Weekly Bulletin 22/6-28/6

Activities of the Claimants

China

China: Philippines dragging others to South China Sea dispute

In response to the question at Defense Ministry's regular press conference on 25^th June regarding to the joint exercise between Pilipino navy and maritime self-defense force of Japan, Senior Colonel Yang Yujun, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) said that “It is our consistent position that bilateral military cooperation should be conducive to regional peace and stability, and should not compromise the interest of any third party. Some regional nations drag countries outside the region to interfere in the South China Sea issue, demonstrate muscles, and intentionally play up regional tensions. This behavior would only bring harm to the situation in the South China Sea.”

China says changing position on sea dispute would shame ancestors

Speaking to academics and former officials, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China could not face its children and grandchildren if "the gradual and incremental invasion of China's sovereignty and encroachment on China's interests" was allowed to continue. He said "one thousand years ago China was a large sea-faring nation. So of course China was the first country to discover, use and administer the Nansha Islands (Chinese term for the Spratly Islands).” He added “China's demands of sovereignty over the Nansha Islands have not expanded and neither will they shrink. He defended China's land reclamation and building work in the South China Sea as necessary to improve living conditions, pointing out that other countries had been building there since the 1970s.

China's HD-981 Oil Rig Returns, near disputed South China Sea waters

According to China Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) announcement, the rig was deployed to the coordinates of 17°03’75’’ North and 109°59’05’’ East, approximately 120 nm from Vietnam’s coast, 63 nm from China’s Hainan Island coast, and 87 nm from the nearest Island in the Paracels. The rig will explore for oil and gas from June 25 to August 20. The MSA’s announcement warns nearby vessels that sailing “within 2000 metres of [HD-981]” is “prohibited.”

Vietnam

Embassy continues demanding China return fishing ship: Spokesman

The Vietnamese Embassy in China is continuing to demand the country unconditionally return a seized Vietnamese fishing vessel, said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Le Hai Binh at a regular press conference on June 25.  He said according to latest information from relevant agencies, the 17 fishermen and boat QB93480TS have arrived back in Vietnam safely, the embassy is continuing to demand China return fishing ship QB93694TS unconditionally.

Also at the press conference, in response to the question regarding to recent statement of Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang that China’s island construction and reclamation in the East Sea (South China Sea) are within the scope of the country’s sovereignty, Binh said China’s large-scale construction and expansion of islands and reefs in Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago is illegal and cannot change the fact that Vietnam has sufficient legal foundation and historical evidence proving its sovereignty over this chain of islands.

Philippines

DND slams China's live fire exercise in West Philippine Sea (South China Sea)

A one-and-a-half minute video uploaded on YouTube last June 20 showed Chinese warships conducting live fire combat drills in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), the subject of a longstanding territorial dispute in the region. The video showed Chinese vessels rapidly firing missiles at undetermined targets while helicopters hover above the disputed waters. There were also footages of flying Chinese fighter jets and rail guns installed in warships.

DND spokesman Peter Galvez said reports about the live fire exercise prove that China’s “illegal installations and presence are obviously of aggressive military character.” He added “this runs contrary to Sino statements that supposedly these are non-military and of peaceful use of the illegally-reclaimed areas.”

Philippines buys 100 patrol boats to combat poachers

The Philippines is buying nearly 100 new patrol boats to protect its fisheries, an official said Monday, in a substantial expansion from its current fleet of 20 as it responds to poaching by Chinese and Taiwanese vessels.

Most of the ordered vessels will be delivered this year, which includes 71 short-range boats for coastal patrols and 27 able to go further out to sea. Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources chief Asis Perez said "this is just fulfilling our mandate. Our country has eight times more sea area than land area. We have 36,000 kilometers of coastline and over 7,100 islands." Perez said his agency is also seeking funding to acquire 10 larger boats that can patrol the high seas.

