ASEAN
-
Vietnam joins Philippines in war of words against China island building
Vietnam has joined the Philippines in condemning China’s attempts to build islands in the East Sea in what analysts say could be yet another futile verbal effort to stop Beijing. “Vietnam resolutely opposes China’s illegal construction projects that jeopardize the status quo on the Truong Sa Archipelago,” Pham Thu Hang, deputy foreign ministry spokeswoman, said at a press briefing Thursday,…
-
Asean should resolve problem of overlapping claims in the South China Sea
Manila: All ten members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and China must work together to reduce tension due to the overlapping claims in the South China Sea, an American official said, adding the US and all other countries in the world want to remain as neutral referees who aim to end tension in the region’s possible flashpoint.…
-
East Sea: Are artificial islands more dangerous than oil rigs?
Airstrips, Artificial Islands, ASEAN, China, Code of Conduct, Oil Rigs, Philippines, Reclamation, South China Sea Disute, Unsinkable Aircraft CarrierChina’s East Sea policy has a clear delineation between short term and long term. The strategy to maintain a continuous presence in the undisputed waters to gradually turn them into disputed areas has been resolutely pursued by Beijing. The 981 oil rig incident is a typical example. China used this oil rig as a “mobile sovereignty landmark ” to maintain…
-
Face-Off: China vs. ASEAN in the South China Sea and Beyond
By all possible measures, 2014 was a roller-coaster year for East Asia, particularly for the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which have anxiously watched Beijing’s widening shadow of influence and territorial assertiveness across the region. China kicked off the year with a bang, introducing a second amendment to its fisheries law in Hainan, which placed additional…
-
Chance for Malaysia to calm Asean’s choppy waters
This year, Malaysia, a claimant state to disputed islands in the South China Sea, is taking over as chairman of Asean. Given Malaysia’s long tradition of constructive and stable relations with China, this is an unprecedented opportunity to step up the anaemic negotiations over a Code of Conduct (CoC) in the South China Sea. The year 2015 could very well…
-
Malaysia And South China Sea: Will KL Abandon Its Hedging Policy? – Analysis
ASEAN, Bilateral Relations, China, Code of Conduct, Flotilla, Foreign Relations, Malaysia, Paracels, Philippines, Sabah, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, VietnamWhile Malaysia remains fully committed to a “common ASEAN position” in terms of engaging China on the South China Sea disputes, it does not want this to affect its good bilateral relations with Beijing – as do several other ASEAN states. It is unlikely that KL will change its hedging policy. By Nguyen Huu Tuc* As Malaysia assumes its chairmanship…
-
Vietnam delivered when Philippines needed it most
Arbitration, ASEAN, China, Code of Conduct, Paracels, South China Sea Dispute, Spratlys, UNCLOS, VietnamIt means a lot to the Philippines that Vietnam submitted a Position Paper to the Arbitral Tribunal of the United Nations that is handling the complaint filed by the Philippines against China on the conflict in the South China Sea. Probably so as not to further antagonize China, with whom the Philippines has rekindled relations marked by the meeting of…
-
China reaffirms Spratlys claim, nixes arbitration
Arbitration, ASEAN, China, Code of Conduct, Philippines, Position Paper, President Benig, Scarborough Shoal, South China Sea Dispute, SpratlysCHINA reaffirmed its position Sunday that it will not submit to international arbitration to resolve overlapping territorial claims with the Philippines in the South China Sea, and accused Manila of becoming “increasingly provocative.” The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a six-point position paper on Sunday, a week before the Dec. 15 deadline set by the United Nations tribunal in…
-
Why China Should Conclude a Code of Conduct with ASEAN
The diplomatic push that China has made at recent regional gatherings highlights its efforts to revitalize regional trust and confidence following recent tensions in the South China Sea. But the real work that China should begin is the quick completion of the Code of Conduct between ASEAN and China in the South China Sea. Chinese President Xi Jinping seemed to…
-
Asia Reacts to China’s South China Sea Airstrip
In what was the first ever port call between the countries, two Vietnamese frigates visited the Philippines on Tuesday. An unnamed Filipino naval officer said the two countries would hold peaceful joint patrols and operations in the Spratlys. But the timing of the maiden port call was clear. It coincides with the first anniversary of China’s declaration of an Air…