TENSIONS in the South China Sea are rising, pitting China against smaller and weaker neighbors that all lay claim to islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters rich in fish and potential gas and oil reserves.
China’s recent construction of artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago, complete with airstrips and radar stations, and US patrols challenging Beijing’s vast territorial claims, have caused concern that the strategically important waters could become a flashpoint.
China said the United States is overblowing a humanitarian emergency mission that involved one of its military planes landing on an artificial island—which also happens to be one of three recently built military outposts with long runways.
The Y-8 transport aircraft made a trip to Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratlys to evacuate three injured construction workers, according to the Ministry of Defense.
State Department Spokesman John Kirby questioned the need for a military aircraft, citing concern that China keeps militarizing the disputed region. He said that the injured workers were involved in infrastructure improvements of a military nature.
“One could argue that it’s just another sign that the Chinese are willing to keep militarizing the effort in general,” he told reporters.
China’s Defense Ministry said it was completely within the mission of the People’s Liberation Army to rescue people—and carry out construction activities and deployment of defense facilities on related islets and reefs in the Nansha Islands, the Chinese name for the Spratlys.
More Chinese ships
Filipino fishermen said they’ve seen more Chinese coast guard ships than usual around the contested Scarborough Shoal, which China effectively took over in 2013 after a tense standoff with Philippine vessels.
Although fishermen have been complaining they’re being driven away by Chinese ships, the Philippine Defense Department said it could not confirm an increase in Chinese presence at the shoal, 145 miles (230 kilometer) from Luzon island.
Meantime, the US Air Force flew its first mission over the Scarborough area as part of a new Air Contingent force stationed in the Philippines. It involved four A-10C Thunderbolt jets and two Sikorsky HH-60 helicopters.
The mission: establishing air and maritime “domain awareness” and “assuring all nations have access to air and sea domains throughout the region in accordance with international law,” according to a US military statement.
Free navigation “is extremely important, international economics depends on it—free trade depends on our ability to move goods,” said Col. Larry Card, commander of the Air Contingent, part of the stepped-up US assistance to its Philippine ally.
Nations take side
As China and other claimants await the ruling of a United Nations tribunal on a case filed by the Philippines, which challenges Beijing’s vast territorial claims, world and regional players are lining up behind one side or the other.
China has refused to take part in the proceedings at the UN Court of Arbitration, and it’s not clear how the ruling can be enforced.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Moscow, said Russia is against any interference from third parties—a reference to the US—“or any attempts to internationalize these disputes.”
Russia repeated China’s position that “only parties can resolve their dispute through direct talks.”
Britain, on the other hand, said it will stand alongside the US in supporting the ruling.
Hugo Swire, British minister of state for the Foreign Office, told a Washington think tank that growing tensions in the South China Sea are driven by China’s assertive actions. He said any ruling by the court should be binding on both parties.
In Southeast Asia, which is broadly divided between pro- and anti-China blocs, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Beijing had reached consensus with Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia and Lao PDR—its traditional allies—on the South China Sea issue.
The four countries say territorial disputes are not an issue between China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and should be resolved by parties directly.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hua Chunying said earlier that the case filed by the Philippines is an attempt to deny China’s sovereignty over the Spratly Islands and “an abuse of international law.”
No rift with White House
The Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Harry Harris has denied reports of a disconnect with the White House in strategy over the South China Sea.
Navy Times reported on a gag order issued to military commanders for making comments over the South China Sea in the run-up to the nuclear summit in Washington that included China.
Harris said in a statement “any suggestion that the White House has sought to ‘tamp down’ on my talking about my concerns is patently wrong.”
He said during recent congressional testimony and press engagements in Washington, “I was very public and candid about my concerns regarding many issues in the Indo-Asia-Pacific to include the fact that China’s militarization of the South China Sea is problematic.”
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” During his State visit to Vietnam in March 1994, Filipino President Fidel V. Ramos, together with Vietnam President Le Duc Anh, Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet initiated the JOMSRE program (Philippines-Vietnam Joint Oceanographic and Marine Scientific Research Expedition in the South China Sea).
December 1995, in Manila, Filipino President Fidel V. Ramos and Vietnam President Le Duc Anh signed the agreement to conduct the JOMSRE – SCS.
The main objectives of the program were:
– To increase goodwill of the leaders of the two countries through marine scientific cooperation in the South China Sea.
– To increase understandings of natural processes on marine environment and resources, especially in the Spratly islands
Under the framework of this agreement, till now Vietnam and Philippines have conducted together 4 expeditions: JOMSRE-SCS I (1996), JOMSRE-SCS II (2000), JOMSRE-SCS III (2005) and JOMSRE-SCS IV (2007).
In Vietnam, the first expedition JOMSRE-SCS I was carried out by Ha Noi University of Natural Science, with the participation of two scientists from the Institute of Oceanography.
Later, the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology was assigned by the Government to lead this program on the Vietnam side, and the Institute of Oceanography was the main implementing institution of the other three expeditions: JOMSRE-SCS II, III and IV.
JOMSRE-SCS I:
The first expedition was conducted from April 24th to May 9th 1996, hosted by the Philippines. Before the cruise, on April 23rd 1996, President Fidel V. Ramos received the two Vietnam and Filipino investigation teams at presidential palace, where he emphasized the significance of the expedition to strengthen the friendship and cooperation between the two countries as well as to solve the disputes in the South China Sea peacefully.
The cruise began in Manila, on board of the Filipino RPS Explorer, and ended in Ho Chi Minh city. Data and samples were collected from 20 stations. The main investigation fields were: marine physics, chemistry, biology, geology and coral reef ecology.
There were 12 scientists from each side participated in the cruise. Prof. Le Duc To from Ha Noi University of Natural Science was the chief of the Vietnam team, and Dr. Gil S. Jacinto from Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines was the Filipino chief scientist.
The cruise summary workshop was conducted in Ha Noi from April 22nd to 23rd, 1997, with 13 presentations. The Workshop Proceedings was published.” – Reporters: Do Minh Thu & Bui Thi Minh Ha