Tag: South China Sea

SE Asian countries must keep eye on China’s Bihai 2020 before it turns into source of conflict, says expert
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
China discreetly launches initiative to combat ‘illegal activities in key areas’ in South China Sea
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
Philippines warns China of ‘severest response’ over drills in South China Sea
Politics

Philippines warns China of ‘severest response’ over drills in South China Sea

Philippines has warned of “the severest response” if ongoing Chinese military exercises in the disputed South China Sea spill over into Philippine territory.Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said, “China’s People’s Liberation Army has been staging exercises off the Paracel Islands since July 1 and Chinese maritime officials have prohibited all vessels from navigating within the area of the maneuvers.”After checking the coordinates of the Chinese-declared no-entry zone where the maneuvers were being staged, Locsin said the waters off the Paracels, which are also claimed by Vietnam, “do not impinge on Philippine territory” but it was still a concern.“Should the exercises spill over to Philippine territory, then China is forewarned that it will be met with the severest response, diplomatic
China’s aggressive expansion of territorial claims may provoke future clash with US
Conflict

China’s aggressive expansion of territorial claims may provoke future clash with US

By pressing its territorial claims aggressively from the Himalayas to the South China Sea, China may be raising possibilities of additional deadly clashes with the United States in the near future.China's military encroached upon its neighbours' territories on several fronts throughout the spring and now into summer, Beijing is flexing its military might in ways that have raised alarms across Asia and in Washington.For instance, in the same week of an escalating clash with Indian soldiers in Eastern Ladakh, China sent one of its submarines into the waters near Japan. Chinese fighter jets and at least one bomber buzzed Taiwan's territorial airspace almost daily.China's military assertiveness reflects a growing sense of confidence and capability, but also one of confrontation, particularly w...
SP  ASEAN takes position against China’s vast historical sea claims
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
South-east Asian nations warn of ‘alarming’ South China Sea incidents amid COVID-19 pandemic
Asia

South-east Asian nations warn of ‘alarming’ South China Sea incidents amid COVID-19 pandemic

At an ASEAN meeting on Friday, Vietnam and the Philippines warned of growing insecurity in Southeast Asia amid concerns that China was stepping up its activity in the disputed South China Sea during the coronavirus pandemic.Both Hanoi and Manila lodged protests with China in April after Beijing unilaterally declared the creation of new administrative districts on islands in the troubled waterways to which Vietnam and the Philippines also have competing claims."Even as our region struggles to contain Covid-19, alarming incidents in the South China Sea occurred," Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte told an online meeting of Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) leaders."We call on parties to refrain from escalating tensions and abide by responsibilities under international law," h...
Why Indonesia is reaffirming its position on the South China Sea and turning down China’s offer for bilateral talks
Business

Why Indonesia is reaffirming its position on the South China Sea and turning down China’s offer for bilateral talks

Amid recent activities in the South China Sea, the Indonesian government has reiterated its position on the rule of international law addressed to the United Nations, while declining China's offer to hold bilateral talks on overlapping claims.In a diplomatic note dated May 26, Indonesia reiterated that it is not a party to the territorial dispute in the South China Sea. “The nine-dash line map which China uses as a basis for its claims in the waters lacks an international legal basis,” it added.Beijing responded by sending a diplomatic note pointing out that there is no territorial dispute between China and Indonesia in the South China Sea.The note on June 2 said: “However, China and Indonesia have overlapping claims on maritime rights and interests in some parts of the South China Sea. Ch
China pushing territorial claims under cover of coronavirus: US military commander
China

China pushing territorial claims under cover of coronavirus: US military commander

In yet another claim against China’s expansionist policy, the commander of U.S. Forces in Japan on Friday said that China is using coronavirus as a cover to push territorial claims in the South China Sea through a surge in naval activity meant to intimidate other countries that claim the waters.“There has been a surge of activity by China in the South China Sea with navy ships, coast guard vessels and a naval militia of fishing boats in harassing vessels in waters claimed by Beijing”, said Lieutenant General Kevin Schneider.“Through the course of the COVID crisis we saw a surge of maritime activity,” he said.He added that Beijing had also increased its activity in the East China Sea, where it has a territorial dispute with Japan.Meanwhile, China says its maritime activities in the area are