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Activities of Related Parties

China

China responded to Japan’s concerns over China’s “militarization” in the South China Sea

Speaking in a regular press conference on May. 4, China’s Ministry Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei said, “Japan is an outsider when it comes to the South China Sea issue. It tries everything to make its own presence felt on this issue. Nevertheless, what we feel is nothing but Japan’s poor record of illegally occupying China’s islands and reefs in the South China Sea during the Second World War, as well as its hidden agenda behind the South China Sea issue. We urge the Japanese side to stop trying.” About the Philippine presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte’s comments, saying that he would hold bilateral negotiations on the South China Sea issue with China and even jointly develop marine resources, Mr. Hong said that “It is hoped that the new Philippine government would properly deal with the South China Sea disputes with China, and make concrete efforts to improve bilateral relations.”

Regarding to the upcoming ruling from The Hague on the South China Sea arbitration case, Mr. Hong said, on May. 5, that “As early as 2006, China has released a governmental statement on optional exceptions excluding compulsory arbitration following Article 298 of UNCLOS. The arbitration case initiated by the Philippines, from the very beginning, is not legal nor justifiable. Its true intention is to politically confront China under the cloak of law. We are firmly opposed to certain country's plot to hijack international rule of law for its own selfish gains, sabotage the rule of law under the excuse of "safeguarding the rule of law" and trample on international fairness and justice.” On May. 6, Mr. Hong responded to US experts’ concerns about coral reefs in the South China Sea are being destroyed on a large scale, mainly caused by China's massive land reclamation activities. He said “China's activities on the Spratly Islands strictly follow the principle of conducting green project and building ecological islands and reefs.. The impact on the ecological system of coral reefs is limited. Once China's construction activities are completed, ecological environmental protection on relevant islands and reefs will be notably enhanced and such action stands the test of time.”

Chinese navy to conduct drill in South China Sea

Three naval ships of China's Nanhai Fleet left a naval port in Sanya, Hainan Province, on May. 4, kicking off an annual combat drill in the South China Sea and neighboring waters. The three ships include missile destroyer Hefei, missile frigate Sanya and supply ship Honghu. They will later be joined by missile destroyers Lanzhou and Guangzhou, as well as missile frigate Yulin, which are now carrying out other duties.

 

With three helicopters and dozens of "special warfare" soldiers, the fleet will be separated into three groups that will sail to areas of the South China Sea, the east Indian Ocean and the west Pacific, to conduct varied drills.

China says South China Sea criticism could rebound like coiled spring

On May. 6, Ouyang Yujing, director-general of Chinese Foreign Ministry's Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs said "Of course we're willing to take on board constructive comments and criticism by the relevant countries, But if they are aimed at putting pressure on China or blackening its name, then you can view it like a spring, which has an applied force and a counterforce. The more the pressure, the greater the reaction." Earlier on May. 4, Liu Xiaoming, Chinese ambassador to Britain critisied politicians and media outlets in the United States and Britain, saying “The issue of the South China Sea is being ramped up by those in the US and the UK who accuse China of causing tension in the region. They proclaim the principle of free navigation and over-flight but in reality their prejudice and partiality will only increase tension,” he said.

Chinese experts refute Philippine arbitration

On May. 8, more than 300 legal experts attended the meeting held by the Chinese Society of International Law in Changchun in northeast China's Jilin Province. All meeting participants questioned and refuted the unilateral initiation of the South China Sea arbitration by the Philippines. They believed China has legitimate rights under international law to reject the arbitration. "That is because the tribunal that arbitrates maritime disputes under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, has no jurisdiction over Manila's claims. And the country's unilateral initiation of the arbitration broke the agreement with us that the disputes should be resolved through bilateral negotiations," said professor Ma Chenyuan, China University of Political Science & Law.

Vietnam

Voters from Truong Sa island district cast votes for deputies to the 14th National Assembly and People’s Councils

Voters in three constituencies in Truong Sa island district includes Truong Sa town, Song Tu Tay and Sinh Ton communes will cast votes for deputies to the 14th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2016-2021 tenure on May 15. Preparations for the event in the island district have been made thoroughly, Chairman of the district People’s Committee Nguyen Viet Thuan said. To make the election a success, two naval ships coded 633 and 639 from the Naval Region 4 High Command conducted a ten-day voyage to bring ballots and equipment needed to election areas in district’s 21 islands.

