Activities of Related Parties
China
China will start reclamation work at Scarborough Shoal
The South China Morning Post on Apr. 25 cited from a source close to the PLA Navy saying that China will start reclamation at the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea later this year and may add an airstrip to extend its air force’s reach over the contested waters. Beijing would ramp up work to establish a new outpost 230km off the coast of the Philippines. According to the source, “China should regain the initiative to do so because Washington is trying to contain Beijing by establishing a permanent military presence in the region.”
China defends the agreement with three ASEAN countries about the SCS disputes.
Speaking in a regular press conference on Apr. 25, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Hua Chunying said that, “Consensus among China, Brunei, Cambodia and Laos is based on international law including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, in keeping with the stipulation and gist of the DOC. It demonstrates the basic principle in dealing with relevant maritime issues.” “We appreciate it that the three countries make correct judgments on their own based on the merits of the issue. We would continue to work alongside ASEAN countries in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea,” She added. Regarding the report from U.S. Pentagon saying that the US military carried out freedom of navigation operations against 13 countries last year, including several against China, India and Indonesia, Ms. Hua said on Apr. 24, “The nature of the so-called freedom of navigation operations is nothing but the US assertion of unilateral claims by force or coercive means with the help of its strong naval and air forces. The US took a preemptive move and introduced the freedom of navigation operations in 1979 before the signing of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), with the purpose of ensuring the maximum freedom and maneuverability of US military forces in all the oceans and challenging the new order for the seas and oceans without joining the UNCLOS.” “We hope that the US would respect other countries' sovereignty and security and make efforts to genuinely uphold the order for the seas and oceans and safeguard regional peace and stability,” Hua said.
About the report saying that China will start reclamation work on Scarborough Shoal, Ms. Hua, Apr. 28, said “It is within China's sovereignty as for what will China do or not do. China has the confidence and capability to preserve its sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests.”On Apr. 29, in a response to recent remark of US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying that China cannot have it both ways by being a party to the UNCLOS but rejecting its provisions, including the binding nature of any arbitration decision, Ms. Hua responded, ‘I cannot but say with regret that Mr. Blinken is either knowing nothing about the nature of relevant disputes over the South China Sea and what is said in the UNCLOS or labeling China at will.”
Chinese President Xi Jingping committed to maintain peace in the South China Sea
In his speech at Opening Ceremony of the 5th Meeting of the CICA Ministers of Foreign Affairs on Apr. 28, President Xi Jinping said, “China is committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. We firmly stand by our sovereignty and rights and interests in the South China Sea, and remain committed to resolving disputes peacefully through friendly consultation and negotiation with countries directly concerned.” Xi Jinping stressed that China is firmly committed to pursuing the peaceful development path, maintaining the international order with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter at its core, fostering a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation.
China proposes China-Asean pledge on territorial disputes
In his statement after Asean-China dialogue partnership in Singapore on Apr. 28, Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said, “Pending the final conclusion of COC, we believe that issuing a joint statement to reaffirm our commitment to the DOC is a positive move to ensure stability and peace in the South China Sea." Mr. Liu Zhenmin stressed it was "necessary" for members of the 10-nation grouping to reaffirm their commitment to the DOC.
China gathers supports from other countries to its position on South China Sea disputes
According to the statement of China’s MOFA on Apr. 28, in his speech on the sidelines of the 5th Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei of Belarus said that Belarus firmly opposes the internationalization of the South China Sea issue, any pressure exerted by irrelevant parties on the parties directly concerned. Parties concerned should not get irrelevant external forces involved in the issue, which is helpless to resolving the issue.” Also on the sidelines of the conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a meeting with Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz of Pakistan. “Both sides agree that relevant disputes over the South China Sea should be peacefully resolved through consultations and negotiations in accordance with bilateral agreements and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) by parties directly concerned. Pakistan respects China's statement of optional exception in light of Article 298 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the statement stressed.
