Asia Pacific: Tensions flare over South China Sea islands |Admin01 Disputed territory an awkward backdrop to talks designed to strengthen regional economic ties. Tensions between China and the Philippines over a group of islands in the South China Sea have resurfaced, and the rest of Southeast Asia appears to be caught in the middle of the dispute. The islands, known as the Spratly Islands in the West, consist of 750 reefs, atolls and other small land surfaces, with a combined area of less than five square kilometres. There is no permanent population on the islands, but a number of nations — including China, the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia — all have land claims on the resource-rich region and are increasingly unwilling to back down from them. The latest dispute stemmed from Manila’s announcement that officials spotted “concrete blocks” in the body of water within the Scarborough Shoal, one of the islands under dispute. Philippines defence officials called the blocks “a prelude to construction” on the island. China has denied undertaking construction, and added that Manila is “creating trouble out of nothing.” In a news briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei reiterated that the island is “China’s intrinsic territory,” and added that Manila should respect China’s sovereignty rights. The flare-up in tensions has spiked so quickly that Manila has recalled its ambassador to Beijing for “consultation,” while Philippine president Benigno Aquino cancelled a trip to a trade conference in China last week. This is not the first time Scarborough Shoal has been in the centre of the islands dispute between the two nations. Last April, the two sides engaged in a prolonged standoff after Manila said it found Chinese fishing boats near the island and confiscated what Manila deemed to be illegally gathered (due to a fishing ban) corals and seafood. Beijing has said its actions are in line with Chinese law, and viewed Manila’s actions as provocations. Philippine officials called for a boycott of Chinese goods during the standoff, while many Chinese travel agencies suspended tours to the southeast Asian nation. Some residents of both nations took to the streets in protest of the other side’s actions, and Chinese border officials even impounded Philippine banana imports. The standoff is one of the key reasons the Philippines has stepped up maritime patrols and regional alliances. On May 9, Philippine Coast Guard officers shot and killed a Taiwanese fisherman in the region, which sparked a row of its own between Manila and Taipei that did not thaw until recent investigation results were published. Interestingly, the trip Aquino cancelled was to the China-ASEAN Expo, which highlights the economic cooperation between Beijing and the Association of South East Asian Nations. The meeting takes place every year, with each year’s event highlighting one southeast Asian nation as the “country of honour.” (Ironically, this year’s “country of honour” was the Philippines.) Not surprisingly, the Beijing-Manila dispute became a hot topic at the Expo, which was held in Nanning and attended by high-level officials from most participating countries, including the prime ministers of Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. While some other nations within the ASEAN also have island land claims disputes with China, reports indicate that other southeast Asian countries are distancing themselves from this particular dispute. Perhaps no country’s stance illustrates the situation more clearly than that of Vietnam’s. Hanoi has its own claims dispute with China in the South China Sea, and critics argue it — along with the Philippines — have been the most active opponents of Beijing’s claims. According to a Vietnam news report, however, prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung reiterated at a meeting with Chinese premier Li Keqiang last week that Vietnam will work with Beijing to “maintain peace and stability in the East Sea, control the situation at sea and resolve every matter via peaceful negotiations.” Dung also said at the meeting that a Beijing-Hanoi defence-fisheries hotline should be implemented to resolve potential issues, and further added that Vietnam is “willing to deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.” Hanoi isn’t alone. Thai foreign minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul told China Daily that officials “will not allow any particular issue to overshadow ASEAN-China relations, which are progressing well.” Media reports also said Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra told Li that “Thailand will continue to play an active role in boosting Asean-China ties.” Meanwhile, Malaysia — another country with overlapping land claims in the region — is dismissing the Philippines’ concerns. Defence minister Hishammuddin Hussein told Bloomberg in August: “Just because you have enemies, doesn’t mean your enemies are my enemies … I think we have enough level of trust that we will not be moved by day-to-day politics or emotions.” China is currently ASEAN’s largest trade partner, with total trade volume in the first half of this year totalling $210 billion US, up 12 per cent from the same period last year. That figure is only expected to increase with duties and tariffs being lifted in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar by 2015.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 00:29:15 +0000
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