India

4 Indian Naval Ships To Take Part In Malabar Exercise

Four Indian naval ships including two stealth frigates will take part in a trilateral exercise next month near the South China Sea which will see India, US and Japan playing war games in East of Okinawa. Defence sources said the two frigates along with a tanker and a corvette with integral helicopters will take part in Malabar Exercise which will be held from mid-June to the end of the month. The US has said the exercise is an important element for assessing the maritime capabilities of all the three countries.

The United States

US jets scrambled for fly-by to KMT’s Itu Aba plane

Ministry of National Defense officials confirmed that two US F/A-18 jets on Thursday flew near a C-130 plane carrying a group of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) officials as they returned from Itu Aba Island, but said the US jets posed no threat and flew off after a few minutes. The jets reportedly came from the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier battle group as it carried out patrols and drills in the area. The visit to the island was reportedly ordered by President Ma Ying-jeou, and it consisted of a 30-member delegation headed by former KMT officials, including 96-year-old retired army general Hau Pei-tsun and 67-year-old former premier Mao Chi-kuo.

 France

French naval ship berthed in Vietnam for friendship visit

The French Navy’s amphibious assault ship Tonnerre, with about 200 cadets on board, arrived at Cam Ranh International Port in coastal central Khanh Hoa province on May 2 for a five-day visit. It is the third foreign military ship to anchor at Cam Ranh Port since the port was opened in March. The visit aims to increase cooperation between the armed forces and navies of the two countries. This is the second time Tonnerre berthed at a Vietnamese port. It first visited Ho Chi Minh City in 2013 on the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Vietnam-France diplomatic ties. During the ship’s visit to Vietnam, its commanders will meet with the provincial authority, the Khanh Hoa Military Command, the 4 th Naval Zone Command and the Vietnam Naval Academy.

Regional Snapshots

 

Foreign Minister Kishida Visits China and Southeast Asia.

From April 29 to May 1, Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan visited Beijing (China) and held meetings with Mr. Li Keqiang, the Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Mr. Yang Jiechi, a Member of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, and Mr. Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. The issues on the East China Sea, the South China Sea also were discussed between the two Foreign Ministers.

On May. 1, during the meeting with Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, Mr. stated that "unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the South China Sea, including large-scale and rapid land reclamation, and the building of outposts, are a shared concern for the international community." On the next day, Mr. Keshida delivered a speech about “Diversity and Connectivity – Role of Japan as a Partner” at Chulalongkorn University Bangkok. Regarding to the maritime disputes in the Asian, Mr. Keshida reaffirmed that the principle of the “rule of law” is now most at stake is maritime security. Japan is proclaiming the Three Principles of the Rule of Law at Sea, namely (1) states shall make and clarify their claims based on international law, (2) states shall not use force or coercion in trying to drive their claims and (3) states shall seek to settle disputes by peaceful means. Also, he called on all parties for the early conclusion of an effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).

On May. 4,Mr. Kishida visited to the Lao People's Democratic Republic and had a meeting with Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. In his discussion with Lao Foreign Minister about the maritime security in the region, Mr Kishida explained that the South China Sea is directly linked to regional peace and prosperity and is a source of shared concern for the international community including Japan, and stressed the importance of the three principles of the rule of law at sea. He also emphasized the importance of ASEAN unifying to send a strong message on this issue. The two Foreign Ministers agreed on the importance of the peaceful resolution of conflicts based on international laws and ASEAN's centrality and integration. In his visit to Vietnam from May 05 to 06, Mr. Keshida had a meeting with Mr. Pham Binh Minh, Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. On the South China Sea issues, the two Ministers shared concerns about unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the South China Sea and awareness of the importance of ASEAN sending a unified message on this matter, and agreed on the importance of the rule of law, peaceful settlement of conflicts in accordance with international laws, and freedom of navigation and flights.

