreign ministry, told journalists in Manila. "We're in the middle of dialogue between the two sides, they are still discussing details and we need a little more time."