China denies US aircraft carrier making port call to Hong Kong
A US consulate official says, Apr. 28, Beijing denied a US aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis permission to make a port call in Hong Kong. In a written reply to the South China Morning Post’s inquiry, the ministry said on Apr. 29 night that port calls made by US warships and military aircraft were examined on a “case by case basis in accordance with sovereignty principles and specific circumstances”. It’s not the first time China has turned down port calls by US warships. During the Thanksgiving holidays in 2007, Beijing rejected the USS Kitty Hawk’s visit to Hong Kong after Washington announced an advanced missile deal with Taiwan and US President George W. Bush met the Dalai Lama.
Singapore
Singapore stresses on resolving disputes through legal and diplomatic processes
In his keynote speech in the 11th Japan-Singapore Symposium in International House of Japan, Apr. 26, Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said, “Japan and other regional stakeholders need to work together with ASEAN to advance regional peace, stability and prosperity, and to uphold and protect a rules-based regional and international order.” Both Singapore and Japan have an interest in upholding the right of freedom of navigation and over-flight, he stressed. As a small country, Singapore has to believe that legal and diplomatic processes in accordance with universally accepted principles of international law, is the best arbiter of disputes between sovereign states because otherwise, you will have to accept the use or the threat of the use of force and we as a small state cannot accept that “might is right”.
Malaysia
Malaysia considers building a radar station In South China Sea
The Marine Department is proposing to build a radar station in the South China Sea to ensure the area is free from any criminal activities. "However, the construction of a radar station is still at the discussion stage and is expected to be included in the 11th Malaysia Plan," the director-general Datuk Baharin Abdul Hamid on the sideline of the 8th International Conference on the Straits of Melaka, Apr. 25. Baharin said the radar could detect suspicious ships in national waters and channel information to the authorities for further action.
Cambodia
Cambodia refutes new East Sea-related agreement with China
Cambodia’s Secretary of State and Spokesman for the Council of Ministers, Phay Siphan, Apr. 27, said that Cambodia does not have any new agreements regarding the East Sea (South China Sea) issue with China. Cambodia wants the countries involved in the East Sea issue to resolve the dispute peacefully, and that all ASEAN countries should strive to expeditiously finalize a code of conduct in the waters, he added.
The United States
Presidents Barack Obama criticize China’s behavior at sea
The U.S. news channel, CBS, recently had an interview with President Barack Obama to discuss on the challenges in Asia of the US, especially China’s military moves in the South China Sea. During the interview, President Obama said, "I've been consistent, since I've been president, in believing that a productive, candid relationship between the United States and China is vital, not just to our two countries, but to world peace and security.” With respect to the South China Sea, rather than operate under international norms and rules, their attitude is, 'We're the biggest kids around here. And we're going to push aside the Philippines or the Vietnamese.' ... But it doesn't mean that we're trying to act against China. We just want them to be partners with us. And where they break out of international rules and norms, we're going to hold them to account."
The US urges China to respect the ruling of the tribunal
Speaking at the full Committee hearing on opportunities and challenges in Asia, Apr. 28, Deputy Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said, “we have worked very hard to establish across the region an understanding that this is an appropriate mechanism—arbitration—to resolve these disputes, and that the ruling of the tribunal should be binding on the two parties.” According to Mr. Blinken, China "can't have it both ways," by being a party to the convention but rejecting its provisions. China has a decision to make," he said. ("If) it ignores the decision ... it risks doing terrible damage to its reputation, further alienating countries in the region and pushing them even closer to the United States." "We are looking to ASEAN, as it did most recently at that summit, to express its support for these basic principles and we would like to see that happen when the arbitration decision is issued as well," Blinken said.
U.S. concerned about possible reclamation of Scarborough Shoal
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told a congressional session, on Apr. 28, that the United States is concerned about possible reclamation by China of a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, "We take that seriously, very seriously, it's a piece of disputed territory that, like other disputes in that region, has the potential to lead to military conflict, " he said. "There are certain aspects of Chinese behavior that are very disturbing to us" and cause self-isolation by China, Carter said. The U.S. military last week sent warplanes and helicopters to international airspace near Scarborough Shoal, according to the U.S. Pacific Air Force.