Indonesia

Vietnam-Indonesia relations developing soundly: officials

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh was hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo during his working trip to Jakarta to co-chair the second foreign ministerial-level meeting of the Vietnam-Indonesia Bilateral Cooperation Committee. With regard to complicated developments in the East President Joko Widodo said the visit of Deputy PM Minh is a good chance for the two sides to review cooperation and outlining orientations and specific measures to promote the strategic partnership. President Joko Widodo shared Vietnam’s concerns over the complicated situation in the East Sea and underlined the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and maritime and aviation safety. He hoped all parties would resolve issues peacefully with respect for international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), fully execute the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and striving towards concluding a Code of Conduct (COC).

India

Indian warships in Cambodia, Thailand on South China Sea deployment

Indian warships today entered Cambodia and Thailand as part of a two-month-long operational deployment in South China Sea in pursuant of India's 'Act East' Policy. The Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet ships under the command of Rear Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh are on operational deployment to South East Asia and Southern Indian Ocean. "The visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries as well as fostering inter-operability between the navies of these two friendly nations," a statement by the Navy said. 

Japan

Japanese plane circles over China-claimed region in South China Sea

According to Japanese and Philippine officials on 23^rd June, the Japanese P3-C Orion surveillance plane, with three Filipino guest crew members, flew at 5,000 feet (1,524 m) above the edge of Reed Bank, an energy-rich area that is claimed by both China and the Philippines. It was accompanied by a smaller Philippine patrol aircraft. Marine Colonel Jonas Lumawag said "we practiced search and rescue patterns, which are essential in any humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations."

On the next day, Japan and the Philippines flew patrol planes near disputed South China Sea waters for a second straight day on Wednesday, despite Chinese criticism of this week’s air and sea exercises. A Japanese P-3C Orion and a Philippine navy Islander conducted a search and rescue drill 50 nautical miles (93 kilometres) northwest of the Philippine island of Palawan, officials said.

Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force Commander Hiromi Hamano told reporters that Wednesday’s joint training exercise — which he termed a humanitarian and disaster response drill — was a success. A spokeswoman for the Japanese defence department said its Orion was not used to spy over the South China Sea. “The purpose of this exercise is to enhance the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force’s capabilities in humanitarian support and disaster relief, not to conduct surveillance activities,” she said.

Japan open to joining U.S. in South China Sea patrols

Japan’s military would consider joining U.S. forces in regular patrols in the South China Sea, the nation’s top uniformed officer said, underscoring how China’s territorial claims are encouraging Tokyo to play a greater role in regional security.

Adm. Katsutoshi Kawano, chief of the Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, said in an interview that China’s recent moves to build artificial islands have created “very serious potential concerns” for Japan, a trading nation that relies on the sea lane that runs through the area. He said “of course, the area is of the utmost importance for Japanese security”. He added “We don’t have any plans to conduct surveillance in the South China Sea currently but depending on the situation, I think there is a chance we could consider doing so.”

The United States

US diplomat expresses concerns over China's land reclamation in South China Sea

US Ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Nina Hachigian said that China’s reclamation activity does not foster its disputed maritime claims during her first working visit to Hanoi on Monday (June 22). "No amount of sand can change sovereignty," said Ms Hachigian during a meeting with the press.

The US Ambassador to ASEAN also voiced concerns over China’s intention to expand its construction in the contested South China Sea, following Beijing's recent statement that part of its reclamation work in the disputed area will soon be completed. "We think the rights of all nations, large and small, must be protected," she said, urging all claimants to halt their land reclamation activities.

China aims to challenge U.S. air dominance: Pentagon

Speaking to a group of military and civilian aerospace experts at Washington on 23^rd June, Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work said that China is mounting a serious effort to challenge U.S. military superiority in air and space, forcing the Pentagon to seek new technologies and systems to stay ahead of its rapidly developing rival. He added China was "quickly closing the technological gaps," developing radar-evading aircraft, advanced reconnaissance planes, sophisticated missiles and top-notch electronic warfare equipment. The Pentagon "cannot overlook the competitive aspects of our relationship, especially in the realm of military capabilities, an area in which China continues to improve at a very impressive rate."

