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| South China Sea: Chinese violation of territorial sovereignty rising concer ASEAN |
South China Sea: Chinese violation of territorial sovereignty rising concern in ASEAN
South China Sea
South China Sea
(SCS) situation in the backdrop of China’s aggression in Vanguard Bank -- the
westernmost reef in the resource-rich Spratlys -- within Vietnam’s exclusive
economic zone and continental shelf will be in spotlight at the next East Asia
Summit (EAS) that Bangkok is hosting early November.
It is incumbent upon
hosts Thailand and ASEAN as a whole that South China Sea situation is mentioned
in the declaration that will be issued at the 35th ASEAN Summit and 14th East
Asia Summit that Bangkok is hosting between November 2 and 4.
The situation in SCS
has been tense since this July due to China's belligerent approach vis-à-vis
Vietnam and other claimants in SCS – Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei appear
worried over Beijing’s actions as they might face burnt of Chinese action in
future.
There are growing
expectations that leaders at the EAS may raise the issue of current situation
in EAS and call for restraint, respect to UNCLOS and Freedom of Navigation. It
is understood that some leaders at EAS may also raise the impact of Chinese approach
on their energy assets in the region. South China Sea will be definitely a key
item on the agenda for EAS, according to persons who are familiar with the
dynamics of the region.
In this context the leaders of EAS states
will also like to raise the importance of rules-based order and its necessity
and peaceful resolution of disputes. The Indian PM at the Summit is expected to
focus on the importance of rules based order and Freedom of Navigation in the
region. Experts said given India’s growing stature India should call China and
ASEAN to build Code of Conduct as a effective tool to prevent conflict in the
region, ask for recognition of the PCA verdict and call for solidarity with
ASEAN and pitch for ASEAN centrality in the entire process.
In the second India-China
informal summit near Chennai, India and China discussed the necessity of
rules-based international order in the backdrop of BRI and Beijing's approach
in the SCS.
It is for no reason that Vietnam is
taking a stronger stand. In July, the Chinese survey ship Haiyang Dizhi 8 and
its heavily armed coastguard escorts began making passes through an oil block
operated by Russian energy company Rosneft, Hanoi’s exploration partner in the
area.
Chinese ships have
violated sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of Vietnam under United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), according to Vietnam.
Vanguard Bank, the westernmost reef in the resource-rich Spratlys, sits within
Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, but Beijing says it
falls within the “nine-dash line” it uses to claim sovereignty over more than
80 per cent of the SCS.
The actions so far
have violated Vietnam’s sovereignty under the International Law. The Vanguard
Bank standoff represents the latest episode in the ongoing South China Sea
(SCS) disputes, and signals Beijing’s unwillingness to adhere to the UNCLOS
while continuing to base its claim to sovereign rights in the South China Sea
on the so-called “nine-dash line.
Beijing has been
increasing its resource exploration efforts since 2016 in the South China Sea
region in a bid to reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers for its crude
oil. Beijing claims more than 80 per cent of the South China Sea, which holds
an estimated 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 11 billion barrels of
oil in proved and probable reserves.
As China shows no
sign of giving up on its claim of sovereignty over the South China Sea by
boosting its military presence in the region, and at least 27 artificial
military outposts scattering from the Paracels to the Spatlys, there are fears
that Chinese military could yet again increase pressure and presence in the
Vanguard Bank zone from October.
While earlier India,
USA, European Union, Australia and some regional powers have expressed concern
over the situation in South China Sea and unilateral actions in the Vanguard
Bank area, global powers including India which has huge stakes in ASEAN region
must speak up and utilize upcoming platforms including EAS to voice concern over
unilateral actions by China.
The resource-rich
South China Sea is one of the region’s most dangerous flashpoints and Beijing –
wary of freedom of navigation operations in the waterway by the US and its
allies – has insisted that territorial disputes should be resolved between
claimants.
The Joint Communique
issued by ASEAN Foreign Minister also expressed concern over ‘serious incidents
in the area’. The issue was further highlighted at other meetings including
East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Meetings. The international community has
also viewed Chinese action as ‘escalation’.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
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