Russia
Russian FM says external forces should not interfere in South China Sea issue
On Apr. 29, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is in Beijing to attend the fifth Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), and for an official visit to China, made the remarks during talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Lavrov said, “Russia holds that the South China Sea issue should be resolved peacefully through political means, such as negotiations between the parties directly concerned, while external forces should refrain from interfering.” The two foreign ministers agreed that the South China Sea disputes should be resolved through negotiations between parties directly concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and international laws. Regarding China-Russia ties, Lavrov said the priority of Russia's foreign policy was to develop relations with China.
India
Indian envoy says South China Sea freedom of navigation should be preserved
India's Ambassador to South Korea Vikram Doraiswami said in a lecture hosted by the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, Apr. 29, that "As one of the most important maritime arteries, it is important that whatever is done ensures that freedom of navigation is preserved." "We recognize that there is a legal process underway and we will wait for whatever judgment comes along," he said referring to a related ruling to be made by a panel of jurists at a United Nations-designated tribunal in the next several weeks.
Regional Snapshots
Cambodia, Laos criticized for the agreement with China on South China Sea disputes
Speaking at the ASEAN Community forum in Jakarta, on Apr. 25, former ASEAN Secretary-General Ong Keng Yong said, the recent move by Cambodia and Laos to make a pact with China on how to settle the South China Sea dispute amounted to them interfering with the domestic affairs of the ASEAN. "So, for this kind of announcement that two of the non-ASEAN claimant states have said certain things about ASEAN's position, I think it's very surprising.” He added: “We have agreed among ourselves in ASEAN that the dispute concerned have to be worked out bilaterally, China-Brunei, China-Philippines and so on and so forth, but as far as the ASEAN position is concerned Laos is the chairman this year maybe as chairman it has decided to say something on behalf of the group.” At the same times, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the forum Mr Le reiterated that ASEAN’s six point principles which include the early conclusion of regional code of conduct, and continued exercise of self-restrained need to be maintained. Mr Le said China’s strategy to engage countries bilaterally is well-known.
China, Indonesia to further pragmatic cooperation
On Apr. 26, China and Indonesia held the fifth deputy prime ministerial bilateral dialogue mechanism meeting, vowing to further pragmatic cooperation. Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Luhut Panjaitan, the visiting Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Political, Law and Security Affairs, co-chaired the meeting in Beijing. Yang called on both sides to regard bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective to strengthen strategic cooperation in political and security issues. Luhut said Indonesia is willing to make joint efforts with China to cooperate more in political, economic and security issues. They agreed to strengthen marine cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and benefit. In addition, the two sides agreed to push forward East Asia cooperation and promote the continued and stable development of China-ASEAN ties.
The 22nd China-ASEAN Senior Officials' Consultations Held in Singapore
On April 28, 2016, the 22nd China-ASEAN Senior Officials' Consultations was held in Singapore. It was co-chaired by Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chee Wee Kiong of Singapore. Senior officials from other member states of the ASEAN and deputy secretary-general of the ASEAN attended the meeting. The meeting focused on the preparations for this years' series of activities commemorating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN dialogue relations. The Chinese side expressed that the ASEAN is a priority in China's diplomacy with neighboring countries. Also on this occasion, a Japan’s news channels, Kyodonews, cited from an ASEAN diplomatic sources that China's Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin made the comment that it would be a "risky move" for ASEAN to issue any statement on the case and China would "object" to it. Liu reiterated that China's position is not to accept the arbitration, which it regards as a move against China by outside powers -- a reference to the United States and Japan. Any relation with outside powers should not be at the cost of ASEAN-China ties.”
The 5th CICA upholds the principles of the UN Charter and international law in resolving disputes
The fifth foreign ministerial meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) held in Beijing on April 28. This year's CICA focused its discussion on traditional and non-traditional security challenges in Asia. Participating nations agreed that international terrorism and violent extremism are common threats and the international community needs to cooperate to prevent and eliminate these threats. In order to solve hot spots, disputes and regional conflicts, countries emphasised the conformity of the principles of the UN Charter, international law and CICA. The conference passed the ministerial statement confirming commitment to maintaining and protecting the principles of the UN Charter and international law, including opposing the use of force or threat to use force, respecting independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and resolving disputes via peaceful measures as stipulated in the UN Charter.
THE EAST SEA STUDIES
