Tag: ASEAN

US signs MoU to support Vietnamese fishermen against Chinese ‘Intimidation’
17Aug By Grace TsoiNo Comments
World

US signs MoU to support Vietnamese fishermen against Chinese ‘Intimidation’

In another setback for China resulting out of its aggressive behaviour in claiming the South China Sea, the United States and Vietnam have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support Vietnamese fishermen against Chinese intimidation.The MOU, which aims to strengthen Vietnam's fisheries management and law enforcement capabilities, came after the US released statements affirming its stance in supporting Southeast Asian nations including Vietnam in disputes with China at sea."Beijing uses intimidation to undermine the sovereign rights of Southeast Asian coastal states in the South China Sea, bully them out of offshore resources, assert unilateral dominion, and replace international law with 'might makes right'," said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.China and Vietnam have been lock...
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South China Sea is not China’s maritime empire, says Pompeo backing ASEAN
6Aug By Grace TsoiNo Comments
World

South China Sea is not China’s maritime empire, says Pompeo backing ASEAN

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) statement calling out China to resolve the South China Sea dispute in line with the international law was welcomed by the United States with US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo tweeting about it.“The United States welcomes ASEAN Leaders’ insistence that South China Sea disputes be resolved in line with international law, including UNCLOS (United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea). China cannot be allowed to treat the SCS as its maritime empire. We will have more to say on this topic soon,” Pompeo wrote on Twitter.After the 36th ASEAN summit, a joint statement was issued by the members of ASEAN expressing concerns over the current situation in the South China Sea.The bloc leaders stressed the importance of maintaining and promotin
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China weakening governments in neighborhood: US embassy in Myanmar
28Jul By Grace TsoiNo Comments
Opinion, World

China weakening governments in neighborhood: US embassy in Myanmar

For the first time, the US embassy in Myanmar has called out China saying that the latter’s actions in the South China Sea and Hong Kong part of a "larger pattern to undermine the sovereignty of its neighbors".Though the embassy did not specifically mention the recent China-India standoff in eastern Ladakh, Indo-Pacific region experts are of the opinion that the embassy’s statement also aimed at PLA’s actions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).The Trump administration recently outlined its policy on rules-based order in the South China Sea, a move that many viewed as its strongest message so far to China on its activities in in the region.In a guest column titled ‘How the Erosion of Sovereignty Elsewhere Impacts Myanmar at Home’, chargé d’affaires at the US embassy in Myanmar George N
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Under pressure, expansionist China begins to wilt
23Jul By Stuart WhiteNo Comments
Opinion

Under pressure, expansionist China begins to wilt

China’s has brazenly challenged Japan in the East China Sea, grabbed territory in the South China Sea, laid claims to Indonesian islands 1500 kms away and encroached upon territory in eastern Ladakh. It has repeatedly threatened Taiwan with invasion, throttled democratic rights in Hong Kong, and threatened Australia with economic retribution and cyber-attacks.For the first time, the Quad, in a concrete show of solidarity, reacted with alacrity to the Dragon’s unethical and premeditated expansionist agenda.The US dispatched two modern aircraft carrier battle groups to the SCS area. It agreed to supply more sophisticated weapons and equipment to Taiwan. In continuation of the reciprocal trade war, the US raised the stakes for the Chinese by taking effective steps at ‘de-coupling’ in sensitiv
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China pushing territorial claims during pandemic, alleges Japan
23Jul By Nectar GanNo Comments
Conflict

China pushing territorial claims during pandemic, alleges Japan

In its annual defense review, Japan has accused China of Taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic and push its territorial claims in the East China Sea.China “is continuing to attempt to alter the status quo in the East China Sea and the South China Sea,” Japan said in the defense white paper approved by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government on July 14.The report further said that there have been "relentless" intrusions in the areas around the Senkaku islands as called by Japan or Diaoyu in China.Besides, in recent days, China has been asserting its claims in the South China Sea by establishing administrative districts around disputed islands while the neighbouring countries have been busy with dealing with the COVID-19 crisis.Chinese intrusions in the South China Sea have not only be
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“PRC has doubled its campaign to impose an order of might makes right in South China Sea”
23Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

