US concerned about “Sansha city”
Speaking at a press conference on July 24, US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland warned China against taking unilateral action in the East Sea. “We are concerned about whether there should be any further unilateral moves that would put a fait accompli on an issue that we have repeatedly said can only be resolved through negotiations, through dialogue, and through a coordinated diplomatic process among all the claimants,” Nuland said.
Ms. Nuland's statement was made after Beijing brazenly held a ceremony to establish "Sansha City" on Phu Lam Island in Vietnam's Hoang Sa archipelago, in defiance of public opinion and the law.At the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF 19) held in Cambodia earlier this month, US Secretary of State Clinton also called on all relevant parties to resolve disputes in the East Sea “without coercion, without intimidation, without threats and without the use of force”, based on international law.
Unnecessary provocation
Also related to a series of moves by China to deliberately formalize the city of Sansha, US Republican Senator John McCain on July 24 warned about China's "unnecessarily provocative" actions when establishing a military garrison on the Paracel Islands.
“The decision by China’s Central Military Commission to deploy troops on islands in the South China Sea that Vietnam also claims is an unnecessary provocation,” McCain said.
Other moves by Beijing, including the appointment of a council of lawmakers to govern the disputed islands, “only add to the growing concern in many Asian countries about China’s expansive claims that have no basis in international law and the likelihood that China will seek to enforce its claims through coercion and coercion,” the senator said. “Beijing’s actions are disappointing and unworthy of a responsible power,” McCain concluded.
The US Republican senator also urged parties with sovereignty claims in the East Sea to seek a peaceful, multilateral solution based on international law.
Warning of the risk of armed conflict in the East Sea
Meanwhile, the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) warned on July 24 that tensions related to sovereignty disputes in the East Sea could escalate into conflict as the parties involved are increasing their armaments.
According to ICG, the prospect of resolving the disputes “seems to be narrowing” after the 10 ASEAN countries at a recent summit failed to come up with a code of conduct for parties in the East Sea.“Without consensus on a resolution mechanism, tensions in the East Sea could easily escalate into armed conflict. When ASEAN countries have not yet agreed on a cohesive policy in the East Sea, it will be impossible to set out enforceable rules to resolve disputes,” said Paul Quinn-Judge, ICG Director for Asia.
ICG believes that China has actively exploited divisions within ASEAN, by favoring members of the bloc that support Beijing's stance on sovereignty disputes in the East Sea.
The ICG report also said that China and other countries with claims in the East Sea are constantly strengthening their naval and coast guard forces in the context of the dispute. Therefore, according to the ICG, the situation could become more tense and the risk of confrontation at sea cannot be ruled out. According to the ICG, the best way to reduce tensions is for the disputing parties to agree on sharing resources in this sea area.
The Philippine Senate on July 24 approved an agreement allowing Australian troops to be deployed on its territory for military exercises. Edwin Lacierda, spokesman for Philippine President Benigno Aquino, said the Senate’s decision was an important step in strengthening national and regional security.
Senator Eduardo Angara said he supported the agreement because the Philippines needed “a network of friends who can protect us” amid a “threat from a country that is very powerful and has expanded its claims right up to our doorstep.”
According to AP, AFP-M