Japan, Philippines strike deal on leasing MSDF aircraft

Japan has agreed to lease Maritime Self-Defense Force TC-90 training aircraft to the Philippines, the Defense Ministry said May. 2, marking the first time for Japan to lend military aircraft to a foreign country. Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin confirmed the deal by telephone May. 2 evening. The TC-90 has a range of about 1,900 km, roughly double that of the Philippine navy’s aircraft. Since Japan cannot provide such defense equipment to a foreign country for free by law, the two countries have been considering a lease contract for used MSDF aircraft to make the Japanese equipment available and reduce Manila’s costs, according to officials of the two countries.

ADMM-Plus military drill undergoing in Brunei

The Maritime Security and Counter Terrorism Exercise began with an opening ceremony on May 3 at the Multi National Coordination Centre in Brunei’s capital of Bandar Seri Begawan. The exercise, the first of its kind under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM-Plus) mechanism, is hosted by the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and the Singapore Armed Forces from May 1 to 12. The Maritime Security and Counter Terrorism Exercise began with an opening ceremony on May 3 at the Multi National Coordination Centre in Brunei’s capital of Bandar Seri Begawan.

China, Laos enhance ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with his visiting Lao counterpart Bounnhang Vorachit on May 3 in Beijing. According to Xi Jinping, the visit showed that Laos attached great importance to Laos-China ties. The Chinese president also hoped the two countries will further coordinate in international affairs, including cooperation between China and the ASEAN. Bounnhang said the visit would improve high-level mutual trust and that the new leadership of Laos will continue to push forward relations between the two parties and two countries.

UN closely follows the developments in the South China Sea

During the talks with UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson in Hanoi on May 4, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has appreciated the UN’s cooperation with and effective support to Vietnam over the past years, stressing that his country will continue to be a responsible member of the international community and the UN. It is committed to actively contributing to joint efforts for peace and sustainable development in the world. The two sides discussed the major priorities of the international community and the UN at present. They also touched upon the regional situation and recent complex developments in the East Sea.Jan Eliasson said the UN closely follows the developments in the waters, noting that the easing of tensions is in conformity with the relevant parties’ interests. He hopes that they will exercise self-restraint, resolve disputes peacefully in line with international law, and push for the finalisation of a code of conduct of parties in the East Sea.

Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines to conduct coordinated anti-piracy patrols in South China Sea

Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines have agreed to conduct coordinated patrols in piracy-prone areas over the South China Sea as well as set up crisis centres in their respective countries to better respond to maritime emergencies, said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on May 5. He added, "We have agreed to set up a national focal point among the three countries to facilitate sharing of information and intelligence in a prompt way, and to coordinate in any emergency situation. This way, we can respond faster." These initiatives will be adapted from the "best practices" of the ongoing Malacca Straits Patrol (MSP), which was established in 2006 by the navies of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, said Ms Retno, speaking to the media after a meeting involving officials from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Japan and Britain reaffirm their position on upholding the international law

On May 5, speaking in a press conference with Mr. Shinzō Abe, Prime Minister of Japan in London, Mr. Prime Minister David Cameron stated that "on the South China Sea issue we back the United Nations law on the sea, and we will always – we believe in a world where we have strong institutions and a rules-based framework for countries to act within. That is a key foreign policy aim of the United Kingdom and I think of Japan too." On his part, Mr. Abe said " Rule of law: that is the cardinal importance. There is a challenge against that and there is an attempt to change a status quo unilaterally. So we are the like-minded countries. We share the values. Those countries must co-operate in coping with the situation. The freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight, that is important for the prosperity of the region. In order to protect that, rule of law must be complete and thorough."

ARF SOM in Laos scrutinises regional security

Senior officials from ASEAN member nations and the group’s partners, including the US, Russia, Japan, China, and the European Union met at the ASEAN Regional Forum Senior Officials' Meeting (ARF SOM) Luang Prabang, Laos on May 8. During the event, attendees compared notes on regional and international issues of common concern related to the East Sea, Ukraine, migration and terrorism. Many countries shared their concern over the recent developments in the East Sea and emphasizing the importance of preserving peace, stability, security, and navigation and aviation safety, as well as settling disputes in the East Sea in line with international law and the 1982 UN Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and strictly obeying the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) as well as accelerating negotiations to soon reach a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

THE EAST SEA STUDIES