“PRC has doubled its campaign to impose an order of might makes right in South China Sea”

Assistant Secretary of Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affair, David R Stilwell has said that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has doubled-down on its campaign to impose an order of “might makes right” in the South China Sea.“In recent months, while the world has focused on the fight against COVID-19, the PRC has doubled-down on its campaign to impose an order of “might makes right” in the South China Sea. Beijing is working to undermine the sovereign rights of other coastal states and deny them access to offshore resources – resources that belong to those states, not to China,” Stilwell said in virtual interaction with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.July 12 marks the anniversary of a historic statement in the South China Sea: the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling. “Th
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SE Asian countries must keep eye on China’s Bihai 2020 before it turns into source of conflict, says expert
16Jul By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia, Conflict

SE Asian countries must keep eye on China’s Bihai 2020 before it turns into source of conflict, says expert

China might be using the “Bihai 2020” initiative as another justification for the increased presence of Chinese law enforcement vessels in the disputed South China Sea, an expert has warned."Is the Bihai 2020 initiative as innocent as it seems? On the surface, the initiative appears to be solely aimed at enhancing marine environmental protection. However, as noted in the joint statement, law enforcement activities conducted under the initiative would involve coastal and sea patrols, as well as remote monitoring capabilities," YingHui Lee, an Associate Research Fellow with the Maritime Security Programme, at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University Singapore has said.He added, "This presents a worrying possibility that the initiative could b
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China discreetly launches initiative to combat ‘illegal activities in key areas’ in South China Sea
15Jul By Grace TsoiNo Comments
World

China discreetly launches initiative to combat ‘illegal activities in key areas’ in South China Sea

A recent US report has claimed that China has discreetly initiated a maritime law enforcement initiative with an aim to enhance marine environmental protection and combat "illegal activities in key areas", including offshore oil exploration as well as shipping and related operations.“China's Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Transport and China Coast Guard, in a joint statement released on April 1, had announced the commencement of an eight-month-long "Bihai 2020" (or "Blue Sea 2020") initiative,” US-based Diplomat magazine has said in its report.According to the joint statement, the Bihai 2020 initiative, which is stipulated to last from April 1 to November 30, focusses on combating illegal activities in eight key areas -- marine engineering c
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China using covid-19 pandemic to become world’s leading superpower: Veteran journalist
14Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

China using covid-19 pandemic to become world’s leading superpower: Veteran journalist

Veteran Swedish journalist and Myanmar analyst Bertil Lintner has said that while the rest of the world is preoccupied with the Covid-19 outbreak, China is “taking advantage” of the chaos in the Indo-Pacific region with a new security law in Hong Kong, border clashes with India, confrontations in the South China Sea, and by using the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to become world’s leading superpower.In an interview, Lintner, also the author of several books on Myanmar shared his perspective on Beijing’s ambitions and what they mean for conflict and development in the region.He said that it is now “obvious that China is taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic”.“While the rest of the world is preoccupied with its own, internal problems, China is flexing its muscles in the Indo-Pacific reg
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SP ASEAN takes position against China’s vast historical sea claims
7Jul By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

SP ASEAN takes position against China’s vast historical sea claims

Opposing China’s claim to the South China Sea, Southeast Asian leaders have said that a 1982 U.N. oceans treaty should be the basis of sovereign rights and entitlements in the strategic waters.“We reaffirmed that the 1982 UNCLOS is the basis for determining maritime entitlements, sovereign rights, jurisdiction and legitimate interests over maritime zones,” the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) took the position in a statement issued by Vietnam on behalf of the 10-nation bloc.The ASEAN leaders were referring to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an international agreement that defines the rights of nations to the world’s oceans and demarcates stretches of waters called exclusive economic zones where coastal states are given the rig
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