U.S. compares China's South China Sea moves to Russia's in Ukraine

In his speech at the Center for a New American Security think tank, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken called China's large scale reclamation projects in the South China Sea, "a threat to peace and stability." He said the United States took no position on the merits of competing claims in the disputed sea, but had a strong interest in how those were pursued, and in preserving freedom of navigation. "The way forward is for China, and all claimants, to freeze their reclamation activities and resolve their difference in accordance the rule of law," he continued. “In both eastern Ukraine and the South China Sea, we’re witnessing efforts to unilaterally and coercively change the status quo — transgressions that the United States and our allies stand united against," He said.

Regional Snapshots

The U.S.-China Strategic & Economic Dialogue / Consultation on People-to-People Exchange

On June 23, officials from China and the United States gathered in Washington, D.C. kicked off the seventh round of the “Strategic and Economic Dialogue,” the highest-level annual meeting between the two sides. The two-day talks led by Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew on the U.S. side and by State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Vice Premier Wang Yang on the Chinese side.

Speaking at opening session, Vice President Joe Biden said “we need to be honest and direct about where we’ve been, what lies on the horizon for the relationship that will in many ways define the 21st century for the remainder of the world.” He said, “the rule-based order that emerged in the 20th century has served the world extremely well, and, I would respectfully suggest, including China. It provided the ballast for remarkable peace and prosperity that ensued after the war. And we’d be foolish today to hastily discard or ignore all of it.”

In regard to the maritime issue the Vice President said nations play responsible role, “adhere to international law and work together to keep international sea lanes open for unimpaired commerce. Eighty percent of all the commerce today is on the back of a ship somewhere floating on the oceans – 80 percent of all the world’s economy. The notion of sea lanes being open and protected is even more crucial today than any time in human history because of the interconnectedness of the world and global economy. Because nations that disregard diplomacy and use coercion and intimidation to settle disputes or turned a blind eye to aggression of others only invite instability and undermine the collaborative goals of the international community.”

On her speech, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong said “The two sides should keep the bilateral ties on the right track. As long as our two countries adopt an overall perspective, respect and accommodate each other’s core interests and be committed to a constructive approach to reduce misunderstanding and miscalculations, we can manage our differences and maintain our common interests.” In adding to that notion, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang said “dialogue helps us understand each other’s thinking and get to the crux of how to make cooperation work and better handle differences.”

Philippines to Hold Military Exercises with US, Japan

The Philippines is set to hold military drills with its ally the United States and its strategic partner Japan next week, Philippine officials confirmed Thursday. The exercises with the United States technically began on June 18, but will be formally opened only on June 22 and run till June 30. They are part of the annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercises which Washington carries out with several South and Southeast Asian nations

Philippine Fleet public affairs officer Lt. Liezel Vidallon said the exercises would involve helicopter crash and salvage, live fire, deck landing qualification, board and seizure and weapons systems training. Vidallon also stressed that the holding of CARAT Philippines 2015 near the South China Sea was part of regularly planned and scheduled drills had nothing to do with Manila’s ongoing dispute with China.

ASEAN and Japan Senior Officials participating in the 30th ASEAN-Japan Forum, held on June 22 in Cambodia, reaffirmed the importance of the strategic partnership between two sides and agreed to explore new opportunities to further the relationship.

Both sides also recognised the implications of the evolving regional and global security environment and agreed to enhance cooperation to promote regional peace and stability. In this regard, ASEAN and Japan emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, stability, freedom and safety of navigation in and over-flight above the East Sea (South China Sea). Meanwhile, Japan reiterated its support for ASEAN’s ongoing efforts to realise full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties on the East Sea (DOC) and early conclusion of a Code of Conduct on the East Sea (COC).

The two sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in addressing non-traditional security challenges, particularly transnational crimes including terrorism and extremism, cybercrime, sea piracy and pandemic threats.

Managing East Sea conflict from ASEAN perspective

The Centre for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) organised an international workshop on managing East Sea conflict from ASEAN perspective on June 26 in Jakarta, Indonesia, bringing together policymakers, diplomats, ASEAN officials and scholars on the East Sea.

The workshop focused its discussions on the East Sea (South China Sea) related issues from ASEAN perspective and encouraged initiatives to solve regional conflicts. The workshop also discussed recent developments in the East Sea and the future of the waters. Delegates voiced their hope for an early completion of a Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea between ASEAN and China.